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Four top fantasy baseball prospects - Edwin Arroyo, Luis Lara, Franklin Arias, and Jesus Made - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Welcome to Week 9 and RotoBaller's Redraft Fantasy Baseball Prospects Report for the 2026 MLB season, looking at prospect risers and fallers in redraft fantasy baseball leagues.
As we advance deeper into the regular season, we'll take a closer look at Edwin Arroyo, Luis Lara, Franklin Arias, and Jesus Made. Each is a top talent in their team's farm system who has either already debuted early this season or is knocking on the door of receiving a call to the show.
We’ll dive into their early performances, analyze what’s working (and what’s not), and offer insights on what fantasy baseball managers can expect as we get deeper into the 2026 season.
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Edwin Arroyo, SS, Cincinnati Reds
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 Triple-A Stats: 52 G, .332/.393/.567, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 9 SB, 7.5% BB%, 14.9% K%, 148 wRC+
Arroyo was originally selected by the Mariners in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Seattle drafted him out of high school and gave him a $1.65 million signing bonus to forego his commitment to Florida State. He was traded to the Reds in 2022 as part of the return package for Luis Castillo.
The 22-year-old is a versatile defender capable of playing shortstop, third base, or second base. At the plate, he's tapping back into the upside that he possessed prior to an injury that sidelined him for 2024. He's launching the ball more, and in turn, he's hitting fewer weak ground balls. He also has decent speed, which benefits him in the field and on the basepaths.
Arroyo's exit velocities rank above average, but we're most impressed by his in-zone metrics. He has a 75.5% zone swing rate (89th percentile) and a 90.1% zone contact rate (87th percentile). He does chase a lot, but he still finds a way to get his bat on the ball, resulting in a 20% whiff rate (83rd percentile).
We're very impressed by the blend of power and speed that Arroyo has displayed at Triple-A this year. Just one step away from the majors, he has proven to be an above-average contributor on offense. Meanwhile, his defensive versatility allows him to get into the lineup as much as possible. He's still available in 95% of leagues, making him a very intriguing stash in redraft formats.
Luis Lara, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Availability: 1% rostered
2026 Triple-A Stats: 52 G, .346/.450/.518, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 18 SB, 15.2% BB%, 13.0% K%, 159 wRC+
Lara originally joined the Brewers as an international free agent, signing with the club out of Venezuela in 2022. He fetched a $1.1 million signing bonus, making him one of the more high-profile signings in the Brewers' farm system. The deal appears to have paid off, as Lara has emerged as a top prospect with immense upside at the plate.
Still just 21 years old, Lara is a plus runner with natural instincts in center field. Not only can he get to tricky fly balls, but he makes great reads and possesses the glove work necessary to make the catch, even if he needs to dive or jump. In addition to his Gold Glove upside, he has started to tap into more productivity at the plate, where he's getting on base, stealing bags, and even flashing a little power.
Lara's plate discipline metrics are a main reason for his breakout. He's walking more than he's striking out, and he's chasing less than 25% of the time. He also has a 15.1% whiff rate (93rd percentile) and a spectacular 91.5% zone contact rate (91st percentile).
At just 5-foot-7, Lara may seem like an undersized prospect. However, he has the strength to continue delivering average power, and he's quick enough to be a menace in the field and on the basepaths. His contact skills are among the best of the best, and he projects as an on-base machine who could continue to walk more than he strikes out in the majors.
As it stands, Lara ranks as the #6 outfielder and the #14 overall hitter in RotoBaller's latest prospect rankings for 2026 fantasy baseball redraft leagues. Despite such a high ranking, he remains available to stash in 99% of leagues.
Lara triples home Pratt and we are scoreless no more! pic.twitter.com/cUQycjKNWj
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) May 29, 2026
Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox
Availability: 2% rostered
2026 Triple-A Stats: 38 G, .343/.415/.664, 12 HR, 31 RBI, 4 SB, 9.1% BB%, 12.8% K%, 171 wRC+
The Red Sox signed Arias as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2023. He fetched a $525,000 signing bonus and has already reached Double-A while emerging as the consensus No. 1 prospect in the Red Sox' farm system.
Arias is a high-floor prospect with All-Star potential. He's a plus defender who offers tremendous reliability at shortstop thanks to his accurate arm and ability to get the out even when hurried. He has an advanced approach at the plate with a beautiful swing that produces plenty of power and relatively low whiff rates.
It may seem like Arias is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, but he squares up the baseball so often that he consistently posts high exit velocities. This has allowed him to tap into more power than ever this year — his 12 homers in 2026 are already a career-high, and it's only May — and his relative quickness makes him a threat for doubles and triples.
Since he's still in Double-A, most fantasy managers haven't quite caught on to the upside he offers. It's fair to wonder whether he'll reach the majors by the end of the season, but with more than four months remaining, we wouldn't be surprised to see him make his MLB debut in 2026. As a result, he's a worthwhile shortstop stash in redraft leagues.
Franklin Arias with his 2nd home run of the game!
Arias is now up to 🔟 home runs this season.#DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/sVav8R7PpI
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) May 22, 2026
Jesus Made, SS, Milwaukee Brewers
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 Triple-A Stats: 42 G, .277/.353/.452, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 18 SB, 10.9% BB%, 15.4% K%, 112 wRC+
The Brewers signed Made out of the Dominican Republic in 2024, giving him a $950,000 signing bonus. Even though he's only 19 years old and signed just over two years ago, Made is already on the fantasy radar as a prospect who could potentially debut at some point in the 2026 MLB season.
At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Made is a pure athlete with five-tool potential. His ability to put the bat on the ball is among the best in Minor League Baseball, and it typically results in quality contact as he continues to generate high exit velocities. So far this year, he owns a remarkable 85.9% zone contact rate (83rd percentile), as well as a 19.8% whiff rate (88th percentile).
He is walking nearly 11% of the time, averages a stolen base every 2.33 games, and has kept his strikeout rate at just 15.4% (93rd percentile). He's also up to six homers this year; while that's not a ton, it does represent the highest mark of his career, and we're only in the month of May.
In the outfield, Made's range and glovework should allow him to stick in center field long term. With that being said, he's athletic enough to survive a switch to left field if necessary, especially if it will get him in the lineup on an everyday basis.
We're very encouraged about the upside that Made offers in fantasy baseball. His high contact rates, impressive exit velocities, increased power numbers, and extra-base hit and steal totals make him one of the most intriguing prospects to stash in redraft leagues, even though he's only 19 years old in Double-A.
My new #1 prospect , Jesús Made, goes yard!#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/I61rRa5vEE
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) May 16, 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.
| 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 Edwin Arroyo, Luis Lara, Franklin Arias, and Jesus Made. 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 Edwin Arroyo, Luis Lara, Franklin Arias, and Jesus Made:
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