Drake Baldwin (C-ATL) stayed hot as he went 2-5 with an RBI and run scored against the Red Sox on Sunday. The 24 year-old backstop drew his second straight start at the expense of Sean Murphy as he's now hitting .357 with 5 dingers, 15 RBI, and 10 runs scored across 90 PA on the year. Baldwin has made a lot of contact, with an 82.5% overall contact rate and an 88% in-zone rate while his Statcast profile features a 63% hard-hit rate, 14% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 93.5 mph. Baldwin has a track record of hitting for average with some pop in the minors, so it's hardly surprising to see both skills manifest in the majors. Just know that the average will doubtlessly regress as a .385 BABIP is high. If he's available in your league, add him now.
Kristian Campbell (2B/SS/OF-BOS) was not in the starting 9 for Sunday's contest with Atlanta as he's mired in an awful slump. Since the calendar flipped to May, the 22 year-old is hitting just .085 with a homer, 3 RBI, and a 31.5% strikeout rate in 48 PA. Overall, Campbell is now batting .233 with 5 dingers, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored, and 2 steals in 171 PA as a rookie. He's drawn walks at a healthy 11.5% rate, but his strikeout rate has climbed upward to 27.5%. His contact rate has also slumped as the season has progressed as he now owns a 72.5% overall contact rate and 82.5% in-zone rate while his swinging-strike rate has ticked upward to 11.5%. His Statcast profile is encouraging for, despite the slump, it includes a 43.5% hard-hit rate, 7.5% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 89.5 mph. He's clearly a talented hitter and it appears that major-league pitchers are adjusting to what they saw during his early run of success early in the season. It's now his turn to adapt.
Jack Leiter (SP-TEX) took a no-hitter into the 7th against Houston before things went south. The 25 year-old righty exited the game after 7 IP in which he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. Leiter served up a round tripper while throwing 58 of his 87 pitches for strikes in the outing. He's flashed some upside in his first 7 starts of the 2025 campaign, but the results have been mixed as Leiter now owns a 4.25 ERA, 6.8 K/9, 4 BB/9, and 4.72 xFIP across 36 IP. Poor control was a constant in his minor-league career, and he simply hasn't missed enough bats in the majors this year (10% swinging-strike rate). The opposition hasn't chased often (25.5%) while making a fair amount of contact (78% overall, 84.5% in zone). He's limited the loud contact as Statcast shows a 35% hard-hit rate and average exit velo of 88.5 mph. Overall, it's a difficult profile to trust, but he lines up to face the White Sox next weekend, so...
Mick Abel (SP-PHI) impressed in his big-league debut against the Pirates on Sunday as he fired 6 shutout IP in which he scattered 5 hits and walked none while racking up 9 punchouts. The 23 year-old righty fired 62 of his 84 offerings for strikes in the outing. He will be worth rostering in fantasy if he sticks around - which looks unlikely with Taijuan expected to rejoin the rotation later this week - as he put together a solid run in Triple-A to open the season. Across 46.1 IP (8 starts, he registered a 2.53 ERA, 9.9 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 3.92 xFIP. Control was a persistent issue throughout his minor-league career, but Abel showed some bat-missing ability with a swinging-strike rate of 13% in Triple-A before his promotion this season; he regularly posted a swinging-strike rate of 13% or higher before then, too. Watch to see if he's demoted and go from there.
Zebby Matthews (SP-MIN) was called up to start against the Brewers on Sunday and it didn't go well as he lasted just 3 IP in which he surrendered 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5. The 24 year-old righty kept the ball in the yard while throwing 42 of his 71 pitches for strikes in the contest. The poor start follows a strong beginning to the 2025 season with Triple-A St. Paul, where Matthews registered a 1.93 ERA, 10.5 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 3.49 xFIP in 32.2 IP (7 starts). His swinging-strike rate was solid at 11.5% although the opposition made some loud contact (40% hard-hit rate and average exit velo of 90 mph). Matthews got hit hard in his 9 big-league starts in 2024, registering a 6.69 ERA, 10.3 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and 4.05 xFIP over 37.2 IP. A 2.63 HR/9, 21% HR/FB, and Statcast profile that included a 42% hard-hit rate, 14% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 90.5 mph were his undoing. Although he surrendered no homers on Sunday, Matthews' tendency to get hit hard makes him difficult for fantasy. If he remains with the big club, he lines up to face the Royals at home next weekend.
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