When Will Royce Lewis, Parker Meadows, Zach Neto Return? Fantasy Baseball Injury Update

The start of another MLB regular season is always a time full of excitement and optimism. It's great to get to know your team's new, exciting young players. A few key young position players are missing for their teams to start the season, though, so let's check in on the latest on the Twins' Royce Lewis, the Tigers' Parker Meadows, and the Angels' Zach Neto.

Each of the three players in this post is expected to be a key contributor for their teams this season when healthy, but all of them are dealing with a delayed start to the season due to injury. Their absences will open up playing time for other options, but when they return, they should still be good fantasy baseball options.

Here are the latest updates on these three young rising stars coming into the start of the 2025 regular season.

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Royce Lewis Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Lewis has a long injury history and is one of the biggest "when healthy" options in fantasy baseball. He usually rakes when he's available but has missed large chunks of playing time with a wide variety of issues. His latest injury took place on March 16 in a Grapefruit League contest against the Red Sox.

Royce Lewis pulled up running to first base and exited the game with what looks like a leg injury. pic.twitter.com/dgzimQfi7y

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 16, 2025

He was diagnosed with a "moderate" hamstring strain and has yet to begin baseball activities aside from throwing. The Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale reported that he is still dealing with swelling that could last up to two weeks following the injury.

At this point, there is no firm timetable for his return since he cannot start ramping up until the swelling goes down.

Lewis's career so far has been sidetracked by multiple injuries. Last season was no exception, but he did reach a career-high in games played with 82 and also set a career-high with 16 home runs. He only hit .233 with a .317 wOBA and may have been less effective since he tried to play at less than 100 percent.

This spring, he looked to be back in top form, hitting .346 with a .417 wOBA in his 12 games before getting hurt.

While Lewis is out, Brooks Lee would be the preferred option at 3B, but he's dealing with a back issue and is also on IL, along with Lewis. With both of them out, Jose Miranda will likely play 3B most of the time while Edouard Julien fills in at 2B.

Versatile utilityman Willi Castro is starting at 2B on Opening Day and could also help fill in at 3B while Lewis recovers. Mickey Gasper is also on the roster to start the season due to all the injuries.

Parker Meadows Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Parker Meadows was a trendy sleeper name coming into spring training and still has the potential to have a big year once he returns from injury. He played in just one game before being shut down with an arm issue. He is having issues with his musculocutaneous nerve, which impacts his ability to throw and creates numbness in his forearm.

Parker Meadows recently underwent a nerve conduction test in Phoenix. He will need at least four more weeks of rest, A.J. Hinch said.

Meadows can continue doing light baseball activities but isn’t able to throw

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) March 22, 2025

After undergoing that nerve conduction test, Meadows was ruled out for the start of the season, but since then, the situation has not gotten any better. He was placed on the 15-day injured list at first but has since been moved to the 60-day injured list, meaning he will be sidelined until at least late May.

His move to the 60-day IL means that he'll miss at least 54 games, which is exactly a third of the season.

The good news is that the injury doesn't indicate any permanent damage and doesn't require surgery or a procedure to address. The only treatment needed is rest, but the bad news is that the nerve could take a few days or a few months to "wake up" or reactivate. The Tigers and Meadows have to wait it out until it does, and only then will he be able to throw and start a rehab assignment to ramp back up to full speed.

Since the injury happened so early in spring training, he will need some time to ramp up once he is able to return to baseball activities, so he'll still be out for a while. If you are in an AL-only or standard league, you can stash him on an IL spot, but you also may need to consider moving on and being ready to pounce on the Tigers' OF when he has a clearer timetable for a return.

Meadows also dealt with injuries last year, but he looked outstanding after some midseason adjustments in the minors. He hit .299 with seven homers and an .857 OPS in his final 50 games of the regular season. He still has the potential to be a second-half impact bat, but he still has a significant recovery ahead to make that a reality.

While he's out, Wenceel Perez (back) will likely get most of the work in center field, but he is also starting the season on the IL, leaving journeyman Manuel Margot as the team's short-term answer in center field.

Zach Neto Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Neto's prognosis isn't nearly as bad as Meadows, but it isn't very clear either. At this point, he does not have a timetable for return, and he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder injury to start the season. Like Meadows, he is not throwing at this point and will need some time to ramp up and get into baseball rhythm before joining the MLB roster.

Angels Manager Ron Washington on Zach Neto’s progression. pic.twitter.com/tVyNCcaHDr

— Sammy Miller (@sidelinesammy) March 9, 2025

He is working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and did not play in any spring training games. As a result, he'll most likely need to go on a rehab assignment and hopes to join the team by the end of April. He has already been playing DH in some of the minor league action in Arizona and is hitting well.

The main obstacle to overcome is his throwing.

Last year, the 24-year-old had a solid first full season in the majors, hitting .249 with 23 home runs and 30 stolen bases in 155 games with the Angels. He'll look to build on that momentum in his second full season in the majors once he returns from his shoulder surgery.

Until he's ready, Kevin Newman is expected to fill in the position for Los Angeles. Neto's injury is worth waiting on in most formats, and he could even be worth an add if you need infield depth and have an IL spot to fill early in the season.

Of the three players in this post, Neto is probably the closest to returning to action, while Meadows seems the farthest away. All three can be impactful players when healthy and are worth keeping a close eye on as they make their way back to their teams' lineups.

Stay tuned to RotoBaller for more updates as their timetables become clearer in the coming weeks.

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