Rhys White, Grant Carver, Greg Hoogkamp, Will Thompson and Trevor Hooth on Daily Sheet duties today... let's get to it!
Major League Baseball
Covered by Greg Hoogkamp
Paul Skenes, RHP PIT (MLB)
6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Skenes outdueled Yamamoto in what was the pitching matchup of the first half thus far. In his homecoming to LA, Skenes threw a career-high 108 pitches striking out 9 (9 whiffs total). After the game Skenes commented, “I really do feel like I’m conditioned to throw 140, 150.” Not many pitchers can make Shohei Ohtani look silly, but Skenes did on Friday. This might just be the tip of the iceberg folks.
Tyler Soderstrom, LF-1B SAC (MLB)
3-for-4, R, RBI, SB
More than the statline, what’s of note here is that Soderstrom started the game in left field. Kurtz got the call and they want to make sure he’s here to stay; moving players like Soderstrom and Rooker around to make room tells us this. The steal is a nice bonus for fantasy owners in what has been a great start for Soderstrom.
Jacob Wilson, SS SAC (MLB)
3-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, K
Is the power real? Wilson hit his third home run of the season Friday night and sports a .153 ISO which is nearly a 100 point improvement on his 103 plate appearance cameo in 2024. Wilson has the barrel control to do damage (especially in hitter-friendly Sacramento). Wilson will never strike out (or walk), but he props up your batting average in a way not many players can. Could he be a 15-18 homer bat? It’s looking that way.
Brooks Baldwin, SS-RF CHW (MLB)
2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, K
Utility man extraordinaire, Baldwin has now played four positions at least six times (2B, SS, LF, RF) and six positions total (3B, CF the other two). His stat line won’t be picturesque, but he will provide some value with chip-in homers and steals. He is a valuable piece in deep (20 or more team) leagues.
Agustin Ramirez, DH MIA (MLB)
2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI
The kid is hitting .700 in his first three games! Ramirez’ first home run was a shot, 107 mph off the bat (406 feet) to the deepest part of Safeco, which isn’t easy to do. The power is real ladies and gentlemen and with the potential of double-digit steals, he is already a top-12 catcher in dynasty leagues.
Shane Baz, RHP TBR (MLB)
7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Baz is transforming into an ace right before our eyes. In his first 29.1 innings this year his 23.7 K-BB ranks 12th among qualified starters. The only real thing left to do is limit the hard contact a little bit better, but this will come with learning the league and how to navigate hitters counts. Definite stud potential here.
Michael King, RHP SDP (MLB)
5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, BB, 9 K
King is giving up a little more hard contact than last year (42.2% vs 30.3%), but he’s limited the damage very well (2.18 ERA, 2.88 FIP). He’s a consistent arm who you can rely on every turn of the rotation.
Noelvi Marte, 3B CIN (MLB)
3-for-5, R, 2 RBI
Are we finally starting to see the Noelvi Marte us prospectors had hoped for so many years ago? It’s (very) early, but there are some promising signs already. Marte is putting a ton more balls in play compared to his previous two opportunities in MLB. The hard hit data is not there yet, but a max EV of 116.7 mph and air-pull rate of 23.3% points toward more barrels as the weather warms up in Cincy. He’s a player to keep an eye on, or swoop in and snatch right away.
💣💣🍔🍟 Jordan Beck, LF COL (MLB)
2-for-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB
My first emojis on the Daily Sheet this year! Beck had a crazy game on Friday slugging two homers (103.9 mph, 404 feet and 107.2 mph, 437 feet) and swiping a bag. This is what Beck can give you on his best days, but be prepared for a lot of swing-and-miss. He’s best used as a matchup play (home games and vs lefties) until he can cut down on the whiff.
Michael Toglia, 1B COL (MLB)
3-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, K, SB
Taylor and I just talked about Toglia on the Dynasty Podcast this week about Toglia. We warned that the selling window was probably closed and that this profile could get ugly in a hurry. He has the capability of getting hot and slugging homers in bunches which might reopen the window. If this happens, you know what to do!
Matthew Liberatore, LHP STL (MLB)
6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Liberatore was another player we talked about on the podcast that fell into the sell-high bucket. Taylor and I both did not believe that his success (to this degree especially) would continue. The positives are that he doesn’t walk anyone and gets ground balls at a solid rate (44.4%) on a team that can pick it in the infield. But the hard hit rate (47.3%) does not portend a rosie outlook. He’s a depth arm that can eat innings, but this is his upside, so selling might be a wise decision.
Trevor Larnach, RF MIN (MLB)
2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 4 RBI, BB, K
Larnach has not looked quite like himself so far this year, but Friday might go a long way into turning the corner for the Twins’ slugger. Larnach’s barrels are way down in April compared to previous seasons so his timing might still be coming. We know he’s a platoon bat, but he has 20-25 homer juice and is a hold (or even a buy) for your dynasty team.
‼️Seth Lugo, RHP KCR (MLB)
8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 8 K
The best pitching performance of the night goes to Lugo who threw all nine(!) of his offerings in the Royals victory over the Astros. Lugo’s kitchen sink attack baffles (and I’m sure frustrates) hitters and it earned him a Cy Young runner-up finish last season. He won’t get you ahead in K’s by any means, but he’s an artist on the mound and is a ratio stabilizer.
Devin Williams, RHP NYY (MLB)
0.0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
It’s getting ugly in the Bronx; Williams didn’t record an out on Friday vs the Blue Jays and coughed up the lead, blowing the save opportunity for the Yankees. Williams’ fastball velocity is down a tick and getting absolutely hammered (.544 wOBA) which makes his diabolical changeup less effective. Could this be Luke Weaver’s opportunity to step in for the short (or even long) term? Might be worth a speculative add.
Dylan Crews, RF WAS (MLB)
3-for-4, 3 R, K
Things are finally starting to turn around for Crews after a horrific start. Over his last 11 games he has raised his batting average from .106 to .214 (13/37) and slugging percentage from .106 to .357 (5 of the 13 hits for extra bases including 3 home runs). Crews may never be a super star, but what he should be is a solid regular who contributes in all categories; stay the course faithful!
Mark Vientos, 3B NYM (MLB)
2-for-4, 3B, 3 RBI, K
Another name from the podcast, Vientos is a player Taylor and I were confident could turn around his poor start. The adjustment we suggested (raising his swing rate by being more aggressive earlier in the count) has already taken place and Vientos is back to the player he was last season. The power is REAL and it’s WONDERFUL!
Triple-A Baseball
Covered by Will Thompson
‼️Bubba Chandler, RHP PIT (Triple-A)
5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
There’s not much else to say other than Bubba Chandler has totally conquered Triple-A at this point and his next start should be in Pittsburgh with the big league club. In 12 career Triple-A starts dating back to the end of last season, the righty has posted a 1.66 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 59.2 IP. The stuff is electric and no one at this level has been able to square him up. Chandler has well-earned a big league call-up and after yet another dominant start, I really hope he gets that shot.
Marco Raya, RHP MIN (Triple-A)
1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Raya was on the other side of this fun pitching matchup in St. Paul yesterday against Bubba Chandler and well, it couldn’t have gone much worse. The Twins still haven’t really taken the training wheels off yet and are not letting him go deep into games, but he still did have a 1.23 ERA going into this start, granted with a lot of traffic on the bases and jams he’s been able to work out of. The regression hit in a big way in this outing though, ballooning his season numbers. Raya is just 22 years old, but it’s hard to buy into him as a starter until he starts going deeper into games, but the pieces are there for a good bullpen arm regardless. He’s going to get a lot more time to develop in St. Paul before a call-up is considered though.
Nick Solak, 2B PIT (Triple-A)
3-for-4, HR, 3 R, RBI, K
This probably isn’t a name most baseball fans have heard in a while, as Solak hasn’t had an at-bat in the big leagues since 2022, but he’s absolutely torn the cover off the ball with Indianapolis, hitting .383/.424/.617 with four home runs in his first 16 games. He can play second base and some outfield and maybe with a few injuries/continued poor performance at the big league level he’ll get a shot again? The numbers are hard to ignore if they continue for a little longer and the Pirates are desperate for anyone that can help on offense.
Brady House, 3B WAS (Triple-A)
2-for-5, HR, 2 R, RBI, K
After he struggled quite a bit between Double-A and Triple-A last year, House has gotten off to a really nice start with Rochester this season. I’m not in love with the profile, but he has made considerable improvements in the early going, being more selective after basically swinging at everything in 2024. The walk rate has doubled from 3% to 6% and his Z-Swing % has gone down to 69% from 77% a year ago. House still chases too much, but it’s improved from last season. It’s easy to forget that he’s still 21 years old and the strides he’s making with his swing decisions are really promising, even if they aren’t where they need to be yet to sustain big league success. The Nationals are currently running out Jose Tena at third base so House will get a shot at some point in 2025. I don’t think he’s a stud, but the tools of a 50 OFP player are there.
🚑 Roman Anthony, CF BOS (Triple-A)
1-for-2, R, BB
A bit of an injury scare for Roman Anthony, who left the game yesterday after fouling a ball off his right foot, but no X-Rays were needed and he’s expected to be day-to-day. Anthony deserves a big league call-up when healthy, even if you’re losing the consistent defense of Ceddanne Rafaela in center field. Jarren Duran can do a fine job out there and the Red Sox really need Anthony’s bat in the lineup given the inconsistencies they’ve had so far. I mean the guy has a 35% barrel rate and a 63% hard-hit rate. It’s time to get him in the Red Sox lineup as soon as he’s healthy.
🔜 Lucas Giolito, RHP BOS (Triple-A)
4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 4 K
It was a struggle for Lucas Giolito in his final rehab start, walking six batters but getting his pitch count up to 85. Control problems were apparent throughout his buildup, walking 13 batters in 17.1 IP in Double-A and Triple-A. I don’t think it’s a major cause for concern, Giolito hasn’t had walk problems throughout his career and this operated as his spring training, but he hasn’t pitched in a big league game since 2023 which was by far his worst season as a pro. The Red Sox need a backend starter who can eat innings and Giolito can provide that, although there’s definitely some risk with a guy who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues for so long. At long last though, the 30-year-old will finally make his first start in a Red Sox uniform in Toronto on Wednesday, a mere 16 months after the team first signed him as a free agent.
Drew Gilbert, CF NYM (Triple-A)
2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, 2 K
Speaking of rehabbing injuries, it seems like Drew Gilbert is getting closer to 100 percent. Acquired in the Justin Verlander trade with the Astros in 2023, Gilbert missed time with a hamstring strain last season and those issues lingered into spring training, causing him to get a late start on the season. It’s too early to read into that many numbers here, but the 24-year-old is off to a 7-for-19 start since coming back to Triple-A Syracuse.
‼️Adam Mazur, RHP MIA (Triple-A)
5.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Another great start for Adam Mazur who is putting himself in line for another shot in the big leagues with the Marlins soon. The former Iowa Hawkeye has posted a 1.44 ERA in his first five outings and if Connor Gillispie continues his recent struggles at the MLB level, that could open up a spot for Mazur. The righty got an extended big league look with the Padres last season, but he got hit around and didn’t miss any bats. As a result, the walk rate was high since he had to nibble around the strike zone. Strike-throwing has always been a strength for Mazur and that’s continued in 2025 so far, it’s just a matter of whether he can do it at the big league level and settle in as a 4th or 5th starter. Regardless of that answer, I think he’s going to get his second shot quite soon.
Hurston Waldrep, RHP ATL (Triple-A)
4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 3 K
Waldrep’s hype train has definitely slowed down and it’s been a tough start to the season in the righty’s first taste of Triple-A. The main problem is that his fastball doesn’t miss any bats, like at all and he relies on his splitter, slider, and curveball to miss bats. The splitter is filthy and he does generate whiffs on his breaking pitches as well, but can struggle throwing strikes with them and forcing him to come into the strike zone with the fastball, where it gets hit. It’s still very early in the season, and a 6.04 ERA with 15 walks to 20 strikeouts in 22.1 IP isn’t ideal, but there’s plenty of time for the Braves to keep rolling Waldrep out there as a starter with the backup plan of him potentially being an elite relief prospect.
Otto Kemp, 3B PHI (Triple-A)
4-for-5, 3 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K
Otto Kemp is a stud and all he does is hit. The 2022 UDFA has been brilliant so far with Lehigh Valley and had three doubles last night against Columbus. The .308/.413/.637 line isn’t a fluke either, with a 20.3% barrel rate (94th percentile), 54% hard-hit rate (89th percentile), and an xwOBA of .398. As I’ve mentioned before when raving about Kemp, finding him a spot in the Phillies lineup is going to be hard, but at the very least he’s going to be a hot commodity at the trade deadline when the Phillies are looking to upgrade. That is if he doesn’t force their hand by continuing to hit like this in Triple-A.
Max Muncy, 3B SAC (Triple-A)
2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3 K
This game perfectly encapsulates Max Muncy as a prospect, power and impact but with swing and miss concerns. It was a rough first stint in the big leagues for the 22-year-old, who was optioned this week, but of course not many have good first stints anyway. I’m still a big fan of the player and with some more time and adjustments in Triple-A, he’s going to come around and make an impact at the big league level.
Carson Whisenhunt, LHP SF (Triple-A)
3 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
Whisenhunt followed up a brilliant performance last week against Salt Lake with a real clunker last night at El Paso where he only got five swing and misses. All of his starts this season have been either great or terrible, with no real in-between. I still am a huge Whisenhunt believer though and the Giants have so much starting pitching depth that they can be really patient with him. I still believe strongly in a 4th or 5th starter here and am confident that will happen, but more consistency is needed for the Giants to consider a call-up any time soon with Kyle Harrison probably still the first starting pitching option to come up from Sacramento if one is needed.
Yonathan Perlaza, RF SD (Triple-A)
4-for-5, 3 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
After hitting 24 homers with the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea last season, Perlaza is back in the United States and absolutely destroying Triple-A pitching again, hitting .393/.447/.643 in his first 21 games. The 26-year-old switch-hitter has always been able to hit and hit for power, hitting 23 home runs in Double-A in 2022 and in Triple-A in 2023 with the Cubs organization before getting the opportunity for a payday in the KBO. The downside is there’s negative defensive value here and Perlaza started his pro career as a shortstop before being moved to the outfield. Offensive numbers in El Paso should be taken with a grain of salt given how the ball flies there as well, but he can really hit and is worth monitoring if there’s some injuries for the Padres.
Jordan Lawlar, 2B ARI (Triple-A)
3-for-5, 3B, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
At this point, it’s clear the Diamondbacks don’t like Jordan Lawlar and I’m absolutely baffled as to why. Yet another big night at the plate for the 22-year-old, who continues to do nothing but rake in the minors. Arizona promoted Tim Tawa over Lawlar and Tawa has been fantastic so I guess that move has worked out, but the Dbacks would be wise to capitalize on Lawlar’s value soon and get him into another organization where he would be given another shot in the big leagues quickly.
💣💣A.J. Vukovich, RF ARI (Triple-A)
5-for-6, 2 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI, K
Vukovich has been on fire in April in his second taste of Triple-A ball and that continued with a double dong day and a five-hit night in Reno’s 17-11 slugfest win against Albuquerque. Vukovich has legit power, but has major swing and miss concerns (67% Z-Contact rate this season). He’s a fun minor league player though who can probably help the big league club in short spurts if needed and is still just 23 years old.
Double-A Baseball
Covered by Trevor Hooth
Cooper Kinney, 2B TB (Double-A)
3-for-5, HR, R, RBI, K
A trio of hits for Cooper Kinney who added his 5th homer of the season in this one. This brings him to .359 in his first 64 at bats of the year. In each of the past two seasons Kinney has hit 10 home runs, which he’s on pace to pass handily in 2025 if things continue. The Rays have a really good prospect, rinse and repeat.
