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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - James Tibbs III, Kaelen Culpepper, Henry Bolte - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Managers looking for an edge in their fantasy baseball league should consider stashing prospects who are on the verge of earning the call to the big leagues. Those who stashed Noah Schutlz may have acquired a potential must-start starting pitcher for the remainder of the season.
In this piece, we will look at three prospects who are on the verge of making their MLB debuts, including two budding outfield prospects.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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James Tibbs III, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 10% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 33 G, .298/.396/.649, 11 HR, 1 SB
This isn't the first time managers have been advised to stash Tibbs, and it won't be the last. The 23-year-old continues to trend up as he makes a substantial impact at the Triple-A level for the Dodgers.
Tibbs' pro career started in the NL West, but not with the Dodgers. He was the Giants' first-round pick in 2024, fetching a $4.75 million signing bonus. He was dealt to Boston in last year's Rafael Devers trade, but the Red Sox shipped him off to Los Angeles in exchange for Dustin May shortly after.
That deal appears to have blown up in Boston's face, as Tibbs is arguably having one of the best minor league seasons in recent memory. His 8.1% home run rate is absurd, and he has also been walking at a high clip.
That's no fluke. The consensus opinion about Tibbs has long been that he's a power hitter who will consistently produce extremely high exit velocities, even against stronger MLB pitching. He hits both righties and lefties well, and he still has the discipline needed to work deep into counts and draw walks.
James Tibbs III has been RAKING at Triple-A for the Dodgers!
10 HR, 22 RBI, 1.106 OPS in 23 G
He's the first MiLB player to reach 10 homers ... and on pace for 65 HR 😉 pic.twitter.com/F1XbOV3EK1
— MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2026
Most of Tibbs' experience has come in right field, but all three of his organizations have also used him at first base occasionally. The Dodgers are the frontrunners among that group, giving him 10 games (nine starts) at first base so far this season. That makes sense, as the Dodgers already have Kyle Tucker in right and would benefit from Tibbs boasting defensive versatility.
We all know that the Dodgers have a stacked roster, so they're presumably in no rush to call up someone like Tibbs. However, as soon as he does get that call to the show, he's going to be an extremely hot fantasy baseball commodity. Managers should get ahead of the rush and stash Tibbs, because we expect him to produce at a high level once he does make his MLB debut.
-Written by Andersen Pickard
Kaelen Culpepper, INF, Minnesota Twins
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 28 G, .246/.336/.447, 6 HR, 6 SB
All four of Kaelen Culpepper's home runs this season have come in day games ☀️
The @Twins' No. 2 prospect belts his latest for the @StPaulSaints in the MiLB Free Game of the Day.
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/ahTqRXc0l3 pic.twitter.com/Kfg4dyStNh
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 28, 2026
Culpepper is worth highlighting because he's a 23-year-old prospect who is almost ready for the big leagues. Plus, the Twins are going nowhere this season, so it's only a matter of time before they start to fully embrace the youth movement, as they try to get a look at their younger players.
Culpepper is currently slashing .240/.325/.423, which doesn't exactly pop off the page. However, he does have five home runs and five stolen bases in 117 plate appearances, so he's showing some nice power-speed upside at Triple-A. On top of that, Culpepper is keeping his strikeout rate in check (21.4%) while walking at an above-average clip (10.3%).
Remember, this is a player who went 20-25 in 517 plate appearances across all minor league levels last season. At 23 years old, there's not much left for him to prove in the minors. He just needs some reps at Triple-A, which is happening right now. If Culpepper can continue to show that he belongs, he'll get the call later this summer.
Be sure to monitor his progress because there's always room in fantasy baseball for a middle infielder who can hit home runs and steal bases.
- Written by Frank Ammirante
Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 31 G, .305/.385/.519, 7 HR, 13 SB
No. 2 A’s position prospect Henry Bolte belts his SEVENTH home run of the season to go along with ELEVEN stolen bases. A real power-speed threat knocking at the door of a call-up soon. 🔥🔥🔥 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/OiKosKlJgk
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) April 26, 2026
Bolte currently has a .250/.339/.491 slash with seven home runs and 11 stolen bases in 127 plate appearances at Triple-A. That kind of combination of power and speed immediately captures my attention. This is especially exciting when you consider that Bolte has always put up double-digit walk rates throughout the minors, including 11.0% this season.
While the strikeout rate is a bit of a problem (26.0%), the good news is that he's trimmed it from 28.9% this season. The A's recently called up Colby Thomas for a fourth outfielder role. If Carlos Cortes slows down or Lawrence Butler continues to struggle, maybe we'll see Bolte eventually get a chance.
We've seen Bolte steal 40+ bases on two occasions in the minors. What's really been exciting is the power surge, as his seven home runs are only eight away from his previous career high. Perhaps these gains can stick, making him more desirable for the A's.
In any case, Bolte is a less hyped prospect than others on this list, so he may go overlooked in your league. Just remember this blurb if he gets called up, since his speed is good enough to make him interesting in deeper formats.
- 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: Trey Yesavage (TOR), Elmer Rodriguez (NYY), Travis Bazzana (CLE)
Promoted This Week: Bryce Eldridge (SFG), Joe Mack (MIA)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Jonathon Long (CHC), Blaze Jordan (STL), Jacob Melton (TBR), James Tibbs (LAD)
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 | Bryce Eldridge | 1B | SFG | This Week |
| 2 | Robby Snelling | SP | MIA | May |
| 3 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | ARI | May |
| 4 | Max Clark | OF | DET | June |
| 5 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | May |
| 6 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | MIN | May |
| 7 | Didier Fuentes | SP | ATL | May |
| 8 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | June |
| 9 | Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | June |
| 10 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | July |
| 11 | Charlie Condon | 1B | COL | June |
| 12 | Luis Lara | OF | MIL | June |
| 13 | A.J. Ewing | OF | NYM | July |
| 14 | Kevin Alcantara | OF | CHC | June |
| 15 | Thomas White | SP | MIA | July |
| 16 | Jonah Tong | SP | NYM | June |
| 17 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | MIL | June |
| 18 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | July |
| 19 | Spencer Jones | OF | NYY | July |
| 20 | Aidan Miller | SS | PHI | July |
| 21 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | May |
| 22 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | PIT | June |
| 23 | Henry Bolte | OF | ATH | July |
| 24 | Pedro Ramirez | 2B/3B | CHC | July |
| 25 | Joe Mack | C | MIA | This Week |
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 James Tibbs III, Robby Snelling, Max Clark, Charlie Condon, Lucas Erceg, Abner Uribe, Kyle Finnegan, Ryan Waldschmidt. 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 James Tibbs III, Robby Snelling, Max Clark, Charlie Condon, Lucas Erceg, Abner Uribe, Kyle Finnegan, Ryan Waldschmidt:
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