Trey Yesavage, SP, Blue Jays
Trey Yesavage was called up to make his major league debut on Monday against the Rays, where he allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine over five innings pitched. This is the type of performance many expected from the top prospect, who was one of the premier strikeout pitchers in the minors this season. He punched out a whopping 160 batters in 98 innings, which works out to an insane 41.1% strikeout rate. He certainly had that stuff working on Monday, with his nine strikeouts showing it was no fluke. It will be interesting to see him potentially finish out the year with a couple more starts in Toronto's rotation, as a good showing could give him the helium to be one of the most popular breakout candidates heading into the 2026 draft season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a great day at the plate on Monday, going 2-for-4 with two runs, a double, and a solo home run. He also tallied a stolen base. This performance brought his season slash line to .248/.290/.486 with 87 runs, 29 home runs, 88 RBI, and 35 stolen bases. After looking like one of the best players in baseball through the first four months of the year, regression finally came for the youngster in August and September. He slashed just .160/.216/.230 in August and .167/.263/.200 in September prior to today's game. The stark contrast of going to one of the best hitters in baseball to one of the worst in the blink of an eye is certainly concerning for his 2026 value, as he's sure to be one of the most polarizing players in fantasy. His speed gives him a nice safety net to fall back on in terms of value, but his 23.8% strikeout rate, 4.9% walk rate, and 40.9% hard-hit rate aren't numbers you'd expect to see from an elite hitter. He could still be pushed up to as early as the second round in 2026 drafts based on upside alone, but he'll likely remain an extremely streaky player until he improves his plate discipline.
Spencer Strider, SP, Braves
Spencer Strider pitched well on Monday, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts over seven innings. This lowered his ERA to 4.64, which is still an inflated mark compared to the caliber of play we've come to expect from the flamethrower. Flamethrowing was part of his issue this year, as he struggled to regain his velocity after returning from an internal brace surgery that sidelined him for almost all of 2024. His fastball averaged 97.2 mph (92nd percentile) during his peak 2023 season, but that number sat at only 95.6 mph (71st percentile) this year. Two miles per hour is a ton when talking about fastball velocity, and Strider simply didn't have experience pitching without the most dominant heater in the sport. He will be one of the biggest names to watch during Spring Training next season, as he could see a huge spike in value if he is able to go through offseason training to get his velocity back up. If he does that, he has the potential to once again be a top 10 fantasy starting pitcher. However, where he currently stands, it's hard to rank him even in the top 40.
Jameson Taillon, SP, Cubs
Jameson Taillon pitched well on Monday, tossing six scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Pirates. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out three. The right-hander's ERA now sits at 3.93 on the year, although his FIP is a much worse 4.88. He's consistently managed to skate by with solid performances despite giving up hard contact at a middling 39.4% rate (59th percentile) and striking out only 18.5% of batters (21st percentile). His strength lies in his control, as his 5.1% walk rate ranks in the 94th percentile. The lack of strikeouts makes it hard to get excited about him for 2026, but he consistently will still make him a viable option to round out your rotation in the later rounds.
Kyle Bradish, SP, Orioles
Kyle Bradish pitched great again on Monday, allowing one run on four hits and four walks with nine strikeouts in five innings. The control was shaky, but he was ultimately able to escape without giving up any major damage. He's now struck out 30 batters in 22 innings in four starts following his return from Tommy John surgery, setting him up to be a viable fantasy option for 2026. You may forget how good he was just a couple of years ago in 2023, when he posted a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. He looked even better in 2024 before suffering the elbow injury, posting a 2.75 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. He could be a huge value in drafts next season if that flies under the radar.
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