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
The All-Star break is a time for teams to reset their pitching rotations going into the second half, so there weren’t any call-ups to mention.
There was, however, the Dodgers letting it be known that they would be calling up right-hander River Ryan for his MLB debut after the break. More about him later.
And speaking of the Dodgers, who have a slew of starting pitchers working their way back from the IL (Tyler Glasnow, Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto), there is also the case of Bobby Miller to take into consideration.
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 got a breather over the break, last pitching on July 11 when he tossed five scoreless innings. The 21-year-old righty was up to 82 pitches, so it looks like he’s ready to get the bump to Triple-A at any point. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is the No. 1 pitching prospect (in my rankings on RotoProspects.com) and he 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. River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Previous Ranking: 7
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: 6 IP | 1.50 ERA | 43.5 K% | 8.7 BB%
As mentioned before, Ryan is reportedly coming up from Triple-A this week to help out in the injury-decimated Dodgers rotation. With the Dodgers struggling to find healthy arms to fill their rotation, The 25-year-old righty has been stellar working his way back from shoulder fatigue, combining for a 2.21 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 27 Ks in 20.1 innings over three levels. Ryan last pitched on July 10 when he went five innings for Oklahoma City, allowing two runs with six strikeouts against El Paso.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder will likely be limited in his workload since he was up to just 67 pitches in his last outing. Ryan features a high-octane fastball and slider to go with a solid curveball and changeup that gives him a chance for four plus pitches. If he shines in his first few starts, he has the talent to stick in the Dodgers for the rest of the season. If he struggles, the Dodgers could use him as part of a package to acquire a veteran starting pitcher or just send him back to Triple-A to provide insurance.
3. 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: 54.2 IP | 4.45 ERA | 26.1 K% | 9.1 BB%
The second half is here, so it’s Max Meyer time in Miami once the Marlins gain an extra year of team control by waiting until at least Monday to call him up. After struggling results-wise in Triple-A with a 6.00 ERA over his first 11 starts since getting sent down in April, Meyer has caught fire in July for Jacksonville with a 0.57 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. There’s not a ton of strikeout upside on Meyer, but Miami is a great place to pitch and he was likely holding back during his three-month exile in Triple-A.
4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Previous Ranking: 4
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 72.2 IP | 3.10 ERA | 31.8 K% | 13.1 BB%
Jacob Misiorowski is another pitcher prospect who’s been enjoying a break over the All-Star break, coming off back-to-back 10-strikeout gems to start July. The 6-foot-7 flamethrower walked just 10 in his last 33.1 innings over seven outings after handing out 31 free passes over his first 39.1 innings over 10 starts,
Milwaukee DFA’d Dallas Keuchel over the break, so there’s an open spot in the rotation that Misiorowski could be an option to fill. 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 now.
5. DJ Herz, LHP, Washington Nationals
Previous Ranking: 3
2024 MLB Stat line: 31.1 IP | 5.17 ERA | 29.1 K% | 6.4 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 39.1 IP | 3.89 ERA | 26.2 K% | 19.0 BB%
DJ Herz was sent down just before the break, but he is eligible to return to the majors by the next time the Nationals’ fifth spot in the rotation is up. The 23-year-old southpaw got in a start for Triple-A Rochester last Sunday, struggling with three walks in 3.1 innings. 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. Since it’s likely that Herz will be returning to the Washington rotation in the coming days, he should be stashed wherever possible.
6. Chayce McDermott, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Previous Ranking: 5
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 91 IP | 3.96 ERA | 32.5 K% | 13.7 BB%
Chayce McDermott has spent July swerving all over the road, alternating gems with duds. The 25-year-old righty lasted just one inning on Friday in Triple-A, giving up four runs (three earned) against Nashville. He was coming off 6.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit in his previous start. McDermott started July with a 12-strikeout performance over seven innings followed by giving up four runs and three walks while not getting out of the first inning in his next outing.
With Dean Kremer struggling in his last two starts and Cade Povich getting sent down, there is currently a hole at the back of the Orioles’ rotation. McDermott didn’t do himself any favors making a case to get that shot with his latest debacle, but he could still get a chance to make his MLB debut before the O’s possibly acquire a veteran starter at the deadline.
7. David Festa, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Previous Ranking: 6
2024 MLB Stat line: 10 IP | 10.80 ERA | 17.0 K% | 2.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 60.1 IP | 4.03 ERA | 34.9 K% | 10.2 BB%
David Festa got to rest over the break, having last pitched on July 12 for Triple-A St. Paul. He needed the break after not getting out of the first inning in his first outing back in Triple-A after posting a 10.80 ERA in two starts for the Twins. If Festa can get back on track 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.
8. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Previous Ranking: 8
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 63.2 IP | 3.53 ERA | 30.4 K% | 8.7 BB%
Bubba Chandler closed out the NL’s 6-1 victory in the MLB Futures Game last Saturday with a scoreless seventh inning. The 21-year-old flamethrower has been maybe the hottest pitcher in the minors over the past few weeks, posting 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.
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: 9
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. Cade Povich, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 33 IP | 6.27 ERA | 16.1 K% | 12.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 56.2 IP | 3.18 ERA | 32.5 K% | 9.1 BB%
Cade Povich struggled in his seven-start stint for Baltimore, getting sent down last Saturday after looking nothing like the pitcher that had dominated for 11 starts with Triple-A Norfolk to start the season. The 24-year-old southpaw was used to relieve McDermott on Friday, tossing one scoreless inning. Povich will likely get at least one start for Norfolk before becoming an option to get another shot in Baltimore. There’s an opening at the back of the rotation, but we’ll see if Povich winds up back in Baltimore or part of a package to acquire a veteran at the deadline.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list: Carson Whisenhunt, SF; Brandon Sproat, NYM; Caden Dana, LAA; Zebby Matthews, MIN; Doug Nikhazy, CLE