The Pitcher Edition of the Stash List highlights the 10 best pitching prospects likely to make an impact during the 2026 season.
Prospects are often thought of as holding value only in dynasty formats. However, knowing which prospects hold value for the current season can help set you apart in redraft leagues. Several have a 2026 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 2026. 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 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 and roster percentages will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
Minor League Pitcher Leaders in K% – BB% through August 26, 2026 (minimum 15 starts)
Notice the absence of familiar Triple-A pitchers from this chart.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call-Ups
The following prospects joined the big league clubs over the last week:
Elmer Rodríguez NYY was effective in his return against Houston. The sinker was still hitting 97 mph in the seventh inning, while the curveball broke out with six whiffs and two strikeouts. Rodriguez is still way under his 150 innings from 2025 as he begins to access the elite stuff we foresaw at the end of last season. This is the best young pitcher to add in deeper leagues, assuming he can hold a rotation spot.
Kade Anderson SEA fell one out short of a quality start in his Major League debut against the Cubs. Seattle gave him the chance to seal the deal, but uncharacteristically he allowed back-to-back home runs to end his day. On an exciting note, we finally have Statcast data to dig through for Anderson. Many people are ragging on the fastball shape and velocity, which is something that we warned about in many Stash List articles over the last three months. On the positive side, I didn’t know that he was getting 6.9 feet of extension on the pitch and throwing it with a low spin rate, something that makes the ball act heavier off the bat. The changeup wasn’t really a good weapon either, as it didn’t generate many whiffs nor prevent solid contact. Despite the mediocre final line, Anderson did strike out five out of the twelve hitters that he reached strike two on. He gets his next chance to prove himself on the road against Toronto.
Andrew Sears DET posted 14 strikeouts across his first two Triple-A starts to earn the Major League debut last Sunday. He worked in bulk relief, striking out three, but giving up five earned runs across four innings. The 23-year-old righty has a pretty good slider that drops far off to his glove side, with the changeup being his second-best pitch. The fastball is 93-94 with not much bite. He and Drew Anderson will have to duke it out for those long relief innings.
Mason Adams COL posted five strikeouts and three walks across four innings. The 26-year-old righty uses a six-pitch arsenal that features a flat-attack 94 mph from a low arm angle. Looks like the sweeper and curveball are his best pitches. There isn’t anything in the arsenal that makes it crystal clear that this profile will succeed in Denver. So he has as good of a chance as anyone.
Luis Perales WSN was promoted to serve in bulk relief. The stuff looks pretty sweet with a 99 mph fastball and 94 mph cutter. However, the control was missing as he allowed three walks while generating eleven whiffs for three strikeouts. This is his first full season back, so 2027 should see him return to the starter’s role.
Kohl Drake ARI is anticipated to be recalled for a start in San Francisco. He has thrown 5 innings of uninspiring work with two strikeouts to nine walks and three home runs allowed.
Jose Cabrera ARI got the start against San Francisco on Thursday for his fifth big league game. He uses a deep six-pitch mix from a low slot, with an 83 mph sweeper being his best whiff pitch. He may get another chance against Philadelphia next week.
Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash
1. Jonathan Santucci, LHP, New York Mets
2026 AAA/AA Stat line: 109.2 IP | 4.10 ERA | 31.0 K% | 13.2 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 117.2 IP | 3.06 ERA | 28.7 K% | 8.5 BB%
Honestly, I’m not in love with many pitching prospects in Triple-A right now. A scan of the leaderboards, Statcast charts, and prospect rankings reveals a pretty thin crop of arms worth rostering. That makes Jonathan Santucci particularly interesting. He currently sits atop the Minor League leaderboard in strikeouts, and his Triple-A arsenal is beginning to show why.
Santucci has three pitches with a 36% or higher whiff rate in Triple-A, with the slider and four-seamer leading the way. Despite an unconventional release point, the slider arrives firmer and harder than the typical offering, making it a legitimate putaway weapon. The four-seamer doesn’t generate much vertical break, but it does something important: it matches the release point of his changeup and curveball, helping disguise the pitch out of his hand. Even so, Santucci may benefit from backing off the heater until he gets a better feel for the Triple-A baseball. The slider is his second-highest-rated pitch and a weapon he leans on heavily when ahead in the count. The curveball has also been difficult for hitters to put in play, likely a testament to Santucci’s pitch sequencing. Then there’s the changeup, his newest offering and perhaps the pitch with the most long-term upside. He throws it around 90 mph with 12 inches of break, giving him some much-needed horizontal movement against right-handed hitters.
Santucci faced a Lehigh Valley lineup loaded with right-handed hitters and still managed to punch out seven batters on 16 whiffs. He completed five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, one home run, and one walk. The lone free pass was particularly encouraging because Santucci’s control has deteriorated while adjusting to the Triple-A ball. His walk rate has surged to 18%, accompanied by a poor 59% strike rate. In this outing, however, he pushed that strike rate all the way to 69%. That’s exactly the kind of bounce-back we want to see. Now the challenge is repeating it.
The Mets could have another left-handed option for the stretch run, even with two southpaws already occupying spots in the rotation. Santucci has already climbed the ladder faster than expected, and his combination of strikeout production, three plus-whiff pitches, and a developing changeup gives him a legitimate case for a September look.
The Mets promoted the Minor League strikeout leader during the final month last year. Why not make it two years in a row?
2. Owen Murphy, RHP, Atlanta Braves
2026 AA/AAA Stat line: 105 IP | 3.94 ERA | 25.5 K% | 10.8 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 30.1 IP | 1.19 ERA | 30.9 K% | 5.5 BB%
With his strike-throwing ways and starter stamina, Owen Murphy is Major League ready. He continues to be among the Minor League leaders in pitches thrown per game with a solid 64% strike rate. This isn’t an exciting profile with high velocity, but rather a complete package that has enough stuff to face a lineup three times through the order. Murphy has been able to shake off injuries and setbacks to embrace a long-term role as a starter for the Braves.
Across his last two outings, Murphy has been productive, but unspectacular. It’s been eleven innings with six strikeouts to four walks and three earned runs. Doing enough to keep his team in the game, but not impressive enough as a fantasy value. The fastball velocity was depressed a tick in his start against Louisville, where he only had one strikeout. That heater is listed at an average grade when he averages almost 19 inches of vertical break, so it is of slight concern that the pitch was only averaging 18 inches with two whiffs. His saving grace is his composed delivery that provides a similar look for his entire five-pitch mix. With no pitch earning more than a 33% whiff rate, he is more likely to freeze a guessing hitter with a called strike.
With that said, the fly ball rate is spiking in the wrong direction. Will Benson absolutely obliterated a middle-middle 93 mph fastball for a 447-foot bomb, which was one of 13 fly balls counted by Baseball Reference in the game. Over his first five Triple-A games, the fly ball rate is up to 50%, which stands out even more when sitting next to a 20% ground ball rate. The four-seamer and changeup appear to be allowing the most damage. If Murphy wants to earn that promotion in the next few weeks, then this is an area of focus to address. It appears that he tried to address it by throwing more sinkers in this game than usual, but the solution might take more than that one adjustment.
Murphy is a stash candidate for his durability and proximity to a big league rotation spot.
3. Bryce Mayer, RHP, Houston Astros
2026 AA/AAA Stat line: 83.1 IP | 2.92 ERA | 33.3 K% | 11.3 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 87.2 IP | 4.11 ERA | 30.2 K% | 7.3 BB%
Houston may have found a gem in the 16th round of the 2024 draft. Bryce Mayer, a right-hander out of the University of Missouri, has steadily outperformed his draft pedigree, improving on his college strikeout and walk rates during his first full professional season. In 2026, he has taken another step forward, matching his 2025 strikeout total in fewer innings while simultaneously improving his run prevention and contact metrics. The biggest question now is whether he can put the home-run concerns behind him after serving up three bombs in his Triple-A debut. Remove that first start, however, and his brief stint with Sugar Land looks excellent: nine strikeouts, six hits, two walks, and one earned run allowed. The 9% swinging-strike rate isn’t particularly impressive, but the underlying stuff suggests there may be more here than the whiff rate indicates.
The 6’3″ righty uses a deep drop-and-drive delivery to generate an impressive seven feet of extension on his four-seamer. The resulting flat attack angle helps the fastball play above its 92 mph average velocity. Mayer’s best weapon, though, may be the slider. It features so much horizontal movement that it could easily be classified as a sweeper. His curveball brings another wide, sweeping shape and grades as an above-average offering. With his low release point and added wrist action, it isn’t surprising that Mayer generates plenty of spin and movement across the arsenal. If he can become comfortable with the new baseball while maintaining those high spin rates, better results should follow.
Mayer’s latest start against Oklahoma provided another glimpse of the upside. He cruised through five innings, allowing only a couple of baserunners and keeping the lineup under control. The curveball was particularly nasty, generating eight whiffs and five strikeouts. When he reaches two-strike counts, Mayer can turn to the four-seamer and slider to finish hitters off. The primary limitation to his ceiling is the velocity of the fastball, which will likely cap some of his strikeout potential at the highest level. That makes the development of his changeup particularly important, as it gives him another weapon against left-handed hitters and keeps them from sitting on the low-90s heater.
For now, the three-homer debut is doing a lot of damage to Mayer’s surface-level numbers. With that one game removed, however, there is plenty to like. He has a history of striking out hitters and consistently getting more out of a low-90s fastball than the radar gun suggests. His approach appears well suited to handling the grind of a long season; the remaining question is whether the depth and effectiveness of his arsenal will allow him to maintain that success deep into games.
If Mayer can demonstrate that the home-run spike was an outlier rather than a flaw in the profile, Houston could have another late-round pitching success story on its hands.
Double-A Pitchers
Here are several Double-A players who have a small chance of making an impact at the Major League Level in 2026, but a much higher value-add in 2027.
4. Gage Wood, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
2026 AA Stat line: 81 IP | 4.11 ERA | 34.5 K% | 8.0 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 2 IP | 4.50 ERA | 55.6 K% | 22.2 BB%
Gage Wood offers a big fastball in a smaller package that has flashed a lot of swing-and-miss potential. The four-seamer clocks in the upper 90s with tremendous vertical movement from his lower slot. He blends in a sharp tailing slider and deeper curveball. The changeup is a pitch in development. Yet, everything runs off the fastball, which has powered Wood to a 16% swinging strike rate. Unfortunately, the lack of strong secondaries may be why he has yet to suppress runs consistently. Since the All-Star Break, Wood has an amazing 38 strikeouts to six walks, but also six home runs and 16 earned runs allowed. On the bright side, the Phillies are gradually building him up to 80 pitches per game while he maintains superb command and strikeout numbers. With a 67% strike rate in Double-A, Wood is throwing enough strikes to be efficient each outing. Now, he just needs to figure out the right strategy to keep runs off the board.
In his most recent start against Portland, Wood struck out five batters on 16 whiffs. The fastball was the centerpiece as expected, with the slider stealing a few swinging strikes as well. Roman Anthony almost took him deep on an inside fastball that he quickly turned on. He was able to limit the damage and managed to strike out three batters in his final frame.
Wood has a strong foundation with the high-velocity four-seamer. Now he needs work on those secondaries as he builds up the starter stamina for a likely push to start 2027 in Triple-A.
5. Tyler Bremner, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
2026 AA Stat line: 63.1 IP | 4.26 ERA | 31.7 K% | 8.7 BB%
2025 NCAA Stat line: 77.1 IP | 3.49 ERA | 35.8 K% | 6.1 BB%
Tyler Bremner is one of the smoothest arms in the 2025 draft class. His mechanics have taken a noticeable step forward since earlier in the season, when he struggled to stay balanced after the knee-raise portion of his delivery. Now, the motion looks far more coordinated, and the fastball comes out cleanly from his three-quarter slot. The easiest comparison is George Klassen—with a much better track record of throwing strikes.
The second overall pick in the 2025 draft, Bremner dominated during his final two seasons at UC Santa Barbara, striking out more than 100 batters in each year. He hasn’t quite matched the 13 K/9 he posted in his final college season, but his promotion to Double-A has brought a significant step forward. Bremner had a few stretches of shaky control in High-A, but he has settled in around a 7% walk rate since consistently working into the fifth inning. Context matters, too. His professional debut got off to a slower start following reports of offseason elbow soreness, and he later dealt with arm fatigue and other setbacks. Those interruptions make 2026 a difficult season in which to evaluate his development cleanly—especially for a pitcher who threw 119 pitches in a college game in 2025.
There are still areas to clean up. Like Klassen, Bremner can give up hard contact when hitters square up the fastball. His four-seamer has plenty of life and is released well down the mound, with vertical break that can look above-average at times. Other times, however, the pitch runs almost straight through the zone. The command has been good enough to keep the home run rate from becoming a major problem, but hitters appear increasingly comfortable sitting on the heater. The slider and changeup give him the secondary weapons needed to punish that approach, particularly when he can get ahead in the count.
That was exactly what we saw in his third start at Double-A Rocket City. Bremner punched out eight hitters on 12 whiffs, faced just three batters over the minimum, and allowed only one hard-hit ball—a sharp line-drive single. The fastball reached 96 mph, and his ability to consistently get ahead in the count opened the door for more effective use of the changeup. He finished with just one walk and two hits allowed, putting together the kind of outing that makes it easy to envision his stock climbing quickly.
Bremner’s 2026 season has been anything but straightforward, but the recent trajectory is encouraging. The delivery is cleaner, the control is holding, and the swing-and-miss is showing up. If those three pieces continue moving in the same direction, Bremner could finish the season looking much more like the top-of-the-draft arm everyone expected him to be.
6. Eliazar Dishmey, RHP, Miami Marlins
2026 A+, AA Stat line: 95 IP | 2.75 ERA | 34.1 K% | 11.6 BB%
2026 MLB Stat line: 99.1 IP | 2.90 ERA | 26.7 K% | 11.9 BB%
The next Double-A pitcher worth considering is Eliazar Dishmey. The Marlins prospect uses a long-arm, power-oriented delivery from a low slot that creates deception and consistently generates weak contact. The results, however, don’t fit neatly into the traditional sinkerballer profile. Despite leaning heavily on the sinker, Dishmey’s ground-ball rate sits below 40% across two levels. Instead, his calling card has been limiting hits, even when the ball does get into the air. A couple of extreme fly-ball games—two outings with double-digit fly balls when he typically stays below eight—have also distorted the overall numbers. Whether Dishmey ultimately develops into more of a ground-ball or fly-ball pitcher may not matter nearly as much as his ability to solve the biggest concern in his profile: control.
The encouraging news is that the control is moving in the right direction. Dishmey has improved his walk rate since reaching Double-A, although an 11% walk rate still leaves plenty to be desired. More importantly, the improvement since the beginning of July has been substantial. Over 38 innings, Dishmey has posted a walk rate under 8% while his strikeout rate has surged to 35%. The rest of the profile is downright impressive: a .152 batting average against, 1.18 ERA, and just one home run allowed during that stretch. The one oddity? A staggering 64% fly-ball rate. Somehow, despite putting the ball in the air at an extreme rate, Dishmey has continued to keep hitters from doing damage.
That hit suppression was on full display in his recent start against Knoxville. Dishmey generated more fly balls than grounders but surrendered only two hits. The ability to avoid damage appears to come from the combination of an excellent changeup, a deceptive slider, and a sinker that rides hard up and in against right-handed hitters. The consistency of that skill is particularly noteworthy: Dishmey has allowed more than three hits in only two of his 20 appearances. Against Knoxville, he punched out eight hitters on 14 whiffs, while issuing an acceptable two walks.
That combination makes Dishmey an intriguing dynasty addition. His fastballs sit at 95-96 mph, and he has two legitimate secondary weapons to complement them. If the recent improvement in control proves sustainable, the resulting K%-BB% profile and elite hit suppression could make Dishmey considerably more than just organizational depth. There are shades of José Soriano and Walbert Ureña in the making here—a power arm whose fantasy value could climb quickly if the strikes continue to come.
The next thing to watch: whether Dishmey can maintain that sub-8% walk rate over another 20-30 innings. If he does, the underlying profile becomes much harder to ignore.
7. David Hagaman RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
2026 AA Stat line: 93.1 IP | 2.80 ERA | 29.9 K% | 10.4 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 42.1 IP | 2.98 ERA | 33.7 K% | 6.1 BB%
The Texas Rangers did the Diamondbacks a favor by quickly identifying David Hagaman as an intriguing reliever-to-starter candidate. At West Virginia, Hagaman was solid without posting eye-popping statistics, and his development was interrupted when he underwent internal brace surgery in April 2024. The Rangers nevertheless selected him in the fourth round and patiently managed his recovery. Hagaman finally made his professional debut as a starter in June 2025 in the Arizona Complex League, and he has remained in the rotation ever since. In fact, he has made 35 appearances as a starter, with his lone relief outing coming in the Arizona Fall League. Now, after earning a promotion to Double-A Amarillo in early August, Hagaman is inching closer to his next challenge: Triple-A.
The 6’4″ right-hander uses a pronounced drop-and-drive delivery that sends him deep down the mound toward a low release point. The arsenal currently features three primary pitches, but Hagaman has also been developing a “10-to-5” curveball to give hitters another look, particularly with two strikes. His four-seamer generally sits in the mid-90s with good life, but the slider is the star of the show. It is his best putaway pitch and the weapon he is trying to protect by incorporating the additional breaking ball. He will also mix in a changeup. Right-handed hitters have seen him a little better than lefties, suggesting that another pitch—or simply better sequencing—could be necessary if Hagaman is going to continue developing into a legitimate starting option.
The most intriguing part of Hagaman’s profile is the swing-and-miss ability he has generated despite entering the system with relatively little fanfare. He is averaging roughly 12 whiffs per game, translating to an impressive 15% swinging-strike rate. If he can maintain that level of bat-missing ability while handling a starter’s workload, there could be another gear waiting for him. And the early Double-A results suggest he is already adapting. Through his first few games with Amarillo, Hagaman has recorded 22 strikeouts and six walks across 16.1 innings.
More importantly, Hagaman has demonstrated that he can actually carry that arsenal deep into games. He has reached the sixth inning or beyond in five of his last eight starts. At this point, the reliever label can officially be put to bed. Hagaman has shown that he can throw enough strikes and manage his arsenal efficiently enough to work deep into games.
The next step is refinement. Hagaman needs to continue developing his pitch mix to limit hits while finding a way to push his already impressive 33% strikeout rate even higher. If he can accomplish both, the Diamondbacks may have acquired much more than a useful arm at the trade deadline.
As I’ve mentioned a few times in these articles, Arizona’s return from the 2025 Merrill Kelly trade—Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt, and Hagaman—has the makings of a major organizational win. Hagaman’s development is another reminder of just how much value can be created when a team identifies a pitcher with starter traits and gives him the time and opportunity to develop them.
8. Patrick Copen, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2026 AA Stat line: 100 IP | 6.21 ERA | 27.1 K% | 14.0 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 117.2 IP | 3.59 ERA | 29.0 K% | 16.0 BB%
8. Zachary Root, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2026 A+, AA Stat line: 76.1 IP | 3.54 ERA | 32.1 K% | 11.2 BB%
2025 NCAA Stat line: 99.2 IP | 3.62 ERA | 30.0 K% | 8.3 BB%
The Dodgers have a top-tier farm system, but never seem to be interested in bringing up any of their young pitchers in a straightforward fashion. They have a lot of quality arms, but let them bake in Triple-A for as long as possible. Some of that may be due to injury (see River Ryan), but it’s largely due to none of their current starting rotation being drafted by the organization. Justin Wrobleski is a slight caveat, but the Dodgers seem highly disinterested in building the talent of their pitching prospects. Therefore, we feature two on the stash list to double our chances of picking a winner.
Patrick Copen appears even larger than his 6’6″ height listing. He drives towards home plate with a rocking chair buildup, releasing the ball from a 3/4 slot. That large frame helps him propel his fastball at 99 mph towards the batter, a pitch that tends to have a strong downward tilt. There is big spin on his curveball, too. He will blend that in with a hard slider that dives quickly to the dirt. The pitcher profile also lists a cutter, but it’s harder to pick that pitch out without consistent pitch data. In summary, the stuff looks phenomenal. It’s really just his ability to command his arsenal that comes into question.
Another Dodgers’ prospect who stands taller on the mound is Zachary Root. The 2025 draftee is two years younger than Copen, but they are now on the same Double-A squad in Tulsa. Root also is a low 3/4 slinger from the left side. He doesn’t have as much easy velocity as Copen, but he is sitting 96 mph with a big drop curveball, slider, changeup, and also a cutter. Root may have some cleanup to do on his mechanics as there is an extra glove tap and hitch during his delivery. Nevertheless, Root has continued to succeed after his promotion to Double-A at the end of July.
These two players have similar profiles with bouts of poor control and home run issues at times. They both can handle a ton of pitches, generate 13% swinging strikes, and seem to induce about 45% contact on the ground. Root is the stronger dynasty buy due to his younger age and southpaw status. He has flashed stronger control with a lower walk rate. Copen likely has more proximity to the Major Leagues, but his game log also shows fluctuating results from excellent to disaster. Therefore, Root (and Christian Zazueta from the previous stash article) are the arms to track in the Dodgers system.
For his part, Root has performed well in his four Double-A starts. It’s 24 strikeouts to seven walks with a slightly above-average 14% swinging strike rate. The fly balls are up at this level, which has spiked his home run rate and earned runs allowed. He is in line with his previous maximum innings reached, so we have time to see if he can make the adjustments at this level to be strong value in 2027.
9. Daniel Eagen, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
2026 AA Stat line: 111.1 IP | 4.61 ERA | 30.2 K% | 8.2 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line:117.1 IP | 2.99 ERA | 32.4 K% | 11.0 BB%
The St. Louis Cardinals have restocked their pitching depth through trades after suffering from a few failed maneuvers over the last few years. Connor Hjerpe, Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and Quinn Mathews were all high-round picks who experienced setbacks and delays in their development. The future looks a lot brighter with the additions of Brandon Clarke, Yhoiker Fajardo, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, and this week’s stash list recommendation, Daniel Eagen.
The 6’4″ righty utilizes a high slot delivery with a power finish across his four-pitch mix. The tall start offers the curveball a tall peak to fall from. The big spin breaker is complemented by a sharper slider that he locates all over the plate. His four-seamer has zip, but sometimes stays too hittable through the zone. St. Louis would do well to help him develop the changeup or other offering to fend off left-handed batters. His home run rate is up across the board, but especially against lefties, likely the result of hanging curveballs.
Against Arkansas, Eagen displayed the power and downside of the curveball. The breaker earned a huge chunk of his 23 whiffs (not even his season high!) and ten strikeouts. However, later in the game, hitters easily sat back on the pitch to make harder contact. The home run allowed was off of a high heater that was sent far off into the dark sky to never be seen again. Hopefully, he can keep the ball in the yard next game, as he has had two different streaks of five games with a home run allowed. The opponent’s offensive outburst occurred late in the game, but Eagen was able to retire the final five outs without issue.
Eagen has flashed immense strikeout potential with multiple games of 20+whiffs and 10+ strikeouts. If St. Louis can harness the command and control as he is currently showing, then big things are on the horizon given his ability to go deep into the game.
10. Lucas Elissalt RHP, Detroit Tigers
2026 A+, AA Stat line: 84.2 IP | 3.61 ERA | 30.3 K% | 9.3 BB%
2025 MiLB Stat line: 89.2 IP | 2.51 ERA | 26.9 K% | 9.4 BB%
Lucas Elissalt has wasted little time making an impression at Double-A. The Tigers prospect has racked up 19 strikeouts and a ridiculous 24% swinging-strike rate across just two starts, effectively doubling both his strikeout and swinging-strike rates. That kind of production is clearly unsustainable, but Elissalt has shown flashes of swing-and-miss ability before. The difference now is the sheer magnitude of the results—and it all starts with his curveball.
Elissalt works with a four-pitch mix built around that standout breaker. His 80 mph curveball features a sharp, quick arc with the ability to drop even deeper at times. The slider follows a similar flight path before darting toward the glove side, while the 87 mph changeup comes in harder and gives hitters more of a fastball look out of the hand. He blends all three secondaries effectively thanks to a smooth, well-paced delivery that keeps hitters from easily identifying what’s coming.
WATCH LUCAS ELISSALT VIDEO HERE
The biggest question as Elissalt climbs the ladder will be whether he can sustain enough fastball velocity to make the rest of the arsenal play. His four-seamer can reach 95 mph, but it was sitting around 93 mph in his most recent start. The pitch flashes good movement, but it will need precise command to avoid becoming a target. That concern surfaced in this outing, when he surrendered a home run on the fastball. It also draws attention to his elevated home run-to-fly ball rate this season. If hitters know a fastball is coming in certain counts, they may have a better chance of getting under it and doing damage.
Still, there is plenty to like. Elissalt threw 76 pitches over four innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and one walk. The recent strikeout surge may be difficult to maintain, but the underlying arsenal gives him a legitimate path to sustaining more of the improvement. He didn’t have a home run problem last season, so the next step will be seeing whether he can adjust his fastball usage and location before hitters begin sitting on it. He’s a name worth tracking closely as the Double-A sample grows.
Double-A Starters Mentioned Last Week
Ryan Sloan SEA, Liam Doyle STL, Joseph Dzierwa BAL, Jamie Arnold ATH, Anthony Eyanson BAL, Christian Zazueta LAD, Garrett Baumann ATL
On The Bubble
Here are the next several pitchers that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list:
Lucas Braun ATL, Jurrangelo Cijntje NYM, Ryan Gallagher MIN, Nestor German BAL, Trey Gibson BAL, Tyson Hardin MIL, Brody Hopkins TBR, Karson Milbrandt MIA, and Jonah Tong NYM (sounds like he is an option to replace Robert Stock next week).
Pitcher Stash List
| Stash List Key |
|---|
| Stash now! Upside + Proximity |
| Upside Stash |
| Proximity Stash |
Featured Image by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Bsky/Twitter)
