Three top fantasy baseball prospects - River Ryan, Charlie Condon, Jack Wenninger - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Through the opening months of the 2026 season, fantasy managers have seen many prospects earn the call and become must-add players off the waiver wire like Travis Bazzana, A.J. Ewing, Payton Tolle, among others. Picking up these players before their promotion can not only potentially secure you a league-winner, but also save you a massive amount of your FAAB budget.
In this piece, we will look at three prospects to consider stashing in Week 9, including a Dodgers pitcher who is on the verge of his return to the major-league roster.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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River Ryan, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 16 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 21 SO, 3 BB
River Ryan has an immediate path to joining the MLB roster in the near future, which makes him a priority stash ahead of Week 9.
Last week, the Dodgers placed Blake Snell on the injured list, joining another starting pitcher, Tyler Glasnow. While it appeared starting pitching depth was not a concern of the reigning two-time champions, especially following the emergence of Justin Wrobleski and potential "re-emergence" of Roki Sasaki, Ryan now has a legitimate path to join the MLB roster.
Additionally, following a lengthy stint on the IL at Triple-A, Ryan's value as a stash candidate plummeted early in the season. However, now that not only is Ryan back in action at Oklahoma City, but the Dodgers also need additional depth, the right-hander is firmly back on the radar for an immediate promotion.
In his first appearance at Triple-A in over a month, Ryan looked very comfortable, logging four innings of one-run ball against Albuquerque with two hits, one walk, and four punchouts. Through three outings at Triple-A this season, Ryan has logged 11 frames with a 4.09 ERA and a strong 14:3 K:BB.
Unlike the names below, Ryan has not only debuted in the major leagues but was not overmatched in his first stint. In 2024, Ryan earned a call to Los Angeles, made four starts (20 1/3 innings), and posted a strong 1.33 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. During this short stint, Ryan struck out 18 hitters but had shaky command, walking 11.1% of the batters he faced.
Unfortunately, Ryan was unable to take the mound at all in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he is back to near full strength and could provide immediate assistance to a pitching staff that is down several options.
For managers looking for the "immediate" impact among pitching prospects, they should view Ryan as the top option. While his upside is not as high as the two names below him on this list, Ryan has a very clear path to joining the pitching staff before the end of the month. If his command remains steady at Oklahoma City, Ryan could surpass his previous production in the big leagues.
River Ryan a Must-Stash Candidate with Clear Path to Starting Role? https://t.co/LpANxhkLdg
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) May 18, 2026
-Written by Andy Smith
Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 43 G, .247/.374/.404, 9 2B, 5 HR, 4 SB
The Rockies selected Condon with the third overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. At the time, he was a top amateur prospect from the University of Georgia, fetching a whopping $9.25 million signing bonus.
Injuries limited Condon to just 99 games last year, and his corresponding power output led to mixed reviews. On one hand, his 14 homers reflected plus power. On the other hand, it was a little disappointing considering that he has plus-plus power potential coming out of school.
Condon has just four homers in Triple-A this year, but he has already stolen more bases this year than last, and he's also walking at a career-high 15.1% clip (80th percentile). He's shown very impressive zone discipline with a 19.47% chase rate, which ranks in the 89th percentile.
Additionally, despite the general lack of power, we're impressed by Condon's exit velocities. He has a 105.7 mph EV90 this year, which could translate to an increased power surge in the majors, especially since he'll be playing half his games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Between his respectable speed and the upside behind his power output, fantasy managers should consider stashing Condon in redraft leagues. He already has 39 Triple-A games under his belt, so we'd expect to see him make his MLB debut this summer. He's available in 96% of leagues, and he ranks #2 among first base prospects in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings.
With TJ Rumfield currently day-to-day, Condon's path to the majors could open up in the immediate future.
Charlie Condon delivers an RBI single in the ninth, putting us on the board. pic.twitter.com/VzZ1sLNcEF
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) May 21, 2026
- Written by Andersen Pickard
Jack Wenninger, SP, New York Mets
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 41 IP, 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 44 SO, 24 BB
The Mets have not been afraid to welcome the youth movement, looking for any spark. They have called up two of the top hitting prospects over the past two weeks, A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito, which makes Wenninger's path to the majors seem less daunting.
While Tong sits higher on most prospect boards, Wenninger has been far more impressive at the Triple-A level and is trending toward energizing the call before Tong this season.
Currently, Wenninger is viewed as the team's No. 5-ranked prospect on MLB.com and has been dominant at the Triple-A level this season. After spending the 2025 season at Double-A and logging 135 2/3 innings to the tune of a 2.92 ERA, Wenninger has even taken a step forward in his first stint with Syracuse.
So far, Wenninger has made eight starts and tossed 35 2/3 innings with a stellar 1.51 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. During this stretch, Wenninger has tallied 39 punchouts but allowed a rather high 22 walks. While he holds an incredible 0.95 ERA over his last 19 frames, he has served up a rather high 5.2 BB/9 over this stretch, which has put a bit of a knock on his profile.
Command was not as much of an issue as summer, as he allowed only 42 walks over 135 2/3 innings and is nearly on pace to surpass this mark by the end of May, as he has already walked 22 hitters in just two months of action this season.
Managers should continue to monitor Wenninger's progression, but it appears the Illinois product may be approaching his MLB debut.
Jack Wenninger fires a 1-2-3 inning 🔥
(via @Cardinals) pic.twitter.com/fcdKMauwm3
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 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: 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 River Ryan, Charlie Condon, Jack Wenninger, Thomas White, Kevin Alcantara, Henry Bolte, Dylan Crews, Abner Uribe, Josh Jung, Gregory Soto, Casey Schmitt, Ryan Waldschmidt, Colt Emerson. 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 River Ryan, Charlie Condon, Jack Wenninger, Thomas White, Kevin Alcantara, Henry Bolte, Dylan Crews, Abner Uribe, Josh Jung, Gregory Soto, Casey Schmitt, Ryan Waldschmidt, Colt Emerson:
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