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Zach analyzes three top fantasy baseball prospects - Jordan Lawlar, Jac Caglianone, Andrew Painter - who could make big impacts this season. These MLB prospects are potential waiver wire pick-ups or stashes.
The first part of the baseball season is an exciting time to be a fan and fantasy baseball manager, as everyone gets an idea of what to expect from their lineup, finds some matchups to attack, and locks in their team for the new season. If you're looking to give your roster a boost, it's a great time to go shopping for some potential impact prospects for later in the season as well.
Jordan Lawlar of the Diamondbacks, Jac Caglianone of the Royals, and Andrew Painter of the Phillies each have the potential to make big fantasy impacts when they get a chance this season, and need to be on your radar as you look to manage your teams to success this season.
Most teams are about 20 games into the season at this point, and while some teams are off to a great start, others have stumbled out of the gate. The three prospects in this post could offer some midseason help for their MLB teams and also give your fantasy team a boost. Let's take a look at each situation and what your fantasy baseball strategy should be regarding these three top prospects.
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Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Level: Reno Aces (AAA)
Availability: 9% rostered
2024 MLB stats: 17 G, .288/.390/.515, 3 HRs, 12 RBI, 16 R, 4 SB
Lawlar has been a top prospect for the Diamondbacks for long enough that many fantasy owners have moved on from his talent. He made it to MLB for the first time in 2023, but he struggled in a 13-game cameo before losing most of 2024 to various injuries.
He was healthy in spring training this year and looked ready to resume his climb to the majors. He hit .294 with a home run, two stolen bases, and a .389 wOBA in spring training, but the team still opted to send him to Triple-A to start the year to ensure he got regular playing time.
Lawlar has looked very healthy so far in Triple-A and is starting to force the issue that he deserves a look in the MLB.
Back-to-back games with a jack for Jordan Lawlar 💪
MLB's No. 10 prospect (@Dbacks) tallies his fourth extra-base hit in his past 10 at-bats for the Triple-A @Aces. pic.twitter.com/ZJlJLeJoYi
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 16, 2025
In his 17 games with Reno, he is 19-for-66 (.288), and nine of those hits have been extra-base knocks. He has a 42.2 percent hard-hit rate and a .403 wOBA in his 66 at-bats and has tacked on four stolen bases in five attempts.
Lawlar has also been working on his defensive versatility, playing games at second base, shortstop, and third base. He could eventually take over at 3B for Eugenio Suarez, who is hitting just .159 in the MLB, or he could move around as a super-utility option behind Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte, once Marte is ready to return from his hamstring injury.
When Marte went down with his injury, the team opted to call up Tim Tawa instead of Lawlar, but Lawlar's strong start could earn him a promotion to Arizona very soon. Although it appears that his progression has been delayed by injuries, he is still only 22 years old, so he remains a qualified elite prospect.
He has enough versatility and upside that he makes a great stash if you have the roster space available. If you don't have an extra slot, be ready to grab him as soon as he's promoted, since he should be mixed-league material immediately on arrival.
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Current Level: Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
Availability: 10% rostered
2025 AA stats: 11 G, .244/.321/.489, 3 HRs, 14 RBI, 9 R
Unlike Lawlar, Caglianone is not quite knocking on the door of the major leagues just quite yet. The 22-year-old was the No. 6 overall pick in last year's MLB Draft and has a sky-high ceiling, but he still has some growing to do before he's ready to make an impact for the Royals and your fantasy team.
Caglianone has a ton of raw power and elite batted-ball metrics, so when he does get to the MLB, you'll want to do all you can to add him. However, that could be a while since he started this year in Double-A in Northwest Arkansas.
He did look impressive in spring training for the Royals, going 9-for-18 (.500) with three home runs. In Double-A, though, he's hitting only .244 (11-for-45) with three more home runs but also a 24.5 percent strikeout rate.
His tape-measure home runs make great highlights and usually go viral, but he still needs to work on his overall consistency.
JAC CAGLIANONE HOMER OUT OF THE BALLPARK ‼️@nwanaturals | @Royals | @KCRoyalsPD pic.twitter.com/WDLWHuvAG0
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 6, 2025
The Royals could use a boost at the plate since they rank last in MLB with a .262 team wOBA and have hit an MLB-low 10 home runs in their 17 games this season. Their .206 team batting average is better than only the Pirates' and the White Sox's so far this season.
They may be tempted to rush Caglianone to the MLB roster, especially if they continue to struggle. However, he will likely need at least a short run at Triple-A with the Omaha Storm Chasers before joining the Royals' lineup.
While Royals fans are anxiously awaiting his arrival, he will likely not join the team until after the All-Star break or maybe even not until the fall. He has some of the best power in the minors and brings the upside to make a splash when he arrives, but he'll be hard to stash in a roster spot that long in most formats.
For now, Caglianone is a wait-and-see option, but be ready to grab him if he gets promoted to Triple-A or the Royals get desperate enough to jump him to MLB.
Andrew Painter, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Level: Clearwater Thrashers (A)
Availability: 15% rostered
2022 minor league stats: 19 G, 6-2, 1.56 ERA, 2.02 FIP, 13.5 K/9, 0.89 WHIP
2025 A stats: 1 G, 1 1/3 IP, 13.50 ERA, 1.80 FIP, 20.2 K/9, 2.25 WHIP
The Phillies and their fans are well aware of the wait when it comes to Painter. Painter was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft and has dazzled almost every time he has stepped on the mound in the Phillies' farm system. He posted huge numbers in his first action as a pro in 2021 and looked outstanding in 2022 as well.
His quick rise to the majors took a detour, though, and he didn't pitch at all in the minors in 2023 or 2024 due to Tommy John surgery.
Last fall, the Phillies sent him to the Arizona Fall League to get some work and shake the rust off ahead of this season, and he looked outstanding, even earning the AFL’s Pitcher of the Year Award. He worked 15 2/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA, just a 0.89 WHIP, and a .189 batting average against. He racked up 18 strikeouts in less than 16 IP and only issued four free passes.
Painter made a short, two-inning appearance in spring training and just made his return to official game action last week in Clearwater.
Andrew Painter touches 💯 mph three times and notches three strikeouts in his 2025 debut!
MLB's No. 7 prospect (@Phillies) logs whiffs on nine of 17 swings for the Single-A @Threshers. pic.twitter.com/h00rN0HOqI
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 11, 2025
While he was charged with two earned runs, both runners scored after he left the game in the second inning. He looked dominant in his 37 pitches, logging nine whiffs and picking up three strikeouts in the four outs he recorded.
The big question with Painter is not how good he can be, since his numbers have been elite. The issue is how quickly the Phillies will bring him along and when we can expect to see him in the majors. Even after missing two full years, Painter is only 22 years old, so the team will be extremely cautious with his recovery.
When he gets to the majors, he should make a huge impact, but at this point, he has never pitched above Double-A and is still working on a very limited pitch count. According to Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski, Painter could arrive in the majors "July-ish," and manager Rob Thomson said Painter could throw around three innings and 50 pitches in his next start. Dombrowski was also adamant that Painter would not work out of the bullpen since he is too good of a prospect long-term.
After the All-Star break, we could get a few Painter starts to showcase his ceiling, but it also depends on how he fares and how many innings he logs before arriving. If you can stash him, he'll be worth it when he gets to the majors, but since that's still so far away, it depends on your roster construction whether it's worth holding him so long.
If Painter's available in your league and you can't hold him for such an extended period, be looking for an opportunity to stash him as we get closer to his arrival, since he's one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, and his stuff is outstanding even after his injury and recovery.
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