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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - River Ryan, Luis Lara, Randy Velazquez - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Targeting high-upside prospects ahead of their promotion is a great way to gain an edge in fantasy baseball. Those who stashed A.J. Ewing and Henry Bolte ahead of their debuts acquired a high-end option at a much lower FAAB cost.
In this piece, we will look at three prospects who are currently at the Triple-A level and quickly approaching a promotion to the major leagues, including a top pitcher to stash.
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: 22 IP, 2.05 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 29 SO, 3 BB
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitching prospect River Ryan will once again hold the top spot on our stash rankings. While his upside on a per-start basis is not as high as the No. 2 option on our list, his path to the majors is far clearer, which will give him the slightest of edges in this week's column.
Ryan was in the mix to potentially earn a spot on the team's Opening Day roster but was ultimately sent to Triple-A to continue his development. Ryan made his MLB debut during the 2024 campaign and did more than hold his own, posting a 1.33 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP over 20 1/3 innings.
During this short taste of the majors, Ryan struck out 18 hitters but had shaky command, walking 11.1% of the batters he faced. Unfortunately, that same summer, Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery in August, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2025 campaign.
He reported to 2026 spring training with a clean bill of health and once again began to show similar upside against MLB-caliber hitters. In camp, Ryan tossed 9 2/3 innings of two-run ball with five hits and a strong 12:4 K:BB.
Even though this performance was not enough to earn him a ticket to the majors, he immediately put himself on the early stash radar. However, the young right-hander would face another road bump in his return to the majors, suffering a minor hamstring injury. Fortunately, this was not overly serious, and he was only on the 7-day IL for a month.
He has since returned to action in Oklahoma City and looked like his typical self. Since returning on May 15, Ryan has made two starts, logging nine innings with a stellar 1.00 ERA and a 0.56 WHIP. He has tallied 11 punchouts while showing near-perfect command, walking just one hitter. In his most recent outing on May 28, Ryan was even sharper, logging a season-high six innings with eight strikeouts.
What makes Ryan an intriguing stash target is also his clear path to the bigs. With him now back in action, he is a prime candidate to join a Dodgers rotation that could use some extra depth with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow both on the IL.
While Eric Lauer recently earned the call to be a short-term placement if he stumbles (5.95 ERA this season), the reigning two-time world champions could turn to Ryan to give him his second stint in the majors.
He is pitching at an elite level right now and should adjust easily to the big leagues.
River Ryan was 🔥🔥🔥
5.0 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 7 K
Retired his final 11 in a row. pic.twitter.com/ipWpDQgHE9
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) May 22, 2026
-Written by Andy Smith
Luis Lara, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 55 G, .345/.452/.510, 8 2B, 7 HR, 18 SB
Lara is currently slashing .345/.452/.510 with seven home runs and 18 stolen bases in 227 plate appearances at Triple-A. The 21-year-old outfielder is showing phenomenal plate discipline, as highlighted by a 15.4% walk rate and a 12.8% strikeout rate. This has been a common theme throughout Lara's time in the minors, as he's always kept his strikeout rate below 20%.
There's a ton of speed in this profile, as Lara swiped 44 bags at Double-A last year and 45 at Single-A in 2024. The biggest change this season has been the uptick in power. Last season, Lara had only two homers in 612 plate appearances at Double-A. He's more than tripled that output in almost 400 fewer plate appearances this season. His ISO has gone from .086 to .160.
Lara called the bank shot. pic.twitter.com/rYAlkecTxm
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) May 2, 2026
That's massive for Lara's fantasy upside, as he's gone from a speed demon with zero power to a hitter who can slug 15-20 home runs while swiping 40+ bags. If Lara continues to hit like this, there's a chance that he can force the Brewers' hand. Right now, Sal Frelick has been the right fielder against righties. He's struggled mightily, putting up a 69 wRC+ in 192 plate appearances. If Lara keeps hitting and Frelick continues to struggle, we could see Milwaukee make the swap.
With that in mind, it's a good idea to keep a close eye on Lara in the minors right now.
- Written by Frank Ammirante
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 9 G, .235/.316/.324, 8 2B, 8 SO, 3 BB
Velazquez is currently slashing .317/.412/.551 with seven home runs in 194 plate appearances across all minor league levels. This includes strong plate discipline metrics, with a 12.9% walk rate and an 18.0% strikeout rate.
This is a 21-year-old hitter who was recently promoted to Triple-A. While he hasn't homered there yet, he's still slashing .318/.400/.455 with a 12.0% walk rate and a 16.0% strikeout rate, so he hasn't been overmatched.
Make that a 5-game hit streak for Ralphy Velazquez! pic.twitter.com/YN140UYeU0
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) May 29, 2026
We saw Velasquez register a 188 wRC+ in 126 plate appearances at Double-A last season. That included an impressive 15.1% strikeout rate. Having that kind of power while keeping your strikeout rate in check highlights his upside at the plate.
The Guardians have gotten strong contributions from young players like Bazzana, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter this season. Perhaps that could influence them to give another young slugger a chance.
At first base, Cleveland is currently going with Kyle Manzardo, who has an underwhelming 92 wRC+. If Manzardo continues to struggle, they could give Velazquez a shot, with Rhys Hoskins coming in to face lefties.
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, Luis Lara, Randy Velazquez, JJ Bleday, Colt Emerson, Max Clark, A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge, Gregory Soto, Bryan Baker. 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, Luis Lara, Randy Velazquez, JJ Bleday, Colt Emerson, Max Clark, A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge, Gregory Soto, Bryan Baker:
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