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Fantasy baseball prospect breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire stash analysis for Week 20 of 2026 including Michael Arroyo, River Ryan, Zac Veen, Jonah Tong, Kade Anderson, and more.
Throughout the first half of the campaign, many top prospects have earned the call to the major leagues and made a high impact, including Carson Benge, Payton Tolle, and more recently, Max Clark.
Below, we will spotlight 10 emerging prospects and determine if managers should stash them ahead of Week 20 of the fantasy baseball season.
So, should fantasy managers stash these breakout prospects? Let's get to it!
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Michael Arroyo, INF, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners infield/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo continues to impress at Triple-A Tacoma, producing four multi-hit performances in his last six games for the Rainiers and drawing more walks and hit-by-pitches (five) than strikeouts (four) during that time. In all, the 5-foot-10 Colombian is hitting .337 with a .921 OPS through 22 games since his promotion to Triple-A.
The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect began the season at Double-A, and his ability to compete at the minors' highest level along with his positional versatility (2B, OF) could earn him a late-season debut in the majors, too. With solid contact and power along with an ability to steal bases, the 21-year-old has the makings of a potential multi-category contributor for fantasy, so the right-handed hitter should be considered a high-end stash option in deeper 12+ team leagues.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
River Ryan, SP, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers pitching prospect River Ryan (hamstring) has yet to pitch for his new team after being dealt from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal trade as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The right-hander was placed on the injured list on June 26 and hasn't pitched since June 17. The former 11th-rounder was seemingly headed toward a recall to the majors (he debuted in 2024), sporting a 2.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 24.6 percent K-BB% in seven starts before he melted down for eight earned runs on 10 hits, a walk, and a hit batter in his final start before the injury.
Without a clear timeline for return, a late-season return to the majors seems like the best-case scenario, but 2027 might be more realistic at this point. Either way, there is little reason to stash him in redraft leagues at this point.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen has been red-hot again at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 15-for-38 (.395) over his last eight games, with 11 of those 15 hits going for extra bases (five doubles, one triple, five home runs). The Rockies' top prospect, who also authored a 25-game hit streak earlier this year, is now slashing .315/.389/.603 with 21 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 96 games for the Isotopes.
Unfortunately for Veen, Colorado seemingly has a glut of outfield depth at the moment, with a productive big league unit that includes recently-graduated prospect Cole Carrigg, along with fellow prospect Charlie Condon also waiting in the wings for a call-up. Still, Veen may have the edge over Condon the next time the team needs to fill a void in the outfield, as the left-handed hitter has already made his major league debut and is already on the 40-man roster.
With the potential to contribute across multiple categories, the former ninth-overall draft pick is a worthy stash consideration who could be in position to help managers in the run-up to and in the fantasy playoffs in deeper 12+ team leagues if he were to get the call.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Jonah Tong, SP, New York Mets
New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong is starting to heat up at Triple-A Syracuse, turning in a very solid month of July with a 2-0 record in five starts with a 3.65 ERA and 1.34 WHIP to go with 29 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings pitched. Tong has major league experience with the Mets at age 23 and is looking to find his way back with the big league club.
This season, Tong pitched three games with New York and came away with a 1-1 record and 3.60 ERA 1.50 WHIP. He had seven strikeouts in 10 innings pitched. That stint of three games came in relief, so Tong has shown the ability to work as both a starter and reliever. In the minors this season, though, Tong has been used solely as a starter and that would no doubt be best case scenario for fantasy.
He is still ranked as their No. 2 overall prospect and offers a 70-grade fastball with a 60-grade changeup. He is definitely worth stashing in the midst of his hot streak at Triple-A hoping for a big league encore as a starter this time around.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson has thus far lived up to his draft-day billing as one of the top arms in the class after getting drafted third overall in 2025. The former first-rounder has perhaps even exceeded those lefty expectations with a downright dominant first season in professional ball at Double-A Arkansas.
The southpaw has yielded zero runs in 11 of his 16 starts, and two runs or fewer in all but one start, resulting in a masterful 1.20 ERA (1.90 FIP), 0.66 WHIP, and a 36.4 percent K-BB%, all of which are the best in the minors out of all pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. With the Mariners dealing Luis Castillo at the deadline, there is one less rotation option to compete with, and the team's general manager, Justin Hollander, even stated that Anderson is "definitely in the mix" for a rotation spot, so an MLB debut could be coming later this season.
Despite not having pitched at Triple-A at all yet, the Mariners' top-ranked prospect should be considered one of the top pitchers to stash for fantasy in hopes he can help fantasy managers down the stretch.
Kade Anderson had 6.2 more shutout innings today.
ERA now sits at 1.13 in 55.2 innings this season.
Top pitching prospect in the game.#TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/TyGlT5CRsq
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) June 13, 2026
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Jaxon Wiggins, SP, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is coming off a start in which he allowed five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings and has struggled since coming off the injured list at Triple-A Iowa on July 10. He's 0-3 in five starts with Iowa since returning from right elbow inflammation. It's been a bit of a lost year for the 24-year-old with the injury, but he is still ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect in the Cubs' system.
He boasts a 60-grade fastball with a 55-grade slider and 50-grade changeup. With Iowa this season, Wiggins has 28 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched, which is a good sign. The Cubs 5-man rotation is set right now at the big league level, but Wiggins could be counted on for some depth if they look to give him his major league debut. But right now it would be best to keep Wiggins on the waiver wire unless an injury occurs to one of the Cubs' starters.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez remains one of the top bats to stash in fantasy, and with the departure of Lars Nootbaar at the trade deadline, there is one less roadblock to playing time with the big league club. The Cardinals' third-ranked prospect is 11-for-30 (.367) over his last eight games, with eight of those 11 hits going for extra bases (five doubles, three home runs), while adding three more steals to his season total.
On the year, the former second-round draft pick is slashing .251/.325/.573 with 32 home runs, which are the most at Triple-A this season; he's also added 18 steals. While the strikeout rate remains elevated at 29.9 percent, the power is undeniable, and along with his speed, the 6-foot-3 slugger makes for a highly coveted waiver wire stash in all fantasy leagues, who should make his MLB debut in the coming weeks.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Seaver King, SS, Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals infield prospect Seaver King is settling back in at Triple-A Rochester after being sidelined for almost a month with an oblique injury. The Nats' sixth-ranked prospect is 4-for-15 (.267) with a pair of doubles and two walks in the four games since returning from the injured list. The right-handed hitter began the season at Double-A but has been at Triple-A since mid-May, and performed admirably for the Red Wings, recording a .274/.340/.438 slash line with five home runs and four steals in 37 games.
The former first-round draft pick appeared to be on track for a big league debut in 2026, but with the lengthy IL stay, it may only be a cup of coffee in September assuming he gets going enough to warrant a call-up, otherwise the MLB debut may have to wait until 2027. As such, there is no need to stash the 23-year-old in fantasy leagues at the moment, but his dynasty value remains high.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Lazaro Montes, OF, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is having a great minor-league season between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, hitting for massive power, with 28 homers combined between the two levels to go with 74 RBI and 78 runs scored. He is hitting .238 between both clubs but has been better at Tacoma with a .253 average. He was called up to Tacoma on July 7 and has three homers and eight RBI in 83 at-bats since.
Montes is the No. 4 prospect in the Mariners' system and has 65-grade power, which is a massive power upside for a prospect. At age 21, Montes might still need a bit of time to develop in the minors, and we are seeing that right now with him at Triple-A. A dynasty league asset, Montes could be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues unless a fantasy manager wants to take a big gamble on a stash.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Karson Milbrandt, SP, Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has fallen on hard times after a strong start to the season. The Marlins' fourth-ranked prospect began the year with a 1.31 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 23.6 percent K-BB% over his first 12 starts, which included three starts at Triple-A, but since then he owns an 11.95 ERA, 2.31 WHIP, and a shocking -2.8 percent K-BB% (he's walking more batters than he is striking out) over his last five starts.
The right-hander was seemingly on the precipice of a major league debut in June, but after his latest outing in which he yielded seven earned runs on seven hits (three home runs), two walks, and one hit batsman, it looks like hopes of a 2026 debut are fading fast. If he can right the ship and string together a couple of good outings, starting with his next start this Saturday, perhaps a 2026 debut will be back in play, but it will likely be too late to help fantasy managers. The talented 22-year-old is worth monitoring, but for now, he's off the stash radar.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Top 25 Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues
Check out Eric Cross' updated top-25 prospects to stash below. These rankings are for 2026 redraft value only, not dynasty. These are MLB prospects who could potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2026.
Promoted Last Week: Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Max Clark (DET), Quinn Mathews (STL)
Promoted This Week: George Lombard Jr. (NYY)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Lazaro Montes (SEA), Ryan Ward (LAD), Gavin Cross (KCR), Parks Harber (SFG), Jacob Melton (TBR)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals |
| 3 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 4 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 5 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins |
| 6 | Franklin Arias | SS | Red Sox |
| 7 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 8 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 9 | Angel Genao **Promoted | INF | Guardians |
| 10 | Jonathon Long | 1B | Marlins |
| 11 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 12 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 13 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies |
| 14 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 15 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 16 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets |
| 17 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers |
| 18 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 19 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 20 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox |
| 21 | River Ryan | SP | Tigers |
| 22 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 23 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins |
| 24 | Michael Forret | SP | Orioles |
| 25 | Max Anderson | 2B/3B | Tigers |
Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool:
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2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Michael Arroyo, River Ryan, Zac Veen, Jonah Tong, Kade Anderson, Jaxon Wiggins, Karon Milbrandt, Joshua Baez, Seaver King, Lazaro Montes, Kaelen Culpepper, Quinn Mathews, Max Clark. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
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How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Looking to pick up someone else instead? Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like Michael Arroyo, River Ryan, Zac Veen, Jonah Tong, Kade Anderson, Jaxon Wiggins, Karon Milbrandt, Joshua Baez, Seaver King, Lazaro Montes, Kaelen Culpepper, Quinn Mathews, Max Clark:
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