The Hitter Edition of the Stash List is back for the 2024 season.
This Stash List highlights the ten best-hitting 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 prospects make their debut than ever before, and there is no reason we should expect to see anything change in 2024. Read to discover the top ten hitters 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 will be updated weekly
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call-Ups
Nobody from last week’s list got the call to the show. However, two intriguing prospects did make their debuts. Andy Pages was called to the Los Angeles Dodgers after a scorching hot start to 2024. The 23-year-old outfielder had five home runs and a wRC+ of 181 before he got the call. Pages registered his first big league hit on April 16th against the Nationals. The Mariners called up one of their top prospects, Jonatan Clase, to take the place of the injured Dominic Canzone. Clase has potential as a power/speed combo threat, but there are questions about how long he will stick in the majors.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Heston Kjerstad, OF – Baltimore Orioles
No shocks here. Kjerstad retains his No. 1 spot despite a slow week at the plate. He hit just .188 this week, striking out five times and taking just one walk. He managed to add to his home run tally though. He ranks second among all qualified batters in homers, two behind Houston’s Joey Loperfido (more on him later). Kjerstad is doing exactly what he’s been expected to do. He’s hitting the ball with power and getting on base at a solid clip.
Kjerstad’s one problem remains the competition in his position. Austin Hays lost his spot in the outfield after a dismal offensive start to the season. Colton Cowser has stepped into the left-field role and has been outstanding. He has started the year with four home runs and is hitting above .400 through Thursday’s games. The outfield trio of Santander, Mullins, and Cowser leaves no room for Kjerstad. He continues to force the issue at AAA, but as things stand he’s still the odd man out.
2. Junior Caminero, 3B – Tampa Bay Rays
Caminero was activated from the injured list on Monday, returning to the lineup for the Durham Bulls. It’s too early to tell if he’s returned to 100% form, but his first two games back were encouraging. In two games, he’s racked up three hits in 10 at-bats. He also smacked his second homer of the season in his first game back from injury on April 14th. Caminero is on the verge of a call-up to the majors. After coming off of an injury, the Rays will likely be patient with him.
Tampa Bay’s situation at the MLB level remains unchanged. Isaac Paredes is holding down the cleanup spot. José Caballero and Amed Rosario have been solid in the latter half of the batting order. Caminero arguably has a higher ceiling than all three, but the 11-9 Rays aren’t desperate for a move. I still think Caminero will be called up by the end of the month, assuming he returns to form after his injury.
3. James Wood, OF – Washington Nationals
For the first time this season, Wood struggled at the plate. The Nationals’ top prospect hit just .208, striking out seven times in 24 at-bats. Despite the poor performance, he still flashed the tools that have made him a must-watch prospect. He doubled his stolen base tally, adding three more this week. A six-game slump is nothing to panic about, especially when it comes to Wood. His walk/strikeout rates are still solid, and a 167 wRC+ is nothing to laugh at. He does have a very high .429 BABIP, which likely means his batting average will take a dip. That said, he will still be a high-level contributor in the majors when he gets the call.
Lane Thomas is still struggling. Jacob Young and Eddie Rosario have been below average so far. Jesse Winker remains the only outfielder for Washington whose bat hasn’t been ice cold, and he’s the designated hitter. The Nationals haven’t been awful as a team, sitting at 8-10. Injecting another potential star into a lineup that has some interesting pieces should excite Nationals fans. A lineup headlined by Wood and CJ Abrams, combined with a Mackenzie Gore-Cade Cavalli–Josiah Gray (once the latter two return from injury) rotation would make Washington a team to keep an eye on.
4. Coby Mayo, 3B – Baltimore Orioles
Coby Mayo moves into the top four for the first time this season. I considered having Mayo this high in earlier weeks but figured his call-up may be delayed. It feels like I say this every week, but Mayo’s bat is special. His swing, while unorthodox, produces crazy exit velocities that lead to stellar power numbers. Mayo added two more home runs this week, which lands him in the top 20 of all minor leaguers. Baltimore’s AAA team has been talked about as one of the best farm teams ever, and Mayo is a big reason why.
He shouldn’t remain on a minor-league roster for long. There is zero doubt in my mind that Mayo could fit into most lineups in the majors. The concerns that revolve around Mayo are his low walk rate and high BABIP (.435). Baltimore will hope that the walk rate is just a result of a small sample size. He registered a 15.7% walk rate in AAA last season, and a return to that form should see him earn a call-up. We all know who’s ahead of him at the major league level, but Mayo’s bat is too good to be kept in AAA.
5. Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B/OF – Detroit Tigers
Malloy falls one spot this week. The aspects that keep Malloy in this spot are his versatility and proximity to the show. After playing the majority of his games at third base last season, Malloy has been moved to the outfield. So far he’s played 15 games between left and right field and has made just one error. His bat is also starting to heat up. Malloy hit his first two home runs of the season on back-to-back days last week. His batting average and slugging percentage (.375) leave some room for improvement, but there are signs that he’s ready for the show.
The Tigers have plenty of versatility on their roster, but none have the ceiling that Malloy does. Mark Canha has been solid so far in left. The veteran has three home runs and a wRC+ of 150, so he’s not going anywhere. Riley Greene is a key piece of Detroit’s rebuild and has been good so far, so right field is out of the question. That leaves Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry as Malloy’s direct competitors. Malloy has the talent to contribute at the MLB level, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Tigers utilize him.
6. Connor Norby, 2B – BAL
Norby falls into the category of guys who could be MLB contributors if their teams weren’t so loaded. There is no doubt that he has the talent, but there just isn’t a roster spot for him right now. Norby has cooled off slightly after his red-hot start to 2024. His batting average is down almost forty points, and the power wasn’t on display this week. That said, Norby is still a name to watch for fantasy. He provides home run and RBI upside at a position that hasn’t been known for power.
Similar to Mayo, we all know who’s blocking Norby. Right now, it’s an unheralded rookie by the name of Jackson Holliday. Has anyone heard of him? Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Holliday has not enjoyed his first foray into Major League Baseball. Baseball’s top prospect is hitting .040 in his first 26 plate appearances. This isn’t enough of a reason to sound alarm bells. Should Holliday keep slumping though, he and Norby could swap roster spots.
7. Joey Loperfido, 1B – Houston Astros
The minor league leader in home runs is back on the stash list for a second week. It’s a mystery to me that Loperfido hasn’t gotten the call yet. There’s a perfect storm happening in Houston that Loperfido should benefit from. Why the Astros are still playing Jose Abreu is beyond me. The veteran first basemen is hitting just .078 after 16 games. He’s also been struggling on the field, currently registering a -4 DRS. Loperfido has played five games at first so far this season and has been solid there. He also provides versatility in the field. He’s played center and left field this season and hasn’t been charged with an error.
The obvious story regarding Loperfido is his success at the plate. Yes, the Pacific Coast League is known for having high power numbers. That said, ten homers is nothing to shake your head at. Loperfido has been a revelation for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (top-five team name in MiLB, just saying). The Astros have been far below their usual standard this season. It’s time to inject a new bat into the lineup to try and right the ship.
8. Matt Shaw, INF – Chicago Cubs
I’ve talked about Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Mervis a lot on this list. Matt Shaw is a better hitter than both of them. Since being drafted in 2023, all Shaw has done is hit, and hit well. He raced through the minors, landing in AA just months after signing with the Cubs. In 15 games with Tennessee in 2023, he hit three home runs and had a 120 wRC+. In 10 games so far this season, Shaw has the same amount of homers, but his wRC+ has doubled (!!) to 247.
It’s pretty clear what the Cubs want to do with Shaw. He’s played all but one game at third base this season. Christopher Morel has been good with the bat this season, but his glove leaves much to be desired. Shaw is yet to post an error at third so far, and will likely take that spot in the majors. Cubs fans should be dreaming about adding Shaw to an already potent lineup. A murderer’s row of Suzuki-Bellinger-Morel-Shaw would be deadly in the NL Central. The Cubs’ uncertainty at third has accelerated Shaw’s timeline. There is a solid chance that he will get the call to the show by June.
9. Tyler Black, 3B – Milwaukee Brewers
I said last week that Black’s days on the list may be numbered. He proved me wrong. He raised his batting average by 50 points, hit his first homer of the season, and cut his strikeout rate by 5%. He’s been a key contributor at AAA, adding 13 runs and nine RBIs. If you’re struggling for offensive stats in a deeper league, Black could be a buy-low stud. He hasn’t played the field a lot this season, starting just one game at third base. When called up, Black could slide into second, third, or the designated hitter role.
The only problem is that the guys in those roles for the Brewers have been studs. Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz have both bounced back from slow starts and have caught fire. Turang’s hitting .327 and has a wRC+ of 127. Ortiz is right there with him, registering a .324 and 139 respectively. Black will have to step his game up to force his way into the lineup. However, once he’s there, he should excel.
10. Jordan Beck, OF – Colorado Rockies
Jordan Beck is having a breakout season. The former college baseball star has been on fire to start 2024. His 174 wRC+ is good enough for 10th in AAA (alongside Loperfido) and his power numbers have been incredible. The 23-year-old outfielder has a sweet stroke from the right side. His swing looks almost effortless, and the ball flies off of his bat. The Rockies should be very excited about getting him at-bats at the hitter-friendly Coors Field.
His MLB competition hasn’t been great to start 2024. Brenton Doyle has been okay, and his glove should keep him in center field. Outside of him, it’s pretty bleak. Michael Toglia is hitting just .122 in right field. Kris Bryant went on the injured list after a woeful start that saw him register a 44 wRC+. Nolan Jones was supposed to be a bright spot on a bleak roster, but even he’s only hitting .171 with one homer. The Rockies need an offensive boost, and Jordan Beck is more than capable of providing one.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order:
Stash List
How close is Orelvis to making the list?
And is Biggio/Clement/Schneider really enough to block him?
If he keeps hitting the way he is he’s going to be tough to leave out again.
Manzardo?
He’s close. I kept him off because of his slow start + how impressive Naylor’s been for Cleveland. If this recent hot streak continues he’ll be on here soon enough.