2025 Fantasy Baseball: Minor League Player Updates (7/3)

Catchers

Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets

Over his last four games back in the minors, Alvarez went 6-for-16 with four runs, three home runs, and six RBIs while taking no walks and whiffing five times. Unfortunately, making contact has been an issue at AAA (12 strikeouts over 33 plate appearances – 36.4%). The Mets should recall him soon if his bat stays in rhythm.

Luis Campusano, San Diego Padres

Campusano has 13 hits over his last 35 at-bats at AAA with nine runs, three home runs, and 13 RBIs. His success in the minors this season (.311/36/12/42/2 over 177 at-bats with 35 walks and 35 strikeouts) has led to a winning opportunity in San Diego (0-for-18 with no production). I’d like to see him get traded over the next month to create a major job over the final two months.

First Basemen

Trey Mancini, Arizona Diamondbacks

After a hot first four weeks at AAA (.363 with 27 runs, nine home runs, and 26 RBIs over 91 at-bats), Mancini opted out of his contract with the Diamondbacks, making him a free agent. He’s hitting .308 on the year over 299 at-bats with 62 runs, 16 home runs, and 62 RBIs. The lingering hand issue for Yordan Alvarez could lead to Mancini landing in Houston over the next week or so. The Red Sox also have a major league weakness at first base.

Ryan Ward, Los Angeles Dodgers

Ward has another productive week at AAA (6-for-26 with three runs, two home runs, and 10 RBIs), giving him a high level of success over the past month (.292/28/12/34/6 over 120 at-bats with 21 walks and 27 strikeouts). He has Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman blocking him from DH and 1B, which is why LA has given him at-bats in the outfield (26 games) this year. Ward has never had a major league at-bat at age 27.

Second Basemen

Vaughn Grissom, Boston Red Sox

Over his last six games, Grissom has a six-game hitting streak (10-for-21), with six runs, one home run, and six RBIs. His bat has been more productive over the past month (.298/21/4/13/4 over 104 at-bats), giving Boston a possible player to trade at the deadline to upgrade their pitching staff.

Nick Yorke, Pittsburgh Pirates

Yorke has put himself back on the fantasy radar over 22 games (.303 over 89 at-bats with 13 runs, three home runs, 20 RBIs, and two steals). Heading into Thursday, he has a five-game hitting streak (8-for-19) where his power started to emerge (two home runs and 10 RBIs with one steal).

Third Basemen

Shay Whitcomb, Houston Astros

Over the past month, I’ve been tracking Whitcomb in my AL-only due to his intriguing 20/20 skill set at third base. Houston recalled him this week after Jeremy Pena went on the injured list. He hit his first major league home run in Colorado on Wednesday night while going 1-for-4. The Astros gave him only 54 at-bats over the past two seasons (.185 with two runs, one home run, six RBIs, and 14 strikeouts).

Whitcomb has excelled at AAA (.288/116/44/134/32 over 645 at-bats), which should make him a player to follow in case the Astros give him starting at-bats. His best chance for playing time could come at DH or left field.

Cody Freeman, Texas Rangers

On Wednesday, Freeman saw his 11-game hitting streak (20-for-47 with 14 runs, one home run, seven RBIs, and one stolen base) end when he went 0-for-3. His swing has been on the rise over his last 33 games at AAA (.367/32/7/31/6 over 139 at-bats) while taking more walks (15) than strikeouts (13). Freeman started his minor league career at catcher, but he has only played third base (50) and shortstop (11) in 2025.

Shortstops

Brooks Baldwin, Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have played Baldwin at three positions (2B, SS, and OF) this year, creating more value to fantasy teams that favor multi-position players. His play has been disappointing over the past two years with Chicago (.208/18/5/24/6 over 250 at-bats) due to a weaker approach (14 walks and 75 strikeouts).

He has been a beast over 28 games after his demotion back to AAA, leading to a .368 batting average with 27 runs, 11 home runs, 24 RBIs, and four stolen bases over 114 at-bats. The White Sox called him up (7/1) after Luis Robert went on the injured list, but Baldwin doesn’t have a hit over three at-bats with a walk. I like his future profile, and he has a chance to help fantasy teams if Chicago commits to his bat over the last three months.

Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies

Tovar landed on the injury list in early June due to an oblique injury. He is getting closer to a rehab assignment after ramping up his running and hitting this week. His bat has been relatively empty over his 128 at-bats with Colorado (.258/14/3/10/2) while also struggling in his previous stint at AAA (.222 over 18 at-bats with one run and one RBI).

Outfielders

Luis Matos, San Francisco Giants

Over the past three seasons, the Giants have given Matos chances in the majors each year. Unfortunately, he only hit .225 over 454 at-bats with 48 runs,11 home runs, 46 RBIs, and five steals. He minimized the damage in strikeouts (13.7), which should translate to more success with San Francisco once Matos gets more comfortable at the plate in the majors.

The Giants sent him back to AAA in early June, leading to a .272 batting average over 81 at-bats with 12 runs, three home runs, 12 RBIs, and five stolen bases. His career stats at AAA (.281/77/26/88/19 over 551 at-bats) paint a winning picture in the majors, and Matos won’t turn 24 until next January. San Francisco recalled him on July 1st, but he still doesn’t have a clear path to starting at-bats.

Esteury Ruiz, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers lost the hot-hitting Max Muncy on Wednesday due to a left knee injury, which could open up a spot for Ruiz to get called up (Tommy Edman to third and Hyeseong Kim to second base). Over his last nine games at AAA, he went 16-for-38 with 12 runs, four home runs, 12 RBIs, and five steals.

His profile and overall impact value should be much higher than the struggling Michael Conforto (.176/31/6/19/1 over 233 at-bats with 65 strikeouts), even with him playing better over the past week (7-for-25 with five runs, two home runs, and six RBIs).

On the year at AAA, Ruiz is up to a .292 batting average with 56 runs, eight home runs, 37 RBIs, and 38 steals over 253 at-bats. He’s walked 11.9% of the time with a favorable strikeout rate (18.5). Ruiz could be a difference-maker speed out if given starting at-bats after the All-Star break for the Dodgers.

Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians

Despite a 16-game hitting streak at AAA (21-for-63 with 15 runs, three home runs, 13 RBIs), DeLauter continues to get ghosted by the Guardians’ front office. He has 42 games of experience at AAA (.282/28/8/28/1 over 149 at-bats) while showcasing an elite approach (29 walks and 26 strikeouts).

Cleveland continues to get empty at-bats in right field (Nolan Jones – .216/15/3/22/5 over 222 at-bats with 55 strikeouts), which should be the future home of DeLauter.

Tyler O’Neill, Baltimore Orioles

Over the past 10 days, the Orioles have given O’Neill seven games of playing time at AAA (6-for-21 with one run, one home run, and two RBIs). He is expected to rejoin Baltimore on Friday. O’Neill has a power bat that should play well in his home ballpark, but he may need some time to improve his contact rate with the Orioles.

Luke Keaschall, Minnesota Twins

After landing on the injured list in late April with a broken left forearm, Keaschall progressed to hitting off a tee over the past 10 days. His next step should be facing live pitching, which will put him on a path to play in the minors. Depending on his success, he could be back with the Twins by the end of August.

Over the past two seasons in the minors (High A, AA, and AAA), he hit .302 over 424 at-bats with 89 runs, 16 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 28 steals while taking 72 walks. His top-of-the-order profile should be fun to follow once Keaschall establishes himself as a major league hitter.

Jhostynxon Garcia, Boston Red Sox

Garcia is another progressing bat in the Red Sox farm system. Last season, between High A, A, and AA, he hit .286 over 412 at-bats with 79 runs, 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases while striking out 21.8% of the time.

Boston gave him 117 at-bats at AA (.256/19/3/17/4) this season before promoting him to AAA. Garcia has been a better player after his promotion (.293 over 133 at-bats with 25 runs, nine home runs, and 24 RBIs), with some pullback in his strikeout rate (25.3).

Hector Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds

Over his last 24 games at AA, Rodriguez hit .364 over 88 at-bats with 20 runs, four home runs, and 12 RBIs, giving him hope that the Reds will shift him to AAA in July. He’s hitting .306 on the year over 268 at-bats with 52 runs, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs, and six stolen bases.

MJ Melendez, Kansas City Royals

Melendez has 234 at-bats at AAA this season, leading to an uninspiring .234 batting average but success in four categories (33 runs, nine home runs, 35 RBIs, and 13 steals). His bat has been trending high over his last 10 starts (.300/8/2/8/2). I still believe he offers more than Drew Waters for the Royals.

Starting Pitchers

Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers

The long-awaited 2025 major league debut for Woodruff is scheduled for July 6th, but I have more apprehension about his success than I did on draft day or even six weeks ago. He has a 3.55 ERA, 1,24 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 25.1 innings at AAA.

Unfortunately, the gap between his last two starts has been 26 days, with struggles in both outings (five runs, eight baserunners, and one home run over 5.1 innings with two strikeouts). His average fastball (92.2 mph) remains well off his last two seasons with the Brewers (2022 – 96.4 and 2023 – 95.9). I expect some early struggles, and depth in innings will be an issue initially.

Joe “I can’t get a job in the majors” Boyle, Tampa Bay Rays

Over his 15 games at AAA, Boyle is 6-4 with a 1.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts over 73.0 innings. He’s allowed more than two runs in only one outing (4/26 – three runs, six baserunners, and two home runs over six innings with six strikeouts). The Rays gave him one start in mid-April, leading to a five-no-hit shutout innings with seven strikeouts. Boyle has been even better over his last 39.0 innings (0.92 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts.

Logan Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers

The buy-and-hold hope for Henderson left the building over his last three starts at AAA (11 runs, 19 baserunners, and five home runs over 14.1 innings with 13 strikeouts). His regression in command and uptick in home runs should lead to him being dropped in more leagues this week, especially with Brandon Woodruff returning to the Brewers’ starting rotation.

Andrew Painter, Philadelphia Phillies

When the general manager for the Phillies suggested that Painter wouldn’t be in the majors until around the All-Star break, the fantasy market should have paid more attention. Over his last five starts at AAA, he went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 23.1 innings. Home runs (5) were a problem over this snap. Painter almost falls into the same realm as Logan Henderson, where the expectation of being a helpful arm for fantasy teams down the stretch is diminishing.

Kyle Harrison, Boston Red Sox

The quest for the Red Sox to expand Harrison’s repertoire has led to two poor showings at AAA (seven runs, 16 baserunners, and three home runs over eight innings with six strikeouts) since his trade to Boston. In his last outing, his fastball came in at about 94.4 mph while increasing his slider (21.5%) and changeup (15.2%) usage.

All three of his home runs allowed came off his four-seamer. His changeup was his best pitch (no hits over 19 pitches). When looking at his stats in his two recent matchups, they should be treated as spring training games. Harrison threw 155 pitches over this span, with 63.9% being strikes.

Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates

The regression in Chandler’s right arm made a move in a positive direction in his last start on June 28th (one run, three hits, and six strikeouts over 3.1 innings), but he did walk four batters. In June, he has yet to record an out in the fifth inning, with 12 runs, 17 hits, 12 walks, and 11 strikeouts over 12.2 innings. At this point, Chandler shouldn’t held in any fantasy redraft league.

Emmet Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers

I don’t know why the fantasy gods don’t let me make a layup once in a while. Sheehan was on an exciting trajectory after dominating at AAA on June 6th (no runs or hits over six innings with 13 strikeouts), but he turned into “just another arm” in his last outing in the minors (four runs, seven baserunners, and one home run over 2.1 innings. Over his 17.2 innings at AAA, Sheehan has two walks and 31 strikeouts.