This Stash List highlights the 10 best-hitting prospects likely to make an impact during the 2026 season.
Prospects are often thought of as only holding value in dynasty formats. However, redraft leagues, especially those that are keeper leagues, can benefit from finding the right hitter to stash at the right time on the waiver wire. Even though the season is winding down, now is not the time for fantasy managers to get lazy. So let’s break down the Top 10 prospects to stash for the stretch run of the 2026 season.
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 will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Saturday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call Ups
Lots of promotions! The latest top prospect to receive a promotion is George Lombard Jr. Lombard ranked fifth on last week’s edition of the stash list. The Lombard hype is in full swing after he hit a home run in his first Major League game. He is worth adding in 12+ team leagues. Angel Genao, who ranked eighth in last week’s edition was promoted to Cleveland. He should slide into a super-utility role with the Guardians. Also, Hector Rodriguez was promoted to the Cincinnati Reds. Rodriguez has a suspect hit tool but good power and speed for dynasty managers to get excited about.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF – Colorado Rockies
2026 MiLB numbers
The Rockies did not trade nearly as many players at the Trade Deadline as many thought they would. Even still, they dealt away Brenton Doyle and have plenty of room to add Charlie Condon to the Major League roster. A promotion feels imminent and should occur before the end of August. The majority of Condon’s recent starts have come at first base, although he is still mixing in out in the outfield. The strikeouts have ticked back up recently, but he is still batting .288 since the start of July.
Upon his promotion, fantasy managers should not have high batting average expectations. Condon is going to strike out. However, he is still going to get on base a ton thanks to his great plate discipline and walk rates. He also has difference-making power that will make him an instant fantasy asset. With the assumption most fantasy playoffs run through September 20, 12 of Colorado’s 18 games in September through that point are at home. Three of the away games are even in Yankee Stadium.
2. Kaelen Culpepper, SS – Minnesota Twins
Late Note: Kaelen Culpepper was promoted to the Major Leagues on Friday, just before this article was published. He is a priority add in any 12+ team formats where you need MI help.
2026 MiLB numbers
The Twins were surprise buyers at this year’s Trade Deadline, but they did not add any pieces to their lineup. Their decision to buy only strengthens the argument for a Kaelen Culpepper promotion. He is the best option they have at shortstop. Ryan Kreidler continues to play every day but is batting .184 since the All-Star Break. Culpepper is still shaking off the rust from his latest IL stint, but is proving to be healthy. Health is the primary factor for Culpepper and the only thing that has stood in the way of a promotion up to this point.
Culpepper has both power and speed that should excite dynasty managers. He has a knack for hitting line drives, gets to his pull side well, and owns a 78.8% contact rate on the season. Fantasy managers always need more middle infield help. Culpepper should provide that down the stretch.
3. Walker Jenkins, OF – Minnesota Twins
2026 MiLB numbers
The case for Walker Jenkins is the same as for Kaelen Culpepper. The only difference is position. With Byron Buxton on the IL, the team needs another outfielder to help in their push for the playoffs. Alan Roden and Austin Martin are splitting time in right field. Neither should prevent the Twins from promoting Jenkins soon. Since returning to the Triple-A lineup on June 23, Jenkins is slashing .295/.368/.476. Although the game power is still a work in progress, Jenkins has a 112 mph Max EV and has plenty of power projection in his profile. Even if the power takes time to develop, those who stash Jenkins will be rewarded with a high batting average, great walk rates, and a handful of stolen bases. He is a valuable stash with tons of upside.
4. Joshua Baez, OF – St. Louis Cardinals
2026 MiLB numbers
Joshua Baez moves up one spot in this week’s Stash List ranking. The reason is simple: A clearer path to Major League playing time. The Cardinals traded away Lars Nootbaar to Arizona. This should open the door for Baez before the end of the season. The team is currently handing everyday at-bats to Bryan Torres and Nathan Church. They also recently promoted journeyman Nelson Velazquez to the Major Leagues. Church has proven himself to be a fine player, but none of those options have more upside than Baez.
The case for a Baez promotion grows stronger once you consider he is already on the 40-Man roster. St. Louis is sure to want to see what they have in Baez before they enter the off-season. Knowing if they have another long-term outfield piece already in place could alter their long-term plans. For fantasy managers, Baez is a high-risk, high-reward stash. He could be a league winner with his power and stolen base upside. He could also strike out 40% of the time and wind up right back in Triple-A. If you want to shoot for the stars, Baez is worth stashing.
5. Leo De Vries, SS/3B – Athletics
2026 MiLB numbers
With Nick Kurtz landing on the IL, there are ample lineup spots that Leo De Vries could easily slot into. The only remaining factor is how aggressive the A’s are looking to be. De Vries is universally considered one of the top prospects in baseball. He has elite fantasy upside and long-term value for the A’s. Do they want to promote a 19-year-old prospect and start his service time clock? The answer is probably no.
However, if the A’s do promote De Vries, he will become a must-add in all formats. He has speed and polish, and there is upside for more power to continue developing. If you are stashing prospects, you are not stashing somebody to produce replacement-level stats. You are looking for a difference maker. De Vries could be just that. Tommy White, Donovan Walton, and Carlos Cortes are all receiving consistent at-bats. De Vries is likely already better than all of them.
6. Zyhir Hope, OF – Detroit Tigers
2026 MiLB numbers
We knew that one of the Dodgers’ outfield prospects was bound to be traded. Zyhir Hope was the one who wound up on the move as part of the Tarik Skubal trade. Now, Hope sees his path to the Major Leagues become much clearer. Detroit sold at the deadline, but is also far from out of things in the AL Central. Hope has never appeared above Double-A, but is batting .293 with 23 home runs and 18 stolen bases. Detroit will likely want to give Hope a chance to acclimate to his new organization, but if they stick around the playoff hunt, he could find himself in Detroit sooner rather than later.
Hope is another upside stash for fantasy managers. The odds of a late-season promotion are not as high as some other prospects, but the fantasy appeal would be significant if a promotion occurred. Hope has effortless power that he gets to consistently and is a strong athlete in the field. The hit tool has some questions, but his upside overshadows that. Hope joins the stash list and is already up to sixth following the MLB Trade Deadline.
7. Ethan Salas, C – San Diego Padres
2026 MiLB numbers
| AVG | HR | SB | BB% | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.287 | 7 | 14 | 11.6 | 16.1 |
Would it really surprise anybody if the Padres continued to aggressively promote Ethan Salas? Now in Triple-A, Salas is just one step away from the Major Leagues. 2026 has been a true breakout season for Salas. Finally healthy, he is showing why scouts were so high on him when he signed back in 2023. Salas has elite contact skills and plate discipline. This provides him with a solid floor projection and should help to smooth a transition to the Major Leagues. Salas has also added 14 stolen bases this season, speaking to his athleticism. The game power is still a work in progress and should not be factored in for 2026.
Salas is a strong stash option in two-catcher formats. His polish and upside make him worthy of stash consideration, but he is unlikely to be worth a stash in shallow one-catcher leagues.
8. Seaver King, 2B/3B/SS – Washington Nationals
2026 MiLB numbers
Seaver King is healthy again. That is the biggest thing to know when considering stashing King. He was dealing with an oblique injury, but returned to the Triple-A lineup on July 30. King got off to a blazing hot start this season, but his aggressive approach has caught up to him a bit in Triple-A. Notably, his HR/FB rates are still up, but he is hitting fewer fly balls now. If the Nationals can continue to refine his approach, there is 20/20 upside here.
King has the ability to play all over the infield. This is a huge boost for his potential to earn a promotion. The team has their shortstop in CJ Abrams, and Nasim Nunez has held his own at second base. However, Jorbit Vivas is getting most of the starts at third base. King would be a clear upgrade there. King is not a finished product, but there is enough fantasy appeal to warrant stash consideration.
9. Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF – New York Mets
2026 MiLB numbers
Teams in clear rebuild are more likely to give some of their older prospects a shot at the end of the season. I have not been the biggest advocate for Ryan Clifford over the years on the dynasty side, but there is a strong chance he received a late-season promotion. The Mets have nothing to play for, and neither Jacob Young nor Jorge Polanco are long-term answers for their lineup.
Meanwhile, Clifford is up to 16 home runs on the season in Triple-A. He has an extensive track record of producing power. The issue is that Clifford is batting .185. Clifford’s hit tool is bad and he has historically struggled against left-handed pitching. A strong-side platoon feels like Clifford’s long-term ceiling. While Clifford is not a target of mine in dynasty, he could provide some sneaky value down the stretch in 2026. Clifford walks a lot and hits the ball extremely hard. If he earns a promotion and gets hot at the right time, he could provide a boost to fantasy teams down the stretch.
10. Bo Davidson, OF – San Francisco Giants
2026 MiLB numbers
The Giants practically tore things down to the studs. Jung Hoo Lee is an everyday player, and the team will likely give Drew Gilbert extended playing time to show what he has. However, that is only two outfielders. With Heliot Ramos gone, the team could turn to Bo Davidson before the season is over. Signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2023, Davidson has hit at every level of the Minor Leagues. He recently received a promotion to Triple-A and could be a candidate for a late-season promotion.
Davidson is up to 19 homers and 18 stolen bases on the year. The fantasy appeal is obvious. Davidson has obvious raw power and is a great athlete. How well Davidson’s hit tool will translate is the biggest question. He is extremely aggressive at the dish and struggles to lay off breaking pitches out of the zone. His aggression could be exploited against Major League pitching. Despite the hit tool concerns, his upside and the Giants rebuild make him a strong stash candidate.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order:
Jesus Made, Luke Adams, James Tibbs III, Demetrio Crisantes, Ralphy Velazquez
