IN FOCUS - Draft Signing Update, Nolan McLean, Trade Deadline Intel, Inury Report, Juan Arnaud, Tyler Anderson, Luis Robert Jr., Eugenio Suárez, Cedric Mullins

 

Daniel Wexler                          @WexlerRules

Updated  -  All Draft Picks are either signed or signing, except for:

14th not signing

18th TBD

 

Andy Smith                                @A_Smith_FS

What prospect pitchers should be at the TOP of our Stash List?

RotoBaller MLB

Bubba Chandler

Andrew Painter

Nolan McLean

        Sitting comfortably in the third spot is New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean. Despite Sean Manaea making his season debut, McLean should be in the mix to join the MLB roster in the coming weeks. McLean opened the season with Double-A and needed just 26 1/3 innings to prove he was ready to join the top ranks in the minors.

        During this stint, the right-hander struck out 30 hitters and held a 1.37 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP.

        Since moving up to Triple-A, McLean has remained impressive. Through his first 64 1/3 innings with Triple-A Syracuse, McLean has held a 3.22 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP. During this stretch, his right-handed prospect has struck out 71 hitters and allowed only 29 free passes.

        Over his last two outings, McLean has hit the double-digit strikeout mark in each. Over his last four starts (22 innings), McLean has posted an elite 2.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with a 30:9 K:BB.

        While Jonah Tong and even Brandon Sproat have flashed elite upside at times in the New York system, I would give the slight edge to McLean as the pitcher to stash in Queens. He is a strong stash option in all 12+ team leagues as we enter the back-half of the fantasy baseball season.

 

New York Mets                                         @Mets

We have made the following roster moves.

 

MLB Pipeline                            @MLBPipeline

Which prospects have been heating up?

Check out the latest Team of the Week, featuring a pair of names from the Top 100:

MLB trade deadline intel

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6505920/2025/07/21/mlb-trade-deadline-needs-targets-rumors/

New York Mets (56-44)

The Mets are in the market for a high-leverage reliever to help set up closer Edwin Díaz, and like many contenders, they’re scouting the Pirates’ David Bednar and Dennis Santana, the Guardians’ Cade Smith and Emmanuel Clase, the Orioles’ Gregory Soto and Félix Bautista, the Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan and the Rockies’ Seth Halvorsen. The Mets can dangle players like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Ryan Clifford to try to make a significant deadline deal. They also could look to improve in center field with Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, Trent Grisham of the Yankees and Cedric Mullins of the Orioles as possible targets.

 

Injury Update –

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6505817/2025/07/21/mets-upgrade-trade-deadline/

• Though Pete Alonso didn’t start Sunday’s game because of a right hand contusion, he did enter in the seventh inning to continue his consecutive games streak. Alonso is expected to start Monday.

• Starling Marte won’t be back as quickly as initially hoped. He’s taken batting practice, though, and should return by the end of July.

• Jesse Winker will be shut down about another week before he starts baseball activities, likely pushing a return into August.

• José Butto is on a minor-league rehab assignment and should return to the bullpen this week.

• Dedniel Núñez did have Tommy John surgery and is out this season and likely all of next.

• Max Kranick will go under the knife this month for elbow surgery. It will be either flexor repair surgery or Tommy John surgery. Either knocks him out for this season, but Tommy John surgery will keep him out all of next year as well.

 

Ernest Dove                               @ernestdove

Mets 22 yr old P prospect Juan Arnaud this month at the Low A level

5 app    6 inn    1 H     0 ER       3 BB      6 K

Topped 98 last night. I believe still tops 99.

I remember him being labeled a "thrower" not "pitcher" last season.  Hes thriving last 2 months.

        Deep dive…

Juan Arnaud is a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets organization, currently playing at the Low-A level with the St. Lucie Mets.

Born on June 22, 2003, in Cotui, Dominican Republic, he stands at 6'2" and weighs 164 pounds.

Arnaud is an active prospect known for his high-velocity fastball, which has been reported to reach up to 99 mph.

In July 2025, Arnaud showed promising stats at the Low-A level, making five appearances over six innings, allowing just one hit, no earned runs, three walks, and recording six strikeouts. This recent performance indicates improvement, as he was previously labeled a "thrower" rather than a "pitcher" due to command issues, but he appears to be thriving over the last two months. His development is being closely watched, given his raw arm talent, but he remains a work in progress as he refines his control and pitch repertoire

Top 40 players on market as July 31 approaches

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5591079/2025/07/09/mlb-trade-deadline-big-board-players-postseason-2/

#40                 Tyler Anderson

Age                35

Position       LHSP

Fits                 ARI, LAD, TOR

Deal               likelihood

Value:           Back-end rotation stability

Analysis:      A once touted prospect who quietly became a two-time All-Star in his 30s, Anderson is a dependable back-end starter for a contender in need of rotation stability. He has roughly league-average numbers (100 ERA+), but he’s also tied for the second-most starts in the Majors, and he’s allowed more than four runs only three times.

Anderson is rarely dominant but typically steady, which has value as teams worry about workload and depth down the stretch. His contract expires at the end of the year, which surely increases the motivation for the Angels — who are vaguely in contention — to consider moving him.

 

Trade Targets

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6467560/2025/07/02/mlb-trade-deadline-predictions-alcantara-naylor    

Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox

Robert just went on the IL with a hamstring injury, and he’s arguably having the worst year of his career as he’s batting .185 with a 64 OPS+, though he’s stolen 22 bases and played solid defense in center field. So … why is he on this list?

Several execs don’t think Robert will be traded at this year’s deadline, instead believing that the White Sox will wait until the offseason, hoping he plays better in August and September and regains his trade value. However, a few believe he’ll get traded anyway because of the low supply of power bats and outfielders at the deadline, along with teams understanding what a change of scenery could mean for him. He is making $15 million this year and has $20 million team options for 2026 and 2027.

Robert’s career-highs include 38 home runs in 2023 and 23 stolen bases in 2024. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2020. He hasn’t had any lineup protection over the last couple of years and some teams question his desire and mental toughness.

Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Diamondbacks

Suárez has had a tremendous first half, belting 26 home runs with 69 RBIs, so his value is high despite being an impending free agent. Arizona could swap him in a buyer-to-buyer type of trade for a starting pitcher or impact reliever. The Diamondbacks’ top prospect, Jordan Lawlar, could replace Suárez, 33, at the hot corner if he’s traded. A reunion with the Mariners or a deal with the Yankees, who could then move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base, would make a lot of sense.

Cedric Mullins, CF, Orioles

Mullins, 30, is an impending free agent who could be available on the thin outfield market. He is having a down year, batting just .214 with a 99 OPS+, but does have 12 homers and eight stolen bases and remains an elite defensive center fielder. A trade sending Mullins and Bautista to the Phillies could be a great fit for Philadelphia, which would have to give Baltimore a strong prospect package to make that hypothetical deal work.