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Mike's fantasy baseball prospect stashes, sleepers, and rookie waiver wire pickups for Week 10 of 2025 -- recent MLB prospect debuts and potential call-ups to monitor.
We are now more than two months into the season, and injuries and ineffective play have taken a toll on most rosters across Major League Baseball. This leads to different developments for these teams, but some organizations can dip into their minor league talent pool and bring up a shiny new prospect from their systems. This piece highlights some promoted players, or those about to be promoted, who could help your fantasy squads.
One important thing to remember is that growth for a player is never linear. There will be ups and downs as they adjust to the game's highest level. Keep that in mind as these guys come to The Show.
These players offer intriguing upside for the fantasy manager willing to show patience with rostering a young player, as opposed to rostering a boring veteran who may not help your team at all. Let's take a look at a few players who intrigue fantasy players.
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Fantasy Baseball Hitter Prospects To Target
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Status: Called Up
2025 stats: 229 PA, .322/.370/.723, 41 R, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 2 SB, 10.5% BB%, 20.1% K%, 159 wRC+
Caglianone is perhaps the most anticipated call-up of the year. The Royals recalled him on Sunday for his debut this week. They need offensive help, and Caglianone, with his 70 grade power, could be just the ticket.
The best guess is that he will get his at-bats in right field and designated hitter, as first base belongs to Vinnie Pasquantino. Look for a good batting average and home runs as he adapts to the game's highest level.
Caglianone made a mockery of minor league pitching this season, hitting .322 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI in only 229 plate appearances. The 2024 first-round pick has wasted no time in getting to the major leagues.
Cole Young, 2B/SS, Seattle Mariners
Status: Called Up
2025 Stats: 8 PA, .143/.250/.143, 0 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 12.5% BB%, 25% K%, 27 wRC+
Young was called up this past week to help fill the void at second base. Young should get daily at-bats with only Miles Mastrobuoni and Dylan Moore to compete with for playing time; Moore also gets time in the outfield and other infield positions. They did not call up the 21-year-old to sit on the bench.
Young was hitting .277 with five home runs, 26 RBI, 39 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 245 plate appearances at Triple-A Tacoma. His walk (12.7%) and strikeout rates (11.4%) are almost equal, and he puts the bat on the baseball. Young is an on-base machine (.392 this year in Triple-A) who will score runs, steal bases, and hit for a decent average. If you need middle infield help, consider Young.
Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Red Sox
Status: Called Up
2025 stats: 32 PA, .200/.250/.267, 2 R, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 6.3% BB%, 31.3% K%, 40 wRC+
It feels like we have been waiting on Mayer for years, but he's only 22. The Red Sox called up the natural shortstop to play third base in the absence of star Alex Bregman, who is out indefinitely with a quad strain. Mayer has not hit yet at the major league level, but was off to a great start in Triple-A: a .271 batting average, nine home runs, 43 RBI, 31 runs, and two stolen bases.
Mayer's calling card is a blend of power and some speed with a good batting average. Before coming to Boston, Mayer had only played third base six times in his career. Those who follow the minor leagues know that Mayer walks at a high clip (10.4%) while striking out less than average (19.7%). He has struggled somewhat so far in Boston, but with the injury to Bregman, the Red Sox have little choice but to give Mayer some runway here and see what they have in him. See below. The hit and power tool could be coming; his bat speed is far above the league average so far.
Robert Hassell III, OF, Washington Nationals
Status: Called Up
2025 stats: 41 PA, .268/.268/.366, 5 R, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB, 0.0% BB%, 26.8% K%, 74 wRC+
Hassell was called up when injuries took a toll in the Washington outfield; most notably, a strained oblique to Dylan Crews. The jury has been out on Hassell the last couple of years, with pundits discussing how his game would translate, if at all, to the major league level. In his previous two seasons, he worked to reduce his strikeout rate, which was 21% in 2024. This year, it was down to 19.4%.
Hassell has slipped into the sixth spot in the Washington lineup and seems to be settling into major league pitching. In his 10 games, Hassell is hitting .268 with a home run, six RBI, five runs scored, and one stolen base. He has never hit more than 11 home runs in a season, but his calling card is getting on base, stealing bases, and scoring runs. It will be interesting to watch Hassell over the next couple of weeks to see how he adapts to the major league game. Look below. He is adjusting, and his average bat speed is increasing.
Shay Whitcomb, 3B/OF, Houston Astros
Status: Called Up
2025 stats: 235 PA, .275/.357/.599, 37 R, 18 HR, 38 RBI, 6 SB, 9.8% BB%, 21.3% K%, 143 wRC+
Whitcomb looks like he will be bench depth for the Astros at this time, as they are using Isaac Paredes at third base while using Jose Altuve in left field. Whitcomb has been an intriguing prospect with a 20+ home run and 20 stolen base pedigree in the minor leagues over several seasons.
He did not do much in a small sample size in 2024, hitting .220 with no home runs and five RBI in 46 plate appearances. Until we know how he is going to be used here, it is hard to recommend picking up Whitcomb. The Astros also recalled prospect Jacob Melton at the same time as Whitcomb.
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Prospects To Target
Colton Gordon, SP, Houston Astros
Status: Called Up
2025 Stats: 19.2 IP, 5.95 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 23% K%, 3.4% BB%, 4.30 FIP
The underlying stats support that Gordon should be a pretty good pitcher for Houston. While the strikeout rate so far is about average, Gordon doesn't walk batters (3.4%) and has a 31.1% whiff percentage. His biggest issue thus far is the home run; he has surrendered four in four career starts.
His ERA, while bloated at 5.95, is expected to be 2.65. Gordon is using the sweeper more in his last two starts to offset his mediocre fastball. Gordon mixes in a sinker, curveball, and changeup into the mix as well. In the minor leagues, he had a reputation for throwing strikes and mixing pitches. The lefty should get some runway in Houston due to rotation injuries.
Cade Horton, SP, Chicago Cubs
Status: Called Up
2025 Stats: 20.1 IP, 3.98 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 18.6% K%, 4.7% BB%, 4.95 FIP
Horton looks like he is here to stay in the major leagues. Injuries to Javier Assad, Shota Imanaga, and Justin Steele made his recall necessary for a competing Cubs team. Of interest to me in the chart below is the growing chase percentage of his four-seamer and the sweeper.
Similar to Gordon above, Horton has a less-than-stellar strikeout percentage (18.6%) but an excellent walk rate (4.7%). He struck out a career-high six in his last outing, covering six full innings. He is getting groundballs with an advancing curveball. Horton has both the stuff and the opportunity to help fantasy teams.
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