RADIO
Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Travis Bazzana, Payton Tolle, Hector Rodriguez - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Every season, fantasy managers see high-end prospects make their respective MLB debuts and emerge as must-start players for fantasy. Last summer, several prospect pitchers like Nolan McLean and Cam Schlittler emerged as top waiver-wire options as soon as they heard the call.
Below, we will look at three prospects who not only carry high-end upside but are nearing a call to the big leagues and could be worth stashing ahead of their promotion.
Should fantasy managers stash and pick up these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW
Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 10% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 20 G, .284/.396/.481, 9 2B, 1 HR, 6 SB
Up next, we will visit top prospect Travis Bazzana in Columbus, Ohio. In 2024, Bazzana made history as the first second baseman ever selected No. 1 overall. That kind of label comes with expectations, and while he hasn’t fully lived up to them yet, the underlying profile still suggests he will be an everyday big leaguer. Across three levels last season, Bazzana hit .245/.389/.424 with nine home runs and 12 steals, good for a 137 wRC+.
The surface numbers are solid, but the real story is his plate discipline: a 17.6% walk rate along with a 24.3% strikeout rate.
The left-handed hitter out of Oregon State has also been making some notable mechanical tweaks. Over the past few offseasons, he has worked with Driveline Baseball, focusing on improving bat speed and adding more pull-side lift to his swing, and it’s starting to show. Over the past two weeks, he has hit one home run with seven doubles across 46 plate appearances. Even at 5-foot-11, there’s more pop here than you might expect.
Travis Bazzana is on the board!
The @CleGuardians' No. 1 prospect (MLB No. 16) slugs his first roundtripper of '26 for the Triple-A @CLBClippers. pic.twitter.com/alhjNgagHm
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 18, 2026
Bazzana has also posted a career-high 110.3 mph exit velocity this season, along with a .203 ISO. At the big league level, the Guardians don’t have a long-term answer locked in at second base. Daniel Schneemann has been productive in a small sample, but Juan Brito has struggled, and Gabriel Arias is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Although Bazzana may not be called up until the middle of the summer, he should be on your radar in case the Guardians suffer another injury at second base. For fantasy, he should be monitored in 15-team leagues as a solid middle-infield option once he earns his promotion.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Payton Tolle, SP, Boston Red Sox
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 25% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 15 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 19 SO, 4 BB
Update - Tolle made his MLB season debut on Thursday and struck out 11 hitters. He is a priority target on the waiver wire.
On the final stop, we head east to Massachusetts, where the Boston Red Sox’s top pitching prospect, Payton Tolle, may not be in Triple-A much longer. Over the weekend, Tolle appeared to be on the verge of a call-up after the team skipped his scheduled start with the Worcester Red Sox, which is a move that often signals something is in the works.
Now, with Sonny Gray landing on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, the path to the majors looks even clearer.
In 2025, Tolle made three starts at the big league level, posting a 6.06 ERA, a 25.7% strikeout rate, and a 10.8% walk rate. On the surface, it looks like he wasn't fully ready, but his 4.01 SIERA suggests he pitched better than the results showed. The 23-year-old out of TCU has a major league arsenal, and he is starting to get a better feel for his pitches. His fastball sits in the 94–97 mph range with strong vertical life, which helps it play up in the zone and generate whiffs.
Payton Tolle struck out 6 in 5 scoreless innings on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/tYzAbmQmjl
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) April 14, 2026
His slider is his best secondary pitch, and it tunnels well off the fastball while breaking late, making it a reliable put-away option, especially against righties. He also mixes in a changeup that’s coming along nicely and gives him a legitimate weapon against left-handed hitters. In his MLB stint, he posted a 116 Stuff+, 106 Pitching+, and a 91 Location+, which tells you most of what you need to know: the stuff is there, and the command is still catching up.
However, we’re starting to see his command improve in Triple-A. So far this season, he’s cut his walk rate to 6.6% while still maintaining an elite strikeout rate. For this reason, Tolle should be stashed in all leagues.
- Written by Marty Tallman
Hector Rodriguez, OF, Cincinnati Reds
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 22 G, .271/.388/.494, 5 2B, 4 HR, 1 SB
22 year old Cincinnati Reds top prospect (#4) Hector Rodriguez is off to a beautiful start in AAA.
He's slashing .305/.447/.508/.955 in 59 ABs with 18 total hits, including 2 HRs, 4 2Bs, and 1 3B.
He's already on the 40 man roster, will get talked about for a promo if he keeps… pic.twitter.com/k6eZMXE1VP
— Nati Sports (@Nati_Sports) April 15, 2026
Rodriguez is slashing .306/.450/.548 with three home runs and one stolen base in 80 plate appearances at Triple-A. This includes impressive plate discipline metrics, including a 20.0% walk rate and a 17.5% strikeout rate. Rodriguez is a 22-year-old outfielder who has consistently kept his strikeout rate below 20% throughout his time in the minors.
The Reds recently sent down Noelvi Marte to bring up Rece Hinds, but he's your classic power bat who mashes in the minors but then has a tough time adjusting to the majors. Hinds has been a strikeout machine at the big-league level so far.
While Hinds is going to get some run to see what he can do, should he struggle at the plate, that would open the door for Rodriguez. Given how the Reds currently have a lot of swing-and-miss in their lineup with Hinds plus Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz, perhaps Rodriguez would be the better fit in this lineup.
If Rodriguez were to get the call, he'd have a high floor due to his low strikeout rate, perhaps providing 20-20 upside in a ceiling outcome. He's an under-the-radar stash best suited for deeper formats.
- Written by Frank Ammirante
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: Noah Schultz (CHW), Sam Antonacci (CHW), Ryan Ward (LAD)
Promoted This Week: Kendry Rojas (MIN)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Pedro Ramirez (CHC), Blaze Jordan (STL), Luis Lara (MIL), Jacob Melton (TBR)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Gage Jump (ATH), Carlos Lagrange (NYY), Elmer Rodriguez (NYY), Hagen Smith (CHW), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Trey Gibson (BAL), Brody Hopkins (TBR)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Trey Yesavage | SP | TOR | May |
| 2 | Robby Snelling | SP | MIA | May |
| 3 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | ARI | May |
| 4 | Payton Tolle | SP | BOS | May |
| 5 | Max Clark | OF | DET | June |
| 6 | Didier Fuentes | SP | ATL | May |
| 7 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | May |
| 8 | Bryce Eldridge | 1B | SFG | May |
| 9 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | June |
| 10 | Charlie Condon | 1B | COL | May |
| 11 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | MIL | May |
| 12 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | MIN | May |
| 13 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | June |
| 14 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | June |
| 15 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | PIT | June |
| 16 | Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | July |
| 17 | River Ryan | SP | LAD | May |
| 18 | Kevin Alcantara | OF | CHC | June |
| 19 | Jonah Tong | SP | NYM | June |
| 20 | Aidan Miller | SS | PHI | July |
| 21 | Thomas White | SP | MIA | July |
| 22 | Spencer Jones | OF | NYY | July |
| 23 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | May |
| 24 | James Tibbs III | OF | LAD | June |
| 25 | Jonathon Long | 1B | CHC | June |
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 Enyel De Los Santos, Louis Varland, Travis Bazzana, Didier Fuentes, Payton Tolle, Justin Crawford. 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 Enyel De Los Santos, Louis Varland, Travis Bazzana, Didier Fuentes, Payton Tolle, Justin Crawford:
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
