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
One of last week’s honorable mentions made their Major League debut this week. The White Sox’s Edgar Quero (MLB #63) joined the roster on Thursday ahead of their final game with the Athletics and before their weekend series with the Red Sox. It’s not hard to see why Chicago opted to promote him. His wRC+ of 146 ranks 2nd among minor league catchers (min. 50 PA’s), and his OBP sits at almost .450. While his defensive home is unclear for now, especially when Kyle Teel joins the fray, he should be an impact bat in the White Sox lineup.
The Milwaukee Brewers made their first big prospect promotion of the season on Thursday, calling up 25-year-old infielder Caleb Durbin. The former New York Yankee made the switch to the Midwest after being dealt as part of the Devin Williams trade. He’s coming off a 10-homer, 31-steal season between three levels of the minors last year. The power numbers may not translate to the Majors, but Durbin could be a cheap source of steals if fantasy managers need some extra speed on their bench.
Luke Keaschall was going to make his Stash List debut this week, but the Twins beat me to the punch. Minnesota called up Keaschall on Thursday after Matt Wallner hit the injured list. The 22-year-old does everything well, even if he doesn’t have one outstanding trait or tool. Over a full season, I’d expect him to register 15-20 homers and steals. Depending on his role with the Twins, he’s a guy worth taking a look at on your waiver wire.
Last but certainly not least, the Tampa Bay Rays called up the fastest man in baseball. Chandler Simpson has stolen 198 steals in the last two seasons combined, and has eight in 17 games in 2025 so far. He also possesses a ludicrous 96% Z-Con rate. Those two tools make Simpson an intriguing asset for managers in need of an OBP boost and steals. He made the honorable mentions section on the list because of the insane steal numbers he would generate. Outside of that, though, there isn’t a ton of fantasy upside for managers to chase.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Nick Kurtz, 1B – Athletics
Spoiler alert: until Nick Kurtz is called up, he’s going to stay at the #1 spot on the list. The run that he’s been on since the start of the regular season has been almost comical. An 0-7 two-game stint were his only two appearances this year without a hit, and he leads all minor leaguers with seven homers. The one problem? His Major League competition has knocked eight baseballs out of the park. Tyler Soderstrom has been one of the sport’s breakout stars in 2025 and is showing no signs of slowing down. Getting Kurtz onto the field would require moving Soderstrom out of the first base role, a spot he’s played pretty well this year (2 DRS in 18 games).
At some point, though, the A’s are going to have to find a way to get both bats (and the rest of their young talent) onto the field every day. Kurtz’s average exit velocity (95.4) and hard hit rate (60.4%) would both rank comfortably inside the top ten at the MLB level, and he sits in the top five in ISO and SLG among AAA hitters. The A’s 8-10 record may not indicate it, but they’re an exciting team with plenty of promise in 2025 and beyond. Adding Kurtz to their already explosive nucleus could give the team the spark it needs to jump into postseason contention.
2. Roman Anthony, OF – Boston Red Sox
Spoiler alert #2: Roman Anthony is going to stay in the #2 spot until he gets called up. Kurtz and Anthony are the epitome of a 1A/1B situation. You can’t really go wrong with either. Between the time the last article went live and the time of writing,
Anthony has been on a tear. He’s hitting .500 over the last 11 plate appearances, walking three times. On Thursday, that tear continued with a 2-4 day, mashing two homers. Anthony’s batted ball data is straight-up mind-boggling. His average exit velocity is approaching 100 miles an hour, and his hard-hit rate (65.4%) somehow eclipses Kurtz’s.
There is one minor issue. Anthony’s contact rate (65.9%) is down almost 12% from his 2024 mark (77.5%), and his whiff rate (44%) is well above an ideal mark. It hasn’t hurt him yet, as his 161 wRC+ is still among the best in AAA, but those numbers are probably the barrier between Anthony and the Major Leagues. The other barrier is outside of his control. The Red Sox have a bit of a logjam in the outfield. Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu have been two of Boston’s best hitters and need to stay in the lineup. That leaves Anthony without a spot as things stand. The Red Sox will undoubtedly find a way to get Anthony regular at-bats when they deem that he’s ready, but for now, he’s just going to have to wait.
3. Dalton Rushing, C/OF – Los Angeles Dodgers
Towards the end of last week, Rushing took a foul tip to his catcher’s mask, which knocked him out of action for six days. I had finished writing his segment by the time that occurred, and didn’t update the article in time. That’s on me. Despite the scare, Rushing returned to the lineup on Tuesday, going 2-3 with two singles and a walk. That break may have come at the perfect time, as in the two games prior he went 1-10 with four strikeouts. If he continues the form he showed after his week-long absence, he’s going to force the decision-makers in Los Angeles to consider handing him his debut.
Getting him consistent at-bats once he gets there is a whole different problem. Will Smith has been quite literally the best offensive catcher in baseball this season (191 wRC+), so he’s not going anywhere. Rushing has spent an inning in left this year and has two appearances at first base, so he has enough versatility to find other ways into the lineup. That said, trying to displace Freddie Freeman or Teoscar Hernández is no easy feat either. Rushing is playing his way onto the Major League roster, but where he will play remains a mystery.
4. Coby Mayo, 3B – Baltimore Orioles
So I may have spoken slightly too soon when I started questioning whether or not Mayo would turn it around last week. Since week three’s article went live, Mayo’s hitting .417 with two home runs and four walks. His average jumped by over 60 points in that stretch, and his OPS (.895) is creeping closer to his 2024 AAA mark (.964). The third baseman’s exit velocity is still down by over two miles an hour, but it’s increased since last week.
Last year, I feel like I wrote about Baltimore’s depth every week. Jackson Holliday and Kyle Stowers both spent time on the list last season, and now both are getting consistent at-bats, although Stowers is with a different club now. Mayo is seemingly next on the list. The path towards that reality is far from clear, though. The two Ryans, O’Hearn and Mountcastle, have been key cogs to the O’s offensive machine, and Jordan Westburg has mashed four homers from the cleanup spot. There were reports circling that Baltimore may trade Mountcastle, though, which could open the door for a Mayo call-up. The combination of Mayo’s step-up in performance and the Orioles’ 7-10 record may force Baltimore to make the call to bring their slugger back to Camden Yards.
5. Marcelo Mayer, SS – Boston Red Sox
To put it nicely, Marcelo Mayer has not been good to start 2025. I’m hoping that by being critical this week, I’m jinxing it and Mayer will be back to normal form next week, but for now, a two-spot drop seems fair. Since April 9th, the shortstop is 1-17 with just one single and three strikeouts. Yikes. That’s a brutally ugly stretch for one of the best prospects in baseball. His 46 wRC+ ranks as the 17th worst among AAA hitters (min. 50 PA’s). The good news? It seems to be more of a case of bad luck than an indicator of future performance.
Mayer’s current BABIP (.222) is lower than his 2024 mark (.367) by a ludicrous amount despite maintaining a 39.5% hard hit rate and an average exit velocity around 90 miles an hour. These numbers don’t land him among the elite performers this season, but they’re a far cry from the worst marks in AAA right now. The main issue remains the swings and misses. Mayer’s whiffing 44% of the time, primarily on sliders, which could grow into a major problem in the future. I’m not giving up on him yet, but he’s on a short leash, and a prolonged slump could result in his removal in the coming weeks.
6. Jordan Lawlar, SS – Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks’ top prospect is off to a stellar start to the 2025 campaign. After going hitless in his first two games, he responded with a seven-game hit streak. Since Saturday, Lawlar’s hitting .429 over four games, including back-to-back games with homers. The 22-year-old has been on the brink of the Majors for the last years, and outside of a brief stint in 2023, has yet to establish himself in the Show. If he keeps performing like this, though, he should have a chance to finally lock down an everyday spot.
The one problem with Lawlar’s timeline? Geraldo Perdomo just keeps performing. The recently extended shortstop has started 2025 as one of the best offensive weapons at his position. His 153 wRC+ leads all MLB shortstops, and he’s already matched his 2024 home run tally with three dingers. If Lawlar keeps performing to the level that he is in the minors, and Perdomo keeps it up, the Diamondbacks will be forced to find a way to get both into the lineup. With Ketel Marte out of the lineup for now, the time for Lawlar to assert himself into the lineup may be coming soon.
7. Alex Freeland, SS – Los Angeles Dodgers
On paper, a three-spot drop may seem critical, but I think I was a little aggressive with the #4 ranking last week. Take nothing away from Freeland, he remains one of the top shortstop prospects on the brink of the Major Leagues. That said, he faces the same issue many Dodgers prospects have faced and will continue to face. That team is LOADED, and there is not a ton of room for shuffling around in that lineup. I mentioned Max Muncy’s struggles last week, and a 2-16 stretch over the last four games is an indication that those problems are yet to go away. I doubt the Dodgers will pull the trigger on a change in the immediate future, but if anyone deserves a chance to step into that role, it’s Freeland.
The one blemish on an incredible start to the season is Freeland’s strikeout issues. The 23-year-old’s contact rate (78%) is down eight percent from last year’s mark, which has resulted in a six percent boost in his strikeout rate (27%). The whiff rate isn’t concerning (25.9%), so I expect that mark to come down in the near future, but it’s an issue for now. On the other hand, his average exit velocity (97 mph) and hard hit rate (58.3%) are both encouraging signs that Freeland could be a breakout star if he’s called up. He dropped three spots this week because of the proximity and playing time questions, but make no mistake, Freeland is still one of the most talented players yet to debut.
8. Jace Jung, 3B – Detroit Tigers
If this list were based on performance alone, Jace Jung would be in the top five and makes a compelling case to get even higher. He’s been the 5th best hitter in AAA (min. 60 PA’s) by wRC+ (175), and has already smacked three homers in the first three weeks of the season. His batted ball metrics have taken a massive step forward this season. Jung’s average exit velocity (92.5) is up five miles an hour from his 2024 mark, and his hard hit rate (55.6%) is up 20%. I’ll admit, I wasn’t convinced that Jung could grow into being a legitimate fantasy option, but his play in the early part of 2025 is starting to change my mind.
Plenty has been said by the baseball community about the player blocking the third base role. Javier Báez has not been the player the Tigers thought they signed four years ago, but he’s been pretty good this season so far. His .289 batting average, 20.8% strikeout rate, and 104 wRC+ are all his best marks since arriving in Detroit. Jung has the versatility to play second as well, but Gleyber Torres has made that role his own (149 wRC+). If Jung keeps playing as well as he is, he’ll be back in Detroit in no time. For now, though, he’ll have to wait behind two former Cubs before returning to the Tigers’ lineup.
9. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF – Minnesota Twins
I can’t get a read on Rodriguez so far this season. On one hand, he possesses a top-20 walk rate and the potential to put up home run and steal numbers in the 20s and 30s. On the other hand, his strikeout rate is also in the top 20, and his whiff rate is approaching 40%. He’s been a mixed bag this week, going 3-16 with just one extra base hit. Rodriguez also showcased both the walks and the strikeouts, reaching base three times and striking out seven times. Additionally, his average exit velocity (87.3) is down almost three miles an hour from his 2024 mark (90.1). That said, his contact rate (80.1%) is up four points from last year.
That’s a pretty good indication of what to expect from Rodriguez if he makes it to the Majors. He possesses a knack for getting on base and could be a 20-20 threat with plus speed and power, but his ceiling is limited by the strikeout issues. The Twins could really use an impact bat in their lineup right now, though. Sitting at 7-12, they are far off the pace of the division lead, and unless something changes, they will likely finish outside of a playoff spot. We’re only a couple of weeks into the season, but so far, Minnesota hasn’t shown any signs of a team that could make a run this year. Rodriguez won’t fix all of the Twins’ issues, but he could provide a spark that the offense desperately needs.
10. Ernesto Martinez Jr., 1B – Milwaukee Brewers
Okay, this one may be borderline. Martinez Jr. is 26, so depending on your definition of prospect, he may fall outside of that realm. Either way, his performance has been solid in AAA so far, and he may force his way onto the big league club in the coming weeks. Martinez’s batted ball metrics are similar to the #1 name on this list. His hard hit rate (61%) and exit velocity (97.1 mph) both are among the elite in both AAA and the Majors. Additionally, his bat-to-ball tool allows him to get on base at a high clip. His BABIP (.382) is 60 points higher than his 2024 mark, so there is room for regression here, but a .908 OPS and 151 wRC+ in 13 games is nothing to scoff at.
Martinez faces the same problem that several other names on this list face. There is an abundance of MLB-level talent blocking his path to a roster spot. Rhys Hoskins has been good so far for Milwaukee (117 wRC+), and while his glove isn’t excellent, his bat is too valuable to take out of the lineup. Moving him to the DH spot would put Christian Yelich back in the outfield, where he’s only played three times this year. The jigsaw puzzle to get Martinez into the lineup may be complicated, but if the 26-year-old keeps playing the way he is, that puzzle is one they’re going to have to solve.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order.
Stash List
