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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Colt Emerson, Kade Anderson, Joshua Baez - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Through the early opening of the campaign, we have seen several high-impact prospects earn the call to the majors and make an impact, including Payton Tolle of the Red Sox and Noah Schultz of the White Sox.
Below, we will spotlight three prospects who are quickly approaching their MLB debuts, including one pitcher who is making a strong case to be viewed as the top pitching prospect to stash in all of baseball.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Colt Emerson, INF, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 10% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 33 G, .254/.345/.468, 7 2B, 6 HR, 8 SB
Colt Emerson sends one out!
MLB's No. 5 overall prospect (@Mariners) belts his 5th homer of the season in a three-hit game for @RainiersLand: pic.twitter.com/yijF0YEMer
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 6, 2026
Emerson already signed a long-term contract with the Mariners, so it would be wise for them to see what they have here at some point. Cole Young is performing well at second base, slashing .276/.342/.403 with three home runs in 149 plate appearances. That means that Emerson is blocked for the time being.
Emerson is currently slashing .241/.336/.463 with five home runs and seven stolen bases in 126 plate appearances at Triple-A, although he's struggling with strikeouts, as highlighted by a 29.4 K%.
The Mariners are a contending team, so they can afford to be patient with Emerson. We'll likely need an injury, Young to struggle, or Emerson to force his hand with strong play in the minors before a call-up happens.
But when it does, it's a fantasy-friendly profile, as Emerson can provide a rock-solid batting average with 20-20 upside. He could even get multi-positional eligibility if the Mariners opt to give him reps at second or third.
-Written by Frank Ammirante
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AA Stats: 30 IP, 0.60 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 47 SO, 5 BB
Even though Kade Anderson is only at Double-A, he has begun his professional career in an elite capacity and may contend for his MLB debut much sooner than previously expected. The former LSU superstar joined the Mariners with the third selection in last year's draft, but is already proving that he should join Triple-A in the coming weeks.
The Mariners opted to assign Anderson to Double-A to begin his professional career at the start of this season, and the young southpaw has done nothing short of impress. Through his first five games (24 1/3 innings), the lefty has held an incredible 0.37 ERA with a 0.70 WHIP. During this stint, Anderson has struck out 38 hitters while walking just four total hitters.
Over his last two starts, the lefty has been even more effective, serving up no walks over 10 1/3 innings while striking out 16 hitters.
However, while Anderson may have already read the call of the majors in most systems, he is pitching one of the deepest teams in the sport in terms of starting pitching depth. Currently, the Mariners have five lock-in starters, with a strong No. 6 option in Bryce Miller working his way back on a rehab assignment.
Kade Anderson great again. Final line: 5.2IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 8K, 16 whiffs, 74 pitches, 56 strikes.
In first 5 professional starts:
0.37ERA, 24.1IP, 13H, 1R, 4BB, 38K pic.twitter.com/zvXuG8YZYM— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) May 2, 2026
As a result, Anderson is unlikely to earn the all-time anytime soon, as there would not even be a clear spot for him to see stable opportunities. Managers should continue to monitor his status, as a promotion to Triple-A could suggest that he is the "next man up" amid a major injury.
For now, like the names below, he is best reserved for those in 12+ team leagues with NA spots.
- Written by Andy Smith
Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 33 G, .229/.308/.450, 6 2B, 7 HR, 6 SB
- Written by Frank Ammirante
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 Colt Emerson, Kade Anderson, Joshua Baez, Chase Dollander, Robby Snelling, Bryce Edlridge, Ryan Waldschmidt, Justin Crawford, Payton Tolle. 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 Colt Emerson, Kade Anderson, Joshua Baez, Chase Dollander, Robby Snelling, Bryce Edlridge, Ryan Waldschmidt, Justin Crawford, Payton Tolle:
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