Now that the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline has passed, we have clarity on what contenders and rebuilders will look like over the next two months. And, there’s also opportunity for prospects in the Minors to still impact the 2025 fantasy baseball season, or for said names to put themselves in good position for 2026. Here’s a look at five names to watch this August.
Carter Jensen
We’ll start with a name Royals fans likely know very well: catcher Carter Jensen.
Jensen is one of the Royals’ top prospects, and the 22-year-old has performed very well, wherever he’s played. He had himself a big July for Omaha (AAA), as Jensen slashed .313/.429/.703 (1.132 OPS) with seven home runs and 11 extra-base hits over 18 games.
Any catcher with power is someone to keep on the fantasy radar. And as far as Jensen is concerned, he’ll likely have more relevance next season. Jensen could play a regular role in Kansas City, especially now that the team moved Freddy Fermin before the deadline.
Tyler Locklear
Generally speaking, prospects who are in the Majors are not considered for these types of lists. But given that the trade deadline saw new openings for several notable names, rules can be broken.
New Diamondbacks infielder Tyler Locklear is getting regular playing time in Arizona, as he’s played in six games since the Eugenio Suarez trade, replacing Josh Naylor, who was also dealt to Seattle in a separate deal. Along those six games, Locklear only hit .200 but did pick up a home run, his third career one in the Majors. Locklear had 19 in Triple-A Tacoma this season.
Locklear had himself a dominant July, as he led the PCL in home runs (9) and SLG (.807), putting to bed at least some of the problems he had in his brief 2024 stint with the M’s. He chased a lot, something that was still somewhat of a concern this year. The numbers also showed Locklear might have been in between on some occasions, as he only hit .071 against fastballs in 2024.
Still, the power potential and the fact that he should play every day make him a name to watch.
Luke Keaschall
The Twins held a massive sale in July, with expected and unexpected names leaving Minneapolis. One beneficiary was Luke Keaschall, the 22-year-old who missed three months after sustaining a broken forearm. That injury came days after his promotion to Minnesota.
Keaschall returned from the IL on August 5 and had himself a big two games against the Tigers. The 22-year-old notched four hits, including a home run, in those two contests.
Now a potential everyday player, Keaschall might not be a plus home run hitter, despite blasting a cookie out of Comerica Park earlier this week. But, Keaschall is a hitter with a very short swing (6.3” average), and is able to get to fastballs up in the zone fast.
He hit 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases in just 102 games last year in the Minors.
Quinn Mathews
Cardinals pitcher Quinn Mathews missed a month and a half on the injured list this season. He’s starting to perform better as the year goes on.
Mathews struggled in two April starts before landing on the IL, as he walked 12 over 6.1 IP with Memphis (AAA). The left-hander has done better of late, as he struck out 22 over 16.1 innings last month. And in his first August outing, Mathews struck out nine over six innings and only walked one.
Walks have been the big issue for Mathews this season; he walked 15 last month and 49 in total over 60 innings this season. It might not be this year that Mathews has a fantasy effect. But, after the 2024 season he had, Mathews is still worth watching.
Nolan McLean
The last pitcher on our August list is Nolan McLean, who’s pushed himself up the prospect charts thanks to a fantastic 2025 campaign.
McLean was a two-way player at OK State who hit and pitched early in his pro career. However, he’s moved to pitching full-time and looks like a piece for the Mets’ future. The right-hander struck out 38 over 28 frames for Syracuse (AAA) last month, the most strikeouts in the International League. He has 120 over 109.2 IP this season.
The 24-year-old isn’t a typical power pitcher, as he primarily sits in the low-to-mid-90s with his fastballs. But what McLean does have is a heavy sinker, along with a potential plus-plus sweeper. It has a 30% Whiff%, not the largest in the world. However, it’s a mover, as seen below.
McLean isn’t the only pitcher in Syracuse that the Mets could call up down the stretch. Brandon Sproat (.67 ERA, 33 K over 27 IP) had a fantastic July in Triple-A, as well. However, whether McLean and Sproat are promoted may come down to several factors: whether the Mets want to push them, control their innings, or what role the two could play down the stretch run.
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