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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - A.J. Ewing, George Lombard Jr., Ryan Waldschmidt - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Finding high-upside prospects on the waiver wire can provide your fantasy team with a massive boost. Those who stashed players like Payton Tolle early in the season found an elite strikeout source.
Below, we will look at two top-hitting prospects who were not drafted from the major leagues and one budding shortstop in the Yankees system who is quickly approaching their eventual debut.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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A.J. Ewing, OF, New York Mets
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 20% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 12 G, .326/.392/.435, 3 2B, 4 HR, 5 SB
The New York Mets made outfield prospect A.J. Ewing the latest featured player of 2026’s youth movement by adding him to their major league roster on May 12. Ewing made his MLB debut the very same day, drawing three walks, tallying two RBI, two runs, and a stolen base, and smashing a triple for his first big-league hit. His lone out on the day came on a flyout that had an exit velocity of 102.3 MPH.
It was an auspicious start to what could become a productive season for Ewing. With Luis Robert Jr. (back) on the injured list and progressing more slowly than expected, Ewing is expected to act as the Mets’ regular centerfielder for the foreseeable future. New York’s next best options, Austin Slater and Tyrone Taylor, have hit .209, with 11 RBI and 26 strikeouts to six walks in their 120 combined plate appearances so far.
While Ewing has done great work in the minors to improve his contact and walk rates and cut his strikeouts, his top asset is his speed. Ewing was up to 17 stolen bases in 30 minor league games to start 2026 and in 2025 had 70 steals in 124 games as he climbed the ladder from Single-A to High-A to Double-A.
That speed should pay off before too long. Looking ahead to next week, it will be wheels up for Ewing as the Mets take on the Nationals (30 SB allowed, 14th in MLB), followed by the Marlins (45 SB allowed, most in MLB) on back-to-back weekends. Ewing should be worth at least a handful of steals before the month is out, and in grabbing those bags will be positioned to contribute some runs, too.
-Written by Dan Stephens
George Lombard Jr., INF, New York Yankees
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 12 G, .146/.407/.146, 2 SB, 16 SO, 9 BB
George Lombard Jr. is the New York Yankees’ No. 1 prospect and is widely viewed as the organization’s shortstop of the future. Right now, the biggest roadblocks in his path are Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe. With Caballero sidelined on the 10-day injured list because of a finger injury, the Yankees called up Volpe from Triple-A to fill the opening.
Still, there have been growing questions about how much confidence the organization has in Volpe after they initially kept him in the minors following his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery.
It’s easy to see why those concerns exist. In Triple-A this season, Volpe has struggled, hitting just .221/.276/.294 with one home run and four stolen bases across 76 plate appearances. He also holds a modest 83 career wRC+. While Caballero is expected back soon, there is still a scenario where Volpe struggles in the majors, gets sent back down, and opens the door for Lombard later this season.
Lombard, meanwhile, has moved quickly through the system. He earned a promotion from Double-A to Triple-A this season after slashing .312/.400/.571 with four home runs and four stolen bases.
George Lombard Jr. continues to demolish Double-A pitching 🔨
.382/.453/.709, 4 homers, 6 multihit games, RBIs in 8 of 14 contests@Yankees | @SOMPatriots pic.twitter.com/Ydzr02e2lK
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 22, 2026
Although his production has dipped a bit since the promotion, he still owns an impressive .417 OBP, driven by advanced plate discipline highlighted by a 25% walk rate and just a 14.6% strikeout rate. The main concern in Lombard’s profile is that he struggles to consistently handle fastballs, especially elevated heaters at the top of the strike zone.
His overall 73% contact rate also leaves room for improvement, but his strong approach and developing power still point to significant upside.
Defense is another major reason the Yankees are so high on him. During the 2025 Winter Meetings, general manager Brian Cashman said Lombard is already MLB-ready defensively. If his bat continues to progress, a call-up could happen sooner rather than later. For fantasy managers in 15-team leagues, Lombard is already someone worth monitoring closely. Once promoted, he could provide value as a middle-infield option or upside bench bat.
Long term, many evaluators believe he has a more complete all-around profile than Volpe.
- Written by Marty Tallman
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 20% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 34 G, .289/.400/.477, 9 2B, 3 HR, 6 SB
2026 Prospect Fantasy Baseball Redraft Stash Rankings
Who are the top fantasy baseball prospects to know? Check out our latest 2026 prospect fantasy baseball rankings which are updated regularly by Eric Cross:
Promoted Last Week: Bryce Eldridge (SFG), Joe Mack (MIA), Robby Snelling (MIA), Ryan Waldschmidt (ARI), Spencer Jones (NYY)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Blaze Jordan (STL), Jacob Melton (TBR), James Tibbs (LAD), Cole Carrigg (COL), Edwin Arroyo (CIN)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Gage Jump (ATH), Carlos Lagrange (NYY), Hagen Smith (CHW), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Trey Gibson (BAL), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Kendry Rojas (MIN), River Ryan (LAD)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | May |
| 2 | Henry Bolte | OF | ATH | Now |
| 3 | Max Clark | OF | DET | July |
| 4 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | MIN | June |
| 5 | Kade Anderson | SP | SEA | July |
| 6 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | July |
| 7 | Charlie Condon | 1B | COL | June |
| 8 | Luis Lara | OF | MIL | June |
| 9 | A.J. Ewing | OF | NYM | Now |
| 10 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | June |
| 11 | Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | June |
| 12 | Thomas White | SP | MIA | July |
| 13 | Jonah Tong | SP | NYM | June |
| 14 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | MIL | June |
| 15 | Jordan Lawlar | INF/OF | ARI | July |
| 16 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | July |
| 17 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | May |
| 18 | Kevin Alcantara | OF | CHC | July |
| 19 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | PIT | June |
| 20 | Pedro Ramirez | 2B/3B | CHC | July |
| 21 | Hagen Smith | SP | CHW | July |
| 22 | Aidan Miller | SS | PHI | August |
| 23 | Kemp Alderman | OF | MIA | July |
| 24 | Jonathon Long | 1B | CHC | July |
| 25 | Michael Arroyo | 2B/3B | SEA | July |
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:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like A.J. Ewing, George Lombard Jr., Ryan Waldschmidt, Abner Uribe, Illdemaro Vargas, Henry Bolte, Josh Jung, Travis Bazzana. 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.
Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
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 A.J. Ewing, George Lombard Jr., Ryan Waldschmidt, ABner Uribe, Illdemaro Vargas, Henry Bolte, Josh Jung, Travis Bazzana:
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