The Hitter Edition of the Stash List is back for the 2024 season.
This Stash List highlights the 10 best-hitting 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 prospects debut than ever, and there is no reason we should expect to see anything change in 2024. 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 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 will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call Ups
Two Baltimore Orioles graduated from the Stash List this week. Jackson Holliday announced his return to the major leagues in emphatic fashion on Wednesday. The 20-year-old phenom LAUNCHED his first home run onto Eutaw Street, a mere 440 feet away from home plate. Holliday’s road to playing time is slightly clearer now with Connor Norby in Miami and Jordan Westburg on the injured list. Ramón Urías is still in the picture, but his production hasn’t been good enough to warrant keeping Holliday out of the lineup. The O’s will give Holliday an extended run in the lineup, and some strong production could keep him there permanently.
Coby Mayo also got the call to the show and will make his major league debut this weekend. Mayo has been one of, if not the most impressive bats in the minor leagues in 2024, so a promotion was coming at some point this season. He missed some time due to injury, which likely delayed his call-up until now, but came back from the injured list as good as ever. In the week leading up to his promotion, Mayo hit .500 with three extra-base hits. His 23 home runs are the fifth most in the minor leagues this season, so expect more to come once he gets settled at Camden Yards.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Jace Jung, 2B/3B – Detroit Tigers
Like many other names on this list, it would have been a massive shock if Jace Jung was on a different team following the trade deadline. The Tigers made some moves at the deadline but were never going to consider any offers involving Jung. The former Texas Tech standout is considered a future building block in a young lineup that is already showing signs of promise. After a dreadful start, Colt Keith has asserted himself as a major league-caliber player. He hit .322 with seven home runs in July, for a wRC+ of 190. Justyn-Henry Malloy and Wenceel Perez have also developed into solid players alongside Riley Greene, the centerpiece of the rebuild.
Jung should join them soon. His batting average isn’t as stellar as some of the other names on the list, but the amount of power at second base that Jung possesses makes him a valuable fantasy asset. He won’t win any batting titles, but he can provide home runs and RBIs from a position that often struggles to do so. As the Tigers continue to fall further away from the playoff spots, they should be more inclined to allow their top prospects to prove themselves. Jung has earned a run in the major leagues, and a strong showing could lock him into a spot in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
2. Junior Caminero, SS – Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays look very different after the trade deadline. Isaac Paredes is now wearing pinstripes on the north side of Chicago. Randy Arozarena swapped the southeast for the northwest, landing with the Seattle Mariners. The Dodgers acquired Amed Rosario to address their depth issues at the expense of Tampa Bay as well. The Rays now have a lack of established major-league talent in their lineup. Christopher Morel will take the reins at third base in place of Paredes, but if he continues to struggle defensively, the Rays will be forced to consider a move to DH. Junior Caminero is ready to step into this lineup and be one of the most exciting bats immediately after his promotion.
To say Caminero hits the ball hard would be an understatement. It seems like he is featured on Twitter nearly every week due to his eye-opening exit velocities. On July 26, he smacked a double off of the wall that clocked in at 116.4 miles per hour. That would have been the 11th-highest-hit ball this season in the major leagues. His 25% whiff rate could be considered cause for concern, but his strikeout numbers have been pretty consistent throughout his career in the 20-25% range, which isn’t a dealbreaker. After adjusting to the majors, he should handle big-league pitching fine. Caminero’s time is coming, and the Rays will look to see if he’s a piece they can build around as they enter a new era.
3. Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B – Miami Marlins
Deyvison De Los Santos is the closest to the major leagues out of anyone on this list. The Marlins traded Josh Bell to the Diamondbacks at the deadline, essentially opening the door for De Los Santos to lay claim to first base. Jake Burger is still on the team, but he can play at either corner. The Marlins roster after the deadline is far from being competitive. Xavier Edwards is the only player in the lineup that could be considered a long-term asset. The Marlins did a great job of acquiring young talent at the deadline, and the time is now to see what they have in the majors.
De Los Santos became the first minor leaguer to eclipse the 30-home run mark on Wednesday night. His 1.025 OPS is the highest among qualified hitters in Triple-A and his 156 wRC+ is the highest in the Marlins organization. De Los Santos has nothing left to prove in the minors, and Miami’s lack of exciting young talent on their roster should invite the front office to promote him. It’s another lost season in South Beach. There is no better time to see if their newly acquired talent can contribute to the club long-term. De Los Santos should be the first newcomer to get his shot with the Marlins.
4. Connor Norby, 2B – Miami Marlins
Connor Norby reappears on the Stash List after a lengthy absence. There is no doubt that Norby is talented enough to make an impact in the majors, but being stuck in the Baltimore Orioles farm system limited his chances to contribute. Those limitations are no longer present in Miami, as the Marlins shipped off nine members of their roster during the deadline period. Norby is ready to contribute now. His 133 wRC+ ranks fourth among Triple-A second basemen and would be in the top 10 among Marlins minor league hitters.
The tanks are rolling in Miami, and Norby should join his fellow former Oriole, Kyle Stowers, in South Beach soon. The Marlins acquired a plethora of young talent at the deadline, from De Los Santos to Agustin Ramirez and Graham Pauley. These are all pieces that could contribute to a future Marlins squad, but Norby is the most major league-ready out of the newcomers. Vidal Bruján currently holds down a lineup spot at second base, but he’s on borrowed time with Norby on the horizon. He should be on the Marlins roster within the next few weeks.
5. Nick Yorke, 2B – Pittsburgh Pirates
In one of the more confusing moves this deadline season, Nick Yorke and Quinn Priester were swapped by the Red Sox and Pirates respectively. Boston must see Priester as a salvageable arm because trading away a top prospect for a pitcher with a career 6.46 ERA is not something that gets fans excited. Priester has some interesting traits. His barrel rate is in the 91st percentile at 4.5%, but his pitch metrics aren’t outstanding. Craig Breslow has worked wonders for the Red Sox pitching staff this season, so Priester could revive his career in Boston. As for Nick Yorke, the Pirates do not have the minor-league middle-infield talent that the Sox do. He immediately becomes the most exciting infield prospect in the system (excluding Termarr Johnson).
Nick Gonzales is the incumbent second baseman that Yorke will be vying to replace. The 25-year-old is yet to truly break out, but he’s improved immensely between 2023 and 2024. Gonzales is currently on the injured list with a groin strain, so for now he’s out of the picture, but the competition at second going forward will be a challenge for the Pirates to navigate. Yorke’s bat-to-ball skills would be a valued asset for the Pirates lineup. Jared Triolo has been filling in for Pittsburgh, but if he continues to struggle at the plate (61 wRC+), then calling up Yorke will be on the cards.
6. Moises Ballesteros, C – Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most frustrating teams to follow this season. To fans, it seems like they can’t decide if they want to go for it, or throw in the towel and retool for the future. Instead, they’re in a state of limbo, teetering between both options without committing to one or the other. Many of the acquisitions the Cubs made over the past two seasons have not worked out. The catcher spot has been one of the positions that has fallen short offensively this season.
Miguel Amaya is an okay defensive catcher, but that seems to be his ceiling. He’s in the 90th percentile in blocking percentage, and his framing is league average, but his value drops off outside of that. Among catchers with more than 150 plate appearances, Amaya’s 65 wRC+ is the sixth worst. Tomas Nido and Christian Bethancourt were signed to add some offensive production, but neither has worked out. Moises Ballesteros provides offensive value that none of the catching options on the roster can. His 14 home runs would put him in the upper echelon of MLB catchers if he was able to replicate his Triple-A production in the majors. Cubs fans have been looking for a spark in their lineup for weeks, and Ballesteros could provide that once he reaches Wrigley Field.
7. Jasson Domínguez, OF – New York Yankees
If Jasson Domínguez stayed healthy for the entire season, he’d be playing in the Bronx right now. Instead, he missed more than a month of action, causing his redraft value to diminish. “The Martian” has performed excellently while he’s been on the field, but he misses more games than the Yankees would like. The only thing keeping him this low on the list is his injury history. It seems like every time Dominguez proves he’s ready for the majors, he faces another setback. Here’s to hoping it’s different this time around. The Yankees added Jazz Chisholm as depth to their roster, and adding Dominguez would give them a whole new dimension.
Since returning to the field on July 26. he has a hit in three of his five games. There are still signs of rust though. He struck out three times in four at-bats on August 2. However if he can show the Yankees front office that he’s back to his pre-injury ways (.356/.404/.609, six home runs), he should find himself in the Bronx. New York has built a solid outfield that has given them good production this season, and adding Dominguez would only improve their output. As of Saturday morning, the Orioles and the Yankees are tied for the lead of the AL East, with both teams sitting at 65-46. It’s getting close to crunch time for the 27-time World Series Champions, and they need their best players on the roster in pursuit of No. 28. Jasson Domínguez is one of those players.
8. Matt Shaw, INF – Chicago Cubs
9. Trey Sweeney, SS – Detroit Tigers
Trey Sweeney has been on the fringes of this list all season. With the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sweeney’s chances of seeing consistent playing time were slim to none. Now that he’s with a struggling Detroit Tigers team, his immediate future is much brighter. Sweeney hasn’t been outstanding this season in Triple-A, putting up an 86 wRC+, but 13 home runs and 16 steals are nothing to turn your head at. He’s played shortstop nearly exclusively during his minor league career and should stick there at the next level. It’s no secret that the Tigers need more production from that position, so a major league audition could be on the cards for Sweeney.
Javier Baez has been one of the worst hitters in MLB. Among hitters with more than 150 at-bats, he ranks sixth-last in WAR (-1.0). His offense rating on Fangraphs (-19.2) is the second worst this season, behind Tim Anderson, who was designated for assignment by the Marlins. If the Tigers are serious about trying to compete for a playoff spot next season and beyond, they have to find a way to get Javier Báez out of the lineup. The days of “El Mago” are gone. It is time for Detroit to search for new answers at shortstop.
10. Shay Whitcomb, INF/OF – Houston Astros
Shay Whitcomb has quietly put together one of the most impressive minor league seasons in all of baseball. The 25-year-old already has a 20-20 season, and his wRC+ has doubled from 2023 to 2024. Over the past year, he cut his strikeout rate by 10% and doubled his walk rate. His offensive improvements have landed him on the fringes of being called up to the Astros, who have completely turned their season around after a tough start. Houston sits in first place in the AL West and is gearing up for what is shaping up to be a fight with the Mariners for the division title.
Whitcomb has played five different positions, all over the infield and the corner outfield spots. The Astros have plenty of positional versatility on their bench, with Mauricio Dubon and Aledmys Diaz in the infield and Pedro Leon in the outfield. However, none of them have put together a body of work as impressive as Whitcomb’s. The outfield production has taken a hit with Kyle Tucker out for the foreseeable future and Chas McCormick struggling. Adding Whitcomb to the fold would provide Houston with an offensive boost in the latter half of their lineup. Whitcomb may not put up 20-20 type numbers down the stretch, but he is a valuable addition if you need power and speed without breaking the bank.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order.
Stash List
I’m in a dynasty league and held onto Tork for the last couple years. Caminero just showed up on the waiver wire and I was wondering if I drop Tork to pick him up?
If I were in your shoes I would, as long as you have solid depth at 1B. I’m pretty far out on Tork, so the upside that Caminero provides would be worth it to me.
Yeah. The only difference seems like the hit tool for Tork but more power from Caminero. It’s a points league. I have Bryce Harper as a keeper at 1B.