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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Kristian Campbell, Bryce Eldridge, Samuel Basallo - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Stashing the right prospect can provide your fantasy team with a much-needed boost, especially down the stretch. Last season, Tampa Bay Rays third base prospect Junior Caminero was promoted in the second half and immediately flashed power upside.
In this piece, we will look at two of the top power-hitting prospects at Triple-A and a prospect that initially made his debut in the majors but was sent back to the minors to work out some struggles.
Should those players be left on the waiver wire, or should fantasy managers add them before their breakout? Let's dive in!
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Kristian Campbell, 2B/SS/OF, Boston Red Sox
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 15% rostered
2025 MLB Stats:67 G, .223/.319/.345, 10 2B, 6 HR, 2 SB
Campbell has finally been getting things going at the plate. After an improbable rise through the minors last year, Campbell made the Opening Day roster for the Red Sox and looked pretty good to start the season. Pitchers adjusted to him and over his most recent 104 plate appearances with Boston, Campbell slashed a smooth .176/.279/.231 with just one home run and a 29 percent strikeout rate.
The demotion to Triple-A didn't do much good, either. Campbell struck out in 34 percent of plate appearances while slashing .186/.352/.300 in 20 games. Coming out of the All-Star break, Campbell looks like a completely different hitter. He is rocking a 15-game hitting streak and has three homers and five extra-base hits over that span. The strikeouts have fallen, and Campbell is showing a much-improved approach at the plate.
Kristian Campbell during his (AAA Worcester record setting) 15-game hitting streak:
.393 AVG
.469 OBP
.589 SLG
1.058 OPS
3 HRs
9 RBI
7 BB (to 12 Ks)“We still are incredibly confident in the contribution that he’s going to make to this organization over the next nine or 10… pic.twitter.com/VC05I4iXne
— Matthew Crory (@matthewcrory) August 7, 2025
Campbell seems to have re-found his groove while also working through a rib injury and some swing adjustments. This is a pretty typical process for most prospects. For hitters, especially, a prospect comes up and looks the part, but eventually, pitchers adjust. For Campbell, the first time he struggled and faced adversity was probably a good thing for him. He should return mentally tougher and mechanically more prepared to face MLB pitching.
So, what are the long-term expectations for Campbell? I still see a multi-position player who will hit 20 home runs consistently and steal 15-20 bases. I know you can call out the lack of stolen bases this year, but that is largely injury-related. If we are honest, Campbell was probably rushed. Not every prospect thrives in the majors right away. Expect Campbell to get back in Boston soon and be part of its postseason run.
-Written by Chris Clegg
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 AAA Stats: 35 G, .260/.329/.542, 4 2B, 11 HR, 0 SB
Few prospects had the meteoric rise that Eldridge made in 2024. The talent level has long been known since he was selected 16th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. Selected as a two-way prospect, Eldridge gave up pitching immediately and then shifted from outfield solely to first base in 2024. Despite spending time injured this year, Eldridge has mashed when on the field.
There is no denying the kind of power Eldridge brings to the table, as his 90th percentile exit velocity of 109 mph is a high-end mark for a 20-year-old. Not only does he hit the ball hard, but Eldridge also puts batted balls at ideal angles and has a barrel rate of 16 percent.
Eldridge is aggressive on pitches in the zone, especially over the heart of the plate. The approach and contact skills are around average, but when you have 70-grade power, the profile can work. His average exit velocity, being north of 95 mph, stands out in a big way, as does a 116 mph max exit velocity.
The swing is relatively smooth, and the power comes naturally. Eldridge uses a toe-tap on all counts and starts with his hands high pre-swing before dropping them down into a slot to begin his swing. The bat's speed is electric, and Eldridge has strong wrists to help generate power.
Considering how long his arms are, the swing is relatively short, and he has a direct path to the ball. The contact rates have been a tad lower this year and are below average overall, but you can live with an 81 percent zone-contact rate with how hard Eldridge hits the ball.
Expect Eldridge to get a shot in a Giants uniform at some point soon.
BRYCE ELDRIDGE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/e9KkzASHTb
— Even Year Dynasty Show (@EYDShow) August 6, 2025
- Written by Chris Clegg
Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 AAA Stats: 72 G, .277/.384/.613, 16 2B, 23 HR, 0 SB
The Orioles had four different catchers go on the IL and didn't call up Samuel Basallo. They traded away three major league starting position players and didn't call up Samuel Basallo. I guess they're entirely betting on Basallo winning Rookie of the Year next year to net them a PPI pick.
To be fair to the Orioles, that isn't a terrible bet if they don't mess with his playing time. There are some question marks about Basallo's future defensive home, but he has a special bat.
Basallo is a top-5 prospect for me in dynasty and my highest-ranked prospect that should make an impact this season. He has homered three nights in a row, bringing his season total at Triple-A to 23 at only 20 years old. He also has a 160 WRC+ with a solid approach at the plate.
Samuel Basallo goes deep for the third straight game at Triple-A 🚀
MLB's No. 9 prospect (@Orioles) has a 1.012 OPS at just 20 years old, and his 23 homers for the @NorfolkTides lead all @MiLB catchers this season: pic.twitter.com/s4FU6Mo10T
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 7, 2025
It's been understandably frustrating to roster Basallo in redraft for this long, but he has as much upside as anyone in the waiver wire and should be up in the next couple of weeks, finally. He is a starting-caliber catcher in all formats with potential league-winning power upside if you need that final push at the end of the season.
- Written by Kevin Luo
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