Week 8 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Watch: Kyle Teel & Dylan Crews Promotions Loom Large

Fantasy baseball managers searching for a second-half boost should keep a close eye on Week 8 prospect risers, with Kyle Teel nearing a return and Dylan Crews inching closer to a long-awaited promotion.

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Typically, in a fantasy baseball season, I consider June 15th as the mile marker of being a contender or pretender. I have three teams in the main event of the Nationals Fantasy Baseball Championship that haven’t fired on offense while battling injuries and chasing the save category. The minor league should bring help to my teams over the next couple of weeks, but will it be enough to climb back into league title races?

Here’s another swim through the minor league hitting player pool in Week 8 of the fantasy baseball season:

Week 8 Catcher Prospects

Kyle Teel, Chicago White Sox

Two games into his rehab assignment at AAA, Teel has four hits over eight at-bats, leading to two runs, one home run, and two RBIs while taking a walk and whiffing once. His ability to catch in back-to-back games with dictate his return to the White Sox. He was behind the plate for four at-bats on Tuesday night, followed by a DH opportunity on Wednesday. 

I would expect him back on Monday (home against Texas) if he checks the catching boxes. Chicago doesn’t have a defined DH player at the major league level, giving Teel the opportunity to be rotated behind the plate for a couple of weeks before regaining the bulk of starts at catcher.

Agustin Ramirez, Miami Marlins

After surprisingly getting shipped back to AAA, Ramirez has made four starts at catcher. He has five hits across 16 at-bats with four runs, four RBIs, and three stolen bases. His bat deserves to be in the majors, and I consider him a bulk DH player for Miami over the winter. Before his demotion, Ramirez was starting to find his swing at the plate (8-for-28 with three runs, three RBIs, and two steals with five walks and five strikeouts).

Joe Mack had been in the majors for nine games. He has six hits over 27 at-bats with three runs and two RBIs while posting a high strikeout rate (32.1%). The player, I believe, Ramirez has to outplay is Christopher Morel. He opened the season on the injured list with an oblique issue, followed by a struggling bat (5-for-31 with two runs and RBIs). His strikeout rate (38.2%) over this span invites job loss risk. 

Week 8 First Basemen Prospects

Colorado Rockies infielder Charlie Condon during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Charlie Condon, Colorado Rockies

The luster and hope of Condon being a power difference-maker at first base in 2026 has faded over eight games (6-for-34 with four runs and three RBIs) due to him struggling to make contact (14 strikeouts). His last home run at AAA came on April 12th. Since that game, Condon is hitting .195 over 87 at-bats with 17 runs, eight RBIs, and two steals while taking 17 walks and whiffing 26 times (23.6%). 

Joey Meneses, Athletics

In 2022 and 2023, Meneses emerged on the Nationals’ major league roster for the first time at age 30. He handled himself well over 210 games (.288/104/26/123/1 over 833 at-bats) while controlling the damage in strikeouts (182 – 20.3%). A power-empty swing in 2024 (.231/19/3/42.2 over 281 at-bats) led to his demotion to the minors, and a lost name to the fantasy market. 

Over his last 24 games at AAA, Meneses has lifted his hand and asked his coach to be put back into a major league lineup. He has 35 hits over his last 95 at-bats (.368) with 12 runs, four home runs, and 21 RBIs. His walk rate (9.3%) was better than the league average. Meneses has controlled the damage in strikeouts (13). At age 34, his prospect days are over, which means he needs a major league injury to get another dance under the lights for the A’s.

Week 8 Second Basemen Prospects

Baltimore Orioles second base Jackson Holliday (7) runs to the dugout before the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles

After a production 2025 season with the Orioles (.242/70/17/55/17 over 586 at-bats), Jackson looked poised to make a significant step forward this year if he improved his swing path. Unfortunately, a broken right hamate bone in early February has derailed his development and led to lost confidence at the plate. 

Holiday opened his 2026 season with nine hits over his 51 at-bats, resulting in two runs, four RBIs, and one steal. His lack of success led the fantasy market to wonder why they bought into his buy-and-hold value. Baltimore paused his rehab work in the minors for 15 days due to concerns of a second right wrist issue. 

Over his last five games in the minors, Holliday has continued his struggles at the plate (1-for-13 with a run, five walks, and five strikeouts). He only has three extra base hits (doubles) over his 64 at-bats between High A, AA, and AAA while hitting .156.

Corey Joyce, Texas Rangers

At age 27, Joyce is trying to reinvent his pro career at AA. Over his last 20 games, he’s hitting .329 over 73 at-bats with 18 runs, seven home runs, 20 RBIs, and three steals. Previously, his bat was at least serviceable over three limited at-bat (206) seasons at AAA (.291/38/6/33/11) in the Tigers’ system.

Week 8 Third Basemen Prospects

Cincinnati Reds hitter Noelvi Marte (4) hits against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Sloan Park. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds

Since his demotion to AAA in mid-April, Maret has been productive at the plate in most games. He has 35 hits over 96 at-bats (.365) with 20 runs, three home runs, 12 RBIs, and eight steals. His approach (10 walks and 18 strikeouts over 108 plate appearances) over this span has also graded in a winning area. Marte has at least a hit in nine of his last 11 starts (14-for-44 with eight runs, one home run, six RBIs, and one steal), but he continues to wait for a call back up to Cincinnati.

I’m not sure what the Reds love about Will Benson. He’s hitting .182 over 66 at-bats this season with nine runs, two home runs, four RBIs, and one steal while striking out 29.6% of the time. Cincinnati has given him 639 at-bats over the past three years (.200/81/28/88/19 with 33.9% strikeout rate).

Yohandy Morales, Washington Nationals

Over his current five-game hitting streak (11-for-20 with seven runs, four home runs, and nine RBIs at AAA), Morales has drawn attention from the Nationals. His success raised his season average to .348 with 27 runs, nine home runs, 25 RBIs, and one steal over 132 at-bats. His strikeout rate (24.7%) is a bit high, while walking 11.7% of the time. Washington has given him 28 starts at third base and five at first base this year in the minors.

Week 8 Shortstop Prospects

Chicago White Sox infielder Jacob Gonzalez poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jacob Gonzalez, Chicago White Sox

Over his last 10 games at AAA, Gonzalez continued on his upward path at the plate (12-for-41 with 11 runs, three home runs, 13 RBIs, and two stolen bases), while showcasing an excellent approach (10 walks and 11 strikeouts). His swing has been even better over his previous 108 at-bats (.306/26/8/33/4 with 22 walks and 30 strikeouts). 

Colt Emerson, Seattle Mariners

Heading into Thursday’s action (5/14), Emerson is riding a five-game hitting streak (9-for-24 with eight runs, two home runs, eight RBIs, and two steals), highlighted by correcting his strikeout problem. He whiffed three times over his recent uptick in play, compared to 19 over his previous 57 plate appearances. 

Over his 35 games at AAA, Emerson is hitting .257 with 24 runs, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, and nine stolen bases across 136 at-bats. His strikeout rate (26.3%) is the critical component to his success in the majors when he is called up.

Week 8 Outfielder Prospects

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) looks on during the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

For the eighth consecutive week, I’ve stalked Crews’ progress at AAA, just selfishly pining for him to get called up. His body of work this year in the minors (.255/27/5/20/6 over 145 at-bats) doesn’t paint a picture of a difference-maker for fantasy teams. 

He comes into Thursday’s action riding a seven-game hitting streak (8-for-30 with seven runs, one home run, six RBIs, and one steal), highlighted by a 2-for-5 game on Wednesday night with two runs, a homer, and four RBIs. Crews has a hit or more in 13 of his previous 14 starts, leading to a .309 batting average with 12 runs, three home runs, 11 RBIs, and one stolen base.

This year, his strikeout rate (24.8%) is about the league average while posting a favorable walk rate (10.3%). Joey Wiemer is hitting .188 over his last 48 at-bats with seven runs, one home run, six RBIs, and one steal while striking out 45.3% of the time. 

Apparently, the coaching staff in Washington can’t see the upside light of Crews in their starting lineup over Wiemer or even Jacob Young (.224/19/3/17/2 over 143 at-bats ~ .229/53/5/48/17 over 467 at-bats over the past two years). 

Luis Lara, Milwaukee Brewers

The Lara train is on the express route to Milwaukee. His bat has been elite all season at AAA (.347/38/7/22/15 over 147 at-bats) while showcasing a leadoff approach (24 walks and 20 strikeouts). Over his current four-game hitting streak, Lara has nine hits over 17 at-bats with four runs, five RBIs, and three steals.

His success and ceiling are much higher than those of Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick, so I would be looking to add Lara quickly, as his bat looks major league-ready.

Henry Bolte, Athletics

The A’s called up Bolte on Wednesday night after an insane 10-game stretch at AAA, which included back-to-back 5-for-5 nights (five runs, four home runs, and seven RBIs). Over his hot streak, he went 27-for-46 with 12 runs, five home runs, 13 RBIs, and six steals with only six strikeouts. In his first game in the majors, Bolte had two hits in two at-bats with an RBI and a walk.

Over his 37 games at AAA this season, he hit .348 across 158 at-bats with 41 runs, 12 home runs, 28 RBIs, and 17 steals. His strikeout rate (22.0%) moved close to the league average and has improved as the season moved on. 

In 2025, Bolte showed a lot more risk at the plate based on his strikeout rate (28.7%), which would be number that should rise at the major league level. For reference, his strikeout rate was 33.4% in 2023 at A Ball and 34.2% in 2024 between High A and AA. 

Even with these negatives on his previous resume, Bolte has been working hard to improve his bat-to-ball skills over the past two seasons, and that process has started to shine in his success at the plate in 2026.