

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (quad) saw doctors again for another checkup on Wednesday, and his latest MRI still showed some inflammation in his strained right quad. Lewis started sprinting on Wednesday alongside up to 80 swings in the batting cage a day, jogging on the warning track, and taking fielding drills hit directly to him, but there's still a lack of a concrete timeline for him to be cleared to ramp up his baseball activities. With the Twins exercising ample levels of caution with the 24-year-old former No. 1 overall pick, Lewis' return to the major-league roster is not expected to arrive before June. In the meantime, super-utility man and switch-hitter Willi Castro is bouncing around the diamond to help fill in for Minnesota and worth rostering in most fantasy leagues. In 21 games since April 17, Castro is batting .363 with two home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Chase Petty tossed five innings of two-run ball with six punchouts en route to his second victory of the season on Wednesday. Petty posted a five-inning shutout performance in his last start and followed that up with another solid performance. The 21-year-old got off to a rough start to the season as he had a 9.56 ERA and 2.13 WHIP in his first four starts in just 16 innings. The fifth-ranked prospect in the Reds system is starting to look like his previous self where he posted an excellent 1.95 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 60 innings at High-A last season. The former first-round selection could see time in Triple-A later in the summer if he can continue to progress at Double-A, which could set him up to make his major league debut next season.

New York Mets third base prospect Nolan McLean went 3-for-5 at the plate on Wednesday and hit his fourth home run of the season. McLean has posted a strong .280/.321/.660 slash line through his first 18 games at High-A. The 22-year-old only appeared in five games at Single-A last year, but the Mets decided that he should begin this season immediately in High-A. However, even though McLean has found success at the plate, he is striking out at a very high rate with a 26:3 K:BB. McLean will have to lower this immensely before he has the opportunity to reach Double-A this summer. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy is projected to reach the major leagues in 2026 and could become a name to monitor in dynasty leagues down the road.

Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Jacob Gonzalez went 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run on Wednesday and is now riding a strong five-game hitting streak. The 21-year-old has an overall .298/.402/.452 slash line with three long balls and five stolen bases through his first 27 games at High-A. The seventh-ranked prospect in the White Sox's system struggled at Single-A last season with a .207/.328/.261 line, so it is a positive sign to see him putting those struggles behind him. The former Ole Miss Rebel should see time in Double-A later this summer, which could open the door for a potential 2025 major-league debut.

Baltimore Orioles infield prospect Jackson Holliday hit his first home run since returning to Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. This was his third home of the season at Triple-A, and is riding a solid .309/.482/.531 line through 21 games. After tallying just two hits in ten major league games in April, Baltimore decided that it was best for their top prospect to build more confidence and return to Triple-A for the time being. Since returning, the 20-year-old has gone hitless in just five of his eleven games and looks to be comfortable at the plate again. However, fantasy managers may need to wait a bit longer to see Holliday back in the major leagues due to the crowded infield the Orioles currently have and the several other budding stars in their system who are vying for playing time.
