The Hitter Edition of the Stash List is back for the 2025 season.
This Stash List highlights the 10 best hitting prospects likely to make an impact during the 2025 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 2025 ETA, and getting ahead of the curve on rostering these prospects is a key part of roster management. Read to discover the top 10 hitters you should stash in your redraft leagues.
Ground Rules
- The Stash List is for your redraft leagues and does not consider impact beyond 2025.
- 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 will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call Ups (and Injuries)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Chase DeLauter is struggling with an injury again. That’s a massive blow for a prospect that was making a strong case to join the Guardians by the end of the month. Before suffering the injury, DeLauter had reached base safely in all 42 games he played with Columbus, including a 16-game hit streak from June 11th to July 2nd. The offensive impact he provided went past just reaching base though. DeLauter registered more runs (25) than strikeouts (23) in AAA, and put up nearly the same amount of walks (22). Now that he’s not going to be back in action for two months, his value is drastically diminished. DeLauter might be back on the list at the end of the season, but for now he’s no longer a viable stash.
Emmanuel Rodriguez is also not featured this week due to being placed on the injured list. His ailment does not seem to be as severe as DeLauter’s, and he’ll likely be back in the top ten in the next few weeks. That said, it’s another case of Rodriguez being forced to miss time due to injury. That, in combination with a high strikeout rate should dissuade managers from stashing him in favor of more consistent options.
Colby Thomas is back with the A’s after a brief six-game stint with the AAA club. Thomas struggled to assert himself with the big league club in his first audition (2-15, 53% K rate), and that performance carried into his minor league return. He went 5-23 with Las Vegas, hitting one homer and striking out ten times. Thomas gets another chance to prove himself against big league competition with Denzel Clarke on the injured list. If he’s able to lock down consistent at bats, he could have 10-15 home run power down the stretch.
Colorado promoted Warming Bernabel to take over third base after Ryan McMahon was traded to the Yankees. The 23-year-old infielder was hitting .301 in AAA, but has just a 90 wRC+ despite an .806 OPS and good walk and strikeout rates. Bernabel should get consistent playing time, but in order to see him as a viable stash you have to have faith in Colorado’s player development. Simply put, I do not, and as a result Bernabel was not on my radar. It’s entirely possible that he proves me wrong, but the combination of average AAA results and the Rockies’ track record raise some red flags.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Owen Caissie, OF – Chicago Cubs
Trade Likelihood: 9/10 – If the Cubs make a splash, as they continue to be expected to do, then Caissie could serve as the centerpiece of the return package.
Owen Caissie could not have picked a better time to start hitting than now. After a solid first season in AAA (.848 OPS, 115 wRC+) as a 21-year-old, he’s well and truly broken out in 2025 and has been one of the best run producers in his League. Caissie is fourth in homers and sixth in runs scored in AAA’s International League. His .930 OPS also lands in the top ten, and is 17 points higher than Roman Anthony’s mark before the top prospect in baseball was handed his debut. Since the start of 2024, Caissie’s 883 plate appearances with the Iowa Cubs ranks third among AAA hitters, and he has a .879 OPS and 122 wRC+ in that time. Caissie’s ready for the Majors, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll make his debut in pinstripes, or in another team’s uniform.
Cubs fans have been split on their opinions on what to do with the 22-year-old outfielder. One contingent is adamant that Caissie can take up the mantle left behind by Kyle Tucker if he doesn’t re-sign (which is a very possible scenario). The other half thinks that this is the year that the Cubs have the best chance to win the World Series since 2016 (which also may be true). What both sides agree on is the fact that the Cubs need pitching. The Cubs have been linked with just about every pitcher on the market, which doesn’t narrow down the options for Caissie. Depending on the tier of starter the Cubs acquire, Caissie may be considered a “must-include” in the deal, especially if the rumors that they’re looking to acquire an ace-type are true. In all likelihood, the team that opts to do business with the Cubs involving a starting pitcher could very well see Caissie start in their outfield in a matter of weeks.
2. Spencer Jones, OF – New York Yankees
Trade Likelihood: 4/10 – Jones’ hot streak should make Yankees executives think long and hard about how they internally value the 24-year-old outfielder.
Spencer Jones continues to prove prospect evaluators all over the country (including myself) wrong. His AAA numbers so far look closer to something out of a video game on the easiest difficulty than the stats from a player with a strikeout rate above 30%. Thursday’s game said it all. He mashed three home runs in five innings (!!!). In 17 games, he has 13 home runs, 24 RBI’s and a 1.422 OPS. Needless to say, if he put together a full season with that level of production he would smash every offensive record there is. His 255 wRC+ with the RailRiders is the highest among AAA hitters this season (min. 70 PA’s), and he’s added six steals to supplement the power surge. The small sample of batted ball data is also ludicrous. His average exit velocity is approaching 95 miles an hour, and his hard hit rate is hovering just below 60%. Both of those marks are in the same ballpark as Roman Anthony and Samuel Basallo, two of the top prospects at the level.
A month ago, Yankees fans would have been happy to include the strikeout-happy Jones in a trade for another MLB contributor. Now, their tune has changed. The major red flag that Jones showed throughout his career, the strikeouts, have been down significantly since his promotion to AAA (33.7% -> 26.6%). If that sustains, Jones’ ceiling as a prospect skyrockets. It’s no secret that New York will be active in this trade deadline cycle. Their pitching staff needs a boost, and they’re one of the teams rumored to be involved in the Eugenio Suárez sweepstakes. Until this hot streak, the Yankees would have likely included Jones in a deal to fix one of the holes on their roster. Now, they have to think long and hard about whether or not they think Jones’ performance level as of late will translate to prolonged MLB success. That decision will affect Jones’ fantasy viability for the next few years, but he’s making a very compelling case to get an MLB audition in 2025.
3. Justin Crawford, OF – Philadelphia Phillies
Trade Likelihood: 5/10 – This is about as 50/50 as it gets. The Phillies could put Crawford on the roster, or use him to get a proven MLB arm.
Justin Crawford has picked a bad time to go on a slump. The 21-year-old is has just one hit in his last six games, a single on June 12th. On the positive side, he walked more times (six) than he struck out (five) in that stretch. He broke out of that slump on Wednesday night, smashing a leadoff homer over the right field fence. The prior run of bad form dropped his batting average by eight points, and his wRC+ by five marks. Even with the rough performances, Crawford’s .331 batting average ranks third among AAA outfielders. His wRC+ is also in the top 20, at 125, despite having the least amount of homers as anyone else in that group. That’s not to say he doesn’t have pop in his bat. 2/3 of Crawford’s home runs were hit 390+ feet at over 100 miles an hour off the bat. His 90 mile an hour average exit velocity and 41% hard hit rate don’t put him among the slugging prospects at the level, but he’s far from the bottom of the leaderboards in those metrics.
Crawford’s fantasy viability for the rest of 2025 is in the hands of the decision makers in Philadelphia. It’s become clear that the Phillies want to improve their bullpen, and are willing to target one of the best on the market in Emmanuel Clase from Cleveland. Passan also says that Steven Kwan could be involved in that deal, making it one of the most impactful deadline moves in recent memory. Should a deal like that come to pass, it’s hard to imagine it getting done without significant prospect capital going to the midwest. Crawford could theoretically step right into Kwan’s vacated role, but would have to compete with C.J. Kayfus for that privilege. There’s also an equally likely possibility that Crawford stays put, and is instead promoted to Philadelphia’s MLB roster to boost the offensive production they’re getting from the outfield. Whichever scenario comes to pass, Crawford has a high chance of being in the Major Leagues within the next month.
4. Samuel Basallo, C – Baltimore Orioles
Trade Likelihood: 0/10 – Trading Basallo would be organizational malpractice. I doubt I’ll change this sentiment during this deadline cycle.
Right before last week’s article went live, the news emerged that both Chase DeLauter and Samuel Basallo, the top two prospects to stash for the last month-plus, were dealing with injuries. Luckily, Basallo’s injury does not seem to be as severe as DeLauter’s, and he’s already resuming baseball activities shortly after a brief oblique issue. Even though Basallo will return to the field within the next week or so, this could massively affect the Orioles’ plans to get him onto the Major League roster. Basallo has the potential to be the best offensive prospect out of Baltimore’s impressive young crop of players, therefore the organization will be overly cautious with him so that his future health is not compromised. While Basallo undoubtedly has the talent worthy of being on a big league roster, his health is the top priority, especially with Baltimore out of contention for 2025.
With all that said, there is still a chance that Basallo makes it onto the O’s roster this year. Despite dropping a few spots this week, the 21-year-old slugger still has the highest offensive ceiling of any player on this list for 2025. The upside that Basallo could provide if he’s called up arguably outweighs the safer floor of other names on this list with better proximity. His power potential (94 AVG EV, 56.4% hard hit) is already translating to in-game performance (.591 SLG, 416 wOBA). His bat-t0-ball skills have also noticeably increased since last year (75.5%->85.8% Z-Con). Basallo has legitimate 30 homer upside over the course of a full season. Depending on the amount of game time he gets in the second half of the season, he could get comfortably into double digits by game 162.
5. CJ Kayfus, 1B/OF – Cleveland Guardians
Trade Likelihood: 1/10 – Cleveland remains closer to the “seller” label than they are to acquiring MLB talent. That should keep Kayfus in the Midwest for now.
Cleveland is not out of the playoff picture just yet. They’re holding on by a thread in the AL Wildcard picture. At 51-51 at the time of writing, they’re going to need a ton of help to stand a chance of returning to October. At the same time, the market is shaping up to be one in favor of the “sellers,” especially for the pieces that Cleveland can offer. The two “big fishes” that have popped up in trade rumors over the course of the last few days are Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase. For obvious reasons, both of these players would net a kings ransom, which the Guardians could view as a pathway to take the next step towards a true competitive roster. Should the first name in that duo get traded, a gaping hole is left in the outfield that Cleveland will have to fill with high levels of offensive production. With Chase DeLauter on the shelf, there’s one remaining option that can help in 2025 and for years down the line.
July has not been kind to C.J. Kayfus, but he’s still found a way to be productive despite the statistical downslide. The 23-year-old is hitting just .208 this month with 17 strikeouts compared to just four walks. His .691 OPS is way down from his season mark of .937. That said, he did manage to drive three balls over the fence, driving in and scoring nine runs in the process. His average exit velocities remain lower than other top prospects (89.4 mph), but his hard hit rate (47.2%) is still serviceable. Simply put, Kayfus remains in the top five because Cleveland doesn’t have better options in the outfield on the big league roster or in the minors. The Guardians can kill two birds with one stone by promoting Kayfus. They can make their team better in the immediate future, while also keeping an eye on how he can contribute in 2026. His slump may have pushed back his timeline by a couple weeks, but he should still play a role in 2026.
6. Kristian Campbell, 2B – Boston Red Sox
Trade Likelihood: 0/10 – Trading Campbell would be organizational malpractice.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, the AL East is going to be a battle for the rest of the season. There are still four teams that could conceivably prevail (sorry Baltimore), and those teams are all within eight games of each other with roughly 60 contests left to play. In that group, Boston sits in 3rd at 55-49. While Fangraphs only gives them a ~4% chance to win the East, they have the pieces to go on a run. Their lineup is full of dangerous bats, and Garrett Crochet is playing like a Cy Young contender. With the young core of bats they’ve built, plus the possibility of additions at the deadline, don’t count Boston out just yet.
One notable omission from that young core is Kristian Campbell. His shaky start to his Major League career (.664 OPS, 86 wRC+) appears to have carried into his return to AAA, where he’s yet to truly re-establish himself as one of the most promising young hitters in the sport. However, in recent days, he seems to be making progress. Campbell is currently on a five-game hit streak, including a homer and four walks as opposed to just four strikeouts. His .700 OPS and 71% contact rate are indicators that more progress is needed before Campbell can be considered for a recall, but if this hot-streak continues, Boston could really use his bat in their lineup. The Red Sox aren’t desperate, yet, so Campbell will likely have to wait at least two or three weeks before returing to the Majors. However, once he’s there, expect him to perform better than he did in his first stint with the Red Sox.
7. Dylan Beavers, OF – Baltimore Orioles
Trade Likelihood: 2/10 – Baltimore is out of the playoff race. Time to sell assets, not buy them.
Any hope that Baltimore could make a second-half surge into the Postseason should be extinguished by now. They’re 12 games under .500 and 15.5 games back of the division leaders in Toronto. Given the expectations thrust upon them this season, the 2025 campaign has been a disaster for Mike Elias and the Orioles, and the work should start now to ensure that next season does not bring the same fortunes. The first phase of that work starts this weekend during this deadline season. Any player they deem is not part of their long-term plans, should be shown the door for either controllable young talent or minor league prospects. That means Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn and others could be in new cities over the course of the next few days. Cedric Mullins has been a valuable part of Baltimore’s core for half a decade, but unless they pony up and sign him to an extension, he should be on a contender’s roster by the end of next week.
Should those moves transpire, that leaves three openings in the outfield/designated hitter spots. The Orioles, to their credit, are not short on options to fill these roles. One of these spots should undoubtedly go to Dylan Beavers after his breakout 2025 campaign. His 145 wRC+ is fourth best in the organization’s farm system, and he’s one of seven players in the minors with a .300 AVG, 10 homers and 20 steals. At 6’5″ with a silky smooth lefty swing, there’s room to tap into even more power than he currently has (14-18 HR’s) with some mechanical fine tuning. That may be further down the line, but for 2025 he represents an underrated way to add 5-10 homer and steal potential to fantasy benches.
8. Bryce Eldridge, 1B – San Francisco Giants
Trade Likelihood: 5/10 – With Devers there, Eldridge is more expendable than he was pre-trade. If San Francisco can land a cost-controlled starter, Eldridge may be with a new squad.
Bryce Eldridge is back. The 20-year-old slugger returned to AAA action on July 18th, and while he started slow (1-9 in first three games), he looks like he’s regaining his old form. Eldridge has homered in back-to-back games at the time of writing, including a 425 foot blast on Wednesday that left the bat at 107 miles an hour. While not as metrically impressive, his next bomb gave his side a walk-off win, as he turned on an up-and-in fastball and dispatched it over the right field wall. Five games is not enough of a sample size to truly declare that Eldridge is ready for the next level, but he’s started off on the right foot.
The big question mark is how the Giants will utilize him when he’s called up to the Majors. Eldridge has spent the majority of his time at first base this season, and has performed well (one error, 25 double plays in 178 innings). That spot is currently occupied by Dominic Smith (104 wRC+) in San Francisco, who is not part of the Giants’ long term plans. If they deem Eldridge is ready for Major League competition, his primary position should serve as the ideal landing spot for the slugger. It’ll be tough to fit him anywhere else. Eldridge has experience in the outfield, albeit not much, and the Heliot Ramos/Mike Yastrzemski pairing has been solid so far. Designated hitter is off the table too with Rafael Devers in the mix. At 54-49, the Giants are still in the playoff hunt. Adding Eldridge to the lineup could make a good offensive lineup even better.
9. JJ Wetherholt, SS – St. Louis Cardinals
Trade Likelihood: 0/10: Wetherholt is going to be in the Cardinals’ infield in the future, if not in 2025.
I know that St. Louis is far from lacking in the middle infield department. I know that Brendan Donovan is one of the most underrated players in the league, and that Masyn Winn and Nolan Arenado are unmovable for their own (very different) reasons. I also know that Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman are more than enough depth to cover any absences or short-term injuries in those spots. Keeping all of that in mind, I still think Wetherholt could force his way onto the roster sometime this season. St. Louis made one of the best picks of the 2024 Draft when the former West Virginia standout fell to them at the #7 pick just over a year ago. Now, he’s crushing AAA pitching and is making a compelling case to join the big league roster for the final months of the season. With how competitive the National League has been this year, especially in the Central, St. Louis will need all the help they can get to make a push for one of the Wild Card spots.
It’s only a six game sample size, but Wetherholt’s performance in AAA has been encouraging so far. His 91 average exit velocity and 50% hard hit rate are in the same ballpark as DeLauter’s marks, and he’s hitting the ball on the ground far less than he was in AA (41.4% -> 31.3%). His 1.300 OPS is not sustainable, but his expected stats indicate that he’s going to put up elite offensive production (.301 xBA, .633 xSLG, .429 xwOBA). A big reason for this dominance as of late has been his ability to hit fastballs. So far, he’s hitting .438 against heaters, and has a whiff rate below 20%. Wetherholt hasn’t had the same success against changeups (no hits, 50% whiff rate), but he’s only seen ten in AAA so far, so there’s plenty of room for that number to improve. The odds are stacked against Wetherholt making a fantasy impact this season, but he’s performing too well for the Cardinals, or fantasy managers, to ignore.
10. Jonathon Long, 1B/3B – Chicago Cubs
Trade Likelihood: 8/10 – Long’s offensive profile and proximity to the Majors could make him a valuable piece in a deal for a reliever, or as a second piece in a major deal.
Picking the #10 spot this week was more challenging than it has been all season. A case could be made for every name in the “on the bubble” section this week. Jakob Marsee has exceeded expectations and could be a cheap source of power and steals in a weak Marlins outfield. Carson Williams is still striking out a lot, but the offensive production has rebounded and he should end up with 25+ homers and steals. Moisés Ballesteros is just waiting for a roster spot to open up, while Sal Stewart and Travis Bazzana could be late-season spark plugs for teams with playoff aspirations. Despite all of this, Long holds on to the last spot in the top ten due to his proximity to the Major Leagues and high offensive floor once he gets there.
Compared to other top corner infield prospects, Long doesn’t possess the same level of power upside. His career high is 17 home runs in 114 games, or approximately 22 assuming he played 150 games in a full season. That said, he’s one of only seven players his age or younger to have a strikeout rate below 20% and a walk rate above 10%. Among them, he ranks first in homers (one ahead of Dylan Beavers) and second in batting average (behind only Justin Crawford). His 91.6 average exit velocity and 49% hard hit rate are both slightly below elite, but are generating plenty of offense so far in AAA(.505 SLG, .402 wOBA). Long won’t provide 40+ home run upside or drive in 120 runs, but he’s a safe option to put in the lineup and get 20 homers with a .270 AVG to go with it. Given the advanced profile he possesses, and the fact that he’s blocked on the MLB roster, Long should be a popular name in trade talks over the next week or so.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order.
Honorable Mention: Tyler Locklear
We don’t usually discuss the performance of players on the bubble, but in this case it feels necessary. Locklear rattled off a 9-9 stretch during the week in which he hit three homers. Some mechanical adjustments in his swing have drastically boosted his exit velocities, and are generating impressive results (.457 AVG, 8 HR in July). The Josh Naylor trade prevented him from making the list, but if this performance level sticks, Seattle will have to find a way to get him onto the MLB roster.
Stash List
