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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Jordan Lawlar, Andrew Painter, Chandler Simpson - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
We're almost halfway through the second month of the MLB season, and many fantasy baseball teams are seeking help from the waiver wire. Whether due to injury or ineffectiveness, some fantasy managers are shopping for upgrades and looking for some fresh options. One great place to look for help is among the top prospects who are either getting close to being ready for their call-up or just being promoted to the majors.
In this article, we'll take a look at the latest on Jordan Lawlar of the Diamondbacks, Andrew Painter of the Phillies, and Chandler Simpson of the Rays. All three prospects can make a big impact on your fantasy team and may be just the boost you need heading into the rest of this month and the dog days of summer just around the corner.
Let's dive in and take a look at what each of these three prospects can bring and whether they make sense to stash or grab off the waiver wire before it's too late.
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Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Level: Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Availability: 29% rostered
2025 AAA stats: 33 G, .341/.422/.615, 6 HR, 35 R, 30 RBI, 12 SB, 35 SO, 17BB
Lawlar feels like he's been on the edge of a breakthrough for a long time and has been held by many fantasy owners hoping he gets his chance to shine. While there is some prospect fatigue, there's definitely still plenty of upside to love about Lawlar's game as well.
He has been tabbed as one of the team's top prospects for years and made it to the majors in 2023, when he hit just .129 in 14 major league games in the fall. He was expected to compete for a starting job in 2024, but he was never fully healthy, and ultimately, it ended up as a lost season for his development due to thumb and later hamstring issues.
He only ended up with 104 plate appearances in 26 games between Triple-A Reno, Double-A Amarillo, and the Arizona Complex League. He showed pretty well when healthy, hitting .318 with two homers and six stolen bases, but needs more experience before he's ready to play every day in the majors.
To get him that experience, the Dbacks sent him to Triple-A Reno to start the year, even though he had a good spring training and showed potential.
In Triple-A, he started out red hot and is still posting great numbers even though he has recently cooled off. He's still hitting .341 with 15 doubles, two triples, six home runs, a .440 wOBA, a .615 slugging percentage, and 12 stolen bases in 33 games.
Jordan Lawlar says bye 👋
His sixth of the year moves his average to .368 🤯@MiLB | @MLBPipeline | @Dbacks pic.twitter.com/pdTKDmGgUL
— Reno Aces (@Aces) April 29, 2025
He went 1-for-18 in his last four games, but being able to work through ups and downs like this is exactly why the team opted to have him start the year in Triple-A, where he can play every day without the pressure of the big leagues.
When he does get called up, he will be an elite addition, especially since he brings versatility from a positional standpoint and in terms of production. He has played second base, third base, and shortstop for Reno, and he has both power and speed to post meaningful numbers in multiple categories.
Since there's no full-time spot for him in the majors now, his call-up could still be a little ways away. However, if you can stash him on your bench, he'll be a great option when he does get the chance.
Andrew Painter, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Current Level: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Triple-A)
Availability: 14% rostered
2025 minor league stats: 5 G, 0-2, 3.14 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 17 SO, 4 BB
Painter's long-awaited MLB debut is tantalizingly close, and he continues to impress on his rise to the MLB. Like Lawlar, he's looking to complete a comeback from an injury and has shown significant fantasy potential when healthy. He was ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and the top pitching prospect.
On Thursday, May 8, Painter made his Triple-A debut after starting the season working with Single-A Clearwater. He threw three shutout innings and continued to increase his pitch count.
Andrew Painter strikes out five in three one-hit frames in his Triple-A @IronPigs debut.
The @Phillies' No. 1 prospect utilized his curveball for all five punchouts. pic.twitter.com/sfvlhVAWcX
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 8, 2025
He threw 60 pitches in that outing but couldn't pitch deeper into the game after three straight two-out walks in the third inning elevated his pitch count. He escaped the jam, though, and ultimately continued to showcase his upside despite a few bumps in the road.
Whenever he has been healthy, Painter has impressed. He missed all of 2023 and 2024 following Tommy John surgery after the Phillies drafted him with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. To get him some work, the Phillies sent him to the Arizona Fall League at the end of last season, and he earned the AFL’s Pitcher of the Year Award by working 15 2/3 IP with a 2.30 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and a .189 batting average against. He totaled an impressive 18 strikeouts in that limited work and re-established himself as a top prospect to watch.
Based on everything we have seen from Painter, he will make a fantasy impact when he arrives in Philadelphia later this summer, but the question remains when to expect him in the majors. Even after the extended layoff, he's only 22 years old, so the Phillies can afford to take their time and get him back to full strength with plenty of prime years ahead of him.
Earlier this season, Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski said Painter could arrive in the majors "July-ish." That seems to still be his trajectory, although now that he's just a step away in Triple-A, he could potentially arrive in June. He has only made a single appearance in Triple-A, though, so he still has plenty to work on at that level.
The primary fantasy baseball concern with Painter is how many innings he can contribute. He hasn't been very efficient in his minor-league outings or worked deep into games, and the Phillies will wisely manage his workload very carefully after such limited work the last two years. He isn't likely to be a workhorse down the stretch, but should contribute plenty of excitement once he arrives in the majors.
Even though he won't make many starts, you'll definitely want to keep a close eye on Painter since, when he does get to Philadelphia, he has the potential to make a huge impact on the Phillies and your fantasy baseball squad. If you can stash him now, it's a move that could pay off, but you can't be ready to grab him from waiver wires in the near future.
Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
Level: Tampa Bay Rays
Availability: 32% rostered
2025 AAA stats: 17 G, .301/.325/.329, 0 HRs, 8 RBI, 13 R, 8 SB
2025 MLB stats: 17 G, .270/.299/.286, 0 HRs, 5 RBI, 9 R, 6 SB
The Tampa Bay Rays have had to deal with multiple injuries in the outfield this season, and they called up Simpson for his debut in Major League Baseball in mid-April. He has been the team's regular center fielder since then, starting against both lefties and righties.
Before he was promoted, MLB Pipeline ranked Simpson as the team's No. 7 prospect. He has a unique skill set that feels like a bit of a throwback. He has almost no power in his profile, but contributes plenty of excitement with his electric speed that can turn ordinary ground balls into base hits. Once he's on base, he is a stolen base machine and can create runs while putting extreme pressure on fielders to be at their absolute best with every play. He scored from second base on this infield hit against the Yankees:
Chandler Simpson creates a run with his wheels! 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/gANpdOLNl8
— MLB (@MLB) May 4, 2025
Simpson joined the Rays in the 2022 MLB Draft and stole 94 bases in 115 games in 2023 (tied for most in the minors). Last year, he led the minors with 104 stolen bases in 110 games. He had an inside-the-park home run but no home runs over the fence. He had never played above Double-A until this season, when he had a 17-game stint in Triple-A with the Durham Bulls and hit .301 with eight stolen bases.
He doesn't provide any power numbers at all, but should be a key contributor in stolen bases and have a decent average. He has typically been leading off against right-handed pitchers and batting lower in the lineup against lefties.
His stolen base and run production should keep him very fantasy relevant, and he's an excellent addition from the waiver wire if you need speed and have the power to compensate for his lack of home runs. Simpson is a very fun player to watch and should be a key part of the Rays' lineup for years to come. He brings a specific skill set, but if that's an area where your team needs help, there isn't a much better pure speed option in all of Major League Baseball.
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