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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Kade Anderson, Ralphy Velazquez, Jimmy Crooks - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Finding high-upside prospects on the waiver can provide you with a potential lottery ticket. So far, many prospects who earned the call have lived up to their pedigree, including Cleveland's Travis Bazzana.
Below, we will look at three prospects who are improving their future outlook at Triple-A and one of the top prospects in baseball who is performing at an elite level at Double-A.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AA Stats: 44, 1.43 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 67 SO, 7 BB
After going third overall in the 2025 draft, Kade Anderson has quickly ascended to the top of pitching prospect rankings with how he's performed this season. In nine outings for Double-A Arkansas, Anderson has posted a stellar 1.43 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, with a dominant 67:7 K:BB. Anderson has allowed seven earned runs all season, and five of those came in one outing. To put it simply, nobody has been able to touch Anderson this season.
7 more strikeouts in a scoreless outing for Kade Anderson 🔥
The @Mariners' No. 2 prospect has a 58/7 K/BB ratio through 8 starts for the Double-A @ARTravs: pic.twitter.com/RG0RQ6QH72
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 23, 2026
Anderson is going to be a hot commodity in redraft leagues once he's up, and the long-term upside is a borderline ace thanks to three above-average or better offerings and plus command and control. But when will we see Anderson with Seattle? The Mariners' rotation is currently full, and they recently added Bryce Miller back into the mix. But if there's an injury in the next month or two, Anderson could realistically get the call to fill the open spot.
-Written by Eric Cross
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 5 G, .353/.450/.529, 3 2B
Despite his higher-prospect pedigree, Velazquez's start to the season has remained relatively under the radar.
This is likely because the first baseman opened the season with Double-A Akron and only recently earned a call to Triple-A. In Double-A, Velazquez is looking more than formidable, which prompted the early promotion. Through 36 games, the first baseman has posted a .317/.414/.566 slash line with nine doubles, seven home runs, and a 31:22 K:BB.
He looked just as sharp as he did during his first Double-A stint in 2025, where he carried a .330/.405/.589 slash line.
As a result, the Guardians opted to move their young infielder to the top club of the minor league, putting him just one step away from the majors. Through his first five games at the top level, Velazquez has continued to roll, going 6-for-17 with three doubles and a 2:3 K:BB. While he has yet to go deep, he continues to show high-end contact while maintaining a low strikeout rate.
Per the FanGraphs scouting report, the first baseman possesses 60 future-grade power, suggesting he could flirt with a 25+ HR season once he reaches the major leagues.
Velazquez is not slowing down and may not only debut this season, but could make an immediate impact for the Guardians. Redraft managers should have him firmly on their stash radar, and dynasty managers should look to "buy" the 20-year-old before his price continues to rise.
Ralphy Velazquez's sixth extra-base hit in the past five games is a MOONSHOT 🚀
The @CleGuardians' No. 3 prospect is slashing .309/.414/.520 after hitting his fifth homer of the year for the Double-A @AkronRubberDuck. pic.twitter.com/P7EUlxpzzV
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 13, 2026
- Written by Andy Smith
Jimmy Crooks, C, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 38 G, .263/.413/.577, 4 2B, 13 HR, 1 SB
Update - Jimmy Crooks joined the MLB roster ahead of Friday's contest. According to reports, Crooks is expected to see ample playing time, which makes him a solid add in all 12-team, two-catcher leagues.
Jimmy Crooks made his MLB debut late in the 2025 season but did not make much of an impact. Over a brief 15-game stint with the Cardinals, Crooks posted a .133/.152/.244 line with a .396 OPS and one long ball. Given that Pedro Pages and Ivan Herrera were both healthy in camp, Crooks was optioned to the top club to put the final touches on his development.
The No. 7-ranked prospect in the system (per MLB.com) has enjoyed a power surge with the Memphis Redbirds, launching 13 home runs over his first 37 games of the campaign. During this stint, Crooks has carried a .263/.410/.575 line with a strong .989 OPS. During the 2025 season, he spent his first 98 games in Triple-A before his promotion to the bigs, but did not enjoy as much success, going deep just 14 times in nearly triple the games played and posting a low .778 OPS.
Seeing Crooks quickly tap into much higher raw power in just one calendar year is an excellent sign for his long-term outlook.
However, while his power surge is worth noting, Crooks is also showing a stronger eye at the plate and increased fundamentals. In 2026, Crooks has doubled his walk rate at Triple-A (8.4% to 16.9%) but has seen his K% slightly increase from 26.5% to 29.5%. The backstop will need to drop this mark before earning another call-up to the majors.
More importantly, Crooks has made far more effective contact with the ball, lowering his ground-ball rate from 45.3% to 39.0% and raising his fly-ball rate by five points (29.4% - 34.1%).
Even though there is no clear spot on the MLB roster for him, he is making the necessary adjustments to find more success in his next stint. His K% will need to be lowered, but Crooks should re-enter the majors with a high-upside power bat in the second half.
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: Colt Emerson (SEA), Jonah Tong (NYM), Jhostynxon Garcia (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Pedro Ramirez (CHC), Kevin Alcantara (CHC), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Blaze Jordan (STL), Jacob Melton (TBR), James Tibbs III (LAD), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Jonathon Long (CHC), Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (ATH)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Hagen Smith (CHW), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins | June |
| 2 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners | August |
| 3 | Edwin Arroyo | 2B/SS | Reds | June |
| 4 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers | June |
| 5 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers | June |
| 6 | Gage Jump | SP | Athletics | NOW |
| 7 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers | August |
| 8 | Braden Montgomery | OF | White Sox | July |
| 9 | Luis Lara | OF | Brewers | June |
| 10 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies | July |
| 11 | Cooper Pratt | SS | Brewers | July |
| 12 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals | July |
| 13 | Jacob Gonzalez | SS | White Sox | June |
| 14 | Thomas White | SP | Marlins | July |
| 15 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins | August |
| 16 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees | July |
| 17 | Cole Carrigg | OF | Rockies | June |
| 18 | Yohandy Morales | 1B/3B | Nationals | June |
| 19 | Carlos Lagrange | SP | Yankees | July |
| 20 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians | August |
| 21 | Spencer Jones | OF | Yankees | July |
| 22 | Aidan Miller | SS | Phillies | August |
| 23 | Jaxon Wiggins | SP | Cubs | July |
| 24 | Kemp Alderman | OF | Marlins | July |
| 25 | Jordan Lawlar | INF/OF | Diamondbacks | 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 Kade Anderson, Traviz Bazzana, Owen Caissie, Casey Schmitt, Ryan Waldschmidt, Abner Uribe, Bryan Baker, Hunter Greene, Tanner Scott. 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 Kade Anderson, Traviz Bazzana, Owen Caissie, Casey Schmitt, Ryan Waldschmidt, Abner Uribe, Bryan Baker, Hunter Greene, Tanner Scott:
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