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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Walker Jenkins, River Ryan, Seaver King - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Targeting a prospect ahead of other pitchers can play a major role in winning your fantasy league. Those who stashed Joshua Baez ahead of his historic debut not only saved critical FAAB dollars but may have secured a league-winner.
In this piece, we will take a look at two emerging hitting prospects who are on the doorstep of the majors and a sneaky late-season pitcher to know.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 61 G, .289/.387/.478, 17 2B, 7 HR, 13 SB
The Minnesota Twins’ No. 1 prospect, Walker Jenkins, would probably already be in the majors if it weren’t for a couple of injuries this season.
Earlier this year, he dealt with a hamstring strain before suffering an AC joint sprain in his shoulder after crashing into the outfield wall.
Now, the 21-year-old outfielder appears to be fully healthy and is rediscovering his power at Triple-A.
108.2 mph | 400 ft 👀
MLB's No. 14 prospect Walker Jenkins collects the first multihomer game of his career!@Twins | @StPaulSaints | @TwinsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/6c2fu4vVu7
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 7, 2026
In between his injuries, the left-handed-hitting Jenkins has slashed .303/.394/.502 with eight home runs and 13 stolen bases in Triple-A.
Jenkins has also demonstrated a mature approach at the plate, posting a 15.5% strikeout rate and a 12.3% walk rate. Under the hood, he is just as impressive.
The 2023 fifth overall pick has a 112.3 mph max exit velocity (89th percentile), along with a .407 xSLG (77th percentile) and a 43.3% hard-hit rate (75th percentile). He’s also making plenty of contact, posting an impressive 84% contact rate.
When you combine his bat-to-ball skills with his plate discipline and developing power, you can see why Jenkins has the potential to be a top-20 fantasy outfielder sooner rather than later.
Jenkins should be stashed in 15-team leagues with five outfield spots, and once he gets the call, he has the upside to become a must-roster player in all formats.
-Written by Marty Tallman
River Ryan, SP, Detroit Tigers
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 36 1/3 IP, 4.46 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 43 SO, 8 BB
The Detroit Tigers acquired River Ryan in the trade that sent two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Although Ryan is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain, there's a chance he could make some starts for the Tigers down the stretch.
Much has been made about Ryan being a 27-year-old prospect, which is fair, but that doesn't tell the whole story.
The Dodgers called up Ryan in 2024, and he immediately found success, posting a 1.33 ERA, 3.84 xERA, a 22.2% strikeout rate, and a 1.18 WHIP over 20 1/3 innings.
Unfortunately, he suffered an elbow injury shortly after that and needed Tommy John surgery. Ryan missed all of 2025 while rehabbing before returning to the mound earlier this year.
Since then, he's shown flashes of the upside that made him an elite prospect while also dealing with two hamstring injuries.
In 2026, Ryan has a 4.46 ERA, 4.25 xERA, a 27.2% strikeout rate, a 5.1% walk rate, and a 1.29 WHIP across 36 1/3 innings at Triple-A. Not only can Ryan touch 100 mph with his fastball, but he also has a deep arsenal.
Rollin' on the River (Ryan)!
The @Dodgers No. 6 prospect strikes out seven in five scoreless frames for the Triple-A @OKC_Comets: pic.twitter.com/2dvOa7BcUx
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 22, 2026
The slider is probably his best secondary pitch. It sits in the upper-80s with a short, sharp break and can be used both for strikes and as a putaway pitch. The curveball gives him a completely different look.
It sits around 82-85 mph with more depth than the slider and helps keep hitters from sitting on his fastball. The cutter sits in the low-90s and gives him something in between the fastball and slider.
It's another useful pitch that keeps hitters from locking in on his main two offerings. The changeup is probably his fourth-best secondary pitch right now.
It sits in the upper-80s with some sink and has flashed above-average, but he hasn't needed to rely on it much with the rest of his arsenal.
Overall, the future is very bright for Ryan, especially with the Tigers, who have proven to be a top-tier organization when it comes to developing pitching.
For this season, though, the big question is simply whether he can stay healthy. If he does, I could see him making a few starts in September as the Tigers make a final push for the playoffs.
He's worth a stash in 15-team leagues right now. Once he's healthy and in the majors, he has enough strikeout upside to be rostered in every format.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Seaver King, SS, Washington Nationals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 46 G, .297/.371/.484, 8 2B, 8 HR, 6 SB
Coming into the season, shortstop Seaver King was best known for his 60-grade speed, but the bat has taken a major step forward in 2026.
After posting just an 88 wRC+ across three levels last year, King is slashing .312/.395/.513 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases, good for a 139 wRC+ across 358 Double-A and Triple-A plate appearances.
MLB's No. 74 prospect Seaver King takes rehabbing big leaguer Carlos Rodón DEEP to center field!@Nationals | @Nats_PlayerDev | @RocRedWings pic.twitter.com/FpDPG9qsHP
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 8, 2026
From a power standpoint, King has a .201 ISO and a 10% barrel rate while improving his line-drive and home-run-to-fly-ball rates. He also has a respectable 20% strikeout rate and a solid 10% walk rate.
The biggest thing he still needs to work on is his pitch recognition. His chase rate was 36% in 2025, but he cut it down to 26% in the Arizona Fall League.
That improvement looked like it was going to stick after he posted a 28% chase rate across 165 Double-A plate appearances, but it has climbed back to 36% since his promotion to Triple-A.
If King can clean that up, I could see him getting the call around the beginning of September, if not sooner.
The Nationals are out of the Wild Card race, so it makes sense for them to see what they have in King before the season ends. He's also a much better fielder than Nasim Nunez, who currently has a 68 wRC+ across 400 plate appearances.
The Nationals also rank first in stolen bases by a wide margin, so when King gets the call, I expect him to have the green light on the base paths.
Overall, the 23-year-old Wake Forest product should be stashed in 15-team leagues with a minor-league spot, especially if you need a middle infielder or some stolen-base help down the stretch.
He could also be a difference-maker in deeper head-to-head leagues, where his speed could help you win the stolen-base category on his own in a given week.
-Written by Marty Tallman
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: George Lombard Jr. (NYY), Kaelen Culpepper (MIN), Angel Genao (CLE), Hagen Smith (CHW)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Ryan Ward (LAD), Gavin Cross (KCR), Jacob Melton (TBR), Manuel Pena (ARI), Jett Williams (MIL)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Karson Milbrandt (MIA)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals |
| 3 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 4 | Franklin Arias | SS | Red Sox |
| 5 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 6 | Zac Veen **Promoted | OF | Rockies |
| 7 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 8 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 9 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 10 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 11 | Jonathon Long | 1B | Marlins |
| 12 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 13 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 14 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets |
| 15 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 16 | Parks Harber | 3B | Giants |
| 17 | Lazaro Montes | OF | Mariners |
| 18 | River Ryan | SP | Tigers |
| 19 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 20 | Bo Davidson | OF | Giants |
| 21 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 22 | Josue Briceno | 1B | Tigers |
| 23 | Michael Forret | SP | Orioles |
| 24 | Max Anderson | 2B/3B | Tigers |
| 25 | Charles McAdoo | 3B | Blue Jays |
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 Walker Jenkins, River Ryan, Seaver King, Jung Hoo Lee, Andruw Monasterio, Esmerlyn Valdez, Willi Castro, Noah Cameron, Grant Taylor, Trent Grisham, Jake Mangum, Dominic Canzone, Clay Holmes, Jacob Webb. 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 Walker Jenkins, River Ryan, Seaver King, Jung Hoo Lee, Andruw Monasterio, Esmerlyn Valdez, Willi Castro, Noah Cameron, Grant Taylor, Trent Grisham, Jake Mangum, Dominic Canzone, Clay Holmes, Jacob Webb:
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