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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Quinn Mathews, Luke Adams, Karson Milbrandt - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Targeting the top prospects ahead of their promotion to the majors can not only save managers a major portion of their FAAB budget, but also provide them with a high-upside player to keep on the bench.
Below, we will spotlight three prospects who have begun to put themselves on the stash radar ahead of the second half.
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: 79 IP, 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 97 SO, 48 BB
After a stellar debut season back in 2024, the southpaw from Stanford appeared to be the next budding ace in the minor leagues. However, following an injury-riddled 2025 season, the left-hander fell substantially in prospect rankings ahead of the 2026 season.
Unfortunately, the 25-year-old saw his 2026 season start similarly to his 2025 season, posting a modest 5.55 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP over his first 35 2/3 innings. During this stretch, the former 122nd overall pick struck out 44 hitters but also served up a high 30 free passes.
However, since that cold start, Mathews has slowly been working his way back into form and looks far more like his 2024 self than his 2025 self. Since May 28 (his last 43 1/3 innings), the southpaw has posted a much-improved 1.87 ERA and a sharp 0.85 WHIP.
During this noted stretch, Mathews has maintained his strikeout upside, totaling 53 strikeouts. More importantly, he has improved his command. While he has still served up 3.7 BB/9 (18 total), it is a noteworthy improvement over the 7.6 BB/9 he posted at the start of the season.
Additionally, since the start of June, Mathews has continued to increase his workload, which is a great sign and suggests he could be fully approaching his MLB debut. Since June 1, Mathews has logged at least six innings of work in four outings (out of seven) and has reached at least five innings in all but one.
Remember, this is a pitcher who began his professional career in 2024 at Low-A and finished the season at Triple-A Memphis. During this season, he logged a high 143 1/3 innings with a 202:49 K:BB and a 2.76 ERA.
The upside was never in question. Seeing him continue to build up his workload and improve his command is exactly what managers should be looking for. A promotion shortly after the All-Star break should be considered.
Quinn Mathews is your Triple-A pitcher of the month and Mason Molina is your Double-A pitcher of the month for the Cardinals' farm system. Check out the latest episode of Birds on the Farm for the full list!
Watch here: https://t.co/5PNyneVCVB pic.twitter.com/bJrss8t7Iv
— Birds on the Farm (@birdsonthefarm) July 8, 2026
- Written by Andy Smith
Luke Adams, 1B/3B, Milwaukee Brewers
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 41 G, .263/.412/.571, 6 2B, 11 HR, 7 SB
Corner infielder Luke Adams is not the flashiest prospect, but he does several things extremely well. He hits the ball hard, controls the strike zone, and rarely gives away at-bats. At Triple-A this season, Adams owns a 12% barrel rate, a .363 xwOBA, an 18.7% strikeout rate, and a 12.3% walk rate.
Unlike many young hitters, he does not rely on aggressive swings outside the zone. His plate discipline is already one of his biggest strengths, and his power continues to develop.
In his first career multihomer game, Luke Adams leaves the yard three times!
384 ft
437 ft
404 ft@Brewers | @nashvillesounds | @BrewersPD pic.twitter.com/8diLCUkVms— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 21, 2026
If everything clicks, Adams has a realistic path to becoming a .270 hitter with a .360-plus OBP and 25-home-run upside. The downside is that his profile comes with some limitations.
He is unlikely to provide much value on the bases, and as a right-handed first baseman, he will need to produce right away to justify everyday playing time. His biggest obstacle to being called up this season is the Brewers’ crowded first base situation.
Milwaukee currently has veterans Andrew Vaughn (150 wRC+) and Jake Bauers (135 wRC+) splitting time at first base. With that said, the Brewers could call him up to play third base because Joey Ortiz (68 wRC+) has been struggling all year, but that might be unlikely.
At this point, most scouts see him strictly as a first baseman because of his limited range and footwork. Therefore, it is going to take an injury or a trade to make room for the 22-year-old out of Illinois.
For managers in 15-team (or deeper) OBP and points leagues looking for a prospect stash, Adams should be firmly on your radar. He may not help immediately, but if he reaches the majors late in the season, he could be valuable down the stretch.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Karson Milbrandt, SP, Miami Marlins
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 23 IP, 5.48 ERA, 1.87 WHIP, 20 SO, 22 BB
Milbrandt turned in a relatively strong start to the 2026 season at Double-A, earning him an early call-up to Triple-A. At Pensacola, the right-hander was near-perfect, posting a 1.34 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 70:17 K:BB over 47 frames. While his time at Triple-A followed a similar pattern, he has recently begun to endure some expected growing pains.
Over his first three starts (15 innings), Milbrandt posted a 1.20 ERA but showed weak command, walking 11 and striking out just 15. Unfortunately, the weak command has begun to hurt him in the box score as he has allowed 12 runs over his last eight innings (three starts) with a 5:11 K:BB.
Growing pains are expected, especially given how quickly he has moved through the upper minors this season. If Milbrandt can improve his command, an early August promotion will remain in play.
However, given his recent struggles and Garrett's recent resurgence, managers looking for a short-term solution should target the veteran lefty at Triple-A over the budding right-hander.
Karson Milbrandt should be on more than Marlins fans' radar 👀
The righthander makes BA's list of prospects ready to play in the show in 2026 ⤵️
MLB prospects ready for a call up:https://t.co/PjUpkwBL2a pic.twitter.com/aOIrGUgPbZ
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) July 7, 2026
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: Miguel Ullola (HOU)
Promoted This Week: Owen Murphy (ATL)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Jonathon Long (CHC), Max Anderson (DET), Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Ward (LAD)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jonah Tong (NYM)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals | July |
| 2 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies | July |
| 3 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins | July |
| 4 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners | August |
| 5 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | Diamondbacks | July |
| 6 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers | August |
| 7 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies | July |
| 8 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals | July |
| 9 | Hector Rodriguez | OF | Reds | August |
| 10 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins | August |
| 11 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins | August |
| 12 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers | August |
| 13 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers | August |
| 14 | Luis Lara | OF | Brewers | NOW |
| 15 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates | August |
| 16 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox | August |
| 17 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers | July |
| 18 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians | August |
| 19 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees | August |
| 20 | Quinn Mathews | SP | Cardinals | August |
| 21 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers | September |
| 22 | Jacob Melton | OF | Rays | August |
| 23 | George Lombard Jr. | SS | Yankees | August |
| 24 | Jaxon Wiggins | SP | Cubs | August |
| 25 | Lazaro Montes | OF | Mariners | Maybe September |
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, Luke Adams, Karson Milbrandt, Kalen Culpepper, Ian Seymour, Gage Jump, Luis Lara, Sean Burke, Joey Cantillo, Heliot Ramos, Emilio Pagan, Cole Carrigg. 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, Luke Adams, Karson Milbrandt, Kalen Culpepper, Ian Seymour, Gage Jump, Luis Lara, Sean Burke, Joey Cantillo, Heliot Ramos, Emilio Pagan, Cole Carrigg:
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