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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Jacob Misiorowski, Christian Moore, Mick Abel - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Through the first half of the campaign, fantasy managers have seen several prospects not only get the call to the majors but also make an immediate impact. Athletics top prospect Nick Kurtz has begun to find his swing, and Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer is starting to flash his power upside.
In this piece, we will look at three top prospects who also recently earned the call and determine if they should be rostered in all standard formats.
Should those players be left on the waiver wire, or should fantasy managers add them before their breakout? Let's dive in!
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Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 45% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 11 IP, 1.64 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, 11 K
The Brewers finally called up their top pitching prospect last week after he dominated at Triple-A to start the season. Misiorowski had a 2.13 ERA and 80 strikeouts in his first 13 games (12 starts) with Triple-A Nashville and held opposing hitters to a .175 batting average. Those numbers suggested that the hard-throwing right-hander didn't have anything left to prove down in the minors.
The stage was then set for Misiorowski to make his MLB debut on June 12 against the division rival St. Louis Cardinals. In that outing, the 23-year-old showed why he is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. MLB Pipeline's No. 67 overall prospect threw five no-hit innings with four walks and five strikeouts before leaving due to cramping in his lower leg.
MUST SEE: Jacob Misiorowski's first three pitches to start his Major League career:
100 MPH 🔥
102 MPH 🔥
101 MPH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gObMMacPDT— MLB (@MLB) June 12, 2025
Misiorowski was brilliant in his first career start, and the Cardinals' offense had a hard time locating his fastball. That's not entirely a surprise because the Brewers pitcher has a plus-plus fastball that reaches over 100 mph. The right-hander threw 14 pitches of at least 100 mph in his debut while generating seven whiffs on that pitch alone.
It's hard not to love Misiorowski in fantasy moving forward. He averaged 99 mph on his fastball in that start last week and finished with a 35.1% whiff rate. With Aaron Civale being traded away and Brandon Woodruff (shoulder/ankle/elbow) still rehabbing from his various injuries, the right-hander has a great chance to stay in Milwaukee's rotation for the foreseeable future.
Now, the biggest concern with Misiorowski is his high walk rate. He walked four batters in his MLB debut and issued 31 walks across 63 1/3 innings pitched at Triple-A to start the season. So, that's something fantasy managers should keep in mind before his next start.
Even though Misiorowski has only made one start in the majors, there's a lot to love about him. He has a mean fastball that many teams won't be able to hit, which should help him rack up strikeouts throughout the year. The right-hander also has an above-average curveball and slider to complement that fastball.
As a result, Misiorowski should be added to every fantasy league in Week 12. He has the tools to be a really good pitcher in Year 1 and proved in his first start that his stuff could play in the big leagues.
In his most recent outing on Friday evening, Misiorowski continued to dominate, tossing six innings of two-run ball with six punchouts. He is a must-add this weekend in all formats.
-Written by Joey Pollizze
Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 6 G, .133/.188/.267, 1 3B, 1BB, 5 SO
Moore got the call last weekend that he was coming to the Angels. The 2024 first-round pick will plug in at second base and looks like he could have an extended run at the position. What I like about Moore is evident in the Statcast bat tracking below.
His average bat speed thus far is three ticks more than league average. Moore is currently hitting ninth for Los Angeles, but his calling card is power. This is a player who hit a whopping 34 home runs as a junior at Tennessee, and the hit tool is considered to be below average for major league hitters.
This is a power play, pure and simple. Moore has chipped in eight stolen bases in Triple-A so far this season. Through 20 games at the Triple-A level, the former eighth overall pick flashed elite power upside, posting a .350/.424/.575 slash line with four doubles, one triple, and four home runs. However, during this stretch, Moore struck out 25 times and only drew 10 walks.
Earlier in the campaign at Double-A, Moore struck out 40 times in 34 contests.
If you are picking Moore, expect some swing and miss with a powerful swing that will eventually include the long ball. For now, he is worth adding in all 12-team formats if you need an infielder.
- Written by Mike Carter
Mick Abel, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 35% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 20 1/3 IP, 2.21 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 1.033 WHIP, 17 K
The Phillies called up Abel to make a spot start on April 18 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander was electric in his major league debut, throwing six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. Although Philadelphia sent him back to Triple-A following that outing, he was promoted again a few weeks later on June 4.
With Aaron Nola (ankle and rib) landing on the 15-day injured list and Taijuan Walker struggling as a starter, the Phillies decided to give their pitching prospect another shot in the majors. It's safe to say that Abel hasn't disappointed the organization one bit. The 23-year-old has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his four starts.
In his most recent outing on Monday, Abel threw five innings of one-run ball with one walk and three strikeouts. That start lowered his ERA to 2.21 on the season, and the young right-hander continues to show his potential on the mound.
Mick Abel was back to doing Mick Abel things this evening, holding the Marlins to three hits and one run over five innings! pic.twitter.com/8GktlrGlLb
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) June 17, 2025
Most of his success in the early going has come from his fastball and curveball. He throws his fastball and curveball a combined 64.3% of the time, and most of his strikeouts have come from those two pitches. Abel's curveball has easily been his best pitch, as opposing hitters are batting just .118 with eight strikeouts against that pitch alone.
Abel is definitely off to a nice start in his career, and it's encouraging to see his off-speed stuff play well in the majors. On top of his curveball success, not many teams have been able to touch his slider. Opposing hitters are batting just .188 against his slider through his first four starts.
There's no doubt that the Phillies' prospect has looked solid to begin his major league career. He currently owns a 2.21 ERA and appears to have a role in this rotation until Nola returns. However, Abel's strong start is not for real.
His expected ERA (4.74) is 253 points higher than his actual ERA, and his hard-hit rate (55.9%), strikeout rate (21%), and expected batting average against (.291) all rank extremely poorly.
Therefore, the Phillies pitcher should not be added in most shallower 12-team leagues right now. With a start against the New York Mets upcoming this weekend, it's only a matter of time until he gets hit hard.
- Written by Joey Pollizze
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