Atlanta Braves right-hander Tim Hudson will make his first start since last July on Tuesday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Hudson was originally expected to start today, but an injury to Nate McLouth in a rehab appearance at Double-A Mississippi forced the organization to alter plans.

Fantasy spin: Tough to expect much from Hudson in the final month of the season, but you always must wait and see in these situations. Observe a start or two, see how deep he works in each outing, then give Hudson some consideration as a regular in NL-only leagues or spot starter in mixed leagues. Remember, this is a guy with a 146-77 career record and 3.48 career ERA.

Billy Butler, 1B/DH, Kansas City Royals
Status: Finally reaching power potential
Basics: .302 AVG, 13 HRs, 57 RBIs, 50 runs in 109 games
Key Stats: Has multiple hits in 6 straight games
What to Watch For: Power to keep improving
Other Notes: Aggregate numbers won’t blow you away, but is trending up in a big way … is hitting .441 (15-for-34) with a 1.241 OPS in August … Royals have needed more power, and he has delivered … already has 49 extra-base hits, 16 more than he had all of last season … continued improvement in power game could lead to 30-HR, 100-RBI season in very near future, likely 2010
Verdict: Add in all formats; could be a star in the making

Eugenio Velez, 2B/OF, San Francisco Giants
Status: Back in the majors from minor league purgatory
Basics: .333 AVG, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs, 3 SBs in 37 games
Key Stats: Hitting .417 (25-for-60) over 12-game hitting streak
What to Watch For: Legitimacy - is he this good or just hot?
Other Notes: Has made a triumphant return to the parent club after being demoted in May … has hits in all 12 games while staking his claim to the Giants’ valuable leadoff spot … keeps middle infield eligibility, but is back in San Francisco as an outfielder … isn’t the first player and won’t be the last to need a demotion to finally reach his potential … safe to expect a 40-stolen base pace for the rest of the season, so long as he continues to hit … is a .301 career hitter in the minors
Verdict: Snatch him up in all leagues as a rare stolen base threat with some upside

It’s been a while for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Juan Rivera. A while since he’s been a full-time player. A while since he’s been this healthy. And a while since he’s had this kind of impact, on both the Angels’ and fantasy teams’ lineups.

Rivera burst onto the scene in 2006 with a .310 average, 23 home runs and 85 RBIs and, with a current hot streak, is on target for eerily similar numbers this season. His batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS are all within a few points of his 2006 marks. Season projections have Rivera surpassing those career-best totals in homers, RBIs and runs scored. Read more »

Most fantasy owners have been waiting all season for Colorado Rockies infielder Ian Stewart to turn the corner. He’s teased with his prodigious power, then fallen victim to strikeouts, position logjams and inconsistent playing time. The potential has been there all along, but his batting average was an eye sore and there were no guarantees for playing time.

But, since new manager Jim Tracy has taken the reins, Stewart is getting the regular at-bats he’s needed to find his rhythm and become a fantasy force. Given his recent National Player of the Week award, that may be an understatement. Stewart is getting on track in a big way, hitting .349 with 5 HRs and 13 RBIs in his last 11 games.

Batting average and inconsistency may be persistent problems, but even with a .250 average, Stewart’s explosive potential and projected 33 home runs are worth your time in fantasy. Read more »

Don’t sleep on Florida Marlins rookie outfielder Chris Coghlan. His numbers since being called up from Triple-A New Orleans haven’t exactly been stunning, but the potential is there and so is the opportunity. Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez has moved the 23-year-old in the leadoff position, and Coghlan has responded.

Whether Coghlan’s growth translates to fantasy remains to be seen. Sure, a respectable batting average and some runs scored are nice, but what is he doing for us in the hard-to-find categories? Coghlan is worth watching because he could, one day, contribute in either home runs or stolen bases.  Read more »

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Jason Kubel only looks like a 40-year-old seasoned veteran. Reality is, he is just 27 years old and in his fourth full season in the big leagues. Each of those four seasons has been better than the one before, by the way, including this season, in which he is on pace for career-highs in batting average, home runs and RBIs.

Kubel’s situation reminds us a little of Texas Rangers’ DH Hank Blalock - find a way to keep his fragile body healthy, get big results. Well, the Twins have given Kubel that chance this season, thanks in large part to a glut of talented outfielders in Denard Span, Carlos Gomez, Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young. Kubel, who can play both corner outfield positions, has gotten the majority of his at-bats as a DH. Read more »

Rookie pitchers are seldom good investments in fantasy.

Like a quarterback in the NFL, there’s just so much to learn, even for polished pitchers with years of minor league experience under their belts. Scouting reports are more detailed, there’s more scrutiny and pressure on them, and the hitters are world class. Youngsters aren’t typically trustworthy enough to make the right adjustments and be useful in fantasy. Read more »

Base stealers play a valuable role in all fantasy leagues. And the more bases your light-hitting, fleet-footed hitter can steal, the less concerned you are about the eye sores in his home run and RBI columns. Re-enter Chicago White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik, a fantasy force in the early 21st century who is swinging a hot bat and tearing up the base paths in the twilight of his career.

Podsednik is benefitting from the absence of regular left fielder Carlos Quentin, who is eligible to come off the disabled list as soon as today. Podsednik figures to keep getting regular at-bats, seeing as manager Ozzie Guillen will do anything he can to get that stagnant offense going, but pay attention to exactly what Quentin’s return from the DL means. Read more »

This has been a good week for those in the market for free agent hitters. An influx of young talent has provided a much-needed dose of excitement in an otherwise stale season for rookies and prospects in fantasy.

Andrew McCutchen and Gordon Beckham are the freshest faces to make their Major League debuts, joining Matt Wieters, Gerardo Parra, Chris Coghlan and Colby Rasmus, among others, in a select group of rookies worthy of fantasy consideration.

McCutchen graces our list below after getting off to a hot start as the new Pirates’ leadoff hitter. Colorado Rockies teammates Ian Stewart and Clint Barmes are swinging hot bats to gain serious consideration as additions to fantasy owners’ middle infields.

These are hitters available in a majority of mixed rotisserie leagues. We use ESPN.com as a baseline, only listing players available in at least 50 percent of standard leagues. Read more »