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Fantasy baseball prospect breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire stash analysis for Week 12 of 2026 including James Tibbs III, Kaelen Culpepper, Joshua Baez, Max Clark, and more.
Through the opening months of the 2026 season, fantasy managers have needed their improvement in the prospects ahead of their debuts, given the recent breakouts of Gage Jump and Cole Carrigg.
In this piece, we will spotlight seven prospects who are making a strong case to debut in the coming weeks and are emerging as viable stash candidates.
Should fantasy managers stash these breakout prospects? Let's dive in!
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James Tibbs III, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III reached base six times between Saturday and Sunday, thanks to two hits (double, home run) and four walks (zero strikeouts). The Dodgers' 10th-ranked prospect hasn't had a multi-hit performance through 12 games in June, but has still recorded a robust .400 OBP thanks to a 21.8 percent walk rate this month. For the season, the left-handed slugger is slashing .307/.422/.614 and is among the Triple-A leaders in home runs (19, first), runs (62, first), RBI (59, third), and walks (49, second).
He's also among the leaders in strikeouts (79, seventh), but given his ability to still hit for average, hit for power, and get on base, the high strikeout rate is something that can be tolerated. Unfortunately, he is not on the 40-man roster, and there are no current openings on the major league squad with recently-promoted Ryan Ward doing enough at the plate to hold off Tibbs for now.
Nevertheless, Tibbs should debut in the coming weeks, and with his offensive prowess, the 23-year-old is worthy of stashing in most leagues as he'll be able to show off his skills while hitting in a potent Dodger lineup whenever he gets the call.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Kaelen Culpepper, INF, Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins placed shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hip) on the seven-day Triple-A injured list with a strained left hip, according to The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman. There was talk about Culpepper potentially being in line for a big-league promotion soon after tearing it up at the top minor-league level, but those talks will now be put on hold for the time being. The Twins' No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has hit .273/.377/.498 with an .875 OPS, 14 home runs, 43 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 53 runs scored in 61 games across 289 plate appearances for the St. Paul Saints in 2026 before injuring his hip.
The 23-year-old former 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of Kansas State University uses the entire field and makes plenty of contact from the right side of the plate. He tends to chase offspeed pitches off the plate, but with his power/speed upside, he should be rostered in most dynasty/keeper leagues despite his injury. MLB Pipeline has Culpepper ranked 36th overall this year among all prospects.
-Written by Keith Hernandez
Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez remains one of the top bats to stash in fantasy for his multi-category potential whenever he makes it to the major leagues. The Cardinals' third-ranked prospect is hitting .370 (17-for-46) in June, with five doubles, three home runs, and a stolen base through 11 games this month. For the season, the former second-round draft pick is slashing .271/.337/.579, and his 19 home runs are tied for the Triple-A lead, while he's added 12 steals as well.
The 6-foot-3 slugger is coming off a 2025 season in which he blasted 20 home runs and stole 54 bases in 117 games between High-A and Double-A. One area that needs improvement is his strikeout rate, which currently stands at 31.5 percent, and one would figure that would not improve at the major league level. Still, while the strikeouts may limit his batting average whenever he gets the call, the 22-year-old could still be a four-category contributor, and given the likelihood of a call-up within the next month or so, he is one of the few "must-stash" bats in most fantasy leagues.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Max Clark, OF, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark's bat woke up over the weekend, going 6-for-13 (.462) in three games from Friday to Sunday, including a home run, a stolen base, and two walks compared to zero strikeouts. It was his fourth straight contest in which the Tigers' top-ranked prospect did not strike out at all, and he recorded two multi-hit efforts after going 13 consecutive games without one.
The surge boosted his season average to .259 with a .345 on-base percentage, while the home run was his third in June after collecting just two over the first two months of the season. Although the team is not rushing him to the majors, with his bat coming alive, it could build some momentum for a midseason call-up for a team that is in need of some offensive help, ranking in the bottom third in terms of runs scored per game and near the bottom in stolen bases per game. With the ability to potentially impact five fantasy categories, the 21-year-old remains one of the top bats to stash despite his debut likely at least a few weeks out.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins (shoulder) recently began his rehab assingment wth Low-A Fort Myers and is progressing toward a return to Triple-A. Jenkins has been on the shelf since the start of May with this shoulder injury, but is now not only back on the field, but is showing his elite upside. In his first rehab outing with Low-A, Jenkins went 4-for-5 with a double and a home run. Prior to the injury, Jenkins appeared in 25 games at St. Paul and posted a .256/.396/.389 line with two home runs, five stolen bases, and an 18:19 K:BB.
While his bat is still adjusting to Triple-A pitching, the young outfielder has continued to showcase his elite eye at the dish. While the 21-year-old will likely need another week of rehab action before re-joining St. Paul, he will quickly climb the stash rankings as he should compete for an MLB debut early in the second half.
- Written by Andersen Pickard
Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics
Athletics infield prospect Leo De Vries is only 19 years old, but there's a chance that he could make an impact in fantasy baseball as early as this year. Acquired from the Padres in last summer's Mason Miller trade, De Vries is a teenager who is capable of playing either spot on the left side of the infield. He projects as a shortstop long-term, and the nice pairing of his defensive and offensive production should offer him a long major league career. Across 53 Double-A games this year, he's slashing .283/.369/.385 with five home runs, 20 steals, a 10.5% walk rate, a 21.0% strikeout rate, and 103 wRC+.
Although we don't anticipate the A's would shuttle him right from Double-A to the majors, his numbers so far suggest that he's worthy of a promotion to Triple-A. Since it's only June, De Vries could spend a couple of months contributing in Triple-A before joining the major league club for the final stretch of the regular season and (potential) playoff push.
His plus-plus speed makes him an intriguing waiver wire stash in deeper redraft leagues, even if his MLB debut is at least a couple of months away.
- Written by Andersen Pickard
Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox top shortstop prospect Franklin Arias has been among the top hitting prospects across the entire minor leagues this season. Through 52 games with Double-A Portland, the No. 10-ranked prospect in the sport (according to MLB.com) has posted an impressive .318/.397/.579 line with a stellar .976 OPS. During this 52-game stretch, Arias has hit 10 doubles, 13 home runs, swiped four bags, and carried a 29:22 K:BB. Last summer, Arias split his time across Low-A, High, and Double-A, with much of his time being spent at Greenville, where he carried a low .265/.329/.380 line over an 87-game stint.
Seeing him continue to show higher upside while facing tougher pitching is an excellent sign for his outlook. Fantasy managers should expect Arias to earn the call to Triple-A Worcester in the coming weeks, which could set him up for a late second-half MLB debut. For now, the infielder is only worth stashing in deep 12+ team redraft leagues that have multiple N/A spots.
- Written by Andy Smith
Top 25 Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues
Check our Eric Cross' updated top-25 prospects to stash below. These rankings are for 2026 redraft value only, not dynasty. These are MLB prospects who could potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2026.
Promoted Last Week: Braden Montgomery (CHW), Cole Carrigg (COL), Blaze Jordan (STL), Cooper Pratt (MIL), Denzer Guzman (LAA)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Jacob Melton (TBR), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Jonathon Long (CHC), Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (ATH), Zach Ehrhard (LAD)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Owen Murphy (ATL), Quinn Mathews (STL), George Klassen (LAA)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins | June |
| 2 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals | July |
| 3 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners | July |
| 4 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies | July |
| 5 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers | June |
| 6 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers | August |
| 7 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | Diamondbacks | July |
| 8 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins | August |
| 9 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers | June |
| 10 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins | August |
| 11 | Luis Lara | OF | Brewers | June |
| 12 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies | July |
| 13 | Hector Rodriguez | OF | Reds | August |
| 14 | Yohandy Morales | 1B/3B | Nationals | June |
| 15 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox | July |
| 16 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers | July |
| 17 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians | August |
| 18 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets | July |
| 19 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees | July |
| 20 | George Lombard Jr. | SS | Yankees | July |
| 21 | Jaxon Wiggins | SP | Cubs | July |
| 22 | Kemp Alderman | OF | Marlins | July |
| 23 | Abimelec Ortiz | 1B | Nationals | July |
| 24 | Brody Hopkins | SP | Rays | July |
| 25 | Wei-En Lin | SP | Athletics | August |
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2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like James Tibbs III, Kaelen Culpepper, Joshua Baez, Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, Leo De Vries, Franklin Arias, Karson Milbrandt, Jett Williams, Cooper Pratt, River Ryan, Kade Anderson, Blaze Jordan. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
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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 James Tibbs III, Kaelen Culpepper, Joshua Baez, Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, Leo De Vries, Franklin Arias, Karson Milbrandt, Jett Williams, Cooper Pratt, River Ryan, Kade Anderson, Blaze Jordan:
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