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 debut than ever, 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
Two players from last week’s list got the call to the majors this week. Joey Loperfido and Jordan Beck were ranked as the No. 4 and No. 10 hitters to stash respectively. Despite being my pick to replace a struggling José Abreu at first, Loperfido has been deployed in the outfield. He’s only featured in two games, so it’s too early to judge his production. Jordan Beck has taken over left field from the injured Nolan Jones and will hope to lay claim to a permanent spot. Beck hasn’t been dominant to start his MLB career, but he’s already recorded his first two major league hits. Milwaukee’s Tyler Black also received his first call-up to the show. Black was taken off the list last week in favor of Orelvis Martinez but had featured in every other list this season. The Brewers will hope that he adds some consistency to the bottom half of their lineup.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. James Wood, OF – Washington Nationals
Wood’s return to the summit of the list should surprise no one. He has proven all season that he’s ready for an MLB opportunity, and it won’t be long before he gets one. He’s registered a hit in nine straight games dating back to April 19th. His power numbers haven’t been amazing, only hitting two home runs, but the rest of his game has been on display. He’s got a 140 wRC+, eight steals, and is walking at a solid clip. Nationals and baseball fans alike have been begging the organization to call Wood up, and they should get their wish soon.
Lane Thomas remains on the injured list with an MCL sprain. Joey Gallo is also on the injured list with a sprain. The Nationals’ outfield depth is depleted and now could be the time to give Wood a shot. The worst case scenario is that he struggles for a couple of weeks, and then when the veterans return, he goes back to AAA to continue improving. If Wood succeeds, then the Nationals could have a cornerstone of their young team in place for the foreseeable future.
2. Junior Caminero, 3B – Tampa Bay Rays
I said Junior Caminero had yet to return to his best form after coming back from injury. He must have taken that personally. The Rays’ top prospect hit .500 this week. The power stroke he demonstrated in 2023 has reappeared with vigor. Caminero hit four home runs last week, with his dinger on Wednesday registering a 110 mph exit velocity. He has truly hit his stride in AAA and the time has come for the Rays to bring back their heir apparent.
The Rays have been struggling over the past week. They’ve taken over sole possession of the 5th spot in the AL East. José Caballero has cooled off after a solid start to the season. He’s hit just .238 with a 39 wRC+ since April 26th. Niko Goodrum and Curtis Mead have been less than inspiring off of the bench as well. Tampa needs to invigorate some life into their lineup, and Caminero is poised to be able to do that.
3. Coby Mayo, 3B – Baltimore Orioles
Coby Mayo is making a case to move up on the list. He hit three home runs this week, improved his average and walk rate, and cut his strikeouts down. I feel like a broken record now talking about Mayo. He’s good enough to perform at the major league level, and he’s made the improvements necessary to warrant a call. Mayo is one of five hitters in the minors to reach double-digit home runs. Three of those players are Orioles (Kjerstad and Stowers). Put Mayo on any other organization in the majors and he would have been called up weeks ago.
Guess what, the Orioles’ major league roster is really good! Their hitting core has been performing as expected, and there hasn’t been a reason to rush into a change. Jordan Westburg has become a reliant hitter, and Gunnar Henderson is becoming an MVP candidate in front of our eyes. The most obvious spot for Mayo would be at third, taking over for Ramón Urías, but the O’s haven’t made the move yet. As is the case with many of these players, we just have to play the waiting game for Mayo.
4. Kyle Manzardo, 1B – Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland, what are you waiting for? Manzardo has bounced back from a slow start to become one of the most feared hitters in AAA. His 160 wRC+ ranks 12th in AAA, and his eight home runs land him in the top ten. Between April 28th and May 1st, he hit .556, added two more home runs, and didn’t strike out once. Manzardo projects as a bona-fide threat in the middle of a major league lineup. His bat-to-ball skills have been elite. His 6.2% swinging-strike rate ranks in the top 15 at his level. He doesn’t have anything left to prove in the minors, and he should be in Cleveland by the end of the month.
The Guardians have been awesome to start 2024. They could be forgiven if their reason for keeping Manzardo in AAA is so that they don’t shake up their roster. That said, Manzardo is major league-ready, and it would be unfair to him to leave him in AAA where he is dominant. Josh Naylor has been the everyday first baseman but hasn’t been great in the field. He’s had a -2 DRS up until this point in the season. You can debate whether or not Manzardo would be an upgrade in the field, but his bat should warrant a call-up either way.
5. Matt Shaw, INF – Chicago Cubs
| AVG | HR | SB | BB% | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.246 | 3 | 7 | 15.1 | 24.4 |
Shaw has cooled off considerably since I first put him on the list. He’s gone hitless since April 25th, when he managed a single. Since then, he’s struck out four times and walked just once. Still, it’s early in the season and Shaw has a track record of hitting everywhere he’s been. His walk rate is still very good, even if his strikeout rate is a little high. The cold streak may have extended his stay in AA, but hopefully not by much. The Cubs have been aggressive with their roster moves this season. Shaw should be in AAA before long.
Once he’s there, Christopher Morel will have his eyes in the rearview mirror. The Cubs are prepping Shaw to take over at third base, where he’s played for most of 2024 in the minors. Morel’s bat is too good to take out of the lineup, but his defense hasn’t been good enough to hold his spot at the hot corner. Chicago’s youth movement is starting to emerge. Pete Crow Armstrong is settling in well in his second stint in the show. Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown have been two of the Cubs’ best pitchers, and Cade Horton just got promoted to AAA. Once the Northsiders get all of their guys into the MLB, they’ll be a fun team to watch.
6. Orelvis Martinez, 3B – Toronto Blue Jays
Orelvis Martinez‘ days in AAA are numbered. The Blue Jays need an offensive boost at the bottom of their lineup and Martinez can slide in immediately and produce. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Cavan Biggio have been okay at the hot corner to start the season, but it’s time to give the prospect a chance. The Jays have been struggling to keep up in the AL East, and an influx of exciting talent may be enough to spark a turnaround.
The power tool is obvious with Martinez. His eight home runs put him among the minor league leaders, and his .308 ISO is 20th in AAA (min. 100 PAs). His .606 slugging percentage ranks him 12th at that level as well. He has all of the tools necessary to make an impact at the next level. His glove is a slight concern. He already has seven errors in 22 games at second base and is yet to play third this season. He’s shown versatility in the field in the past. In 2023 he played every infield position except first. The Blue Jays need his bat in their lineup, and he can plug in wherever necessary to make an impact.
7. Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B/OF – Detroit Tigers
I don’t know what Detroit is waiting for. Justyn-Henry Malloy deserves to be playing in Major League Baseball. His performances so far this season have proved it. He’s one of the most patient hitters in AAA (5th in BB%) and has shown his power tool with three home runs so far. The strikeout rate is still a little higher than where you’d want it to be, but his ability to get on base makes up for that. Over his last eight games, he’s gone 13-28 with seven extra-base hits. If that kind of hot streak doesn’t warrant a call-up, I don’t know what does.
The Tigers need another hitter too. Gio Urshela is still on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Parker Meadows has been one of the worst hitters in the league to start the season. He’s hitting just .100 and has struck out 30 times in 81 plate appearances. While Wenceel Pérez has been a pleasant surprise since being called up, he’s not enough to make up for the lack of production. Calling up Malloy would give the Tigers a pro-ready bat to help fill the void left by injuries and underperformance.
8. Connor Norby, 2B – BAL
Nothing has changed with Norby’s situation. He’s talented enough to make an impact at the major league level. There just isn’t a roster spot available for him right now. He’s competing with Coby Mayo and Kyle Stowers to be called up, and the O’s haven’t shown any urgency in getting them to the show. Norby continues to be productive, adding another homer this week. It wasn’t his best week though, as there was regression in his average and his strikeout and walk rates. These things happen throughout a long season though, and it shouldn’t factor into the O’s decision to call him up or not.
I don’t think I need to re-emphasize what I said about the Orioles earlier. They’re really good, with a deep hitting core. Norby is more than deserving of a call-up, but then what? He doesn’t have the path to playing time that some of the hitters above him on this list have. I still think that he has the potential to become an everyday contributor for the O’s at second. That said there is some bench-bat risk with him which fantasy owners should be wary of.
9. Owen Caissie, OF – Chicago Cubs
| AVG | HR | SB | BB% | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.299 | 2 | 4 | 18.9 | 29.5 |
I know I said that Matt Shaw is the Cubs’ best-hitting prospect, but Owen Caissie isn’t too far behind. Caissie was a major piece in the trade that sent Yu Darvish to San Diego. He’s been a player to watch for Cubs’s prospect nerds ever since. He put together a solid 2022 in Single-A, which landed him on some prospect lists, but not many. He broke out in 2023 at AA, hitting 22 home runs and registering a 140 wRC+ in 120 games. He picked up right where he left off this season. He’s hit two homers, stolen 4 bases, and driven in 15 runs. Pete Crow Armstrong dominates the chatter around the Cubbies’ outfield prospects, but Caissie deserves some attention.
The glaring question mark with him right now is “Is his production sustainable?” He’s got a .456 BABIP so far this season, which is alarmingly high. A regression to the mean may result in some of his numbers going down, but the tools are still there. He’s able to generate lots of power from his 6’3″ frame, and his lefty swing is a work of art. Caissie and Shaw are my two favorite hitting prospects in the Cubs organization, and I can’t wait to see them play at Wrigley Field.
10. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF – Minnesota Twins
Emmanuel Rodriguez makes his stash list debut after an incredible start in AA. Fangraphs calls him a “three true outcome” hitter, which I think is a little harsh. Yes, he strikes out a fair amount, but he walks just as much. He’s also taken huge strides forward with his hit tool. His batting average is up 40 points from where it was last season, and his 203 wRC+ is ninth among all minor league hitters. His swing from the left side of the plate is smooth and effortless, yet produces incredible results. He’s still a ways away from the big leagues, but if he keeps performing he could be fast-tracked to the show.
Baseball fans are aware of Byron Buxton’s injury history. He’s one of the most talented players in the game when he’s on the field. The Twins sorely miss his production when he’s unavailable. He’s avoided injury thus far, but he hasn’t been his usual self. Buxton’s walk rate is sub-5%, which would be his lowest since 2020. The injury history plus a regression in production should be a red flag for the Twins. Manuel Margot is a steep drop-off talent-wise if Buxton does hit the IL. Emmanuel Rodriguez has the talent to be Minnesota’s answer in center should it become necessary.
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
Is Holliday off the list because he spent time in the majors or because you don’t consider him top 10?
A little of both. I had him as a graduate this week. But he’s also hitting .185 since getting demoted. Baltimore’s loaded with other bats and I think they’re going to be really patient with him after a rough MLB run.
Hey Jack! Thanks for your write-ups each week. They are very insightful especially for those of us that compete in dynasty leagues. Anyhow, what are your thought on Victor Mesa Jr down in AAA? Seems like all he’s been doing is hitting which is quite the opposite of the outfielders on the big league club. Plus I’ve heard he has the defense abilities too which Miami outfielders are lacking. Do you think Miami gives him a call up soon?
I think it’s possible. I’m still a little nervous by the fact that this is the first level he’s had success at in his career. He’s also only had 26 games at AAA as of right now. He’s off to a hot start but I think it’s still a while before he’s with the Marlins.