Week 18 MLB Prospect Watch: MJ Melendez, Dylan Beavers Lead Rising Outfielders

As the MLB trade deadline approaches and the fantasy season hits the home stretch, a wave of outfield prospects is building serious momentum in the minors. From former big-leaguers trying to reclaim value to future stars forcing their way into the spotlight, Week 18 brings a critical look at stash-worthy names for fantasy managers hunting upside.

Joc Pederson, Texas Rangers

This weekend, Pederson is expected to begin a rehab assignment at AA. He draws a DH-only qualification in most fantasy formats, leaving fewer eyes in his lane when his bat returns to the majors. Pederson was a complete bust to open 2025 (.131/10/2/6/1 over 122 at-bats) despite having favorable walk (13.8%) and strikeout (19.3%) rates. His expected platoon role (0-3 vs. left-handed pitching with six walks) paints him as only a power upgrade to some fantasy teams in deep formats.

MJ Melendez, Kansas City Royals

After a dismal start to 2025 (4-for-47 with four runs, one home run, and one RBI) with the Royals, Melendez spent the past three months trying to rebuild his swing and confidence at AAA. He hit .156 with eight runs, one home run, and six RBIs over his first 77 at-bats in the minors while striking out 27 times. Since the middle of May, he has been a winning player in five categories (.286 over 213 at-bats with 38 runs, 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases). His strikeout rate (26.4) over this span aligned with his early major league career.

An injury to Nick Loftin prompted the Royals to call up Melendez this week. To earn starting at-bats, he must outplay John Rave (.200/10/3/12/5 over 85 at-bats) and Adam Frazier (.257/23/3/23/7 over 245 at-bats). Melendez is a wild card in all fantasy formats until his bat proves worthy of everyday at-bats.

LET’S ALL GIVE A WARM WELCOME BACK TO MR. MJ MELENDEZ‼️‼️ #FountainsUp pic.twitter.com/61zTX9yxhu
— SleeperRoyals (@SleeperRoyals) July 23, 2025

Dylan Beavers, Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles had Beavers repeat AA in 2024. He hit .237 over 435 at-bats with 67 runs, 15 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. This year, he has been a more complete player at AAA (.305/58/13/41/20 over 275 at-bats), highlighted by his improved approach (14.3% walk rate and 17.6% strikeout rate).

When Baltimore moves an outfield bat at the trade deadline, Beavers should get his first major league opportunity. He has a corner outfield profile with some experience in center field. The Orioles drafted him 33rd overall in 2022.

Dylan Beavers is CHEWING UP Lehigh Valley pitching 🪥

The @Orioles prospect has two homers in two innings for the @NorfolkTides! pic.twitter.com/TOdDE7h4uP
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 23, 2025

Jhostynxon Garcia, Boston Red Sox

Since Garcia’s call-up to AAA on May 20th, his bat has reached a much higher level. He has 51 hits over 170 at-bats (.300) with 31 runs, 11 home runs, and 31 RBIs. Over his previous 244 games in the minors, Garcia hit only .255 over 895 at-bats with 162 runs, 33 home runs, 124 RBIs, and 33 steals. He struck out 23.9% of the time (24.6% this season at AAA).

Teams looking to trade with Boston over the next week will be targeting Garcia.

Owen Caissie, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have given Caissie 205 games of experience at AAA over the last two seasons. He has a foundation power bat (.278/132/39/121/14 over 769 at-bats), but needs to clean up his strikeouts (28.9%). Caissie turned 23 in early July while still looking for his first major league at-bat.

Hector Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds

Over the past three seasons, between A, High-A, and AA, Rodriguez hit .286 over 1,280 at-bats with 214 runs, 40 home runs, 167 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases. The Reds promoted him to AAA (6-for-17 with five runs and two steals) in mid-July after success at AA (.298/58/12/45/6 over 312 at-bats).

The #Reds today promoted IF Sal Stewart and OF Héctor Rodríguez to Triple-A Louisville‼️ pic.twitter.com/l5FQlUnx7q
— Reds On The Rise (@RedsOnTheRise) July 18, 2025

Cole Carrigg, Colorado Rockies

At High-A in 2024, Carrigg posted an exciting five-category season (.280/80/16/60/51 over 440 at-bats) while minimizing the damage in strikeouts (19.0%). He has remained productive at AA (59/10/44/36 over 319 at-bats), but a spike in his strikeout rate (28.1) led to regression in his batting average (.248).

Max Clark, Detroit Tigers

Over his last 19 games, Clark regained his swing by hitting .351 over 77 at-bats with 21 runs, five home runs, 12 RBIs, and four stolen bases. Seven of those games (6-for-27 with eight runs, two home runs, three RBIs, and two steals) came after his promotion to AAA. The Tigers drafted Clark third overall in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft. He opened 2025 with struggles at AA (.252/36/4/38/10 over 210 at-bats).