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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Quinn Mathews, Kade Anderson, Angel Genao - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Targeting prospects ahead of their eventual MLB debuts can not only save you some crucial FAAB dollars for the stretch run, but also provide your fantasy team with a lottery ticket.
In this piece, we will first take a look at two of the top prospects to stash in fantasy and also look at a surging hitter in the Cleveland system.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Quinn Mathews, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 92 IP, 3.13 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 111 SO, 52 BB
You might remember Quinn Mathews as one of the quickest rising prospects of 2024, when he ascended from Low-A to Triple-A in his first year of professional baseball while posting a 2.76 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 202 strikeouts and 49 walks in 143 ⅓ innings. He looked destined to reach the major leagues soon and make a big impact, before an injury-plagued season in 2025 completely tanked his value.
He missed time with a shoulder injury that held him out in early 2025, but what was more concerning was his performance after returning. The lefty saw a decrease in fastball velocity that fueled his breakout 2024 and struggled with mechanics, ultimately posting a 3.93 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. Not only did his strikeouts drop to 115 in 99 innings, but his control was nonexistent, with a whopping 16.8% walk rate that resulted in 74 free passes.
It's no surprise that Mathews entered 2026 as an afterthought for fantasy after the disastrous 2025, but he has done well to regain some of that form that made him a breakout star two seasons ago. He most recently displayed that upside in his last start on Friday, tossing seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts against the Durham Bulls.
This wasn't just one good outing, either, as it marked his fourth straight quality start. In that span, the 25-year-old has posted a 1.04 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and six walks in 26 innings.
For the season as a whole, his ERA now sits at 3.13, and his WHIP is 1.14. While it's not at the same level as his 35.4% strikeout rate in 2024, the youngster has punched batters out at a clip of 29.8% this season, which is a noticeable increase compared to last season.
Quinn Mathews recorded his first double-digit strikeout game since 2024 tonight.
Over his last nine starts, he's posted a 1.55 ERA with a 30.9% K% and 9.9% BB%. pic.twitter.com/dQCfLQmQmq
— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) July 25, 2026
The biggest thing he will need to keep in check is his walks, as his walk rate is still too high at 14.0%. However, that rate is inflated by poor play early on, as Mathews walked 16 batters in his first four starts of the year. He's gotten it more under control as of late during this recent hot stretch, but it's something to watch moving forward.
The Cardinals are far from having a dominant major league rotation, so it may not be long before they give the youngster a shot. Matthew Liberatore currently has a 5.18 ERA and 1.52 WHIP on the season, and St. Louis might be motivated to make a change if no improvements are being made.
- Written by Jeremy Heist
Update - Mathews is set to make his MLB debut on Saturday afternoon.
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AA Stats: 77 2/3 IP, 1.27 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 115 SO, 10 BB
In similar fashion, I'm highly intrigued by the Seattle Mariners this trade deadline, and whether or not they're going to trade a starting pitcher for a bat. It sounds like Emerson Hancock and maybe Luis Castillo are the most likely trade candidates. But even if Seattle deals one of those two, there still won't be an open spot for Anderson.
However, trading Hancock might allow Anderson to come up and pitch in a piggyback situation, going 3-5 innings per outing. That might not be the most ideal situation for fantasy purposes as the opportunity for wins and quality starts would be severely limited, but it's better than Anderson not coming up at all.
Kade Anderson (@Mariners) was masterful again for the Double-A @ARTravs as he punched out 7 over 5 perfect innings.
MLB's No. 5 prospect lowered his ERA to 1.27 and has racked up 115 K's over 77 2/3 innings this season. pic.twitter.com/dfvMxYh6IK
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 25, 2026
As for the production, nothing has changed in that regard. Anderson is still dominating and having one of the best seasons by a pitching prospect that I've seen in my lifetime. In 77.2 Double-A innings, Anderson has a ridiculous 1.27 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 3.6% walk rate, 41.7% strikeout rate, and a .151 BAA. You'll be hard-pressed to replicate those numbers on easy mode on MLB The Show with a perfect pitcher with maxed-out sliders.
-Written by Eric Cross
Angel Genao, INF, Cleveland Guardians
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 66 G, .305/.391/.481, 16 2B, 8 HR, 6 SB
The hitter to keep an eye on in the coming weeks, especially in deeper formats, is Cleveland's Angel Genao. In 89 games this season between Double-A and Triple-A, Genao is slashing .296/.397/.464 with 11 home runs and eight steals. Eight of those 11 dingers have come in 65 Triple-A games, where he's slashing .305/.389/.483 with a 129 wRC+.
Genao brings an exciting blend of contact and approach, currently sporting a 14.3% walk rate, 15.6% strikeout rate, and an 82% contact rate. He's been hitting for more power this season as well, posting an 89.3 mph AVG EV and 44% hard-hit rate in Triple-A. It might not be the loudest profile around, but Genao could wind up as a Colt Emerson type of producer without the huge Emerson FAAB price tag.
I'm not sure exactly where Genao will fit in on the diamond once he gets the call, and there's no clear opening for him at the moment. But at least his ability to play three different infield positions will help his case.
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: James Triantos (CHC)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Jonathon Long (CHC), Max Anderson (DET), Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Abimelec Ortiz (WAS), Lazaro Montes (SEA), Ryan Ward (LAD), Gavin Cross (KCR), Parks Harber (SFG), Jacob Melton (TBR)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jonah Tong (NYM), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 3 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals |
| 4 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 5 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins |
| 6 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers |
| 7 | Hector Rodriguez | OF | Reds |
| 8 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 9 | George Lombard Jr. | SS | Yankees |
| 10 | Franklin Arias | SS | Red Sox |
| 11 | Angel Genao | INF | Guardians |
| 12 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 13 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies |
| 14 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 15 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 16 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 17 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins |
| 18 | Quinn Mathews | SP | Cardinals |
| 19 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 20 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 21 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox |
| 22 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers |
| 23 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 24 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 25 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers |
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 Quinn Mathews, Kade Anderson, Angel Genao, Merrill Kelly, Braden Montgomery, Travis Bazzana, Grant Taylor, Shane Bieber, JJ Bleday, Jacob Webb, Tyler Wells, Kody Clemens, Brayan Rocchio, Yainer Diaz, Mauricio Dubon, Jake Burger, Francisco Alvarez, Brandon Pfaadt, Chase Meidroth. 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 Quinn Mathews, Kade Anderson, Angel Genao, Merrill Kelly, Braden Montgomery, Travis Bazzana, Grant Taylor, Shane Bieber, JJ Bleday, Jacob Webb, Tyler Wells, Kody Clemens, Brayan Rocchio, Yainer Diaz, Mauricio Dubon, Jake Burger, Francisco Alvarez, Brandon Pfaadt, Chase Meidroth:
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