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Dawn analyzes three top fantasy baseball prospects -- Bubba Chandler, Chandler Simpson, and Jordan Lawlar -- who could make big impacts this season. These MLB prospects are potential waiver wire pickups or stashes.
With the MLB season in full swing, it's time to start thinking about certain prospects to stash. Assuming you drafted players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, or Andrew Benintendi, you should have at least one open spot on your roster. As a result, use that open roster spot to your advantage and pick up a prospect.
In this article, we will determine if fantasy managers should use that open roster spot for Bubba Chandler, Chandler Simpson, or Jordan Lawlar. All three prospects could be sneaky pickups early this year.
So, let's dive in and see if these three prospects should be stashed or grabbed off the waiver wire before it's too late.
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Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA)
Current Level: Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA)
Availability: 21 percent rostered
2024 AAA stats: IP: 80.1, W/L: 6-7, K/9: 10.5, ERA: 3.7
2024 AA stats: IP: 39.1, W/L: 4-0, K/9: 12.3, ERA: 1.8
Pittsburgh's 2021 third-round pick, Bubba Chandler, is the top pitching prospect currently not in the majors. As of today, Chandler has made nine starts at AAA, going 4-0, with a 1.57 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 46 innings. This includes striking out eight with the Indianapolis Indians earlier this week.
His fastball averaged 98.6 mph in the same game, once hitting 100. On his 61 pitches, he had a 20 percent swinging strike rate. If his fastball isn't enough to convince fantasy managers, maybe his slider and changeup, combining for a 40 percent whiff rate, will do the trick.
Bubba Chandler - OUTSTANDING 🔥
4.0IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 8SO’s
Hit 100mph on the fastball multiple times 🔥
60 pitches tonight (46 strikes, 14 balls) -
He’s still getting off that early season pitch limit.
FLAWLESS performance.
Full strikeout recap here: pic.twitter.com/GkrysNEPgB
— Christian ✞ (@CWolfPGH) April 8, 2025
There is no timeline for bringing up Chandler, but if when the Pirates brought up Paul Skenes is any indication (early May 2024), it could be soon.
Chandler Simpson, INF, Tampa Bay Rays (AAA)
Current Level: Tampa Bay Rays (AAA)
Availability: 5 percent rostered
2024 AA stats: 78 G, .351/.401/.407, 1 HR, 20 R, 56 RBI, 73 SB
2025 AAA stats: 10 G, .250/.365/.318, 0 HR, 9 R, 5 RBI, 5 SB
When looking at Simpson's 2024 AA stats, I had to double- and triple-check them to be sure I was seeing right: 73 stolen bases in 78 games? In 10 games this season at AAA, there have been five stolen bases? Beyond the steals, his batting average upside makes him an even more appealing stash candidate.
Simpson is no power hitter and has only one home run during his 2024 campaign (and it was an inside-the-park homer). But with two AAA teams in 2024, the speedster slashed .355/.410/.397 to go along with his 104 swiped bases.
He's a freak. He's the fastest kid alive.
Y'all, Chandler Simpson just beat out a ground ball TO THE FIRST BASEMAN pic.twitter.com/JuPKqYlPDU
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 5, 2025
Simpson is likely just months away from a major league call-up with the Rays. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should stash him now before the hype builds, as players with his speed profile tend to make immediate fantasy impacts.
Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks (AAA)
Current Level: Arizona Diamondbacks (AAA)
Availability: 8 percent rostered
2024 AAA stats: 12 G, .367/.439/.592, 2 HR, 6 R, 12 RBI, 1 SB
2025 AAA stats: 11 G, .314/.406/.510, 0 HR, 10 R, 7 RBI, 4 SB
When I poke around X for vibes around Jordan Lawlar, I'm seeing variations of this: "Why are the Diamondbacks not making Jordan Lawlar their everyday 2B if Ketel Marte is going to miss significant time with a hamstring injury!?" (credit: https://x.com/Koxcee).
Why are the Diamondbacks not making Jordan Lawlar their everyday 2B if Ketel Marte is going to miss significant time with a hamstring injury!? https://t.co/ZASEd7Jol9
— Koxcee (@Koxcee) April 9, 2025
Good question! Let's see what we can find out.
The D-backs are committed to Lawlar’s future and want to be sure he is in the best situation to succeed when called up. Now isn't that time. Why not, you ask? Moving him to second base in Arizona when with Reno, he's had just a couple of games in that position, which wasn't enough to bring him up over Tim Tawa, who started over 50 games at that same position in 2024.
Jordan Lawlar doing Jordan Lawlar things ✅ pic.twitter.com/LpR6AOtJAB
— Reno Aces (@Aces) April 10, 2025
The Diamondbacks have extremely high expectations for Lawlar, and fantasy managers should share their enthusiasm. Arizona values him as an athletic, powerful shortstop whose defense and baserunning complement his offensive capabilities.
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