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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Spencer Jones, J.J. Wetherholt, Moises Ballesteros - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
As we enter the back half of the season, fantasy managers should look to stash high-end prospects nearing their MLB debut. Last season, several prospects got the call to the majors, like Junior Caminero and Dylan Crews, and flashed immediate upside.
In this piece, we will look at three of the top-performing hitters at the Triple-A level and determine if fantasy managers should look to stash them during Week 18 of the fantasy baseball season.
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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Spencer Jones, OF, New York Yankees
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 AAA Stats:19 G, .400/.457/.950, 5 2B, 13 HR, 25 RBI
It feels like Spencer Jones is becoming a weekly staple in this analysis section, and with how he's hitting, it's hard NOT to continue talking about him each week. There was plenty of excitement around Jones possibly getting the call when Aaron Judge landed on the IL, but that call was not directed at Jones, as he was dealing with back spasms over the weekend.
Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones is RAKING since being called up to Triple-A:
16 G, .426 AVG, 10 HR, 1.422 OPS 😳 pic.twitter.com/dHueus2NwG
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2025
That doesn't mean he won't get the call soon, though, as it doesn't sound like Judge will require a minimal stay on the IL. There are also still plenty of trade rumors surrounding Jones, but the latest reports make it sound like he'll remain on the Yankees unless he's part of a blockbuster deal for a star. There are only three days remaining until the trade deadline, though, so we should have a better idea by the end of the week.
Jones has been on a Barry Bonds-ian run since reaching Triple-A, smacking 13 home runs in 19 games with a .400/.457/.950 slash line. As you can expect, the quality of contact metrics has been elite with a 95.3 mph AVG EV, 61% hard-hit rate, and a 23.7% barrel rate. However, the contact skills have still been poor during this time, with a 69.6% zone and 63.4% overall contact rate.
-Written by Eric Cross
J.J. Wetherholt, SS, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 73 G, .306/.421/.513, 18 2B, 11 HR, 14 SB
I'm really starting to get the feeling that we'll see J.J. Wetherholt up with St. Louis by the end of the season, maybe even shortly after the trade deadline if the Cardinals trade Brendan Donovan or others. Wetherholt has been playing second base around one-third of the time over the last two months, making 12 starts at the position in his last 37 games. Outside of an injury, a Donovan trade opening up second base is the lone path I see for Wetherholt this season, though.
JJ Wetherholt is mashing Triple-A pitching 🔥
MLB's No. 17 prospect (@Cardinals) drills two long balls in three innings, raising his @MemphisRedbirds OPS to 1.521: pic.twitter.com/3LVPWGbwqR
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 24, 2025
If Wetherholt does get the call, he brings a well-rounded offensive skill set to the table. He's also been red hot over the last month, slashing .299/.390/.716 with five doubles, seven home runs, and only 12 strikeouts in his last 77 plate appearances. Wetherholt has a contact rate around 81% this season with a 15.1% walk rate and 14.5% strikeout rate.
Since arriving in Triple-A, Wetherholt has posted a 91.3 mph AVG EV, 50% hard-hit rate, and a 17.6% barrel rate.
For now, he is worth closely monitoring in deeper formats. If the Cardinals were to trade some of their infielders at the deadline, Wetherholt could be in a great position to make his MLB debut later in August.
- Written by Eric Cross
Moises Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 AAA Stats: 85 G, .331/.393/.496, 26 2B, 9 HR, 49 SO, 35 BB
The final player we will spotlight in this piece is Chicago Cubs backstop Moises Ballesteros. Unlike the first two names above, Ballesteros has already received a brief taste of the big leagues. During his short 18-plate appearance stint, the backstop posted a .188/.278/.188 line. While his stat line leaves a lot to be desired, during this stint, he showed an elite eye at the plate, spotting a 5.6% K rate.
However, at the top level of the minor leagues, Ballesteros has been one of the most productive hitters. Through 85 games with the Iowa Cubs, the No. 2-ranked prospect in the system (on MLB.com) has posted an elite .331/.393/.496 line with 26 doubles and nine round-trippers.
This is a great sign for Ballesteros as he posted a much lower .281/.340/.454 line during his first stint at the Triple-A level during the 2024 campaign.
While he has been producing at a high level, the 21-year-old may have to wait a bit longer to reutn ot the major leagues. Currently, the Cubs have continued to deploy Caron Kely as the clear No. 1 option in the majors with Reese McGuire filling in as the backup with Miguel Amaya (oblique) on the injured list. Even with Amaya sidelined, the Cubs have not even looked Ballesteros' way.
However, with the Cubs in the midst of numerous trade discussions involving some of the top names on the trade market, Ballesteros could be a piece that is moved to strengthen their roster and compete in October. If Ballesteros were to be moved at the deadline, he would likely find a role with his new club rather quickly.
Prior to their game on Wednesday against the Brewers, the Cubs promoted Ballesteros, and he immediately made an impact, hitting a double in this contest. While it is still unclear how much playing time he will receive down the stretch, seeing him join the MLB roster is a positive sign.
For now, he is worth adding in all two-catcher formats.
Moises Ballesteros is rated as one of the top players in AAA this season by our PS Score model. He has a well balanced hitting profile, with both a solid hit tool and above average power resulting in a .331/.391/.495 and a max exit velocity of 112.3 mph.https://t.co/sMgw13mL99 pic.twitter.com/Vyb1Dc91Os
— Prospect Savant (@ProspectSavant) July 28, 2025
- Written by Andy Smith
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