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The Stash List Week 12: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026

Top 10 pitching prospects to stash in redraft league.

John Villavicencio
Dynasty An Hour 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.

 

Minor League Starting Pitcher Leaders in Whiff Rate by Pitch Type through June 11, 2026 (Statcast tracked leagues only on a minimum of 140 pitches and 50 batters faced)

 

The Stash List

Graduates/Call-Ups

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

Antwone Kelly, PIT, will serve as bullpen support for the Pirates. He features a fastball that can touch triple digits and a changeup that has a 41% whiff rate.

Kade Morris, ATH, performed as expected, giving up three home runs and nine earned runs total. It would be kind of the Athletics not to let any future start take place at a launching pad like Houston or Sacramento, to see what kind of pitcher he really is.

JR Ritchie, ATL, was recalled on Wednesday as his roller coaster season continues. Unfortunately, the walk rates have remained at an elevated state since Double-A, giving way to doubts that he can sustain the control from start to start. The Braves don’t have any stressful schedule quirks until early July, when they play 13 in a row. Therefore, Ritchie appears set for long relief unless there is a shakeup in the rotation.

Chase Petty, CIN, was recalled and pitched .2 innings in relief. Guess what happened? He gave up a game-winning home run to Fernando Tatis Jr. It was the fifth consecutive game in which he has allowed a homer. Despite having all the pitch movements and types across all velocity bands, the results are not there.

Trey Gibson, BAL, is taking advantage of his starting opportunity, but the counting stats are minimal. The whiffs and strikeouts have dried up against Major League competition. He is a strong game manager, limiting big innings. However, he may get sent down after a scheduled start this weekend.

Riley Cornelio WSN may be stuck in a long relief role for now. The whiffs were up in Triple-A with his strong sinker, but that hasn’t carried over to his time with the Nationals. With Andrew Alvarez and Miles Mikolas in the rotation, Cornelio has a few spots to capture if he can perform. Unfortunately, he has allowed three walks and four walks in his two chances.

Carson Seymour SFG was recalled and optioned back to Sacramento over the last week. The outcomes were rough, giving up seven earned runs on eleven hits. But the memories will last a lifetime.

Jake Bennett BOS is serviceable with a standout curveball and low 90s fastball. The groundball rate is high, but he may be in the zone too much, as he has a high average against. He appears locked into a rotation spot for a few more weeks.

Daniel Espino CLE is flashing standout stuff after making his way back from arm surgery. The 98 mph fastball has 18 inches of vertical break, while his slider is generating a 43% whiff rate. He was going to be limited in innings anyway, so it’s actually a boost to his value to see him getting those reps in with the Guardians.

Sean Sulliavan COL is bringing his squat game to the Las Vegas launching pad to face the Athletics on Friday night. Sullivan barely tops 90 mph on any pitch, but averages almost 7.5′ on his extension. Sometimes, a change of pace is enough to mess with the timing of hitters.

 

Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash

 

1.  River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2026 AAA Stat line: 32 IP | 2.81 ERA | 29.9 K% | 5.2 BB% 

2025 MLB Stat line: DID NOT PITCH IN 2025

 

It’s been a slow burn for River Ryan in 2026 as he returns to pitching full-time after a 2024 Tommy John surgery. Yet, the pace is picking up over the last three starts as he has thrown at least 83 pitches and at least 19 batters during that span. The 27-year-old righty is carving up Triple-A lineups with his deep arsenal that includes an elite 98 mph fastball. In his latest start, he struck out seven on 15 whiffs, while walking only one batter and giving up six hits. Although all those balls in play that landed for hits were singles, the batting average against Ryan has trended up recently. Even still, not many balls are being struck hard, and he has successfully extinguished rallies when multiple runners manage to get on base. The reliever allowed one of Ryan’s attributed runners to come around and score.

The velocity is up across the board for Ryan in 2026, and the fastball remains his best pitch. He is getting solid extension on the pitch, but average vertical break. One notable trait of the four-seamer is its high spin, something that may help the ball appear to rise even higher than it is. He is around 2600 rpm at times, which can give him up to 20 inches of induced vertical break. The four-seamer led to all seven strikeouts and eleven whiffs in this game. The other notable pitch is his curveball, which generates around 3,000 rpm of spin and over 50 inches of drop. This curveball also has a good amount of horizontal movement. Although the breaker doesn’t generate many whiffs, it helps change the pace and pairs well with the harder slider. He will need all of those tools clicking if he wants to sustain this success at the next level. His high velocity gives him a high floor from which to perform. Yet, blending these other weapons gives him the high strikeout upside we like to see in a potential ace.

 

2. Kade Anderson, LHP, Seattle Mariners

2026 AAA Stat line: 49 IP | 1.29 ERA | 43.2 K% | 4.0 BB%

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

 

The Major League trade deadline will fall on August 3, 2026, two months from now. Currently, Seattle sits atop the American League Western Division by a slim margin, with solid odds that they can still make the playoffs if they don’t hold the position. The team has some holes to fill, mainly on offense and defensively (the team defense ranks among the worst) in the field. Therefore, they may finally decide to trade from their strength in starting pitching. Of all of the pitchers likely to be dealt, Luis Castillo makes the most sense as the only non-homegrown talent and the one with the biggest salary remaining. That financial burden probably won’t return the most value, so they would have to include prospects if they were seeking a bigger impact bat and glove. This is a very long-winded setup for the most likely way Kade Anderson would join the team.

And Anderson definitely has earned the next challenge. If Seattle is unwilling to bring their top pitching prospect to Triple-A Tacoma or to the Major Leagues, then they need to let him go six or more innings. Anderson dominated over five scoreless innings, with one hit allowed and zero walks. In addition, he racked up nine strikeouts on 16 whiffs. This makes it the sixth game of the season with a 40% or higher strikeout rate, something that has pushed his K% – BB% to 40% by itself. This impressive aspect of his game is on top of the ridiculous 68% strike rate he has for the season. In fact, the only time he was under 65% strikes was the game in which he allowed five earned runs. Anderson is running up the strikeouts and whiffs with a heavy arsenal while landing all of his secondaries in the zone at ridiculous rates.

Yet, we saved the best news for last. The velocity is up to 97 mph and holding steady at 95 mph through the start! Previous stash write-ups questioned the lack of velocity, and here it is. This was the last doubt to scratch it, so there are not many things to check off now at Double-A Arkansas. It’s time to move this prospect forward in some way. Anderson gets his next promotional challenge on Friday night at home against Northwest Arkansas.

 

3.  Hagen Smith, LHP, Chicago White Sox

2026 AAA Stat line: 47.2 IP | 3.78 ERA | 35.0 K% | 16.0 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 75.2 IP | 3.57 ERA | 33.9 K% | 17.6 BB%

 

Two things can be true at the same time. Hagen Smith is both excelling and failing. He is throwing strikes, but not often enough. The 6’3″ is not only throwing the ball from a lowly 18-degree arm angle, but he is also exaggerating any horizontal movement on his pitches by releasing the ball from an extreme outside position. The toe box of his shoe juts past the rubber as he prepares to pitch, with his delivery always starting in the stretch. With a supposed tweak to his arm angle, the strike rate is certainly up year-to-year, but it is still too soon to state that it is building long-lasting improvements.

In his recent start against Durham, Smith almost completed five innings on a professional high pitch count of 92 pitches. While this is certainly an indicator that the organization is building up his stamina, it is also a symptom of poor control. He is on the edge of walking a batter or striking them out every at-bat. The nine strikeouts on 19 whiffs reflect the upside when it is working, and maybe it could have been more. The three walks all came with two strikes. The slider was particularly nasty, gaining ten whiffs despite a 53% zone rate. Even the four-seamer sitting at 94 mph is performing better, touching 96 a few times in this game. One notable improvement in June is a much higher 6.9 feet of extension. This deeper drive down the mound is a signal of improved health and helps explain some of the velocity gains. Functionally, though, the question will be whether the fastball and slider are enough to succeed in the Major Leagues. Most would say no, so any reappearance in the changeup would be helpful to his profile.

Overall, the assignment remains the same. Throw strikes while limiting free passes and hard contact to demonstrate the ace ceiling he had throughout his time at Arkansas. Rumors are swirling that he may get the call to start the Saturday game against

 

4.  Tyson Hardin, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers

2026 AAA/AA Stat line: 57.2 IP | 4.68 ERA | 29.7 K% | 8.4 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 96 IP | 2.72 ERA | 24.7 K% | 4.4 BB%

 

Welcome to the stash list, Tyson Hardin! The Milwaukee Brewers are continuing to cook up batches of high-quality starters, with Hardin being the latest tasty prospect one step away from a Major League debut. It was a most impressive outing in his latest start, striking out eleven batters on a whopping 21 whiffs across six innings. The only blemish was a solo home run after his squad had built up a seven-run lead. This start represents a culmination of the progress that he is making since his early-season promotion to Triple-A.

With Nashville, Hardin is putting the full package on display using a balanced approach to both sets of hitters in his six-pitch mix. The four-seamer is sitting 94 mph with a below-average vertical break that is slightly enhanced by its low release height. Although the velocity isn’t elite, it helps that he throws two other fastball shapes at different velocities. The sinker is particularly nasty with 16 inches of horizontal break at 93 mph. It has the highest whiff rate amongst his more frequently used pitches. The sweeper is his primary weapon to attack the outside of the zone along the glove side.

Hardin has built a reputation for command rather than missing bats. So it was encouraging that he set a career high in whiffs at 21. His swinging strike rate is a bit deflated in Triple-A, but it sits at 12% through eleven starts. He generated more than three whiffs on all five pitch types he used against Durham, something that could be a signal of his command in any given game. The 68% strike rate is more in line with his profile and will drive up the season rate, which is only at 64% currently. The increased whiffs and strikes should then bring the walk rate down closer to the 2025 rates that ranged between 3-5%.

In conclusion, Hardin is trending up. He is limiting hard contact and fly balls. However, FIP and xFIP say that maybe he has been a bit fortunate. His .224 BABIP in Triple-A is a full point below all career marks, as is the batting average against. If he can post consistent quality starts with moderate strikeouts, then we can trust that the flat four-seamer is for real and could work against Major League competition. The Brewers did something similar for Logan Henderson and his 94 mph fastball, so maybe they can extend that sorcery with Hardin.

 

5.  Ty Johnson, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

2026 AAA Stat line: 28 IP | 1.29 ERA | 30.4 K% | 9.8 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 110.1 IP | 2.61 ERA | 34.7 K% | 8.8 BB%

 

It’s not a mystery what pitch is coming from Ty Johnson. It’s either a fastball or a slider. Both pitches are hovering around a 30% whiff rate, helping him generate enough swing-and-miss to project him for a moderate strikeout rate. His deceptive arm action helps boost the profile of these seemingly mundane pitches. Johnson uses a short-arm delivery that stays close to his body, delaying the reveal of the ball until its release halfway down the mound. The release point of each pitch is very similar, aided by Johnson’s restrained motion that doesn’t overextend in any segment. One caveat to his slider is that it appears he has two versions. There is one with a slight wiggle and another with more of a bump. If that is intentional, then we may see more differentiation of his arsenal in the Major Leagues.

In his latest start, Johnson went his usual five and five: five innings of work with five strikeouts. Once again, it was a surprising number of eight whiffs on the fastball. The slider generated five strikeouts on four whiffs. This unassuming duo of pitches was only taxed for one earned run on two walks and three hits, including a home run. Johnson will take his restrained game to Nashville for a Friday night start under the lights.

 

6.  Jack Wenninger, RHP, New York Mets

2026 AAA Stat line: 55.1 IP | 2.93 ERA | 22.5 K% | 12.5 BB% 

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

 

One of the reasons Jack Wenninger continues to appear on the stash list is due to his late-season surge that ended with an eleven-strikeout performance to help Binghamton win the championship game of the Eastern Division in Double-A. Wenninger finished the last two months with a 4-0 record, 37 strikeouts, 12 walks, and a 14% swinging strike rate. The deep arsenal powered the results, and it was natural to assume that he would continue to succeed at the next level.

Unfortunately, the results have not carried over to Triple-A Syracuse. Wenninger has now lost four games in a row and, notably, served up home runs in each start. His WHIP is now back to where it was before his stellar 2025 campaign, fueled mainly by a decrease in strike rate leading to more walks. The underlying issue raises the question of whether there may be a reduction in his stuff. The fastball velocity is down a tick, peaking in mid-April at 94.2 mph. Although the four-seamer has decent two-plane movement, it is being hit hard thus far, allowing three home runs and a .470 slugging percentage. And besides the slider, the whiff rates are down. Overall, Wenninger has a 10% swinging strike rate. He is not throwing enough strikes, forcing free passes, and getting hit harder on his best-graded pitch.

In addition to the worse results, it appears something has changed slightly in his delivery. He has added a bit more extension across his arsenal, thus lowering his release height. The vertical break on his fastball is also down, which is not usually the case when a pitcher has a lower release height. Whatever the reason for the changes, Wenninger continues to go deep enough into games to stay relevant. Once he regains control of his deep arsenal, especially the changeup, he should see improvement against lefties and overall opposing lineups.

In his most recent start, he recorded five strikeouts on nine whiffs. He labored through a thirty-pitch fifth inning and got burned for a home run on a middle-middle 92 mph fastball.  Even on a night when the velocity was back up to 94 mph, and his changeup was a standout pitch, it wasn’t enough firepower. During this cold stretch, Wenninger has also seen his flyball rate and line drive rate surge up.

 

7.  Brody Hopkins, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

2026 AAA Stat line: 55 IP | 4.09 ERA | 26.7 K% | 20.6 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 116 IP | 2.72 ERA | 28.7 K% | 12.2 BB%

 

The relief role had been kind to Brody Hopkins. In two relief appearances, he threw 16 strikeouts to three walks and one hit. Unfortunately, Bullpen Brody couldn’t carry those skills over to the mound as a starter on Thursday. Every at-bat was a grind as he was yanking pitches low and overthrowing pitches high. There were a few Major League movie “just a bit outside” moments. Hopkins appeared to have trouble with his footing on the mound, kicking at the dirt to sure up the landing spot. And just like that, the goodwill from the previous two outings was unceremoniously washed away by an atrocious 48% strike rate and six walks.

Hopkins is displaying an inconsistency in command from start to start that belies all of the athleticism and strong stuff he possesses. In his profile, is above-average extension on a five-pitch arsenal that includes a 98 mph fastball. Those elements usually are the foundation of a rising star. Except these outcomes are not inconsistent because his history is riddled with displays of poor control. Maybe for this game, it is as simple as having a poorly constructed mound, but he has seven games with four walks or more this season alone. The hoping and wishing for it all to come together are not as powerful as the bad command.

Bring back, Bullpen Brody!

 

Long Shots

As the stash list targets thin out from several graduations, we review a trio of Double-A 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.

 

8. Karson Milbrandt, RHP, Miami Marlins

2026 AAA/AA Stat line: 53 IP | 1.19 ERA | 35.0 K% | 9.9 BB% 

2025 MiLB Stat line: 90 IP | 3.00 ERA | 29.0 K% | 12.3 BB%

 

In a season where the Miami Marlins seemed poised to graduate two terrific lefties, they are pivoting their hopes to a fast-rising righty. Karson Milbrandt assumes his place as the top pitching prospect in the organization as Robby Snelling and Thomas White are both likely lost for the 2026 season. Milbrandt has brought his funky delivery to Triple-A Jacksonville. The 6’2″ righty had a solid but underwhelming debut across six scoreless innings.

The zero earned runs allowed were as much about Milbrandt as it was about the team defense behind him. Three double plays erased two leadoff walks and a leadoff single on a night when Milbrandt threw 64% of his pitches for strikes. Despite putting the ball in the zone, he didn’t generate many strikeouts or whiffs. It was a solo strikeout on five whiffs for the game. Although the four-seamer didn’t earn a strikeout, it was his most effective pitch, generating four whiffs and 65% strikes. On the flip side, the fastball was also driven to the warning track on four occasions. His breakers were coming into home plate with a lot of spin, but not catching enough of the zone. Low chase and low whiffs. Also, weak contact and only one free pass. In terms of results, this was a great debut, but we will want to see if the funk can bring more strikeouts in his next start.

Milbrandt showed off a four-pitch arsenal in this contest against Nashville. The four-seamer was his most-used pitch, followed by the slider. This one-two combo is both released from a similar point, which should play up their deception. Furthermore, he mixes in a slower and wider sweeper from a slightly lower arm angle. The curveball release point is more akin to the first two pitch types. All of his secondaries come with good spin, something that makes the ball heavier and harder to put in the air. The extension on his pitches is meek, a mere 6.1 feet, which doesn’t add much to the velocity on his pitches. We will definitely revisit the characteristics of his pitches as we gain more data in his next start.

 

9. Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Boston Red Sox

2026 AA Stat line: 41 IP | 1.10 ERA | 37.5 K% | 9.9 BB%

2025 NCAA Stat line: 108 IP | 3.00 ERA | 33.9 K% | 8.0 BB%

 

It’s been one month since Anthony Eyanson first appeared in the week 8 stash list. He had just made his Double-A debut, averaging 60 pitches with a 44% strikeout rate and 5% walk rate. Currently, he is still only averaging around 60 pitches per appearance, but with a strikeout rate at 38% and a walk rate at 7%. He has yet to go more than two times through the order or sniff the sixth inning. As well as he has been pitching, we need to pump the brakes on any 2026 debut happening over the summer.

This week will mark the tenth professional start for Eyanson. At this juncture, everyone knows that he is racking up a ton of strikeouts, but things will only get more challenging as he progresses through each level. Currently in Double-A, the walk rate doesn’t look so good at 10% due to a 61% strike rate. The swinging strikes have trended downwards as well, dragging down his strikeout totals. Double-A hitters are also making more contact, getting on base twice as often as the High-A hitters he faced. Fortunately, his arsenal is deep enough that the majority of those balls in play are on the ground. Furthermore, Eyanson has some inflated metrics that foreshadow regression. The 4.13 FIP is double his current ERA, and the 92% left-on-base rate is way above the norm. For him to build off the High-A success, he will have to adjust and adapt to the stronger competition.

Over the last few weeks, Eyanson has been hitting 97 mph on the four-seamer. The faster fastball will help play up the secondaries, which should be enough to maintain the high swinging strike rates. Although he hit 100 mph in a single inning during the Spring Breakout games, that isn’t a realistic average across a 5-6 inning start this season. Maybe in future years.

In his latest start, he didn’t have any control from the jump. He allowed two walks in each of the first two innings, before chipping in one more free pass in the third inning. He was pulled after throwing 68 pitches and those five total walks. It was the second time at the Double-A level that he has been under 60% strikes. However, this time he was not able to save the at-bat with a strikeout or a ball in play. The eleven whiffs are a good indicator that perhaps he was living too close to the edge of the zone. It will be important to see if Eyanson can bounce back with the command closer to the 63% strike rate he has demonstrated in 2026.

 

10. Liam Doyle, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals

2026 AA Stat line: 48 IP | 6.19 ERA | 28.9 K% | 13.3 BB%

2025 MiLB Stat line: 3.2 IP | 2.45 ERA | 40.0 K% |13.3 BB%

 

In 2025, Liam Doyle was on a trajectory to be where fellow lefty Kade Anderson currently sits. The two college standout arms achieved their success in different ways, with Doyle being the flamethrower and Anderson being more of a finesse pitcher. They both ran K%-BB% rates greater than 30% in college, yet their paths are diverging at the start of their professional careers. Doyle is still striking out plenty of batters, but is also carrying the weight of an inflated walk rate.

Doyle’s success is mainly on the strength of his fastball. He is topping out at 99 mph, while averaging around 97 mph. It is his most-used pitch by far, as well as a key to the success of his slider. When the four-seamer is located, it allows the slider to be an above-average putaway pitch. Doyle utilizes an aggressive, long-armed delivery with fast arm action for each pitch in his arsenal. The slider release looks like a fastball release and vice versa. He also possesses a splitter or changeup. Unfortunately, many of his secondaries are missing the zone, making him heavily reliant on the four-seamer. So despite being reduced to a single pitch in most starts, Doyle has generated less than a 15% swinging strike rate only two times and a strike rate less than 60% three times. In other words, he finds a way to flash dominant stuff even when hitters know what’s coming.

Doyle didn’t build a strong case for being on the stash list this week. He allowed four unearned runs on eight hits and two walks across four innings. The six strikeouts and 13 whiffs were a positive sign, but add to the up-and-down nature of his arsenal. During the top of the second inning, he allowed back-to-back home runs along with two more runs on four more hits. Doyle did shut it down for the final two innings, but the damage had been done.

In his previous start, those rates were both higher than average. The 64% strike rate and the 22% swinging strike rate are manageable goals. The slider was his star pitch, helping him rack up six strikeouts on 14 whiffs across five full innings. Unfortunately, his woes against left-handed batters continued with another home run allowed, which pushes up the season OPS against lefty hitters to over 1.000. Dylan Dreiling took him deep on a middle-middle curveball (exactly where the catcher put his mitt, I may add). He struck out three of the next five batters and didn’t face any more difficulties until allowing another run in the fifth inning. With this start, Doyle has now thrown 81 or more pitches in five consecutive games. The next task is to be more efficient with those pitches as he makes his case for longer stints or a promotion to Triple-A.

 

On The Bubble

Here are the next several pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list:  Jack Anderson BOS (Times are tough on the prospect market!), Carlos Lagrange NYY (Beast reliever incoming), Quinn Mathews STL (consecutive six inning games with one walk is a good start on the road to prospect redemption), Tanner McDougal CHW (Should be on a rehab assignment soon and wants to be back at Triple-A by the end of June), Carson Whisenhunt SFG, but no longer Thomas White MIA (Likely to miss rest of the season with shoulder capsular strain).

 

Pitcher Stash List

 

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

 

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire | Featured Image by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Bsky/Twitter)

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