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)
After spending most of the season in the top ten, Samuel Basallo was finally called up to join the Baltimore Orioles for the final few weeks of the season. Basallo did everything he could, and then some, to prove that he belonged in the majors. The 21-year-old posted a 151 wRC+ in 76 AAA games, mashing 23 homers in the process. Basallo’s 94.2 mph AVG EV and 57% hard-hit rate would have both ranked highly among qualified MLB hitters, and now he’s getting the chance to showcase that amongst them. In his first two games, he went 3-10 with a double and four RBI, helping the O’s sweep the Red Sox in a two-game set at Fenway. If he’s available on your waiver wire, Basallo is a “must stash” prospect. His power upside puts him in the 30-35 homer range over the course of a full season, and his bat-to-ball skills limit the risk of his stats deteriorating against higher competition. Basallo should be a Rookie of the Year favorite in 2026, and he’ll start that campaign with a strong finish to this season.
The debate between who would take the #10 spot last week was tough, but Jhostynxon Garcia narrowly locked it down ahead of Carson Williams. Days later, they both find themselves in the big leagues. Garcia entered the season as the unsung sidekick to the Red Sox’s “big three”, but his stellar performances in AAA have earned him a chance to call two of those three teammates again. Garcia hit 20 home runs with a .289 AVG, .875 OPS, and 133 wRC+ in 99 games, the last of which was his first career game playing first base. With the issues Boston’s had covering that position this season, Garcia could slide into the everyday lineup immediately, although he took over center field in his debut. His offensive profile is more volatile than the elite prospects featured on this list, but he could provide 5-7 home runs with a mid-700s OPS over the course of the final weeks. There are players with more upside yet to get the call, but if you need immediate production, Garcia’s a solid option.
The Rays also handed an MLB debut to Williams, who had 23 home runs and 22 steals in AAA before getting the call. I’ll admit, I dropped the ball on leaving Williams outside of the top ten last week, but I had a reason for it. His strikeout issues scare me a lot. Even with the insane counting stats he’s posted this season, Williams’ 34.1% strikeout rate and 63.5% contact rate limited his wRC+ output to 98. Granted, he’s been much better in August (141 wRC+), but the strikeout rate was still nearly 30%. It’s not impossible to overcome that, though. Colson Montgomery has ten homers in 39 games despite a 33% strikeout rate in AAA. That level of output is certainly attainable for Williams with his power upside, but he’ll need to learn how to adapt to MLB pitching fast. Williams is a high-risk, high-reward stash for the remainder of the season. If you’re chasing upside, he’s your guy.
Maximo Acosta was called up to join the Marlins and hasn’t enjoyed a fruitful start to his MLB career. He’s 1-10 since the call-up, although that one hit was a home run against St. Louis. He posted 12 home runs and 28 steals in 106 AAA games this season, albeit with a 91 wRC+ and .232 AVG. The early statcast returns are encouraging (14.3% Barrel, 57.1% Hard-Hit rate), but his lackluster bat speed (69.0 mph) and 38% chase rate indicate those numbers will regress. Acosta could break out and prove me wrong, but nothing I’ve seen indicates that Acosta will be anything more than a utility player at the MLB level.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Spencer Jones, OF – New York Yankees
With Basallo’s graduation, Spencer Jones returns to the top spot of the Stash List. Unless there’s serious news elsewhere or Jones regresses in a major way, Jones will hold this spot until he’s either promoted or the regular season ends. As is the case with many of the prospects on this list, the body of work Jones has put together this season is good enough to warrant an MLB debut. Only factors outside of his control are affecting his promotion timeline. In this case, the “outside factor” is the logjam the Yankees have created in their outfield. Per Fangraphs, New York has seven players on their 26-man roster who can play at least one outfield spot (with varying levels of ability). That’s 53% of their hitting roster dedicated to players who can only fit into three spots at a time (four if you include the DH). Amed Rosario and José Caballero also provide infield depth, but even with them excluded, that leaves five players for four spots.
Considering that group contains two former MVPs and the organization’s former #1 prospect, the level of performance to break into that group is astronomically high. That said, Jones’ performance comes close to that level. From 2020-2024, only one player has posted a season with at least 30 homers and an OPS above .990 (Luken Baker, 2023 with STL). Jones joined that group on August 10th, when he hit his 30th. He’s since added one more and has a hit in four of his last five games. The main drawback Jones will continue to face will be his strikeout issues (30.9% CSW, 61.9% contact), but the elite power he wields in his bat (114.4 max. EV, 52.3% Hard-Hit rate) will keep him in MLB lineups once he’s promoted. If you need a power bat on your bench for the stretch run of the season, look no further than Jones.
2. JJ Wetherholt, SS – St. Louis Cardinals
The meteoric rise through the minors and now the top ten rolls on for JJ Wetherholt. His five-game hit streak was ended on Wednesday, but he went 3-5 with a double in the game prior. He’s hitting 50% of his balls in play hard, and his average exit velocity still sits above 91 miles an hour. The contact rate (75.4%) has decreased from his AA mark (84.1%), but that can be attributed to facing a new tier of pitching for the first time. His zone contact rate still sits above 80%, and his chase rate is just 23%. Despite the decrease in contact, his OPS has had the reverse happen to it. Wetherholt’s mark went up by over 100 points after his promotion to AAA, and sits at 1.025 in Louisville. Wetherholt is a rare combination of a “safe-floor, high-ceiling” player. His offensive profile will get him in the lineup every day, and he has the potential to be an All-Star for many years in the future.
For 2025, though, his outlook is still hazy. At this point in the season, St. Louis’ lineup seems to be solidified. The Cardinals had the chance to shuffle their roster and promote Wetherholt when Brendan Donovan went on the injured list, but they instead recalled José Fermin. Fermin and Garrett Hampson are both taking up bench spots, but with the latter’s future on the roster in doubt for 2026 and beyond, why not give a player you know is going to be a part of the organization’s plans a chance to get his feet wet and face MLB competition? The Cardinals aren’t hard-pressed to promote him, as there are plenty of options to cover the infield spots for the remainder of the season. That said, if they want to make up the five-game deficit they’re in for the playoff places, they may need to make some drastic moves.
3. Kristian Campbell, 2B – Boston Red Sox
On paper, this spot may not make a ton of sense at first. Alex Cora was adamant last week that “there’s still more work to do down there” when talking about Campbell. He cited pitch recognition and handling fastballs as two areas he’s looking for his player to improve, adding that it’s only going to get harder at the MLB level. Whether or not that had an effect on Campbell is impossible to know, but he’s 2-20 with five strikeouts since. The drop off in exit velocity is still a concern, and his .367 wOBA in AAA is now almost 40 points lower than his mark in 2024 when he broke onto the scene. With all of that in mind, Campbell’s stock should trend straight down, right?
Campbell holds down the #3 spot because his pathway to MLB playing time is much smoother than any of the names below him this week. Campbell has the second base spot waiting for him if he proves he’s ready. That would require some roster shifting, including moving Ceddanne Rafaela back into the outfield, but with his defensive skills, that may work to Boston’s benefit. The sentiment given off by Cora’s comments indicates that once Campbell proves he’s made significant adjustments, he’ll be welcomed back to Boston with open arms. The production has been there in the past month or so, but the Red Sox’s skipper has made it clear that he’s not ready to face MLB competition again just yet. I still expect Boston to give Campbell one more run in the lineup before the end of the season, but his underlying numbers will be something to keep an eye on for the next few days.
4. Bryce Eldridge, 1B – San Francisco Giants
Last week, I mentioned that Eldridge’s recent performance may delay a call-up, as he was on a four-game hit drought at the time of writing. Since then, he’s registered at least one hit in every game and has seven base knocks in his last five contests. He’s homered in two straight games (as of Friday), and has racked up five RBI in 48 hours after going ten days without tallying one. His home run on Thursday was the more impressive of the two, launching an offspeed pitch 111 miles an hour over the right field fence. It was his third 100+ mph exit velocity of the game (!!!), which boosted his average exit velocity to just under 95 mph. The impressive metrics don’t stop there. His 59.5% hard-hit rate is the best among all AAA hitters (min. 750 pitches), and would be second among MLB hitters, trailing only Kyle Schwarber.
Despite being drastically different builds, Eldridge’s ceiling could be as high as the Phillies’ slugger. They both have the potential for 40+ home runs with elite power, but can struggle with strikeouts. That’s a lofty goal for Eldridge to reach, but with his frame and profile, he has a chance. At 61-67, and 12 games out of the division lead, the Giants’ fate is sealed. There will not be October baseball in the Bay Area. With that in mind, it should be time to give some potential new faces a chance to assert themselves among MLB competition. Take nothing away from Dominic Smith’s impressive season, but he should not be taking MLB at-bats away from MLB’s #13 prospect. The Giants could have another true slugger on their hands to fit behind Devers in the lineup. They should use this opportunity to get him accustomed to life as a big leaguer.
5. Travis Bazzana, 2B – Cleveland Guardians
This selection is more due to the lack of production Cleveland’s getting from their second basemen than it is about Bazzana’s performance. That’s not to say Bazzana has been bad; in fact, it’s the opposite. He’s been very good in his first full season. Good enough to force a promotion? Jury’s out, but he’s been much better than anyone Cleveland has on their MLB roster. Combined, Guardians players at that position are in the bottom ten among MLB teams in OPS (.646), wRC+ (80), and wOBA (.283). Angel Martínez (77 wRC+) has the most playing time at second this year, but Daniel Schneemann has been the best offensive producer at that spot (.699 OPS).
Simply put, that’s not setting a high bar for Bazzana to clear. The 23-year-old hasn’t been dominant in AAA so far, but he’s been good enough to give Cleveland’s office something to think about. A 4-22 start, including two extra-base hits, may not stand out, but a 32.4% walk rate does. Bazzana’s patience (17.2% O-Swing) is proving to be a virtue, and his contact numbers (81% Z-Con) mean he’s going to put the ball in play often. His ground-ball rate (41.7%) is up 9% from his AAA mark, and he is hitting to the opposite field (42.9%) much more than he ever has in his career, but those numbers should normalize after more exposure to AAA pitching. Bazzana doesn’t have the fantasy ceiling of a Jones or Wetherholt, but he has little competition for a roster spot for the rest of the season.
6. Jordan Lawlar, SS – Arizona Diamondbacks
Jordan Lawlar is back on the Stash List after missing almost two months due to injury. Since returning to action on August 14th, he has a hit in every game, getting off to a 6-21 start with a homer, a triple, and two RBI. A .286 AVG and 120 wRC+ aren’t elite numbers in comparison to some of the marks put up by top prospects this year, but they’re solid for a player who hasn’t seen game action in several weeks. His expected numbers are even better. His .412 xwOBA so far in August is his highest of the season, and his barrel rate (17.6%) beats his best monthly split mark by over 6%. His batted ball numbers (88.5 mph AVG EV, 47.1% Hard-Hit rate) are nearly identical to where they were pre-injury, which hopefully means there are no lingering long-term effects from his absence.
Arizona’s top prospect isn’t blocked by a surplus of high-level talent, but he may have to find a new defensive home. The glaring hole on the Diamondbacks’ roster isn’t at Lawlar’s natural position. The exceptions to the “high-level talent” comment both play in spots Lawlar could hold down. Geraldo Perdomo is having an outstanding year (more on that in Nate Schwartz’s excellent Going Deep article from this week), and Ketel Marte is a franchise icon. However, at third base, there are lingering question marks in the aftermath of the Eugenio Suárez departure. Blaze Alexander, Tyler Locklear, and Ildemaro Vargas are the “on-roster” options currently. Lawlar’s ceiling is much higher than any of that trio, and should be given every opportunity to lay claim to that spot by the end of the season. Once Lawlar gets fully back up to speed, expect Arizona to get him into their everyday lineup for the last month of the season.
7. Justin Crawford, OF – Philadelphia Phillies
As we get closer and closer to the end of the 2025 season, it’s starting to become clear that the Phillies do not believe they have space on their roster for Justin Crawford this season. The 23-year-old outfielder has nothing left to prove. Crawford has maintained a .330 AVG for over 100 games, to go with a .844 OPS and 41 steals. He is the only player in Minor League Baseball to reach all three of those marks simultaneously, and one of only eight players since 2006 to record those numbers over a full season. The underlying numbers look just as impressive. Crawford makes a ton of contact (91.5% Z-Con, 84.8% contact), and that contact is solid (41.3% Hard-Hit rate). On paper, that combination of bat-to-ball and speed should make Crawford a no-brainer to have on the roster. The Phillies don’t necessarily need Crawford though. At 74-53, they’ve proven they’re a good team either way. However, when Max Kepler’s 87 wRC+ and Weston Wilson’s .690 OPS are on the 26-man squad, you question what Crawford has to do to displace one of them.
The main thing the Phillies will want Crawford to do is elevate the ball more. Over 60% of Crawford’s balls in play this season have been hit on the ground. Due to his speed, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as he’s able to leg out base hits and pick up extra bases via steals. However, he does have 16 career homers, and his average and max exit velocity (89.8 mph/110.6) indicate that he’s capable of clearing fences at a higher rate if he can find a way to get the ball in the air more. Crawford’s currently a good player, and he provides value with his ability to impact the game with his approach and speed. That said, he could take the next step to being a great player by finding a way to get his 17% fly-ball rate into the low-to-mid 20s. That’s no easy feat, and considering he’s posting a career .319 AVG in the minors, Crawford may not be incentivized to make that change. However, if he’s able to, his value for 2025 and beyond goes up exponentially.
8. Sal Stewart, 3B – Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are in the midst of the hunt for October, and they’re going to have to fight through a gauntlet to get to the Playoffs. After ending the month with the Dodgers, they open September with the Blue Jays, then face the Mets and Padres on the road before ending the year with four straight series against division rivals, including seven combined games against the Cubs and Brewers. For a team that’s primarily relied on their pitching this season, that’s a lot of high-powered offenses to face in a short amount of time. If they’re going to get through that stretch and into the third Wildcard spot, they’re going to need to score runs. Ke’Bryan Hayes remains an elite defender, and his offense has taken a step forward (.790 OPS, 1144 wRC+), but he lacks the power upside of Cincinnati’s #1 prospect.
Stewart has exploded onto the prospect scene this year. After spending all of 2024 with High-A Dayton, few had hope that the 21-year-old would reach the majors until at least 2026. Then he posted a career-best .850 OPS and 145 wRC+ in 80 AA games. After earning a promotion, he got even better. Among all AAA hitters this year with at least 100 plate appearances, only seven have a wRC+ higher than Stewart’s 160. At the time of writing, he’s set career-highs in homers, steals, runs scored, and is just three RBI away from a new high. His average exit velocity (92.9 mph) and hard-hit rate (50.5%) sit just below the marks set by Basallo and Roman Anthony before their call-ups. Stewart doesn’t have the same offensive upside at the MLB level that those two do, but he’s proven he can handle AAA competition and is ready for the next tier of competitiveness. Getting him at bats every day may be a challenge, but Stewart’s production has been too good to warrant keeping him out of the lineup for the last few weeks of 2025.
9. Carson Benge, OF – New York Mets
The former Oklahoma State standout has been one of the fastest-rising prospects over the last 12 months. After the Mets selected Carson Benge as a two-way player with the 19th overall pick in 2024, they focused him on hitting, and it’s paying dividends. Just over a year since that selection, Benge is now the #20 prospect in baseball and sits on the verge of making the MLB roster, less than a full season removed from collegiate competition. Unfortunately for him, Benge’s momentum was halted when he was placed on the 7-day IL with an “undisclosed injury,” so a call-up is not as imminent as the other eight names ahead of him. That said, barring it being anything substantial, Benge could be a September call-up and provide an offensive spark to the Mets.
Despite putting together impressive offensive numbers this month (128 team wRC+, 3rd in MLB), the Mets have won just five of their last 20 games, and went on a seven-game losing streak at the start of the month. As things stand, they sit 6.5 games out of the division lead, and hold a singular game lead for the third and final Wildcard spot. They need to get back on track, and fast. Benge’s 171 wRC+, 15+ homer pop, and 20 steal speed should help them do that. He represents a serious power threat, without compromising his bat-to-ball ability (94.1% Z-Con) or his approach (20.7% chase rate). Benge also has the versatility to play all three outfield spots, which could help New York rotate their outfield and DH spots. With his injury, Benge will have to wait at least a week to get the call. That said, once he’s healthy, he will be in consideration to join the Mets’ playoff push.
10. Carter Jensen, C – Kansas City Royals
It feels wrong to talk about a possible replacement for Salvador Perez, who has over 1600 games under his belt and is just five homers away from the 300 club. However, at 35 years old, he’s not getting any younger, and his defense has gotten progressively worse (-11 DRS, -4 FRV in 2025). The time is coming for the Royals to start thinking about how to make their team better for 2026 and beyond, while keeping one eye on the playoff race they find themselves in (2.5 games back of the final Wildcard spot). Luckily for Kansas City, they have a player in AAA who can help them in both ways. Carter Jensen has been excellent in 2025 and could be the heir to Perez behind the dish going forward.
Among all MiLB catchers (min. 300 PA’s), only nine have 15+ homers, a 120+ wRC+, and a walk rate above 10%. In a group that includes Basallo, Josue Briceño, and Harry Ford, among others, Jensen ranks third with a .283 AVG. His power potential (93.5 mph AVG EV, 58.3% Hard-Hit rate) makes up for a lackluster 74.2% contact rate (85.1% Z-Con). He’s not a bad ball hitter (34.6% O-Con), but he also doesn’t chase very often. He could be slightly less passive (58.3% Z-Swing), but his approach is working for him so far. Defensively, he’s not going to be a Gold Glover (9 errors, 28% CS), but he’d be an upgrade over Perez. With Freddy Fermin now in San Diego, there’s an opening on the roster for Jensen. If he continues to perform, he should get a chance to audition for 2026 over the next few weeks.
On The Bubble
Stash List
