Diamond Diplomas 7/29/25: The Whisenhunt for Gold October
Lucas Morel (@theprospectprof) delivers a rundown of all the players getting their caps and gowns ready for graduation to the major leagues. Class is in session, time to find out who you need to add to your roster or watch list this week.
Welcome back to Diamond Diplomas, a weekly rundown of all the players knocking on the door to the major leagues. Whether you compete in the deepest of dynasty leagues, or simply want to win the office redraft title, Prospects Live has you covered. For an overview of the tier system used to prioritize players in this series, take a look at the first article in the series here:
Trade fever is reaching peak temperature across the majors these days, which also means some new faces might be in line to receive call-ups soon. Check out the standout performers from the past seven days in the latest weekly Report Card (all statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference, Baseball Savant, TJStats, Fangraphs, and MiLB.com, updated as of the conclusion of play on July 27):
Weekly Report Card
Called Up:
Colby Thomas, OF (ATH): With Denzel Clarke sidelined, Thomas returned to the Athletics this week, but struggled at the plate once again. A two-for-eleven start to his second stay in the majors is hardly stellar, but he should get another week or so at least to make an impact. Redraft managers should hold off unless he gets hot and earns a more stable role heading into August.
Alex Freeland, SS (LAD): A brief injured-list visit in late June delayed this call-up, but Freeland finally looks set to make his major league debut after reports of his promotion came out on Monday. Though hardly guaranteed a starting role, Freeland brings some light power + speed potential to the table for fantasy, and can hold his own defensively. Dynasty managers in daily leagues will be the primary beneficiaries of his call-up, but redraft managers should keep an eye on him in case he does hit the ground running.
Alan Roden, OF (TOR): Like Thomas, Roden also made his return for a second shot at major league success this week. His playing time situation seems even less secure, though, as the outfielder only received two plate appearances over the weekend before being demoted once again. He has not yet proven himself to be a redraft-relevant player this season and remains more of a player to watch for 2026 and beyond.
Jeremiah Jackson, SS (BAL): Jackson made his first appearance on the Diamond Diplomas list last week and was rewarded with a real-life call-up on July 25! He was simply a bench option this time, though, and did not make an official appearance for the Orioles before being sent back down on July 26. He still has an OPS of .878 on the year, and remains an intriguing deep league pickup, mainly if the Baltimore sell-off includes Ramon Urias.
Carson Whisenhunt, P (SF): The deadliest change-up in the Giants system finally got the call on Monday for Whisenhunt’s major league debut. A rotation spot is there for the taking for the left-hander, so this feels more like an audition than a spot-start. A strong performance should prompt some speculative additions in redraft, and would make dynasty managers feel optimistic heading into the final months of the season.
Craig Yoho, P (MIL): For what feels like the hundredth time this season, Yoho has returned to Milwaukee’s bullpen. News broke Monday evening that the Brewers had recalled the right-hander, and this could finally be the opportunity for him to carve out a long-term gig and work his way into high-leverage situations. Hold off on adding him in redraft until he establishes himself more fully. Still, dynasty managers in deeper leagues should feel cautiously optimistic about slotting him into one of their reliever slots, if they need reinforcements.
Andre Granillo, P (STL): Granillo had quite the busy week after being recalled to St. Louis on Wednesday. The emerging reliever was a Swiss Army Knife, pitching nearly five innings across three appearances, conceding two runs and striking out five. He has yet to see many high-leverage opportunities for the Cardinals, and was optioned back to Triple-A on Monday, but could still play a notable role in the St. Louis bullpen in August and September if Ryan Helsley gets traded away.
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Dynasty player of 10+ years. Helping you find the building blocks of your championship rosters as a co-host on the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast since mid-season 2023, joined Prospects Live at the start of 2024.
A Giants fan living in San Diego, been playing fantasy baseball since 2005 and dynasty since 2021. Started the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast in June 2023 and joined Prospects Live in March of 2024.
Dynasty player of 10+ years. Helping you find the building blocks of your championship rosters as a co-host on the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast since mid-season 2023, joined Prospects Live at the start of 2024.
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
