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
Zebby Matthews got the call to make his MLB debut on Tuesday to fill in for injured Joe Ryan in the Twins rotation. The 24-year-old control artist was on-brand with no walks in five innings, allowing five hits and two runs in earning the victory against the Royals. Matthews allowed a home run in a fifth straight start, but it was just a solo blast by MJ Melendez. With Ryan’s season in jeopardy with a Grade 2 right teres major strain, Matthews could hold down a rotation spot in Minnesota through the rest of the season. Matthews is at 97 innings after reaching 105.1 IP last year, so there is a risk that he could run out of gas down the stretch or get shut down. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder could catch lightning in a bottle and contribute to fantasy rosters on a Joe Ryan-type level, but it is just as likely that Matthews endures some struggles getting out MLB hitters much like he did in Triple-A (5.68 ERA in four starts, albeit with a 23-1 K-BB).
Justin Wrobleski was called up to take a start in the Dodgers rotation on Friday with Tyler Glasnow hitting the IL. The 24-year-old southpaw was hammered for three home runs in five innings against the Cardinals, but he limited the damage to four runs and got his first MLB win. There is potential here for a useful fantasy pitcher in the final six weeks of the season, but he is expected to head back to Triple-A to await another chance in L.A.
Dodgers right-hander 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 can be stashed as the Dodgers are expected to call him up from Triple-A on Saturday to take a turn in the Dodgers rotation after Glasnow’s departure to the IL. If things go well, Miller should get a couple starts while Glasnow’s out and could stick in the rotation for the rest of the season if the results are there.
Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash
1. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Previous Ranking: 2
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 13 IP | 0.00 ERA | 35.4 K% | 6.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 80.1 IP | 3.70 ERA | 29.4 K% | 8.1 BB%
Bubba Chandler dazzled in his Triple-A encore on Friday, striking out 11 in six scoreless innings against St. Paul. The 21-year-old righty was coming off seven scoreless innings in his first Triple-A start, so he’s looking like he could bully his way to a call-up to Pittsburgh. After dominating with his four-seam fastball in his first start for Indianapolis, generating 11 whiffs in 36 pitches and averaging 97.2 mph, Chandler shredded St. Paul with his slider on Friday, getting 10 whiffs on 21 offerings.
Chandler is at 93.1 innings this season after 111 frames last year, so there could be about 40 innings left in his arm this season. If the Pirates hope to stay in contention for a wild-card spot, it may be time to give themselves a shot in the arm with a Chandler call-up. At the very least, the Pirates could give their fans something to spend the offseason getting excited about if they could see Chandler, Paul Skenes, and Jared Jones fronting their rotation down the stretch.
2. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Previous Ranking: 1
2024 MiLB (AA) stat line: 53.2 IP | 2.01 ERA | 26.7 K% | 12.9 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) stat line: 9 IP | 2.00 ERA | 24.2 K% | 6.1 BB%
Jackson Jobe is still the consensus No. 1 pitching prospect, but the 22-year-old is still just in Double-A with six weeks left in the Tigers season. He’s coming off six scoreless innings in his last start on Tuesday against Akron and maybe that will be enough for Detroit to finally give him the bump to Triple-A. After walking 12 in 15.2 innings over his previous three starts, it was a good sign to see Jobe not issue any free passes on Tuesday. But he only struck out two, giving him just 18 Ks in his last 26.2 innings over five starts.
It’s splitting hairs, but with time running out during the fantasy season, it does not look like the Tigers are in a hurry to get Jobe up to the majors. The Tigers are still hanging around the dark recesses of the AL wild-card race and there’s certainly room in the rotation, so Jobe is still a top stash if you can stand the chance that he doesn’t even touch the majors this season. Jobe is at 62.2 innings after compiling 79.2 IP last year between the minors and the Arizona Fall League, so there still could be 40-50 innings left in his right arm. There’s Paul Skenes-type upside here, so Jobe is still worth stashing as a possible difference-maker down the stretch.
3. Cade Povich, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
Previous Ranking: 7
2024 MLB Stat line: 37.1 IP | 6.27 ERA | 14.3 K% | 13.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 77.2 IP | 3.48 ERA | 28.2 K% | 8.5 BB%
Cade Povich is returning to the Orioles to make a start on Saturday against the Red Sox and could stick in the rotation going forward. The 24-year-old southpaw struggled mightily in eight starts for Baltimore this summer, posting a 6.27 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with a 25-23 K-BB in 37.1 innings. Povich is taking the turn of Albert Suarez, who could be getting moved to the bullpen. So this start is really an audition to see whether Povich can pitch like the guy who posted a 3.48 ERA over 77.2 innings for Triple-A Norfolk, rather than the one who has floundered so far in Baltimore.
The Orioles really want to have a solid left-hander in their rotation to take advantage of the spacious left field at Camden Yards, but John Means was lost to Tommy John surgery and Cole Irvin cleared waivers on his way down to Norfolk. Trade-deadline acquisition Trevor Rogers hasn’t shown much in his first three starts for Baltimore (7.54 ERA in 14.1 IP), so Povich could take over his spot if the O’s want to stick with Suarez in the rotation. Either way, the opportunity is here for Povich to take advantage of pitching for a World Series contender and could be a sneaky add in fantasy.
4. Brandon Sproat, RHP, New York Mets
Previous Ranking: 3
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 7.2 IP | 8.22 ERA | 16.7 K% | 13.9 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 62.1 IP | 2.45 ERA | 35.6 K% | 5.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) Stat line: 25.1 IP | 1.07 ERA | 32.4 K% | 15.7 BB%
The good news is that Brandon Sproat rebounded from a brutal Triple-A debut with a much better start on Wednesday, but he lasted just 49 pitches. The 23-year-old allowed one run in three innings, but he has issued five walks in 7.2 innings for Syracuse. Considering how great Sproat was in High-A and Double-A to start the season, it’s worth seeing if he can get things turned around in Triple-A and possibly earn a promotion to New York in September.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has the type of dynamic stuff that the Mets could use at the front of their rotation as they chase after the Braves for the final NL wild-card spot. Sproat has compiled 95.1 innings this season after tossing 106.1 innings in college last year, so he could still have around 40 frames left in his powerful right arm this season. That’s just enough to dream of Sproat becoming a September difference-maker.
5. Tink Hence, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Previous Ranking: 9
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 66.2 IP | 2.84 ERA | 34.5 K% | 7.5 BB%
Tink Hence is rounding back into form after missing a month while dealing with shoulder and chest tightness, tossing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and no walks on Wednesday for Double-A Springfield. The 22-year-old righty was down to 49 pitches after reaching 54 offerings in his previous start, so there’s still work to do. Hence is at 66.2 innings after reaching 96 IP last year, so the Cardinals are going to want to pile some innings up on him down the stretch if he’s fully healthy.
Considering that he still has some building up to do and may still get a brief stop in Triple-A, it could be just a few starts in St. Louis to finish the season by the time he’s ready for a call-up. Hence’s stellar 27.0 K-BB% shows the type of ceiling that we want to be stashing for a shot at big rewards to close out the season.
6. Ian Seymour, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Previous Ranking: 8
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 21 IP | 2.57 ERA | 27.8 K% | 5.6 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 91.1 IP | 2.36 ERA | 28.3 K% | 6.3 BB%
Ian Seymour has kept rolling in Triple-A with a 2.57 ERA and 22.2 K-BB% over four starts after posting similar stats in 17 outings in Double-A (2.36 ERA and 22.0 K-BB%). The 25-year-old southpaw gets by with a lot of funk and deception, so he has flown under the radar. But we’ve all seen plenty of middling talents have success in Tampa Bay, à la Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen.
The Rays acted more like a rebuilding team at the trade deadline than the postseason contender that they are, so September could wind up a time when they want to see what a prospect like Seymour can do in the rotation. If they wanted to move Zack Littell back to the bullpen, there could be a spot for Seymour in September.
7. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Previous Ranking: 6
2024 MLB Stat line: 4.1 IP | 0.00 ERA | 22.2 K% | 11.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 46.2 IP | 5.40 ERA | 27.5 K% | 12.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) Stat line: 2 IP | 4.50 ERA | 57.1 K% | 0.0 BB%
AJ Smith-Shawver is still working his way back into form after having his season interrupted by a strained left oblique on May 23. AJSS has struggled badly over his last three starts, allowing nine walks and five homers in 12 innings. The 21-year-old has the talent to turn things around in short order, but it needs to happen soon if we’re going to keep stashing him for much longer.
The Braves are patching it together in their injury-ravaged rotation with 28-year-old rookie Grant Holmes filling the fifth spot for now. Ian Anderson looks like he’s passed AJSS for the next turn in Atlanta’s rotation, so he’s a possible non-prospect stash as well. The door is open for AJSS to get starts for the Braves in the season’s final six weeks as they try to hang onto a playoff spot.
8. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Previous Ranking: 5
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 3 IP | 6.00 ERA | 21.4 K% | 21.4 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 79.2 IP | 3.50 ERA | 30.3 K% | 14.4 BB%
Jacob Misiorowski has been limited to short outings since reaching Triple-A, including coming out of the bullpen in his last two appearances. Considering that he went two innings in his last outing, he could still be stretched out if the need arises in the Brewers rotation. Since exiting his Triple-A debut after a 39-pitch, three-walk first inning, Misiorowski has been lights out. The 6-foot-7 flamethrower has an 8-0 K-BB in 5.2 scoreless innings over his last three appearances.
The 22-year-old still has as high of a ceiling as any pitcher in the minors, but it’s looking more like he’ll be deployed out of the Brewers bullpen in September. He can still be stashed for another week or two to make sure that the Brewers aren’t inspired to move him back to a starting role.
9. Landon Knack, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 48 IP | 3.00 ERA | 22.6 K% | 6.2 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 59 IP | 3.97 ERA | 27.1 K% | 10.5 BB%
Landon Knack has been bouncing between Triple-A Oklahoma City and the Dodgers all season and he’s coming off a four-inning save on Tuesday at Milwaukee. The 27-year-old righty has been solid wherever he’s pitched this year and the Dodgers continue to search for answers in the rotation as the season winds down toward the playoffs. If Walker Buehler or Bobby Miller struggle, that could be the opening for Knack to return to the Dodgers rotation. Knack is more of a five-and-diver, so he’s only got two wins for L.A., but he’s posted a 1.00 WHIP for the Dodgers over 48 innings.
10. Will Warren, RHP, New York Yankees
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 20 IP | 8.59 ERA | 25.4 K% | 7.5 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 95.2 IP | 6.11 ERA | 27.1 K% | 8.2 BB%
The stable of pitching prospects is running thin this late in the season, so this is more of a stash for 15-team leagues or just someone to keep your eye on in 12-team leagues. Will Warren has made three straight spot starts for the Yankees and is coming off a solid outing, albeit against the lowly White Sox – five strikeouts and no walks in five innings with two runs allowed. The 25-year-old right-hander’s stats are nothing to behold, but he’s arguably the Yankees’ top pitching prospect and was pitching well for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in July (30-6 K-BB in 21.1 IP with a 2.95 ERA). If injury or performance knocks anyone out of the Yankees rotation in the coming weeks, then Warren could get another opportunity to pitch for a World Series contender down the stretch.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list: Jack Leiter, TEX; Caden Dana, LAA; Cade Horton, CHC; Yilber Diaz, ARI; Justin Wrobleski, LAD