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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - JR Ritchie, Kade Anderson, LuJames Groover - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Every season, fantasy managers saw high-end prospects reach the major leagues and make a major impact. Some of the top prospects who debuted last summer who had a fantasy impact include Noah Cameron, Cam Schlittler, Chase Burns, and Nick Kurtz.
In this piece, we will spotlight three sneaky prospects who are seeing their value soar and could push for a much-earlier-than-expected MLB debut.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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JR Ritchie, SP, Atlanta Braves
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 10% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 21 1/3 IP, 1.27 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 20 SO, 10 BB
Despite some inflated underlying metrics, JR Ritchie is rapidly climbing prospect rankings because of his advanced feel for reading hitters and sequencing pitches. The 22-year-old pairs that with solid command and a deep pitch mix, and he’s finally healthy again. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2023, he threw just 49 2/3 innings in 2024, but returned to full strength in 2025 and delivered an impressive season.
Across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, the right-hander posted a 2.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 140 strikeouts, and 54 walks over 140 innings, along with a strong 49.6% groundball rate. He also held opponents to a .169 batting average. At Triple-A Gwinnett this season, Ritchie has posted a 10% swinging-strike rate, and here is a look at his most recent start against the Nashville Sounds.
JR Ritchie's hot start for Triple-A @GoStripers went up a level as he struck out 5 across 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
Could MLB's No. 83 prospect be closing in on his big league debut for the @Braves soon?
🗞️: https://t.co/lUYCx83WIK pic.twitter.com/IL9F5mc8yJ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 12, 2026
Despite his success, scouts still have valid concerns about his strikeout upside, as he doesn’t yet have a true elite put-away pitch. While that shouldn’t stop you from picking him up, it should temper expectations for high strikeout totals right out of the gate. So, when should we expect him in Atlanta? Given the Braves’ track record with developing and promoting pitching, it could be sooner rather than later.
Grant Holmes and Reynaldo Lopez have both had durability concerns, while Bryce Elder is coming off a 2025 season in which he posted a 5.30 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 156 1/3 innings. With Didier Fuentes still building up his arm for a starter's workload and Spencer Strider (oblique) beginning a minor-league rehab assignment on April 16, Ritchie could push for an MLB debut by late May.
If the Braves’ starting rotation struggles to stay healthy or if Strider looks rusty upon return, Ritchie becomes a name to monitor closely. In 15-team leagues, he’s worth keeping on your radar, and once he’s eventually called up, he’ll likely be best utilized as a matchup-based streamer. Overall, Ritchie profiles as a solid, innings-eating starter with a relatively high floor but a more modest fantasy ceiling for 2026.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AA Stats: 9 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 17 SO, 3 BB
Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick in last summer's MLB Draft. The LSU product was a College Baseball World Series hero and was widely regarded as the best left-handed pitcher — as well as one of the best overall arms — in the 2025 draft.
The talented left-hander has four plus pitches in his repertoire, anchored by a fastball that reaches 97 mph and induces plenty of whiffs with incredible ride. He has great feel for his slider, and his changeup has the ability to miss plenty of bats with a significant tunneling effect. He rounds out his repertoire with a curveball.
Making his second pro start last Friday, Anderson tossed five no-hit, shutout innings. He allowed just two walks and struck out a whopping 11 batters along the way. It was impressive to see Anderson bypass A-ball and make his pro debut at Double-A, but he has capitalized on the opportunity with nine consecutive scoreless innings to begin his career.
Kade Anderson through his first two professional starts...
9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 17 K
Anderson is one of the frontrunners, along with Seth Hernandez and Ryan Sloan, to be the #1 pitching prospect in baseball by mid season.#TridentsUppic.twitter.com/NRIxm72B0A
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) April 11, 2026
- Written by Andersen Pickard
LuJames Groover, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: .343/.438/.433, 3 2B, 1 HR, 11 SO, 11 BB
Groover was the Diamondbacks' second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The NC State product was selected 48th overall and fetched a signing bonus north of $1.75 million. He performed quite well over a full season at Double-A last year, ultimately earning his way onto the Triple-A roster to kick off the 2026 season.
With Groover, the proof is in the pudding. His results speak for themselves, as he's posted above-average wRC+ marks in every minor league season. He boasts a plus hit tool with impressive K/BB ratios, and he's an average power threat capable of hitting around 15 homers every year. There's not much speed here, so Groover's defensive profile is limited to the corner infield spots.
Across eight games last week, Groover went 10-for-24 with one home run, three doubles, 13 RBI, seven walks, and just three strikeouts. The 23-year-old owns a 10-game on-base streak, and we wouldn't be surprised if he gets a call to the show once he gains a little more Triple-A experience.
LuJames Groover delivers a career-high 6-RBI performance for the @Aces 🔥
MLB's No. 6 third-base prospect (@Dbacks) swats a grand slam to cap his night, his first Triple-A HR. pic.twitter.com/okhH87DUar
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 9, 2026
- Written by Andersen Pickard
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 This Week: Noah Schultz (CHW)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Kevin Alcantara (CHC), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Pedro Ramirez (CHC), Blaze Jordan (STL), Ryan Ward (LAD), Luis Lara (MIL), Jacob Melton (TBR)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Gage Jump (ATH), Carlos Lagrange (NYY), Elmer Rodriguez (NYY), Hagen Smith (CHW), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Trey Gibson (BAL), Brody Hopkins (TBR)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Noah Schultz | SP | CHW | April |
| 2 | Sam Antonacci | 2B/3B/OF | CHW | May |
| 3 | Didier Fuentes | SP | ATL | April |
| 4 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | ARI | May |
| 5 | Robby Snelling | SP | MIA | May |
| 6 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | May |
| 7 | Payton Tolle | SP | BOS | May |
| 8 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | June |
| 9 | Charlie Condon | 1B | COL | May |
| 10 | Bryce Eldridge | 1B | SFG | May |
| 11 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | June |
| 12 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | MIL | May |
| 13 | Max Clark | OF | DET | July |
| 14 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | MIN | May |
| 15 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | June |
| 16 | River Ryan | SP | LAD | May |
| 17 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | PIT | June |
| 18 | Jonah Tong | SP | NYM | June |
| 19 | Aidan Miller | SS | PHI | July |
| 20 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | May |
| 21 | James Tibbs III | OF | LAD | June |
| 22 | Thomas White | SP | MIA | July |
| 23 | Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | July |
| 24 | Jonathon Long | 1B | CHC | June |
| 25 | Spencer Jones | OF | NYY | 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 JR Ritchie, Kade Anderson, LuJames Groover, Bryce Eldridge, Parker Messick, Moises Ballesteros, Justin Crawford. 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 JR Ritchie, Kade Anderson, LuJames Groover, Bryce Eldridge, Parker Messick, Moises Ballesteros, Justin Crawford:
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