The Stash List Week 8: Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash in 2024

The Hitter Edition of the Stash List is back for the 2024 season.

This Stash List highlights the 10 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 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 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

For the first time in a few weeks, no one from the Stash List was promoted to the Major Leagues.

 

Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash

 

1. James Wood, OF – Washington Nationals

 

At this point, I am blown away that James Wood has not been called up yet. In the time between last week’s article and writing this one, Wood hit .467  with two home runs. He also added three walks and eight runs batted in. This is the type of player that could light a fire under a Washington team that is languishing around .500.  Watching him feels like watching a created player on MLB The Show. He has “light-tower” power, solid speed, and can play good defense in center field. What more can you ask for?

The Nationals’ rebuild has taken a step forward this year. CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore have proven to be savvy acquisitions and have grown into their roles admirably. That said, their outfield leaves a lot to be desired. Jacob Young has the best average of the outfield starters, and he’s yet to hit a homer. Washington needs a player like Wood to take the next step, and keeping him in AAA benefits nobody.

 

2. Junior Caminero, 3B – Tampa Bay Rays

 

Caminero retaining his #2 spot on the list should surprise absolutely nobody. Yes, the guy below him on this list has almost double as many home runs, but he’s stuck in a loaded organization. That’s not to say the Rays’ system isn’t good, but Caminero’s path to the Major Leagues is much clearer. In May, he’s hitting .320 with three homers in 50 plate appearances. Any sign of rust from his early season injury is gone, and he’s ready to make his mark in the Majors.

Caminero’s glove may be a question mark though. In 22 games he has five errors at the hot corner, where he’s spent the majority of his time. Playing third is out of the question for Caminero. Isaac Paredes has locked that spot down. So where does he fit into the lineup? The second base has been held down by Richie Palacios, and his 127 wRC+ doesn’t make him a replacement candidate. When Caminero does get called up, expect to see him primarily at the DH spot, filling in on the infield when necessary.

 

3. Orelvis Martinez, 3B – Toronto Blue Jays

 

To say that the Blue Jays are struggling would be putting it nicely. They only have five qualified hitters, and the one with the best average is hitting .276 (Vladdy Jr.). While those aren’t horrendous numbers, they’re cause for concern for a Toronto team that was hoping to compete this year. With how much uncertainty there has been already this year, why not give a top prospect a run in the team?

Martinez deserves it. He’s hitting the cover off of the ball in AAA and finds himself among the top home run hitters in the minors. He cooled off considerably this week though, which may delay his promotion. A .143 average this week (at the time of writing) does little to plead a case to make it to the Majors. While Martinez may be struggling right now, I think his call-up is coming soon, and he has the tools to stick in the show when he arrives.

 

4. Coby Mayo, 3B – Baltimore Orioles

 

Coby Mayo, I am so sorry. The only reason that he’s dropped a spot is because of an unfortunate injury. Mayo fractured a rib during Friday’s game, which is a significant setback in his promotion timeline. If he were wearing any other uniform but an Orioles one, he’d have been in the show by now. His 13 round-trippers are tied for first in the minors alongside Joey Loperfido (who got called up). Sure, the walk rate is still sub-10%, and his BABIP is a little high, but those flags aren’t red enough for me to prevent a call-up.

The Orioles remain at the pinnacle of the baseball landscape. At 27-14, there’s little reason to shake up a roster that’s performing at a high rate. We’ve also seen several of their highly-ranked prospects struggle at the Major League level. That said, I still think some moves could make them even better. Once Mayo returns, he should continue to force the O’s Front Office into a decision as to whether or not he deserves a shot.

 

Malloy drops below his fellow Tiger after a subpar May at the plate. So for this month, he’s hitting just .214 with two extra-base hits. Not ideal numbers for a guy hoping to finally break into the Major Leagues. Despite the poor run of form, Malloy’s numbers are still impressive. His walk rate is still hovering around 20% and a 133 wRC+ is impressive. He’s spent plenty of time in AAA, and it may be time for the Tigers to see if he can perform in the big leagues.

Malloy’s versatility plays to his advantage. As I said when talking about Jung, the Tigers could use an offensive boost. Malloy has spent time at third base, as well as every spot in the outfield. He can plug in when needed and use his offensive skill set to stay in the lineup. His hitting track record is impressive, as he’s posted a 100+ wRC+ at every stop in the minors. There’s no reason to believe that this won’t continue in Detroit once he gets the call.

 

7. Matt Shaw, INF – Chicago Cubs

 

Thank goodness Matt Shaw started hitting again. I was starting to think that I jinxed him permanently. He’s back to his usual form, hitting .300 with four runs batted in and adding a stolen base this week. He also flashed the leather, making a nice play on a bouncing ball to third. These aren’t exactly groundbreaking stats or plays out of an AA player, but the roster situation in Chicago justifies his spot.

Since the offseason, third base has been a question mark for the Cubs. I’d say it was their biggest question mark, but the bullpen continues to raise far more queries a month and a half into the season. Christopher Morel has made five errors and has a -7 outs above average. His hitting hasn’t justified his spot in the lineup either. He’s hitting just .219 with a .736 OPS. His nine home runs have come up huge for the Cubs so far, but it may be time to move his production to the DH spot. It’s no secret that when Shaw’s ready, he will be the primary third baseman for the Cubs.

 

8. Jacob Wilson, SS – Oakland Athletics

 

Few would have been blamed for questioning whether Wilson’s .455 average would be on display in AAA. He answered those questions immediately. He’s not hitting over .400, but a .375 average through five games in AAA is impressive, especially considering Wilson’s only spent a year as a professional baseball player. His walk rate remains very low, but that is due to Wilson’s elite bat-to-ball skills. If he continues hitting like he is, a shot at Oakland’s roster should come soon.

The A’s, surprisingly to some, aren’t a complete dumpster fire this year. They sit third in the AL West and have some pieces that they could build around. Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof, and JJ Bleday have quietly had solid seasons. Tyler Soderstrom made his return to the MLB after a good start in AAA. The pitching core has also shown signs of life. Oakland may be building something interesting, and Jacob Wilson will only add to the intrigue once he’s called up.

 

9. Jackson Holliday, SS – Baltimore Orioles

 

Holliday’s had a tough couple of months. First, an uninspiring first run at the Major Leagues, and now a .222 average in AAA in May. It’s way too early to panic though. It’s easy to forget that Holliday is just 21 because of how polished and professional he looks at the plate. This is arguably his worst stretch of his young career so far though, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the adversity. Even while struggling, he’s put up some impressive numbers. In 13 games he’s walked 16 times, which is indicative of how scared pitchers are of him.

Say it with me: The Orioles are still really good. They have no reason to change a winning formula. Especially after how his first shot at the show went, the O’s are going to be careful with Holliday. Gunnar Henderson is a pretty good option at short in the meantime though. Going forward, it’ll be very interesting to see how Baltimore handles having two incredible shortstops on the same roster. In the meantime, Holliday will have to wait for his chance to redeem himself.

 

10. Niko Kavadas, 1B – Boston Red Sox

 

Niko Kavadas makes his stash list debut after a stellar start to the season. First base is a position in the Red Sox organization that has a lot of depth. However, Triston Casas is on the injured list, and Bobby Dalbec is struggling to find form in AAA. Dominic Smith and Garrett Cooper are currently holding down the position for now, but neither are permanent solutions. Casas is likely the long-term option at first, but he won’t be back until late June according to MLB.com. Kavadas can plug in and offer offensive upside that the current options cannot.

I’ll admit that Kavadas wasn’t on my radar until recently. I thought, like many others, that there were too many other options in front of him to make an impact this year. He’s forcing the issue though, and if he keeps up his current pace, he’ll be in the show before long. He’s already got nine home runs on the year, and his walk rate is right where you’d want it out of a prospect. His 183 wRC+ is the best among qualified AAA hitters. The Red Sox need to make some big moves to catch up to the Yankees and Orioles. Kavadas could help close the gap.

 

On The Bubble

 

Here are the next five hitters that were in consideration for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order:

Chase Meidroth

Colson Montgomery

Owen Caissie

Carson Williams

Emmanuel Rodriguez

 

Stash List