The Pitcher Edition of the Stash List highlights the 10 best-pitching prospects likely to make an impact during the 2024 season.
Prospects are often thought of as only holding value in dynasty formats. However, knowing which prospects hold value for the current season can help set you apart in redraft leagues. Several have a 2024 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 2024. 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 2024.
- 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 rostership percentages will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call-Ups
After earning a call-up with a dominant 13-strikeout, no-hit, six-inning start in Triple-A on July 1, Yilber Diaz was sharp in his MLB debut on Monday, holding the Braves to one run in six innings. The 23-year-old righty held the control gains he had shown in his last three starts for Reno (four walks in 17.2 innings) by issuing just one free pass to Atlanta. Diaz had been coming off three straight five-walk performances before reigning in his control. With 105 strikeouts in 76 innings between AA and AAA, Diaz could be a strikeout asset if he can stick around in Arizona until veterans Merrill Kelly, Jordan Montgomery, and Eduardo Rodriguez return from the IL.
It looked like Justin Wrobleski would be just getting a spot start when he came up to make his MLB debut last Sunday against the Brewers. Despite allowing four runs in five innings, Wrobleski could hang around for a while in L.A. until a cavalcade of injured starters make their return to the Dodgers. Los Angeles will likely be adding to their rotation at the trade deadline, but Wrobleski could make some noise as a lefty with mid-90s funk. With Tyler Glasnow likely returning right after the break before Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto possibly make it back soon after that, the window of opportunity could be a short one for Wrobleski.
Bobby Miller doesn’t qualify for this list since he is no longer a prospect, but it’s worth noting that the 25-year-old should be stashed in any leagues where he got cut after the Dodgers sent him down to Triple-A. Miller struggled to an 8.07 ERA in seven starts after returning from shoulder inflammation, but he could easily get back on track with a brief stint with Oklahoma City.
Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash
1. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Previous Ranking: 1
2024 MiLB (AA) stat line: 26.2 IP | 2.08 ERA | 37.7 K% | 13.2 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) stat line: 9 IP | 2.00 ERA | 24.2 K% | 6.1 BB%
Jackson Jobe is back to cooking in Double-A after spending two months recovering and rehabbing from a strained hamstring, striking out eight in five scoreless innings against Somerset on Thursday. The 21-year-old righty inched his way up to 82 pitches from 79 in his previous outing, so it looks like he’s ready to get the bump to Triple-A over the All-Star break.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is the No. 1 pitching prospect now that Paul Skenes has graduated to MLB All-Star Game starter. Jobe could be a dynamic weapon in the second half for fantasy owners if Detroit doesn’t slow-roll him to save his rookie eligibility for next year.
2. Max Meyer, RHP, Miami Marlins
Previous Ranking: 2
2024 MLB Stat line: 17 IP | 2.12 ERA | 21.5 K% | 4.6 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 49.2 IP | 4.89 ERA | 25.7 K% | 9.2 BB%
In this space last week, we said that Max Meyer will be working on his efficiency in what will likely be one more start in Triple-A before returning to Miami. The 25-year-old right-hander went out and did just that on Tuesday, needing just 72 pitches to get through six innings against Gwinnett. Meyer had made 86 pitches to get through 4.2 innings in his previous start.
After struggling results-wise for Jacksonville with a 6.00 ERA over his first 11 starts since getting sent down in April, Meyer has posted a 0.84 ERA over his last two outings in Triple-A. We’re fully expecting the Marlins to call up Meyer after the break, then we’ll see if he can pick up where he left off in April for Miami.
3. DJ Herz, LHP, Washington Nationals
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 31.1 IP | 5.17 ERA | 29.1 K% | 6.4 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 36 IP | 3.75 ERA | 27.5 K% | 19.0 BB%
DJ Herz was sent down to Monday with the Nationals likely just getting the 23-year-old southpaw a chance to reset over the break. Herz showed flashes of brilliance for Washington, striking out 13 against the Marlins and 10 versus the Mets during his seven-start stint in the majors. In each of those gems, Herz issued nary a walk, quite a development after posting a 19% walk rate for Triple-A Rochester to start the season.
The 6-foot, 190-pounder failed to get through five innings in any of his five other starts for the Nationals, but it still all added up to a 3.43 xERA and xFIP that made his 5.17 ERA look like there was some bad luck involved. Considering that we expect Herz to spend the minimum 15 days down in Rochester before rejoining the Nationals rotation, he should be stashed wherever possible.
4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Previous Ranking: 10
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 72.2 IP | 3.10 ERA | 31.8 K% | 13.1 BB%
After finishing June with his second three-homer debacle in Double-A, Jacob Misiorowski has bounced back with two straight dazzling 10-strikeout gems in the past week. First, the 6-foot-7 flamethrower limited Mississippi to two hits and one run in 6.1 innings while issuing two walks last Saturday. Then on Friday, Misiorowski held Chattanooga scoreless over six innings while allowing two hits and two walks.
The most important development is that after handing out 31 free passes over his first 39.1 innings over 10 starts, Misiorowski has walked just 10 in his last 33.1 innings over seven outings. The Brewers could further test his control gains with a promotion to Triple-A, or they could stop wasting bullets and bring him up to Milwaukee coming out of the break. The Brewers remain in control of the NL Central despite struggling of late, so they may choose the patient route through the trade deadline. But it’s hard not to look at a rotation that currently has 36-year-old Dallas Keuchel manning a spot and imagine what it could be with Misiorowski in it instead.
5. Chayce McDermott, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Previous Ranking: 5
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 90 IP | 3.70 ERA | 32.5 K% | 13.8 BB%
Coming off his worst start of the season (allowing four runs and three walks while getting just one out), Chayce McDermott bounced back in a big way on Friday with 6.2 innings of one-hit ball for Triple-A Norfolk. The 25-year-old righty did walk four but had seven strikeouts to run his season total to 128 Ks in 90 innings.
With Dean Kremer struggling in his last start and Cade Povich having a 6.27 ERA for the Orioles, there could be an opportunity in the Baltimore rotation coming out of the break. McDermott could wind up being part of a package to acquire a veteran starter for the playoff push, which is another way the strikeout artist could get a chance to make his MLB debut. It’s the idea of McDermott getting a shot in Baltimore that has us still stashing him.
6. David Festa, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Previous Ranking: 4
2024 MLB Stat line: 10 IP | 10.80 ERA | 17.0 K% | 2.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 59.2 IP | 3.77 ERA | 35.1 K% | 9.7 BB%
David Festa wasn’t sharp in Triple-A on Friday after making a detour to Chicago on Wednesday to serve as the 27th man for the Twins’ doubleheader against the White Sox. The 6-foot-6 righty was available to be used in long relief, then returned to the minors to face Louisville on Friday and couldn’t make it out of the first inning. Festa needed 39 pitches to get two outs, giving up three hits, two walks, and two runs.
Festa will look to get back into form in his next start for St. Paul, then he will be a phone call away from another chance in Minnesota should a spot open up in the Twins rotation.
7. River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MiLB (AAA) stat line: 16.1 IP | 2.76 ERA | 28.8 K% | 9.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (A) stat line: 2 IP | 0.00 ERA | 50.0 K% | 0.0 BB%
2024 MiLB (ACL) stat line: 2 IP | 0.00 ERA | 71.4 K% | 14.3 BB%
With the Dodgers struggling to find healthy arms to fill their rotation, River Ryan looks poised to make his MLB debut after the break as he’s been building up in the minors after missing the first two months of the season due to right shoulder fatigue. The 25-year-old righty has been stellar working his way back, combining for a 2.21 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 27 Ks in 20.1 innings over three levels. Ryan went five innings on Wednesday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing two runs with six strikeouts against El Paso.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder will likely need one more start for OKC after reaching 67 pitches in his last outing. Ryan features a high-spin mid-90s fastball and a 90-mph slider with depth and late movement. His curveball and changeup are good enough that he has a chance for four plus pitches. Considering that he averaged 97 mph on his 18 four-seamers in his last start and touched 98.2, it looks like he’s all but ready for his first MLB shot.
8. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Previous Ranking: 9
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 63.2 IP | 3.53 ERA | 30.4 K% | 8.7 BB%
Bubba Chandler is on fire as he gets ready to showcase his electrifying fastball at the Futures Game on Saturday. The 21-year-old flamethrower has put up a 0.77 ERA with a 30-2 K-BB in 23.2 innings over his last four outings for Double-A Altoona. Since returning from a brief IL stint in mid-May for what was termed a forearm issue, Chandler has posted a 47:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 39 innings.
There has been talk that the Pirates will be buyers at the trade deadline as they look to make a run at the playoffs, sitting just a few games back in the wild card heading into the weekend. It’s possible the Pirates could use Chandler to go big-game hunting for trade targets, or just use the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder to give the rotation a boost in the second half. Chandler is at 63.2 innings this season after 111 frames last year, so there could be 70 innings left in his arm this season. We’ll see if the Pirates opt to protect one of their prized arms and save him for next season, but it could be worth stashing Chandler just in case he can get to Pittsburgh by the end of July.
9. Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Previous Ranking: 7
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 16.1 IP | 1.10 ERA | 29.0 K% | 3.2 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 18 IP | 7.50 ERA | 27.2% | 13.6 BB%
Cade Horton left his May 29 start in Triple-A after just one inning with lat soreness, which was then diagnosed as a subscapular strain that shut him down from throwing for just over a month. The 22-year-old right-hander is throwing from flat ground but is still early in the build-up process. Horton should be getting back on the mound shortly after the All-Star break and could be making his MLB debut by mid-August. Horton is among the very best pitching prospects, so he can still be stashed on teams that can afford to wait.
10. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, San Francisco Giants
Previous Ranking: 8
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 73 IP | 5.79 ERA | 28.6 K% | 11.7 BB%
After struggling on the road in the PCL this season to the tune of a 9.60 ERA over his first eight starts, Carson Whisenhunt took a big step forward with a quality start at Reno last Saturday at Reno. The 23-year-old southpaw struck out seven with just one walk in six innings, allowing four hits and three runs. Whisenhunt has a 2.92 ERA over his nine home starts, so this seemed to be the final hurdle he needed to clear before proving ready for San Francisco.
With veterans Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb closing in on returns to San Francisco from their rehab assignments, it may be tough for Whisenhunt to find room in the Giants rotation. But there are still plenty of ways for Whisenhunt to get a chance with Blake Snell already having made three trips to the IL, Jordan Hicks likely coming up on an innings cap soon, and the possibility that the Giants trade some of their veteran pitchers at the deadline.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list: Brandon Sproat, NYM; Caden Dana, LAA; Zebby Matthews, MIN; Jack Leiter, TEX; Doug Nikhazy, CLE