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
Cade Povich was called up last week when Zach Eflin went on the IL with shoulder inflammation, then immediately turned in a solid start – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO. His next start didn’t go quite as well on Friday against the Astros, as he gave up five runs in five innings against the Astros. Povich next faces the Dodgers in L.A., so he’s basically just a streamer except for in deeper leagues at this point.
Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash
1. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Previous Ranking: 1
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 18 IP | 1.50 ERA | 33.3 K% | 5.8 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 80.1 IP | 3.70 ERA | 29.4 K% | 8.1 BB%
Bubba Chandler started slow on Thursday in Triple-A, giving up a three-run homer on a grooved 94-mph fastball to Gabriel Arias in the first inning. He settled down and kept Columbus off the scoreboard through the rest of his five innings, striking out six. The slowest fastball he threw turned out to be the gopher ball, as he averaged 95.7 mph and topped out at 98 mph on his four-seamer. The 21-year-old had his entire four-pitch arsenal working, getting at least two whiffs on each offering. He featured his changeup more than in his other two starts for Indianapolis, racking up six whiffs and four called strikes on 20 pitches.
Chandler is at 98.1 innings this season after 111 frames last year, so there could be about 35 innings left in his arm this season. The Pirates would need a long winning streak to truly get back in wild-card contention, but they 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: 2
2024 MiLB (AA) stat line: 59 IP | 2.14 ERA | 27.1 K% | 13.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) stat line: 9 IP | 2.00 ERA | 24.2 K% | 6.1 BB%
Jackson Jobe is still just in Double-A with just over a month left in the Tigers season. The 22-year-old had his newfound control issues resurface on Sunday with four walks against Akron. Facing the same team in his previous start, he did not issue a walk coming on the heels of 12 free passes in 15 innings over three starts. Jobe now has 21 walks over his last 37.1 innings after handing out just six bases on balls in 64 innings last year.
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. Jobe is at 68 innings after compiling 79.2 IP last year between the minors and the Arizona Fall League, so there still could be around 40 innings left in his right arm. The Tigers may want some of those to come in Detroit, so Jobe is still a top stash if you can stand the chance that he doesn’t even touch the majors this season. There’s Paul Skenes-type upside here, so Jobe is still worth stashing as a possible difference-maker down the stretch.
3. Jack Leiter, RHP, Texas Rangers
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 9.1 IP | 16.39 ERA | 12.7 K% | 10.9 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 77 IP | 3.51 ERA | 33.3 K% | 10.6 BB%
The Rangers may have finally found the secret sauce for Jack Leiter’s success – getting at least 17 inches of induced vertical break (IVB) on his four-seam fastball and getting the velocity up to the upper 90s. Over his last two starts, Leiter averaged 98.2 mph and 17 inches of IVB, which resulted in 20 strikeouts and a 0.96 ERA in 9.1 innings in August.
The Rangers have two future Hall of Famers – Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer – on rehab assignments, but Scherzer had his scheduled start on Friday in Triple-A put off. With Tyler Mahle having just hit the IL with shoulder tightness, there is an opening in the Rangers rotation that will likely go to Leiter early this coming week against the White Sox. Leiter will need to carry over the velocity and IVB that he’s been achieving in Triple-A to the majors in order to succeed. Considering how bad the results were for Texas earlier this season (16.39 ERA in three starts), it would be a risky move to use Leiter right away. But with the awful White Sox on the menu, the chance for a jackpot is too much to resist.
4. A.J. Smith-Shawver, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MLB Stat line: 4.1 IP | 0.00 ERA | 22.2 K% | 11.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 57.1 IP | 5.02 ERA | 28.2 K% | 12.1 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) Stat line: 2 IP | 4.50 ERA | 57.1 K% | 0.0 BB%
A.J. Smith-Shawver made a strong case for a return to the Braves rotation with six scoreless innings in Triple-A on Wednesday, striking out seven with one walk. Smith-Shawver has been working his way back to Atlanta after missing six weeks following a strained oblique on May 23. Smith-Shawver got whiffs on each of the four pitches in his arsenal, totaling 15 whiffs on 87 pitches.
The Braves currently have a full rotation, but Reynaldo López has made just one start since coming off the IL with a forearm strain. Lopez is up to 109.2 innings after not going past 66 innings in a season since 2019, so the Braves could look to move him to the bullpen to preserve his arm. Smith-Shawver is competing with Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder for who could get starts for Atlanta in September, so he is worth stashing, especially for fantasy managers looking for win potential.
5. Quinn Mathews, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 52.1 IP | 2.41 ERA | 32.9 K% | 7.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) Stat line: 43.2 IP | 2.68 ERA | 34.7 K% | 5.4 BB%
2024 MiLB (A) Stat line: 30.2 IP | 1.47 ERA | 44.4 K% | 9.4 BB%
Quinn Mathews is making mincemeat out of a third level this season, looking like it’s possible he go from Low-A to the majors in one season. The 6-foot-5 southpaw is going berserk in Double-A in August, posting a 40-4 K-BB with a 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings over four starts. Mathews struck out 12 in 7.2 innings on Friday, giving up one run and one walk. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2023 out of Stanford, where he made a name for himself by striking out 16 in throwing a 156-pitch complete game in a super regional win over Texas.
Mathews has added a couple of ticks to his fastball since college, putting him on a whole other level since he was drafted. The Cardinals could really use more juice at the back of their rotation, where Miles Mikolas has been struggling badly and Andre Pallante has been serviceable. Mathews is up to 126.2 innings after going 124.2 innings last year, so he could have around 30 innings left in the tank depending on how much the Cardinals want to push it.
6. Tink Hence, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Previous Ranking: 5
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 70.2 IP | 2.67 ERA | 33.3 K% | 7.8 BB%
Tink Hence has been dynamite since returning from a month-long absence while dealing with shoulder and chest tightness, posting a 0.56 ERA with a 21-5 K-BB in 16 innings for Double-A Springfield. The 22-year-old righty was up to 58 pitches on Wednesday, tossing four scoreless innings against Tulsa. Hence is at 70.2 innings after reaching 96 innings last year, so the Cardinals are going to want to pile some innings up on him down the stretch if he’s fully healthy.
Just like Mathews, Hence could be an option for a call-up in September if the Cardinals want to boost their rotation for a run at a wild-card spot. The Cardinals finally have some homegrown talent that could soon front their rotation, so they may want to give their fans a taste even if they fall out of contention.
7. Ian Seymour, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Previous Ranking: 6
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 32 IP | 2.53 ERA | 27.9 K% | 6.6 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 91.1 IP | 2.36 ERA | 28.3 K% | 6.3 BB%
Ian Seymour has allowed more than three runs in a start just once this season, all the way back on May 7 in Double-A. After earning a promotion with a 2.36 ERA in 17 starts for Montgomery, Seymour has stayed just as effective in Triple-A with a 2.53 ERA over six starts for Durham. 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 have room in the back of their rotation with Tyler Alexander taking the spot of Zack Littell, who went on the IL with shoulder fatigue. Alexander is more of a bulk reliever and has an uninspiring 5.17 ERA, so the Rays may want to see what they have in Seymour. With a 21.3% strikeout-minus-walk rate and a 1.13 WHIP in Triple-A, Seymour could be a useful pitcher for fantasy managers down the stretch.
8. Brandon Sproat, RHP, New York Mets
Previous Ranking: 4
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 12.2 IP | 9.24 ERA | 10.3 K% | 8.6 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 62.1 IP | 2.45 ERA | 33.2 K% | 6.5 BB%
2024 MiLB (A+) Stat line: 25.1 IP | 1.07 ERA | 32.4 K% | 15.7 BB%
Brandon Sproat may be winding down in Triple-A after blazing through High-A and Double-A to become one of the biggest breakout pitching prospects this season. The 23-year-old surrendered three homers and six runs in his last start for Syracuse, giving him an ugly 9.24 ERA in Triple-A. It’s that final start in Double-A on Aug. 2 that has us still wanting to hang on where possible – 13 strikeouts and no walks in five scoreless innings.
Sproat is up to 100.1 innings after tossing 106.1 innings in college last year, so he could still have around 30 innings left if he isn’t totally out of gas. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has the type of dynamic stuff that is sorely missing from the Mets rotation as they chase after the Braves for the final NL wild-card spot. Sproat is worth monitoring in case he gets his legs under him in Triple-A and can make some starts for New York in September.
9. Thomas Harrington, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MiLB (AAA) Stat line: 23.1 IP | 3.09 ERA | 17.8 K% | 4.3 BB%
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 68.1 IP | 2.24 ERA | 27.4 K% | 3.7 BB%
2024 MiLB (A) Stat line: 3 IP | 0.00 ERA | 27.1 K% | 10.5 BB%
Thomas Harrington tossed five perfect innings before giving up two hits and a run in the sixth on Friday in Double-A, striking out six with no walks. The 23-year-old right-hander is mastering a third level this season and could get a shot in Pittsburgh in September. Harrington got 10 whiffs on 90 pitches for his five-pitch arsenal, with half of those coming on his curveball.
Harrington doesn’t wow you with his low-90s velocity or strikeout rate, but he has stellar command as evidenced by his 94-14 K-BB in 94.2 innings. After throwing 127.1 innings last year, the Pirates will likely keep Harrington going in Pittsburgh after the Triple-A season ends if he doesn’t get the call sooner.
10. Caden Dana, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
Previous Ranking: N/R
2024 MiLB (AA) Stat line: 129.2 IP | 2.64 ERA | 27.2 K% | 7.6 BB%
Just when it looked like the Angels might start to wind down Caden Dana, who was coming off a 3.2-inning start in his previous outing, the 20-year-old righty racked up nine strikeouts in an eight-inning gem on Tuesday. Dana has been dynamic over his last five starts, compiling a 1.05 ERA with a 35-8 K-BB in 34.1 innings for Double-A Rocket City.
It’s the Angels, so don’t be surprised if they call up Dana along with Christian Moore, their first-round pick from this year, to give their fans something to get excited about down the stretch. Dana is up to 129.2 innings after reaching just 68.1 innings last year, so they just as easily could shut him down for the season.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list: Yilber Diaz, ARI; Landon Knack, LAD; Justin Wrobleski, LAD; Hurston Waldrep, ATL; Jacob Misiorowski, MIL