3 days agoFresh off of a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) Fall Stars game, New York Yankees infield prospect
Caleb Durbin continued his push to be in pinstripes to start next season, going 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch twice in Salt River's victory on Monday. Getting on base three times afforded him the opportunity to once again show off his wheels, stealing four bases in the contest and giving him 27 stolen bases in 22 games.
Milan Tolentino has the second-most steals in the AFL with 11. On Monday, before Durbin's latest performance, Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that he expected Durbin "to play a big, big role for us this upcoming season." That should get fantasy managers' ears perked up, and should
Gleyber Torres leave in free agency, there could be an even clearer path to playing time to begin the year.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoAthletics outfield prospect
Denzel Clarke went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored on Monday for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The home run was his second of the fall campaign and he now has his batting average up to .388, good for fourth-highest in the circuit. The 24-year-old has shown off his speed as well, hitting three triples and stealing seven bases in 17 games. Clarke is the Athletics' 10th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com's Top Prospects list. The former fourth-round draft pick is coming off a strong season at Double-A, putting together a .269-13-53-74-36 line in 116 games. A weakness is his strikeout rate, finishing at 29.9% in 2024, but he's shown more patience in the AFL, with a 13:19 BB:K that has buoyed his second-best .506 OBP. He may start next season at Triple-A, but look for him to debut in 2025 should he continue to hit.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoCincinnati Reds infielder
Matt McLain smacked a pair of two-run home runs in a 2-for-5 day at the plate for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), his third and fourth homers of the fall season. The 25-year-old missed all of the 2024 regular season due to injuries and is in the AFL trying to knock off some of the rust, while even getting some playing time in the outfield, although Monday he was back at the keystone. Through 11 games in the AFL, McLain is hitting just .220, but six of his nine hits have gone for extra bases. The former first-round draft pick offers multi-category production when healthy and could be a nice value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts since he isn't top-of-mind after missing 2024. When last healthy, McLain put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoFree agent pitcher
Charlie Morton has stated that he intends to keep his career going in 2025, it's just not known where yet. The 41-year-old pitched the last four seasons for the Braves, and while he was by no means dominant, he was serviceable and reliable. The veteran made at least 30 starts and pitched at least 163 innings each season for Atlanta during his four-year tenure. In 2024, while his ERA was down a bit, to 4.19 compared to a career ERA of 4.01, both his xFIP (3.99) and SIERA (4.06) were slightly better, so there's reason to believe he's still a capable hurler. The righty still averaged a strikeout per inning and even decreased his BB% by 2.3% over 2023. It is anticipated that he'll sign a short-term (one year) deal with a team that is in a position to win now.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
3 days agoDetroit Tigers first base/catching prospect
Josue Briceno continued his torrid stretch on Monday for the Scottsdale Scorpions, going 2-for-3 with a walk and his ninth home run in 22 games in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The nine home runs lead all AFL players (second-most is six), but the 20-year-old also leads the circuit in hits (31), batting average (.403), and RBI (22) as well. Briceno missed a lot of time during the regular season due to a PCL sprain, playing in just 40 games for Single-A Lakeland, so he's getting additional reps in the AFL and making the most of it. The 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter ranks ninth among Tigers prospects and has an ETA of 2027 per MLB.com, but with a performance like this, he could certainly move up quickly and make his MLB debut a bit sooner than anticipated. If he wasn't already, he should now be on dynasty managers' radar.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3
days
agoOn
Monday,
the
Atlanta
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sent
minor-league
pitching
prospect
Jared
Johnson
to
the
Athletics
in
exchange
for
shortstop
Nick
Allen.
Allen
made
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major
league
debut
in
2022
but
has
failed
to
stick
at
the
major
league
level
due
to
his
underperformance
at
the
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4 days agoTampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (elbow) is expected to have a normal, healthy offseason after completing his rehab program from Tommy John Surgery on Sept. 25 by throwing 15 to 16 pitches in a live batting practice session at Tropicana Field. McClanahan looked good during that session and was hitting 94 to 95 mph. He had his second TJ surgery back on Aug. 21 of 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season for the Rays. The 27-year-old southpaw has been an All-Star twice and is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in February. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks during the spring, McClanahan will open the start of the 2025 regular season atop Tampa's starting rotation. Although McClanahan has high-end fantasy upside when healthy, he'll also probably be on a strict pitch count early on.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoChicago Cubs third base prospect
Jonathon Long has been swinging a hot bat throughout the Arizona Fall League. Through 16 games, the 22-year-old has posted a stellar .348/.443/.667 slash line with three doubles, six home runs, 19 RBI, and an 11:17 BB:K ratio. This is a great sign for the No.30 ranked prospect in Chicago as he took significant steps in his development last season. Long opened the 2024 campaign with High-A and carried a .247/.346/.417 line through 68 games. Then, with Double-A Tennessee, the former ninth-round pick held an impressive .340/.455/.528 line with nine doubles and seven home run across a 46-game stint. If Long continues to perform at this elite level, he could have a great opportunity to open the 2025 season with Triple-A Iowa.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoTexas Rangers outfield prospect
Alejandro Osuna has continued to progress in the Arizona Fall League. Through 22 games, the No. 16 ranked prospect in the Texas system has posted a stellar .314/.449/.477 slash line and has hit eight doubles, two home runs with 16 RBI and two stolen bases. He has also shown a great eye at the plate with a 20:23 BB:K ratio. Last summer, the 22-year-old opened the campaign with High-A and posted a solid .272/.339/.486 line which earned him a late-season promotion to Double-A Frisco. At this level, Osuna continued to take a step forward as he posted an impressive .306/.379/.523 line with 18 doubles, nine home runs, and seven stolen bases in a 57-game stint. If Osuna can continue to develop during Spring Training, he could open the 2025 campaign at Triple-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoMiami Marlins outfield prospect
Kemp Alderman has been performing exceptionally well in the Arizona Fall League. Through a nine-game stint, the Ole Miss product has gone deep six times and posted a strong .306/.375/.833 slash line. Last summer, the former second-round selection from the 2023 draft class opened the campaign with Single-A and was able to end the season spending time with Double-A. Through 77 games in the Miami system last season, Alderman carried a solid .242/.306/.391 line and hit 15 doubles, two triples, eight long balls, and swiped five bags. Fantasy managers should expect the No. 12 ranked prospect in Miami to spend most of the 2025 campaign in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoNew York Mets outfield prospect
Drew Gilbert has been showcasing his power throughout the Arizona Fall League. Through 19 games, the No.3 ranked prospect in Queens has gone deep four times, which is tied for the second-most among outfielders. However, he has struggled to find consistency at the plate as he has posted an underwhelming .209/.361/.418 line but has shown a strong eye at the plate with a 13:12 BB:K ratio. Last summer, Gilbert battled injuries and was only able to appear in 56 games at the Triple-A level. Through this stint, the former first-round pick carried a .215/.313/.393 line with ten home runs and eight doubles. Given his struggles in Triple-A last summer, the Mets will likely opt to let him develop more at that level before promoting him to the majors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe San Diego Padres have signed relief pitcher Eduarniel Nunez to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training, according to Ari Alexander of KPRC2. Nunez spent the 2024 campaign pitching in the Chicago Cubs organization in both the Double-A and Triple-A levels. With Double-A Tennessee, the hard-throwing right-hander logged a stellar 0.98 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 12:42 BB:K across 36 2/3 innings of work. However, in Triple-A, Nunez struggled and carried a hefty 6.85 ERA and a 2.07 WHIP through 23 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress throughout the offseason, as he could contend for a spot on the Opening Day Roster while flashing high upside at times.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ari Alexander
4 days agoChicago Cubs second base prospect
Matt Shaw went 4-for-5 with seven RBI to power the United States to a victory over the Netherlands in the WBSC Premier12. Shaw did it all as he tallied an RBI single in the third frame, a three-run double in the seventh, and a three-run shot in the eighth inning. Last summer, Shaw opened the campaign by getting his first extended look at Double-A ball and eventually earned a taste of Triple-A later in the summer. Through his first 35 games with Triple-A Iowa, the former 13th-overall selection posted a stellar .298/.395/.534 line with eight doubles, seven home runs, 21 RBI, and six stolen bases. Given his incredible progression, Shaw could have a strong chance to make the Opening Day Roster. For now, the top prospect in the North Side remains a high-end prospect to stash in all keeper formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: WBSC Premier12
4 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles signed free-agent veteran infielder
Vimael Machin to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invite to major-league spring training, according to a source. Machin played ball in Mexico this past season but was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 10th round in 2015 out of Virginia Commonwealth and played parts of three seasons with the Athletics from 2020-22. In his 112 games (361 plate appearances), he slashed a weak .208/.290/.261 with a homer, 14 RBI, one steal and 38 runs scored. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder went off in Mexico, though, batting .401/.495/.579 with seven home runs in 85 games played. The left-handed hitter is a long shot to be anywhere that good in spring training in 2025 as he looks to try and win a spot on Baltimore's big-league roster as a utility infielder.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
4 days agoFree-agent reliever
Clay Helvey agreed to a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals over the weekend that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Helvey spent the last seven seasons in the San Francisco Giants' minor-league system, where he struck out 102 hitters in 74 1/3 relief innings with Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento in 2024. However, the 27-year-old former 22nd-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2018 out of the University of Tampa also had a 5.17 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 97 K's and 35 walks in 71 1/3 innings at Sacramento in his 41 relief appearances. Helvey isn't anywhere near the fantasy radar and has a career minor-league ERA just south of 5.00. But the Nationals will take a chance on him as a high-strikeout relief arm. Expect Helvey to compete for a spot in Washington's bullpen in spring training.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
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