Having averaged a significant league-worst 2.65 runs per sport over their previous 20 contests, the Kansas Metropolis Royals will reportedly make a big change to their roster prematurely of their Tuesday collection opener at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.
Jac Caglianone, the No. 6 general choice from final July’s beginner draft, and the Royals’ prime prospect in Kiley McDaniels’ most up-to-date workforce prospect rankings replace, can be promoted from Triple-A Omaha, even supposing the workforce is already set at his most pure place of first base. Caglianone ought to see the vast majority of his taking part in time in proper discipline, the place he performed six of his 12 video games for Omaha, however might additionally see time at designated hitter, first base and even in left discipline.
Wherever he settles defensively, Caglianone is a prime, common pickup for fantasy baseball managers, due to his huge energy potential. For instance, he had 11 batted balls struck at the very least 105 mph, per Statcast, amongst his 40 general whereas with Omaha, together with all six of his house runs there, which averaged an astonishing 109.4 mph. In 50 whole video games between Omaha and Northwest Arkansas this season, Caglianone batted .322/.389/.593 with 15 house runs.
Although Kansas Metropolis’s Kauffman Stadium is without doubt one of the worst energy environments in baseball — Statcast’s three-year averages for left-handed hitters, actually, grade it the worst — Caglianone’s means to muscle the ball effectively past the fence makes him much less of a priority within the house run division than could be a mean participant. Salvador Perez (27 in 2021), Jorge Soler (21, 2019) and Bobby Witt Jr. (19, 2023) are all hitters whose energy numbers weren’t fully reined in by their house ballpark.
Anticipate someplace within the neighborhood of 20 homers from Caglianone the rest of the 12 months, although his massive swing would possibly trigger him to strike out at a better price and hit for a a lot decrease common within the majors than faculty (.355 profession for Florida) or the minors (.292 throughout elements of two seasons). He is succesful sufficient of drawing walks, nonetheless, to assist neutralize that in points-based leagues.
Caglianone is not the one lefty slugger so as to add. Let’s get to the following, an older hitter, however one in an surroundings far more conducive to massive run manufacturing numbers.
Max Muncy, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers (accessible in 69.4% of ESPN leagues): A 3-homer, eight-RBI weekend goes a good distance towards elevating a hitter’s fantasy profile, however in Muncy’s case, he is a participant who should not have been let go in as many leagues as he was throughout the season’s early weeks. He is a perennially underrated points-league hitter, due to what has been 9 consecutive seasons with at the very least a 14% stroll price, 5 of which additionally noticed him ship at the very least .260 remoted energy. Muncy’s Statcast metrics are effectively inside vary of his 36-homer marketing campaign in 2023 that noticed him end forty eighth amongst hitters along with his 363 fantasy factors. He’ll proceed to play frequently towards right-handers, with the occasional begin towards lefties, whereas batting fifth or sixth in one in every of baseball’s most loaded lineups.
Rotisserie-style participant so as to add
Daniel Palencia, RP, Chicago Cubs (accessible in 85.3%): His candidacy as a common fantasy pickup, not to mention solely in rotisserie leagues, is not a tough one to make. Since Ryan Pressly misplaced his grip on the Cubs’ nearer function and Porter Hodge subsequently landed on the injured record with an indirect subject (to not point out his IL stint extending after he additionally suffered a setback along with his hip), Palencia has saved 5 of the workforce’s previous eight victories. It won’t be a brief fill-in association, both, as Palencia has the uncooked stuff that would equip him to keep up the function, as his 99.2 mph common fastball has filthy motion and has helped him maintain lefties to .061/.184/.121 charges this season. Late-inning relievers on a sizzling streak like this are effectively well worth the speculative add, as groups typically do not wish to change roles in these conditions and the Cubs ought to provide their nearer many save possibilities.
Two-start worth pickup
Drew Rasmussen, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (accessible in 62.0%): He has three consecutive outings of precisely six shutout innings, and for the season has seven outings (amongst 11 whole) with at the very least 5 innings pitched and no better than one run allowed. Rasmussen’s 2025 efficiency has snuck beneath the radar in fantasy, although his restricted function — the Rays have afforded him greater than 80 pitches in an outing solely 4 instances — does partly clarify his roster price in customary leagues. However, in case your league makes use of weekly lineups, he is effectively well worth the pickup for a pair of house begins towards the Texas Rangers and Miami Marlins.
Deeper-league pickups
Cole Younger, SS/2B, Seattle Mariners (accessible in 97.9%): One other prime prospect who just lately obtained the decision to the majors, Younger’s prospect profile is not fairly that of Caglianone’s, however he generally is a helpful pickup for many who want a speedster and on-base specialist. Younger has walked in 13.2% of his profession journeys to the plate within the minors and swiped 22 luggage in 2023 and 23 in 2024, and now he’ll get an prolonged look because the Mariners’ beginning second baseman. He is a high-floor center infielder effectively value a glance in any league bigger than ESPN’s customary.
Ernie Clement, 3B/2B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays (accessible in 94.3%): One other participant who should not have been dropped in fairly as many leagues as he has within the season’s early weeks, Clement is however a participant whose profile is not fairly adequate for consideration in ESPN customary codecs. In something deeper, nonetheless, his contact means and defensive versatility might be an asset. He is already eligible at three infield positions and is midway to including first base to the combination.
Ryan Yarbrough, RP/SP, New York Yankees (accessible in 92.9%): Initially a rotation fill-in for the Yankees, Yarbrough appears to have settled into the No. 5 starter function for a workforce that has been unexpectedly skinny on beginning pitching. He is getting extra swings and misses on each his sweeper and changeup this season than he has in any 12 months prior, and he charges among the many finest within the sport at minimizing onerous contact. It isn’t unthinkable that Yarbrough’s contribution to the Yankees might end someplace within the neighborhood of his first two seasons with the Rays, through which he had a collective 4.02 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.
