Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead is not going to help every roster the same way, but the power is getting harder to ignore. Mead is batting just .232 through 237 at-bats, so there is some batting-average risk here. He has still supplied 14 home runs, 39 RBI, 38 runs, and five steals, which is a useful return for a player available in most leagues. The appeal gets better because Mead qualifies at first base, second base, and third base in RotoBaller's rankings. His 10.9% barrel rate and 41.9% hard-hit rate also suggest the power is not just empty box-score noise. Fantasy managers should not treat him like a safe average play, and the profile can be streaky. Still, Mead is only 18% rostered on Yahoo, and RotoBaller recommends him in 12-team leagues. That makes him a reasonable power add for corner or middle-infield spots.

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Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson suffered his first loss at Double-A Arkansas following his July 3 start. He only allowed two earned runs to pick up his first loss of the season in his 8-1 overall record. His numbers look video game worthy with a 1.36 ERA and 0.69 WHIP with 108 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings pitched. The No. 3 overall draft pick out of LSU has dominated the minors in his first season of professional baseball. Before a stop in Seattle and a spot in the Mariners rotation, Anderson would likely need some seasoning at Triple-A. So while his numbers call out for a stash for fantasy managers, some patience is required. Managers in mid-size leagues would be smart to use a roster spot now on Anderson and wait to see if it pays off. The prospect pedigree looks elite for Anderson, and it's worth using an early roster spot to acquire his services.

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Colorado Rockies second baseman Willi Castro still offers enough category help and roster flexibility to stay in the waiver mix, but this is not a clean must-add. Castro is batting .269 with six home runs, 38 runs, 35 RBI, and six steals through 268 at-bats. He has also gone 33-for-116 (.284) with four homers, 16 runs, 17 RBI, and three steals over his last 30 games, even with a colder stretch mixed in. The concern is playing time. Castro has gone just 4-for-27 over his last seven games, and Colorado has started sitting him more often against right-handed pitching. His eligibility at first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and outfield still gives fantasy managers several ways to use him. With his Yahoo roster rate down to 40%, Castro fits as a 12-team bench option for managers who need flexibility, not as a priority pickup.

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Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen continues to impress at the Triple-A level this season, and his latest demonstration is a two-homer game for Albuquerque on July 5. Veen is about as solid as it comes as a minor league hitter for the Rockies. The 24-year-old is hitting .323 with 16 homers and 58 RBI in Albuquerque this season, along with 14 stolen bases. The five-tool product is worth a speculative roster spot on most fantasy rosters, as he could enjoy a great deal of success if promoted to the Rockies and able to play his home games at Coors Field. Veen is the No. 13 prospect on the Rockies' top prospects list, but he is putting up some of the best numbers in the system at the moment. Stashing him now might be the right move for managers to make in preparation for his call-up, as he could provide immense upside once he returns to the majors. Jake McCarthy, Cole Carrigg, and Mickey Moniak are performing well in the outfield now for Colorado, but the prospects of Veen are nonetheless very enticing for the big league club.

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Washington Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews still has not fully broken through, but the fantasy case is getting easier to see. He is batting .232 with six home runs, 18 RBI, 23 runs, and five steals through 155 at-bats. That line is still uneven, but Crews has gone 18-for-58 with two homers, 12 runs, four RBI, three steals, and six walks over his last 15 games. This is more upside bet than finished product. Crews is hitting the ball hard, with a 90.9 mph average exit velocity, 44.2% hard-hit rate, and 9.2% barrel rate, and his speed gives him another path to fantasy value. The .232 average and low walk rate are real concerns, so this should not be framed as a safe five-category breakout yet. Crews is rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues and belongs in 12-team formats.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez continues to show off his power with another multi-home run game in the bag already in July. Baez gained notoriety when he hit four home runs in a June game for Triple-A Memphis and has yet to slow down. His overall power numbers at Memphis are elite and some of the best power numbers across all levels of the minor leagues. In all, he is hitting .263 with 28 homers and 69 RBI and has added 14 stolen bases. The numbers seem to scream promotion, but the Cardinals are being extremely patient with the 23-year-old. With the likes of Jordan Walker, Nathan Church, and Lars Nootbaar manning the outfield positions, St. Louis is in good hands at the major league level. They can afford to be patient, but there is not much more to see from Baez before believing he is ready for the next level. Fantasy managers in mid-to-deep leagues would be wise to use a roster spot on Baez now and could potentially reap the rewards later.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai is a tough player to trust, but the strikeouts keep him on the waiver-wire radar. The 28-year-old is 5-4 with a 6.14 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts through 48 1/3 innings. He struck out 11 over six innings against Cleveland on June 19 and followed with 10 strikeouts over six scoreless innings at Detroit on June 25. Then came the reminder of why he is still available. Imai lasted only 1 1/3 innings against Minnesota on July 1, allowing five runs and walking five. His 27.9% strikeout rate is useful, but a 14.0% walk rate and 46.3% hard-hit rate explain the ugly ratios. Imai is rostered in 40% of Yahoo leagues, and RotoBaller lists him as an add in 12-team formats. He fits teams chasing strikeouts, not managers protecting ERA and WHIP.

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Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales is making it harder to explain why he is still available in so many leagues. He is batting .312 with four home runs, 49 runs, 40 RBI, and four steals through 317 at-bats, and the bat has stayed hot into July. Gonzales is 13-for-27 over his last seven games and 22-for-54 with two homers, 11 runs, and seven RBI over his last 15. The appeal is not just one hot week. Gonzales qualifies at second base, third base, and shortstop in RotoBaller's rankings, which makes the production easier to fit into fantasy lineups. The power is still more useful than exciting, with a 2.8% barrel rate, so managers should not add him expecting a home-run surge. But a .300-plus bat with runs, RBI, a few steals, and that much eligibility should be rostered. Gonzales is at 30% on Yahoo and belongs in 12-team leagues.

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The Atlanta Braves announced on Monday that they selected the contract of right-handed pitching prospect Owen Murphy from Triple-A Gwinnett and placed left-hander Martin Perez (forearm) on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move with a left-forearm contusion. Murphy, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, gets his first major-league call-up after going 5-7 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 92 strikeouts and 38 walks in 81 innings in 16 starts this year with Double-A Columbus and Gwinnett. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder is reportedly set to be a long man out of Atlanta's bullpen to close out the first half of the season, so fantasy managers in redraft leagues can hold off on spending money to pick him up off the waiver wire. In addition, pitching prospect JR Ritchie is back in the big leagues and will continue to feature in a relief role. Murphy's control has been impressive after returning from Tommy John surgery, and he has all the ingredients to be a long-term starting asset for the Braves, but that might not happen full-time until 2027.

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New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) is expected to be out until mid-August with a left-elbow injury, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Rodon doesn't have any structural damage to his UCL, but he's dealing with significant inflammation in his elbow and will be out for at least four to six weeks. It's bad news for the Yankees and Rodon's fantasy managers, obviously, and it's especially concerning after he missed the start of the 2026 season while recovering from surgery last October to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in the same elbow. The 33-year-old three-time All-Star had his best year in the Bronx in 2025, going 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 203:73 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings pitched. Rodon has gone 4-2 this year with a 3.30 ERA (3.46 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 52 K's and 26 walks in 46 1/3 innings across his nine starts. His strikeout rate sits at 26.8%, which is his highest mark since 2022, his lone season with the San Francisco Giants. Rodon should be held in the majority of fantasy leagues where he's rostered.

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Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) is progressing well in Florida, but he will be sidelined until after the All-Star break next week, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Colin Beazley. However, Horwitz is still expected to come off the 10-day injured list in July, with the hope that it's not too long after the break. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter was placed on the IL on June 25 with a strained left hamstring, but it appears he should be ready to go on a minor-league rehab assignment sooner rather than later. Before landing on the shelf, the former 24th-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of Radford University was hitting a strong .280/.386/.455 with an .842 OPS, 10 homers, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 246 at-bats in his second year in the Steel City. Horwitz needs just three more home runs to set a new career high in the category. He's rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.

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Athletics catcher Jonah Heim could be playing regularly in the final week before the All-Star break if Shea Langeliers (thumb) lands on the injured list. Serving as the designated hitter in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Miami Marlins, the 31-year-old veteran had a day to remember at the dish, going 2-for-4 with a grand slam, six RBI, and a strikeout in the team's 9-8 loss at Sutter Health Park. The former All-Star is now hitting .241/.300/.490 with a .790 OPS, nine home runs, 29 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 46 total games this year with the A's and Atlanta Braves. Since joining the A's, he's gone 26-for-106 (.245) with eight home runs, 21 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 34 games across 115 plate appearances. Heim's fantasy value in two-catcher leagues has seen a boost with the move to Sacramento, and he'll be worth a look off the waiver wire if Langeliers is forced to miss additional time due to a thumb injury. As an All-Star in 2023 with the Texas Rangers, Heim hit a career-high 18 homers and drove in 95 in 131 regular-season games.

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Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) is progressing well in Florida and is expected to return in July, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cruz won't make it back from the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break next week, but the Pirates are hoping he'll be back early in the second half later this month. The 27-year-old ditched his cast and resumed baseball activities at the team's complex in Florida last week. Cruz is nearing a minor-league rehab assignment and could be back for fantasy managers near the start of the second half of the season on July 17. The Dominican outfielder and former shortstop is a five-category contributor when healthy, so he should be stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. He will be returning to a .264/.350/.472 slash line, .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases when he's reinstated from the IL.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Heriberto Hernandez has come on strong since the start of June and recorded his second multi-homer performance in Sunday's 9-8 win over the Athletics at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. Hernandez went 3-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs, a double, two walks, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .234 and his OPS to .771. The 26-year-old second-year outfielder has been a platoon player in the corner outfield spots for Miami in 2026, but he could start to earn regular playing time if he continues to crush baseballs into the second half of the season. Since June 1, Hernandez has gone 24-for-89 (.270) with nine of his 11 home runs on the year, six doubles, 16 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 26 games and 99 plate appearances. Overall, the Dominican outfielder has slashed .234/.314/.457 with 34 RBI, 22 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 184 at-bats. He has slightly lowered his strikeout rate to 22.7% in his second MLB season, and he could start to attract interest in deeper fantasy leagues for his power. Hernandez is rostered in only 2% of Yahoo leagues.

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers went 2-for-5 at the plate with two solo home runs and two RBI on Sunday in the 7-6 loss to the division-rival Colorado Rockies at Coors Field to extend his current hitting streak to nine games. Both of his homers came off starter Tanner Gordon. Devers is locked in at the dish right now, going 12-for-33 (.364) with six home runs, a double, nine RBI, and seven runs scored during his nine-game hitting streak, which began on June 26. The strong recent run from the 29-year-old left-handed-hitting Dominican infielder has boosted his season slash line to .248/.310/.481 with a .791 OPS, 18 home runs, 47 RBI, and 43 runs scored across his 343 at-bats in his first full season with the Giants. Devers has been mentioned as a possible trade target for contending teams this summer, but his big contract could be a deterrent. The three-time All-Star is no longer a lock to give you a high batting average, but he still has enough power from the left side of the plate to be a must-start in all fantasy leagues, even at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby still leads the league with 12 wins in his 42 appearances (one start) over 52 2/3 innings pitched, which has made him rosterable in fantasy despite not having a path to saves in Milwaukee's bullpen. However, the hard-throwing southpaw struggled in his 13 appearances in June, allowing 12 runs (10 earned) on 14 hits (three homers) while walking eight and striking out 17 in 14 innings pitched. He had two wins, a loss, three blown saves, and three holds during that span. Ashby picked up his 12th victory of the year in his first outing in July, but he allowed another earned run in one-third of an inning in his most recent outing on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks for his fifth hold of 2026. The former fourth-rounder in 2018 out of Crowder College has a career-high 30.6% strikeout rate and has obviously been great in the win department for fantasy managers, but his career-high 12.2% walk rate makes him a bit volatile as well. Ashby might pick up a save here or there, but fantasy managers can't necessarily count on the wins continuing to flow. He's rostered in 36% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Mets right-hander Christian Scott has looked good for the most part in 11 starts (49 innings) for the Mets this year in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old has gone 2-1 with a 3.49 ERA (4.35 FIP) and 1.35 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 25 walks in just his second season in the majors. Scott has only allowed more than three earned runs in one of his 11 starts so far this year and has a nice 28% strikeout rate. The problems have been with his control (11.7% walk rate) and his inability to keep the ball in the yard so far (seven homers allowed). In his most recent start against the division-rival Atlanta Braves on Friday, the former fifth-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Florida gave up three earned runs on two home runs while walking four and striking out seven in four innings for his first loss of the season. Scott is still working his way into form after missing the entire 2025 season, so fantasy managers must be patient. But so far, Scott has shown more positive than negative and is worth a look on the waiver wire in deeper leagues for pitching depth. He's currently rostered in just 14% of Yahoo leagues, and he's lined up for a plus matchup this week versus the Kansas City Royals.

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New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers recently had a three-start stretch from June 18 to June 29 in which he allowed eight runs (four earned), walked four, and struck out 17 in 14 innings against the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers (two starts). Given Weathers' strikeout upside -- he's sporting a career-high 26.9% strikeout rate and a decent 7% walk rate -- he was a popular waiver-wire target going into his start in Sunday's series finale in the Bronx against the Minnesota Twins. The 26-year-old southpaw let his fantasy managers down on Sunday, though, allowing four earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out six in four innings for his seventh loss of the year. Weathers is now 3-7 in 2026 with a 4.29 ERA (4.05 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with a career-high 104 strikeouts and 27 walks in 92 1/3 innings across his 17 starts. He has now allowed at least four runs in four of his last seven starts, making him hard to trust as a fantasy streamer as he heads into his final start of the first half this week versus the Washington Nationals. Weather is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.

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Chicago White Sox infielder Chase Meidroth had a strong month of June, putting himself on the map for a waiver-wire pickup in deeper mixed leagues for fantasy managers in search of infield depth. In 25 games last month, Meidroth went 27-for-94 (.287) with a homer, four doubles, nine RBI, and 14 runs scored across 106 plate appearances to boost his season line to .268/.339/.378 with a .717 OPS. So far in five games in July, he's gone 3-for-19 (.158) with a homer, two RBI, a run scored, one walk, and three strikeouts. The former fourth-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2022 out of the University of San Diego made his big-league debut last year with the White Sox and hit .253/.329/.320 with a .649 OPS, five homers, 23 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 54 runs scored in 122 games played. Meidroth is striking out at a higher 23.9% clip (compared to 14.3% last year), and he's also not running as much when he gets on base. He might be worth a look as a short-term waiver-wire option when he's hot, but Meidroth's xBA of .229 and xwOBA of .285 point to plenty of regression coming in the second half.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk has played only 21 games this year due to a broken thumb sustained near the start of the 2026 season. In his 81 plate appearances, he has hit just .189 (14-for-74) with two homers, seven RBI, seven runs scored, six walks, and 12 strikeouts. And since returning from the injured list on June 12, he has gone 11-for-54 (.204) with a home run, a double, five RBI, five runs scored, four walks, and 10 strikeouts. The 27-year-old two-time All-Star is Toronto's primary backstop when he's healthy, which makes him attractive in two-catcher leagues, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect a ton. In his seven-year career, Kirk hasn't exceeded 15 home runs (last year) or 76 RBI (last year) while slashing .265/.341/.395 with a .735 OPS. Because of all the time he missed in the first half of the season, it might be an uphill battle for Kirk to reach double-digit home runs in 2026 for what would be only the third time in his seven-year career. Kirk can be avoided in single-catcher leagues, and he's rostered in only 24% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller