MLB Prospect Watch: Logan Henderson, Andrew Painter, Bubba Chandler Headline Pitchers

Fantasy baseball managers keeping an eye on starting pitching depth have a fresh crop of arms making noise in the minors. From Emmett Sheehan's electric 13-strikeout outing to Joe Boyle's steady dominance, here's the latest stock watch on eight emerging starters worth monitoring.

Luis Morales, Athletics

After trending forward over three starts at AAA (seven runs, 16 baserunners, and 19 strikeouts over 16.0 innings), Morales lost command (six walks) in his last outing (6/21). He gave up six runs and six hits over 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. Morales opened 2025 with success over eight starts at AA (2.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 42.1 innings).

Logan Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers

After an electric run over eight starts at AAA (0.92 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts over 39.1 innings), Henderson started to fade over his last two outings at AAA (six runs, 15 baserunners, and three home runs over 10.1 innings with 10 strikeouts). He still has winning stats at AAA (2.52 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts over 53.2 innings) and with the Brewers (1.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts over 21.0 innings).

Andrew Painter, Philadelphia Phillies

Eight starts into his rehab work at AAA, Painter has a 4.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts over 36.0 innings. He’s pitched well in six outings, but his two bad days (10 runs, 18 baserunners, and four home runs over nine innings) have taken the shine off his expected potential this year. In his last two starts, Painter allowed two runs, 12 baserunners, and one home run over 10.0 innings with 11 strikeouts.

Emmett Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers

Sheehan teased the fantasy market by allowing one run and three hits over four innings with six strikeouts in his major league debut last week (6/18), but the Dodgers surprisingly shipped him back to AAA. He responded with an electric outing on June 25th (no runs or baserunners allowed over six innings with 13 strikeouts), which should punch his ticket back to the majors. Over his 17.1 innings in the minors this season, Sheehan has 34 strikeouts and one walk, leading to a 2.60 ERA and 0.63 WHIP.

Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates

The recent struggles by Chandler at AAA (11 runs, 14 hits, one home run, and eight walks over 9.1 innings with five strikeouts) almost put him in the avoid category. Many fantasy teams have carried this year as a buy-and-hold, but they have been kicking him into the free pool over the past two weeks. 

His regression suggests an underlying injury, or at the very least, a loss of confidence. His 2025 stats (3.41 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts over 58.0 innings) mask the direction of his arm for the fantasy market that doesn’t look at his game-by-game stat lines.

Joe Boyle, Tampa Bay Rays

Over his 15 starts between AAA and Tampa, Boyle is 6-4 with a 1.60 ERA, 0.932 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts over 73.0 innings. He’s allowed only 38 hits while making strides in his walk rate (3.7 per nine). His right arm has been on point over his last five starts (five runs, 24 baserunners, and three home runs over 25.0 innings with 41 strikeouts). His only appearance with the Rays this year came on April 13th (no runs or hits over five innings with seven strikeouts).

Richard Fitts, Boston Red Sox

There has been a wide range of emotions tied to Fitts this year. He brought hope to fantasy teams after making the Red Sox starting rotation and pitching well in three games (3.18 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts over 17.0 innings). Unfortunately, a pectoral issue sidelined him for almost six weeks. 

Fitts has been up and down over his last five starts between AAA and the majors, while looking better in his previous two appearances (two runs, seven baserunners, and two home runs over nine innings with nine strikeouts). 

Kyle Harrison, Boston Red Sox

Since his trade to Boston, Harrison has yet to show up in a box score at AAA or with the Red Sox. They have him scheduled to start on Thursday night (6/26) at Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders. At the very least, the buy-and-hold market will have some stat info to base their long-term views on him. Boston has been working with him to add a cutter. 

I view Harrison as a high-impact arm that the Red Sox wanted to help them make a future World Series push. His strikeout ceiling is immense, and he has the talent to be an elite left-handed arm like Garrett Crochet. I’m vested in him, so I’m blinded by my Red Sox blood. The change in home ballparks isn’t favorable, and Harrison must throw more strikes to reach an elite ace ceiling. I’m holding him, as I expect him to be in Boston’s starting rotation shortly. 

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