Jac Caglianone (1B-KC) will reportedly get the call to the majors ahead of Tuesday's series opener in St. Louis and fantasy owners should add him wherever he's still on the waiver wire. The 22 year-old slugger impressed in Double-A and Triple-A this season, registering a .322 average to go with 15 dingers, 56 RBI, and 41 runs scored across 229 PA. He fanned at an acceptable 20% clip while drawing walks 10.5% of the time. Caglianone made plenty of contact, with a 79.5% overall contact rate and an 88% in-zone rate at the Triple-A level. He made lots of loud contact, too, with Statcast showing a 57.5% hard-hit rate and average exit velo of 94 mph in Triple-A, with an average launch angle of 16.3 resulting in a 25% liner rate and 42.5% flyball rate. His hit tool grades as merely average, but the plus power is real so expect a decent (but not great) average to go with plenty of pop. With Vinnie Pasquantino entrenched at 1B, Caglianone may play the most in RF.
Zach Neto (SS-LAA) went 1-5 with a solo shot against Boston on Monday. The 24 year-old is now hitting .268 with 10 homers, 21 RBI, 30 runs scored, and 8 steals (in 10 attempts) through his first 175 PA of the campaign. Compared to 2024, Neto's strikeout rate is up to 29% (from 23.5%) while he's walking less (down to 4.5% from 6.5%). However, his swinging-strike rate is actually down from 12.5% to 11.5% and his in-zone contact rate is up from 83.5% to 86%. He's probably been a bit too passive at the dish as his swing rate is down from 48.5% to 43% while his called-strike rate is up from 16.5% to 21.5%. But Neto has made a lot more loud contact so far in 2025, as Statcast shows a 47.5% hard-hit rate (up from 38.5%), 15.5% barrel rate (up from 8.5%), and average exit velo of 92.5 mph (up from 88.5). Neto is also getting under the ball a bit more as his average launch angle is up from 12.3 to 19, which has translated to a 28.5% liner rate (up from 17.5%), 40.5% flyball rate (38.5%), and 31% groundball rate (44%). Overall, there's a lot to like here.
Parker Meadows (OF-DET) manned CF and batted leadoff as was an excellent table-setter (2-4, 2 BB, 2B, 3B, SB, 3 R) in his season debut against the White Sox on Monday. The 25 year-old missed the first 60 games of the campaign while recovering from a nerve issue in his throwing arm but appeared to be in midseason form on Monday. Meadows hit .244 with 9 dingers, 28 RBI, 39 runs scored, and 9 steals (in 13 attempts) across 298 PA a season ago, but he showed significant growth over the course of the campaign. After a wretched start to the season that led to a demotion to Triple-A, Meadows roared back to hit .296 with 6 homers, 23 RBI, 28 runs scored, and 5 steals (in 6 tries) across 201 PA after the All-Star break. During that span, his strikeout rate was 21% (35% before) while he hit a lot more liners (23.5%, up from 8%), fewer flyballs (down from 65.5% to 42%), and more grounders (up from 26.5% to 34.5%). He should be a solid contributor in multiple fantasy categories the rest of the way.
Dillon Dingler (C-DET) went 1-5 with a homer and 2 RBI against the White Sox on Monday. The 26 year-old backstop has continued to play a good bit since Jake Rogers returned from the IL as he's posted a .296 average, 6 homers, 24 RBI, and 17 runs scored across 169 PA so far this season. A .375 BABIP seems unsustainable, but Dingler has helped himself out with a 45% hard-hit rate, 8.5% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 89.5 mph so far this season. Although his overall contact rate is down from a bit over 76% last season to 75.5% so far this year, his in-zone contact rate is up significantly, from 81.5% to 85%. It's also good to see him chasing less often, as his 37.5% chase rate a season ago is down to 31.5% so far this year. Overall, a lot of positive signs here.
Kerry Carpenter (OF-DET) mashed against the White Sox on Monday as he went 3-5 with 3 homers and 5 RBI. The 27 year-old slugger is now batting .276 with 13 big flies, 27 RBI, and 35 runs scored through his first 215 PA of the season. Carpenter usually sits against LHP, but he's otherwise a fantasy asset as he's trimmed his strikeout rate to 20%, raised his overall contact rate to 79.5% (75.5% career), elevated his in-zone contact rate to 87% (85%) career, and reduced his swinging-strike rate to a career-low 11% (13% career). That has come with a career-best Statcast line that includes a 47% hard-hit rate, 12.5% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 91.5 mph. Look for more fireworks as the season unfolds since he should surpass 30 homers for the first time in his career.
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