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The Stash List Week 10: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026

Top 10 pitching prospects to stash in redraft league.

John Villavicencio
Dynasty 2 Hours Ago

The Pitcher Edition of the Stash List highlights the 10 best pitching prospects likely to make an impact during the 2026 season.

Prospects are often thought of as holding value only in dynasty formats. However, knowing which prospects hold value for the current season can help set you apart in redraft leagues. Several have a 2026 ETA, and getting ahead of the curve on rostering these prospects is a key part of roster management. Last year, we saw more pitching prospects make their debut than ever before, and there is no reason we should expect to see anything change in 2026. Keep reading to find out the top ten pitchers you should stash in your redraft leagues.

 

Ground Rules

  • The Stash List is for your redraft leagues and does not consider impact beyond 2026.
  • Only current minor league players who are expected to make an impact this season are included.
  • Upside, proximity, health, and opportunity are all weighed for each player.
  • The focus is on 12-team leagues with standard categories.
  • Rankings and roster percentages will be updated weekly.
  • Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.

 

Top 10 Double-A Pitchers in Strikeout Rate through May 27, 2026 (minimum 7 games started and 80 batters faced)

 

The Stash List

Graduates/Call-Ups

The following prospects joined the big league clubs over the last week:

Jonah Tong NYM finished out a game against Miami with two strikeouts on five whiffs. It was a satisfying return with three scoreless and hitless innings of work, where he featured

Gage Jump ATH was the surprise call-up over the last week and made his debut against Seattle on Tuesday. The first inning of his debut was atypical for a prospect, as he struck out two in the first inning. In fact, he had five strikeouts on 15 whiffs on the fastball, sweeper, and slider. The two breakers were earning strikes and getting hitters to chase out of the zone. The fastball was sitting at 96 mph with 17 inches of vertical break. Even with some solid stuff, the Mariners smacked him around, stacking nine hits and two sacrifice flies across his five innings. Nevertheless, it was a promising start, and it will be interesting to see if the two sliders are enough against left-handed batters.

David Sandlin CHW was supposedly called up on Tuesday and set to start on Wednesday, but wasn’t listed in the At Bat app as the White Sox starter. Either way, he is featured in the stash list below.

 

Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash

This week, we review three pros and three cons for each pitcher, alongside their most recent start. Cheers!

 

1.  River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2026 AAA Stat line: 16.0 IP | 2.81 ERA | 31.8 K% | 4.5 BB% 

2025 MLB Stat line: DID NOT PITCH IN 2025

 

Three Up

  • Deep, high-powered arsenal
    Ryan attacks hitters with a rare six-pitch mix featuring multiple velocity bands and movement profiles. His four-seamer, sinker, cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup all grade as usable offerings, with at least three projecting as plus pitches.
  • Premium stuff enhanced by extension and deception
    His 6.8 feet of extension from a 6’2″ frame gives his upper-90s fastball elite perceived velocity, effectively making 98 mph play closer to 100. Combined with a fluid delivery, varied timing, and strong induced vertical break, hitters consistently look uncomfortable.
  • Near-MLB-ready upside
    Ryan is already on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster and showed dominant flashes immediately after returning from injury, including seven strikeouts, zero walks, and 14 whiffs in five innings. If the improved velocity and shapes hold, he has the ceiling of a high-impact Major League starter.

Three Down

  • Inconsistent strike throwing
    Command remains the biggest hurdle. Ryan has struggled at times to maintain even a league-average strike rate, dipping below 60% in some outings and losing effectiveness deeper into games when the command fades.
  • Uncertain workload and durability concerns
    After missing significant time with injuries, including the recent hamstring issue, Ryan is likely to be managed carefully. His innings limit could cap his fantasy and real-life value, especially if he spends too much time in Triple-A.
  • Crowded organizational depth chart
    The Dodgers’ rotation depth creates uncertainty around his immediate role. Los Angeles has multiple starting options already cycling through the roster, so Ryan may remain limited to shorter outings until an opening forces the club’s hand.

Recent Start

At 27 years old, River Ryan is carving up younger Triple-A hitters with guile, experience, and big-time stuff. You want a prospect pitcher with zip on their fastball and he’s got it. He is sitting at 97 mph on the four-seamer, popping the occasional 99 on the gun. You want a prospect pitcher with quality secondaries and he’s got it. He secured multiple whiffs on four pitches. The dominant outing featured a big spin curveball and a low spin changeup, each racking up three strikeouts. You want a pitcher who goes the distance and he’s got it. Ryan completed six innings with one unearned run allowed on four hits and zero walks. The eight strikeouts and eleven whiffs are now his highest totals on the season. This earned him a quality start as well as his first professional victory since July 2024. Ryan’s got it and the Dodgers should make the call soon.

Who Else

If you don’t stash Ryan, then there is a whole bevy of injured starting pitchers returning in the near future who should be in your periphery: Troy Melton, Jared Jones, Mick Abel, Matthew Boyd, and Shane Bieber, among others. Check out Scott White’s list for more names.

 

2. David Sandlin, RHP, Chicago White Sox

2026 AAA Stat line: 16.1 IP | 0.55 ERA | 35.1 K% | 14.9 BB% 

2026 MLB Stat line: 6 IP | 1.50 ERA | 21.1 K% | 0.0 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Premium velocity with bat-missing upside
    Sandlin’s fastball is his carrying tool, sitting in the upper 90s and frequently threatening triple digits. The pure velocity, paired with a sharp slider and splitter, gives him the type of arsenal capable of generating swings and misses at the highest level.
  2. Bullpen role could maximize the arsenal
    While starting has produced inconsistent results, Sandlin’s move toward relief work may ultimately unlock his best version. Shorter outings allow him to lean heavily on the elite velocity and splitter without worrying about pacing himself through multiple trips in the order.
  3. Strong strikeout track record and solid control
    Even with a dip in strikeouts during 2025, Sandlin still maintained a strikeout rate north of 25% while showing relatively low walk totals. When healthy, he has consistently flashed the ability to overpower hitters and attack the zone.

Three Down

  1. Inconsistent fastball quality despite the velocity
    The radar gun grabs attention, but the fastball does not always play as well as expected. Sandlin has allowed a high hit rate, raising concerns about the pitch shape, extension, or overall command within the zone. Hitters appear to see the ball better than they should against a pitcher with his raw stuff.
  2. Durability concerns after multiple injuries
    Injuries, including a forearm strain in 2024, have interrupted Sandlin’s development and contributed to workload limitations. The lack of uninterrupted innings has made it difficult for him to fully refine his command and secondary pitches.
  3. Starter projection has faded considerably
    The early hype centered around a potential mid-rotation starter with strikeout upside, but the inconsistent outings and durability questions have pushed him toward a bullpen future. While that role may suit him better, it also lowers the overall fantasy and real-life ceiling compared to his original projection.

 

Recent Start

David Sandlin is Major League-ready with a six-pitch arsenal that features a 96 mph fastball. His power delivery could translate into a bit more velocity once called up, especially since he was sitting at 97 from a lower release point in 2025. It is also enticing that he has three fastball shapes and decent secondaries to both sets of hitters. In his most recent Triple-A start, he was solid across four innings with seven strikeouts on eight whiffs. He allowed four hits (four hard-hit balls) and one walk. In 2026, the strikeouts, the swinging strikes, and the groundballs are up, while contact is down. He has walked a few more batters than desired, but Sandlin has only been stretched out to 71 pitches in this game, so the sample size is still small. The 64% strike rate in both 2025 and 2026 suggests his walk rate should normalize toward 10% as he gets more innings. The main question around his profile is about which role he will assume once he makes it to Chicago. Obviously, we would like to see him get a chance at starting, but he has had limited innings in 2026 and barely eclipsed 100 innings in 2025.

Sandlin was superb in his Major-League debut, touching 99 mph and showing off great secondaries during a surprisingly lengthy six innings of work. Things looked rough when Byron Buxton took him deep on a 97 mph fastball. Sandlin did indeed turn the volume up on the velocity, the spin, and the command to great effect. His changeup was barely spinning at 1200 rpm and breaking arm side 13 inches. Of course, he won’t always be able to take care of business in 61 pitches, but a 67% strike rate is a great start to his career. This was an exciting debut for a prospect who hasn’t shown much strikeout upside since 2024. He did give up a lot of flyballs, so let’s check back to see if he goes with more sinkers in his next outing.

Who Else

Hagen Smith has been atrocious with his command, while being slow-played with a 75-80 pitch count limit. Tanner McDougal would have been up already if he didn’t suffer right forearm tightness and isn’t throwing until early June. Yet, the more prudent task to take on after Sandlin’s successful debut is to identify more Major League-ready arms who have a 96+ fastball and supporting arsenal.

 

3. Kade Anderson, LHP, Seattle Mariners

2026 AAA Stat line: 38.2 IP | 1.62 ERA | 40.8 K% | 4.9 BB%

2025 NCAA Stat line: 119.0 IP | 3.43 ERA | 37.4 K% | 7.3 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Elite strike-throwing and swing-and-miss ability
    Anderson’s 58 strikeouts against just seven walks through his first eight starts show exceptional command and bat-missing ability. Maintaining at least a 65% strike rate in each outing and a minimum of a 15% swinging-strike rate in all but one start demonstrates a consistently dominant process.
  2. Advanced pitchability and deep repertoire
    He succeeds without overpowering velocity because he mixes pitches effectively. The 94-mph fastball plays up alongside a devastating changeup versus right-handed hitters, a quality slider, and multiple curveball shapes that keep hitters uncomfortable.
  3. Rapid developmental trajectory
    Anderson’s Double-A dominance compares favorably to some recent pitching promotions of current Seattle starters. His combination of polish, innings foundation from 2025, and ability to limit hard contact makes him a realistic near-term Major League option if an opportunity opens.

Three Down

  1. Questions about fastball velocity ceiling
    At roughly 94 mph, Anderson’s fastball velocity is solid but not overwhelming. There are concerns that upper-level hitters may adjust once they see him multiple times, especially if he misses locations in the zone.
  2. Lack of a true wipeout putaway pitch
    While all of his pitches grade as effective, evaluators may question whether he has one dominant finishing pitch for MLB hitters. Previous games with mistake pitches highlight how damage can occur when execution slips.
  3. Limited track record working deep into games
    Anderson has yet to complete three turns through an order professionally. His inability so far to consistently pitch deep into outings leaves open questions about durability, efficiency against adjustments, and 2026 workload capacity.

Recent Start

Anderson survived a near-disastrous first inning to reach the fifth inning against Springfield. After a 25-pitch opening frame with two hits and a walk, he shut it down, going three straight 1-2-3 innings. It appears the organization has a strict pitch count of around 75 for Anderson, who was pulled one out shy of qualifying for the win.

Taking a closer look at his pitch mix, we examine the at-bat versus a strong hitter, Rainiel Rodriguez. Anderson started the at-bat off with three breakers aimed at the back vertex of home plate before trying to throw a slider at the top of the zone past him for the strikeout. Rodriguez laced the slow pitch sharply into left field for a single. He finished off the next hitter with a surprise loopy curveball on the outside corner. Then, Anderson reached two strikes on left-handed hitting Ryan Campos. He tried his whole bag of tricks for the third strike: the slider, sweeper, curveball, and high fastball. Anderson barely missed strike three on a breaking pitch, and Campos earned the walk. And in the second inning, Anderson used the slider or curveball on all three of the swinging strikeouts. This isn’t to say the fastball is a bad pitch, but it does highlight that it isn’t the key to his success at this stage of his career. Later in the game, he was able to get a called third strike on a heater at the bottom of the zone. Overall, Anderson had seven strikeouts on thirteen whiffs against two walks. It was his fifth scoreless outing of the year and appears locked in as the Friday Night starter for the first-place Arkansas Travelers.

Who Else

Given the apparent lack of exciting Triple-A arms, we could see more Double-A starters appear on this list. Fellow southpaw, Jaime Arnold, offers a wildly unique arm slot and delivery, a characteristic with upside. Anthony Eyanson and Karson Milbrand are both righties who are succeeding with high strikeout rates. The following two names are highly unlikely to be a call-up this season, but Wei En-Lin is another lefty who is stacking up great numbers at 20 years old. And Joseph Dzierwa, a 2025 draft pick, is tearing up the opposition at 6’8″ with solid mechanics and a low 5% walk rate.

 

4.  Carlos Lagrange, RHP, New York Yankees

2026 AAA Stat line: 43.1 IP | 4.78 ERA | 29.1 K% | 12.2 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 120 IP | 3.53 ERA | 33.4 K% | 12.3 BB%

 

Three Up

  • Elite velocity and raw stuff
    Lagrange’s triple-digit fastball is rare even among top pitching prospects. Sitting around 100 mph and touching over 102 mph gives him one of the most explosive arsenals in the minors, while stuff models consistently grade all five of his pitches as above average or better.
  • Improving pitch mix and adaptability
    He has started evolving beyond simply overpowering hitters with velocity. By leaning more heavily on the slider and reducing four-seamer usage, Lagrange generated nine whiffs and five strikeouts with the breaking ball, showing a willingness to adjust strategically.
  • Massive strikeout upside
    Even with inconsistent command, he routinely misses bats at a high rate. He recorded six strikeouts with one walk in his latest outing and frequently gets to two strikes against hitters, giving him frontline upside if the command stabilizes.

Three Down

  • Below-average strike throwing and control
    Entering the outing, Lagrange carried a 58% strike rate and 13% walk rate, both worse than the minor league median benchmarks. His inning-to-inning command fluctuates dramatically, making it difficult for him to consistently work deep into games.
  • Fastball does not miss enough bats for its velocity
    Despite averaging 100 mph, the four-seamer surprisingly generated only one whiff in this outing. Hitters often make competitive contact against it, raising concerns about shape, deception, or location despite elite velocity.
  • Risk of ending up in a bullpen role
    Because of the inconsistent control and difficulty sustaining efficiency, there is growing concern that Lagrange could eventually profile better as a short-burst reliever rather than a full-time starter if the strike-throwing does not improve.

 

Recent Start

This start is a skeptic’s delight as Lagrange gave up a lot of contact, allowed many free bases via walk and hit by pitch, and served up a home run on a poorly located pitch. By the fifth inning, Lagrange appeared “La-thargic”, barely following through on his pitches. His release height was higher, and his velocity was down across the board. Those indicators create the foundation for an argument against Lagrange remaining as a starter.

On the flip side, he completed five innings and is now averaging 80 pitches per start, as he did in 2025. Furthermore, the secondaries are still nasty. His sweeper and changeup have a whiff rate greater than 42%. The fact that he is getting hit so hard (11% barrels) and is not missing as many bats as one would expect (12.6% swinging strikes) reveals that the overall pitching profile is not quite working right. He has experimented with using a majority of sliders in a start, but it is probably necessary to refine it even more with a new sequencing strategy each at-bat. In this game, though, the main culprit was that he ran out of gas.

Off the field, it sounds more certain that Lagrange is headed for the bullpen in 2026. Despite his best effort to build up the pitch count and adopt new pitch strategies, the Yankees seem bent on getting him up in a capacity that will help them make the playoffs. Hopefully, this short-term choice doesn’t negatively affect his long-term chances of remaining as a starter.

Who Else

There is really no other Minor League pitcher with the same level of velocity and diversity in arsenal as Lagrange. Luis Perales is close. Tanner McDougal is currently on the injured list, but was beginning to rival him with hitting triple digits. Antwone Kelly of the Pirates is a few notches down in velocity and has an intriguing changeup, but does not have strong results up until this point.

 

5.  Jack Wenninger, RHP, New York Mets

2026 AAA Stat line: 41 IP | 2.20 ERA | 25.3 K% | 13.8 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 135.2 IP | 2.92 ERA | 26.4 K% | 7.6 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Deep five-pitch arsenal
    Wenninger attacks hitters with a diverse mix that includes a four-seamer, sinker, slider, and changeup. His slider and changeup in particular generate solid whiff rates and help him navigate both left- and right-handed hitters effectively.
  2. Ground-ball ability and run prevention
    Even without overpowering swing-and-miss stuff, Wenninger consistently keeps the ball on the ground and limits home runs. That contact-management skill helped him maintain a strong ERA despite occasional command lapses.
  3. Capable of missing bats in stretches
    While the overall swinging-strike rate is below average, Wenninger has shown flashes of dominance, including stretches where he racks up strikeouts quickly. His ability to sequence pitches and change shapes gives him pathways to success even without elite velocity.

Three Down

  1. Inconsistent command and control
    Wenninger’s biggest issue is erratic strike-throwing. His disastrous outing against Scranton featured a 46% strike rate, four walks, and poor zone rates across all five pitches, showing how quickly his command can unravel.
  2. Below-average whiff profile overall
    Despite the large arsenal, his fastball is not generating many swings and misses in 2026, and his overall swinging-strike rate sits around 10%, which is below average for a potential long-term starter.
  3. Fastball quality remains questionable
    His 94 mph four-seamer has movement but lacks put-away characteristics, and the sinker also struggles to consistently land in the zone. Without improved fastball command or effectiveness, he may rely too heavily on secondary pitches to survive at the major league level.

Recent Start

Jack Wenninger had the whiff game return here, but he got RJ Shrecked for a double dong. The 6’4″ righty has an early exit in the previous start, so it was comforting to see him reach the sixth inning. The four-seam fastball was moving well in two planes, generating three whiffs and two strikeouts. The 84 mph changeup was the star pitch with six whiffs and three changeups. This was his second-highest whiff total of the year, which is reflected by the big drop in swinging strike rate on the season from 14% in 2025 to 10% this season.

The jump to Triple-A has seen a stretch of scoreless pitching for Wenninger, but the strikeouts remain elusive. It appears that his wide five-pitch arsenal is better at inducing weak contact rather than more swing-and-miss. One area that needs attention is his approach versus lefties as they now have a .379 slugging percentage against (Thanks, RJ!) with three home runs. Reducing the usage of his average fastball would be the first step to rectifying that problem. Overall, Wenninger struck out five batters on eleven whiffs. He gave up four earned runs (six total) on five hits and two walks. The season 2.20 ERA is sparkling, but deflated due to some good fortune. His FIP and xFIP are almost twice the ERA (4.38 FIP and 4.63 xFIP), and he has stranded a career-high number of baserunners (82% LOB).

Who Else

His organization-mates, Jonah Tong and Zach Thornton, have already received their chance to win a longer-term spot in the rotation. Andry Lara of Washington has a similar arm angle and variety of pitches, with a top velocity below 95 mph. And David Sandling is utilizing a wide arsenal, but has a bit more zip on his heaters.

 

 

6.  Ty Johnson, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

2026 AAA Stat line: 17.1 IP | 2.20 ERA | 25.3 K% | 13.8 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 135.2 IP | 2.92 ERA | 26.4 K% | 7.6 BB%

 

Two Up

  1. Consistent Mechanics
    The tall pitcher is demonstrating an ability to repeat his delivery over and over again. The release point of his pitches is each within a tiny margin. It is helpful that his delivery is calm and lacks stressful movements.
  2. Throwing Strikes
    He has duplicated a 66% strike rate for the second year in a row.

One Down

  1. Low fastball velocity

Recent Start

Brody Hopkins‘ control is so bad…How bad is it? Brody Hopkins‘ control is so bad that the bullpen phone starts ringing during warmups. A-yo!

Therefore, Ty Johnson supplants Hopkins on the stash list after only four Triple-A starts. The 6’6″ righty is utilizing a two-pitch mix to solid results, posting 21 strikeouts, five walks, and zero runs across 17.1 innings. In his most recent start, he added more whiffs, racking up 13 swinging strikes and five strikeouts. Johnson utilizes a short arm action that helps him release the ball at a low height with an inside-out motion. With this kind of natural cut in his throwing motion, it is strange that he doesn’t throw the changeup with 18 inches of horizontal movement more often. The four-seamer is only sitting 92-93 mph, but it does have 10 inches of side-to-side movement and 17 inches of rise. His main pitch is an 84 mph gyro slider.

Against Nashville on Sunday, the slider racked up eight whiffs while the fastball had five whiffs. Overall, Johnson had a mostly breezy game, giving up three hits, one walk, zero runs, and generating five strikeouts. The next step will be to see if he can get the velocity up while maintaining the high control.

Who Else

Brody Hopkins and Joe Boyle are two players within the organization who are competing for the same chance to be featured players in Tampa Bay. Yet, those two have consistently demonstrated their inability to throw strikes. Kohl Drake has a similar velocity and delivery from the left side, but has struggled with the long ball this season. Ryan Johnson and Jake Bennett are also tall pitchers who can throw a lot of strikes.

 

Long Shots

As the stash list targets thin out from several graduations, we review a quartet of prospects who have an opportunity to grab a rotation spot on the Major League team. Consider these recommendations as an exploration of the starter options already within the organization.

 

7. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, San Francisco Giants

2026 AAA Stat line: 53.1 IP | 3.21 ERA | 24.8 K% | 9.7 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 107.2 IP | 4.43 ERA | 20.9 K% | 7.7 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Elite changeup gives him a legitimate out pitch
    Whisenhunt’s changeup remains one of the best secondary offerings in the minors. The pitch carries a 40% whiff rate with heavy 16-inch arm-side fade, and hitters have struggled to do damage against it. It is already a major-league caliber weapon capable of missing bats consistently against both righties and lefties.
  2. Improved pitch mix and deeper outings
    After leaning too heavily on the sinker early in the year, Whisenhunt has diversified the arsenal by incorporating the slider and changeup more often. The adjustment has helped fuel four consecutive seven-inning starts and better overall results. The slider has also developed into a strong complement, generating a 30% whiff rate with sharp glove-side movement and plus spin.
  3. Strong starter traits with a clear MLB pathway
    Whisenhunt has the look of a durable rotation arm and owns a long track record of strikeouts throughout the minors. As the lone upper-level left-handed starter in the Giants organization with near-term upside, he has a realistic opportunity to carve out a role in San Francisco, especially with instability in the current major league rotation.

Three Down

  1. Fastball/sinker still lags behind the secondaries
    Despite touching 97 mph, the sinker continues to profile as his weakest pitch. The offering generates only an 18% whiff rate and can lose effectiveness when overused. Because he has historically thrown it more than 40-50% of the time, hitters can sit on it rather than being forced to react to his elite offspeed pitches.
  2. Command inconsistency remains a concern
    Whisenhunt’s struggles tend to snowball when the sinker and cutter stop landing in the zone. The walk issues that followed him through the PCL have not fully disappeared, and outings can unravel quickly when he falls behind in counts or loses feel for the fastball mix.
  3. Triple-A performance has been volatile
    While the overall profile remains exciting, there have been stretches where Whisenhunt has looked vulnerable against upper-level hitters. His rough outings in Sacramento were difficult to ignore, and questions still linger about whether stamina, command, or underlying fastball quality could limit his ceiling against major league competition.

Recent Start

Overall, Whisenhunt struck out seven batters on 15 whiffs across five innings. He allowed only one walk and induced a lot of weak contact, with three balls falling for hits. He is mainly using two pitches in the four-seamer and changeup, but has a gyro slider that he blends in from time to time. The four-seamer is fairly basic at 93 mph and 15-16 inches of vertical break. Against Reno on Tuesday, that pitch was up a tick in velocity while generating nine whiffs. The changeup is his principal support pitch, coming into home plate a bit harder this season at 83 mph and moving slightly less at 11 inches of horizontal break, on average. One downside to his profile is that he has noticeably different release points and arm angles for each pitch. This is a tell that could get him eaten up in the Major Leagues. His arm angle is actually much higher than last season.

With this game, he has now thrown four consecutive starts of one earned run or less. That kind of run prevention should be appealing to Buster Posey and the Giants, who are suffering from a run of poor pitching and a limp offense.

Who Else

The Giants don’t have many prospect arms to promote, but Carson Seymour is the main one who is stable and has enough velocity to be relevant. Blade Tidwell should be more Major League-ready, but the results are mixed.

 

8. David Davalillo, RHP, Texas Rangers

2026 AAA Stat line: 36.2 IP | 5.40 ERA | 27.0 K% | 12.6 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 107 IP | 2.44 ERA | 29.6 K% | 6.6 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Deep arsenal with multiple bat-missing secondaries
    Davalillo succeeds through pitchability and sequencing rather than overpowering velocity. His splitter/changeup is the standout offering, generating elite whiff and chase rates, while the slider and curveball both miss bats as well. The balanced mix keeps hitters uncomfortable and helps explain his strong strikeout numbers despite average fastball velocity.
  2. Strong results and rapid development path
    After barely registering on prospect lists a year ago, Davalillo exploded in 2025 with a 2.44 ERA and 126 strikeouts across High-A and Double-A. He followed that up with continued bat-missing success in 2026 and is already on the 40-man roster, putting him firmly in the mix for a major league debut.
  3. High-floor starter profile with solid athleticism
    Davalillo repeats his delivery well, throws strikes consistently, and has shown durability throughout his professional career. His ability to command a deep mix and turn lineups over multiple times gives him a realistic path toward becoming a reliable back-end starter or valuable multi-inning arm.

Three Down

  1. Limited raw velocity and fastball quality
    While he can touch the mid-90s, Davalillo generally sits in the low 90s and neither fastball shape stands out. Evaluators largely view the four-seamer and sinker as complementary pitches rather than true weapons, limiting his margin for error against advanced hitters.
  2. More control than true command
    Davalillo fills the strike zone, but there are still questions about the precision of his command. His slightly open stride reduces deception, and when hitters see the ball early, the lack of overpowering stuff can lead to hard contact and traffic on the bases.
  3. Ceiling appears relatively modest
    Despite the breakout production, most evaluators project Davalillo as more of a No. 4 starter than a frontline arm. The profile leans heavily on sequencing, secondary feel, and execution, leaving less room for dominance if any one part of the arsenal regresses against upper-level competition.

 

Recent Start

David Davalillo didn’t make the best impression in his initial run on the stash list, going four innings with four earned runs allowed on three hits and four walks. That’s three straight games with at least four walks, something we would like to see him lower as he becomes accustomed to the feel of the Triple-A baseball. The 57% strike rate on the game was much lower than his season average of 61% and his 2025 mark of 64%. It was hard to find many positives in this start, but Davalillo has shown an ability to catch hitters guessing. His called strike rate is solid, but that could dry up if hitters avoid the 92 mph fastball to focus on the spin of his breakers.

Here is how Pitcher List described him in the offseason as the number 5 prospect. “Davalillo is not overpowering, with a fastball that sits in the low-90s, but he commands it well and mixes in a sharp curveball and improving changeup to keep hitters off balance. The strikeout rate was impressive, and while the walk rate is not pristine, it is manageable if the sequencing and feel hold.” The last note on sequencing is spot on, as his sweeper-and-sinker combination can be diabolical. They each travel at least 18 inches horizontally to opposite sides of the plate. He will throw them back-to-back before mixing in the faster slider. Yet, his command on the breakers is still in the works, so he tends to leave some over the heart of the plate. Left-handed batters are seeing those pitches really well, putting up a 1.003 OPS against him with three home runs. That’s what happened in the first inning when he hung a 92 mph sinker middle-middle to lefty Jeimer Candelario, who drilled it out for a three-run homer. The two runners on base before him were there because of walks. Josh Lowe also tagged him for a solo shot a few innings later on an inside slider.

Who Else

Jose Corniell is already on the 40-man roster, but has a more volatile profile with fluctuating bouts with his control. Josh Stephan had been in consideration for a while before he got lit up like a tree on Winter Solstice, giving up three home runs and eleven earned runs. Texas is middle of the pack in the AL West, but could consider acquiring more rotation depth via trade since there is not much help in their system.

 

9. Jackson Kent, LHP, Washington Nationals

 

2026 AAA Stat line: 35.2 IP | 2.02 ERA | 30.7 K% | 6.6 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 123 IP | 4.61 ERA | 25.9 K% | 7.5 BB%

 

Three Up

  1. Bigtime putaway pitch
    His low spin changeup compares very favorably to other Statcast-tracked changeups. It has some of the highest recorded horizontal break and whiff rates.
  2. Elite extension
    Listed at 6’3″, Kent has decreased the distance of his release to home plate with a whopping 6’11” of extension. This delivery characteristic, combined with a demonstrated ability to throw strikes (66% strike rate), elevates his profile.
  3. Demonstrated durability
    Kent made his professional debut in April 2025 and eclipsed a 90-pitch count by the end of the month. He finished with over 120 innings, going five innings in all but one of his Double-A starts in 2025.

Three Down

  1. Low fastball velocity
    The four-seamer is sitting between 93-94 mph in most games, topping out at 95.1. Given that he is already maxing out his extension, there is likely to be a velocity increase in the near future.
  2. Limited track record
    Despite the relative success in 2025, Kent has only been achieving better rates for the last 5-6 starts.
  3. Recent promotee
    He just got promoted to Triple-A, so how can he even be on the stash list!!!

Recent Start

Ok, the list is starting to thin out, so let’s write up intriguing prospects who have a reasonable chance to make their debut in 2026. Enter recent Triple-A promotion, Jackson Kent, 2024 draftee, who is putting together his strongest stretch of performances in his career. The swinging strikes are up, the strike rate is up, the strikeouts are up, and the walks are down. In his Triple-A debut on May 23, Kent pitched into the sixth innings before being pulled at a modest 65 pitches. Kent pitched a fairly clean game, but his final line looks a little messier with the two unearned runs due to the reliever allowing the two inherited runners to come around and score. Even still, the big lefty allowed only three hits and one walk, while striking out four hitters on 12 whiffs.

The 6’3″ southpaw drops and dives his way to a Tolle-esque extension at 6.9 feet across his five-pitch arsenal. That delivery helps him get a low release height, playing up the velocity on his mediocre 94 mph four-seamer. The fastball has a slightly above-average induced vertical break over 17 inches, which he uses to steal strikes. It’s the changeup that is his star pitch, with over 16 inches of horizontal break, that generates most whiffs. He earned seven in his debut. The slider also earns high marks. Kent is the man with the over-the-head windup that gives him the appearance of an old-school pitcher. And not only does he look the part, but he appears durable and ready to eat innings.

Who Else

Luis Perales and Riley Cornelio are definitely ahead of him on the depth ladder. The Nationals also traded for sidearm extraodinnaire, Carson Palmquist.

 

10. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Athletics

2026 AA Stat line: 46.2 IP | 5.21 ERA | 23.4 K% | 10.8 BB%  

2025 NCAA Stat line: 84.2 IP | 2.98 ERA | 33.9 K% | 7.7 BB%

Three Up

  1. Elite bat-missing fastball/slider combination
    Arnold’s fastball plays far above its velocity due to his low release height and steep vertical approach angle. Despite averaging just 93-94 mph, the pitch generated nearly a 29% whiff rate overall and an absurd 47%+ whiff rate at the top of the zone. Pairing that with a slider that routinely posts whiff rates above 40% gives him two legitimate plus offerings capable of overwhelming hitters.
  2. Strong command and strike-throwing ability
    Arnold combines swing-and-miss stuff with advanced control, a rare trait for an amateur lefty. Across his college career, he struck out 278 batters while walking only 53, and he followed that with walk rates under 7% during his dominant final seasons at Florida State. The ability to consistently attack the zone raises both his floor and likelihood of remaining a starter.
  3. Athletic delivery and durable starter traits
    Despite standing only 6’1”, Arnold has shown the athleticism and stamina needed to handle a starter’s workload. His cross-body delivery adds deception, and he maintained high strikeout production deep into outings across multiple seasons. If the third pitch continues to progress, he could move quickly through the minors as a mid-rotation arm with strikeout upside.

Three Down

  1. Third pitch still carries some uncertainty
    Arnold’s changeup lagged well behind the fastball and slider for much of his college career, generating poor chase and whiff numbers. While the addition of a splitter is encouraging, evaluators will still want to see whether he can consistently maintain a reliable third offering against professional hitters.
  2. Relatively modest physical projection
    At 6’1” with average velocity for a top pitching prospect, Arnold does not fit the traditional mold of a prototypical frontline starter. Some evaluators may question how much more velocity or physical upside remains, especially compared to larger power arms in the same class.
  3. Deceptive profile creates volatility
    Arnold’s success relies heavily on deception, release characteristics, and command precision rather than overwhelming raw velocity. That can make the profile somewhat volatile if command backs up or hitters adjust to the unusual angle and approach shape at higher levels.

 

Recent Start

On May 21, Jamie Arnold battled back after a leadoff home run to pitch into the seventh inning. The 2025 first-round pick had been on a homerless streak of six games before that Max Holy bomb. In fact, Arnold has a near-60% ground ball rate and a 14% flyball rate. However, the batted ball data also shows someone giving up a lot of contact, and those balls in play have tended to find open space for hits. The .297 average, .404 BABIP, and 4.50 ERA show that he is giving up a lot of damage. The 11% walk rate and 10% swinging strike rate aren’t helping to limit baserunners either.

Yet, the long-arm sidearmer had a successful outing against Corpus Christi, with six strikeouts on ten whiffs and 20 called strikes. He allowed only two more hits after the first-inning home run in his 6.2 innings of work. The four free passes are the third time he has reached that mark this season, a level of poor control that he did not exhibit in college. The other area of attention needs to be his approach versus right-handed batters, as they are now up to .927 OPS on the season. The sweeper/slider is his main putaway pitch to either batter, and the fastball has enough velocity to be effective. It is likely the sequencing and location that are the culprits for any poor success.

Unfortunately, he followed up that previous game with a clunker, going 6.2 innings again, but allowing seven earned runs on twelve hits. This made for the third game in which he has allowed five or more earned runs on at least nine hits. He was taxed in the second inning, where he faced nine hitters and threw 25 pitches. If you are looking for any positives in this game, we can point to the fact that he still reached the seventh inning and that every hit against him was a single. The poor run prevention make his season ERA, WHIP, and average against look really bad. His FIP and xFIP give him one full run less, so perhaps Arnold will find a better rhythm to bring his marks more in line with what he was doing in college.

Who Else

Gage Jump is ahead of him on the promotional ladder. Wei-En Lin is another left-handed pitcher in the Athletics system at 20 years old. Even still, Lin has more Minor League experience than Arnold, and it shows in the results.

 

On The Bubble

Here are the next several pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list: Anthony Eyanson BOS, Nestor German BAL, Brody Hopkins TBR (Another start with an abysmal walk rate and strike rate), Antwone Kelly PIT, Karson Milbrandt MIA, JR Ritchie ATL Hagen Smith CHW, Thomas White MIA, and Jaxon Wiggins CHC.

 

Pitcher Stash List

 

Stash List Key
Stash now! Upside + Proximity
Upside Stash
Proximity Stash

 

Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire Featured Image by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Bsky/Twitter)

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