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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Joshua Baez, Jonah Tong, Zac Veen - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Stashing high-impact prospects ahead of their promotion to the majors can provide you with a potential high-upside lottery ticket. As we enter the final stretch, finding upside on the waiver wire is difficult, and targeting prospects is often the best route.
Below, we will spotlight two of the top outfield prospects in baseball and an emerging pitcher who has begun to turn the corner.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 95 G, .251/.324/.577, 21 2B, 32 HR, 17 SB
Coming into the season, the St. Louis Cardinals were focused on getting younger and clearing veteran contracts. After a strong start, it looked like they might stay in the playoff race, but their postseason odds have continued to fall.
After a slow July, Baez looks to be back on track. Earlier this week, he launched his 31st home run of the season, tying for the Minor League Baseball lead.
Joshua Báez (MLB No. 44) lifts a sky-high blast for his 31st homer of the season, which ties the MiLB lead!@Cardinals | @mephisredbirds | @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/9eqBgUy391
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 26, 2026
This season, Baez is slashing .251/.324/.577 with 32 home runs and 17 stolen bases, good for a 116 wRC+. As we've discussed, his biggest flaws are a 30% strikeout rate and a 35% chase rate.
Still, he makes up for the swing-and-miss with a 72% zone contact rate and an elite 19.2% barrel rate. He may whiff often, but when he connects, he does serious damage.
Earlier this season, he recorded a 114.1 mph max exit velocity, a mark that would rank among the hardest-hit balls in the majors.
The 23-year-old also has plus instincts on the bases and 92nd-percentile sprint speed, giving him legitimate power-speed upside.
Baez should already be stashed in all 15-team leagues, and once he's called up, he'll be a must-roster player in all fantasy formats. With Lars Nootbaar now off the roster, Baez's path to the majors is clearer than ever before.
- Written by Marty Tallman
Jonah Tong, SP, New York Mets
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 80 2/3 IP, 5.24 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 100 SO, 48 BB
With the New York Mets' season falling apart, they opted to part ways with many starting options ahead of the deadline, including Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes.
While Tong has not been dominant at Triple-A this season, his prospect pedigree still gives him a strong case for another opportunity in the majors.
So far, Tong owns a 5.88 xERA and a 1.53 WHIP across his first 75 2/3 Triple-A innings, along with a 27.2% strikeout rate and a 13.5% walk rate. His biggest issue has been command.
Although the Mets' No. 1 pitching prospect still possesses elite stuff, he has struggled to consistently locate his fastball, forcing him into predictable counts where hitters have been able to take advantage.
Earlier this season, Tong received a taste of the majors but was sent back to Triple-A after walking six batters in his last two starts (seven innings). The next step in his development is to continue expanding his arsenal and give hitters more looks to keep them off balance.
A big reason Tong has not dominated Triple-A like many expected is that the Mets are focused on developing his cutter and curveball.
Jonah Tong now has the LARGEST year-over-year drop in four-seam arm angle of any pitcher this season. #Mets
2025: 64°
2026: 52°Dramatic improvement in his curveball shape from this lower slot. Added 5 mph and 6" glove-side break, lost a bit of depth, tradeoff worth it. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kaYzsVxYcS
— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) May 26, 2026
Those additional weapons will give him more ways to attack hitters instead of relying heavily on his fastball/changeup combination. The cutter, in particular, gives him another option against hitters who are sitting on his traditional approach.
Despite the struggles, I am not concerned about Tong's long-term outlook. He still has a plus fastball with elite carry and deception, along with one of the best changeups in the minor leagues.
He has already shown the ability to generate plenty of strikeouts, and his secondary pitches continue to improve.
There is no question that Tong is the most volatile player featured in this article, but he still is a strong stash option in 15-team leagues with minor league roster spots due to his elite strikeout potential.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 94 G, .317/.392/.602, 31 2B, 20 HR, 16 SB
The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen was once considered one of the top outfield prospects in baseball before injuries to his wrist, back, thumb, and lower body slowed his development.
After battling through those injuries, the Rockies called up Veen late last season, but he struggled in his first taste of the majors. Across 37 plate appearances, he slashed just .118/.189/.235 with one home run, two stolen bases, and a 4 wRC+.
Veen has since admitted that he became too aggressive and started pressing almost immediately. That led to chasing pitches outside the zone and never feeling comfortable at the plate. This season, however, he looks like a completely different hitter.
Across 418 Triple-A plate appearances, Veen is slashing .317/.392/.602 with 20 home runs and 16 stolen bases, good for a 125 wRC+.
A 448 ft. dinger for Zac Veen!
T4: Isotopes 11, Chihuahuas 7 pic.twitter.com/LpAXEvxSzV
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) July 29, 2026
He has also kept his strikeout rate to a manageable 20.7% while maintaining a strong 10.6% walk rate.
For now, Veen is worth stashing in 15-team leagues with five outfield spots and should be on the radar in 12-team leagues once he earns regular playing time at Coors Field.
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: Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Max Clark (DET), Quinn Mathews (STL)
Promoted This Week: George Lombard Jr. (NYY)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Lazaro Montes (SEA), Ryan Ward (LAD), Gavin Cross (KCR), Parks Harber (SFG), Jacob Melton (TBR), Gavin Cross (KCR)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals |
| 3 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 4 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 5 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins |
| 6 | Franklin Arias | SS | Red Sox |
| 7 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 8 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 9 | Angel Genao | INF | Guardians |
| 10 | Jonathon Long | 1B | Marlins |
| 11 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 12 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 13 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies |
| 14 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 15 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 16 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets |
| 17 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers |
| 18 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 19 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 20 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox |
| 21 | River Ryan | SP | Tigers |
| 22 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 23 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins |
| 24 | Michael Forret | SP | Orioles |
| 25 | Max Anderson | 2B/3B | Tigers |
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 Joshua Baez, Jonah Tong, Zac Veen, Jake Burger, Gleyber Torres, Robert Gasser, Brandon Sproat, Dalton Rushing, Jung Hoo Lee, Clay Holmes, Gage Jump. 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 Joshua Baez, Jonah Tong, Zac Veen, Jake Burger, Gleyber Torres, Robert Gasser, Brandon Sproat, Dalton Rushing, Jung Hoo Lee, Clay Holmes, Gage Jump:
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