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Chris's fantasy baseball prospects to stash list for Week 18 of 2025. His top MLB prospects and rookie sleepers to make fantasy impacts this year when called up.
Welcome, friends, to the 2025 MLB season, and my weekly article about fantasy baseball prospects to stash heading into Week 17. Who are the top prospects you need to know for redraft leagues? For eight straight weeks, we have seen a prospect getting the call imminently after the article was published. As we approach the All-Star break, we are soon to see more. Let's break down some new prospects to stash like Owen Caissie, Samuel Basallo, Hunter Barco, and Dylan Beavers.
Winning in a fantasy baseball redraft league requires a nice blend of high-floor players and upside shots. While prospects present more risk in a one-year setting, such as a redraft league, they pay big dividends if they succeed. The reward could be huge if these players receive adequate playing time and perform well.
Throughout the season, there will be plenty of prospects who will get promoted and make an impact on their respective MLB teams and fantasy teams. Getting ahead of the curve on these players can pay huge dividends regarding FAAB bids. You can save money and have your league mates question how you are already in on that player so far in advance. Here are this week's fantasy baseball prospects to stash. These players can make a splash in redraft leagues for the remainder of the 2025 season and are expected to debut in the big leagues soon.
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Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have to be licking their chops right now as Caissie is seeing his trade value soar as he continues to mash. He has been the hottest hitter in the minors alongside Carter Jensen. Will Caissie debut with the Cubs? Probably not. But it seems quite likely that Caissie will be traded over the next couple of weeks and should be in the Majors with his new team.
Prospect fatigue has hit Caissie hard at this point, but it is important to remember that he is still just 22 years old. Sure, on the surface, you see a 30 percent strikeout rate. But you also see a strong .278/.386/.575 slash line. So, what to make of Owen Caissie’s performance to this point?
From an exit velocity standpoint, Caissie stands out. His 91.6 mph average exit velocity pairs well with an impressive 113.3 max exit velocity and a 107.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The 16 percent barrel rate is tops among Triple-A hitters. He hits the ball hard consistently and has already reached his 2024 total of 19 home runs in 225 fewer plate appearances.
While the strikeout rate is up, Caissie’s contact rates are not all that different from what we are used to seeing. A 69 percent overall mark and a 79 percent zone-contact rate are fine. Caissie even has a respectable 24.5 percent chase rate. Caissie is likely to be traded in the next couple of weeks. The Cubs’ outfield is loaded, and the team could use a starting pitcher. Let’s hope his new team puts him in the majors immediately.
Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles are out of it, unless they have a miraculous second half. While Adley Rutschman is set to return over the next several weeks, the Orioles presently have four catchers on their Injured List. Jacob Stallings and Alex Jackson are holding down the fort. Part of me thinks they hold Basallo down until August so he can retain rookie eligibility for 2026, and the Orioles have a shot at a PPI pick.
After dealing with some injuries and missing three weeks early in the season, Basallo is locked in. He is up to 169 home runs in Triple-A with 30 extra base hits in 62 games. Basallo is slashing a smooth .264/.383/.591 with some of the more impressive power numbers in baseball.
Basallo has a 108.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity with a 116 mph max. His barrel rate is at 20.5 percent thanks to a 53 percent hard-hit rate and the absurd exit velocities he puts up on balls in the air. The average exit velocity of 93.8 mph is one of the best marks in the minors. On balls in the air, Basallo's exit velocities jump to 98 mph.
From a contact standpoint, Basallo’s 71 percent overall contact rate is below average for his league, but age-adjusted is fine. Reminder, Basallo is still 20 years old and won't turn 21 until August 13. Basallo’s 82.7 percent contact rate on swings in the zone is a much better representation of the kind of contact he is capable of making when not chasing out of the zone.
The biggest worry with Basallo is his approach, though it has improved. The zone swing rate of 63 percent has steadily trended in the right direction, and the chase rate has gone down and is now at 31 percent. We would like to see a wider gap between the zone and out-of-zone swing rate. Basallo is doing immense damage when he connects to make up for it.
While the Orioles need a massive jolt into their lineup, they remain committed to developing him as a catcher. That may continue to come in Triple-A. Could he get the call tomorrow? Sure. Maybe we can see Basallo on his birthday in mid-August? It is hard to get a read on what the Orioles are doing.
Hunter Barco, LHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
I still hold to the fact that we are likely to see Hunter Barco debut in the Majors before Bubba Chandler. Should it be that way? Probably not, but from my view, it does seem like Barco might be on the cusp of a call. Sure, Barco has walked seven batters in his last two starts(11.1 innings). That does throw a wrench into things and could be a reason for the Pirates to hold him down. On the flip side, Barco has allowed just five his in those 11 innings and shown good stuff.
In 68.2 innings this year, Barco has an impressive 2.10 ERA to pair with a 1.05 WHIP. He also has struck out 31 percent of batters faced while walking just north of 11 percent. It would be easy to look at the walk rate and be concerned, but those numbers were inflated during the shoulder injury and while recovering from it. Yes, I mentioned in the last two starts that the walks were an issue, but the strike rate is still hovering at 62 percent.
Barco's sinker sits 93-95 mph and tops north of 97 mph, with 15 inches of arm-side movement on average. The slider works in the low-to-mid 80s, coming in a low release height and strong gyro shape.
The splitter sits in the mid-to-upper 80s with devastating late movement and throws a more traditional changeup with depth and fading action. Barco also mixes in a cutter in the 85-87 mph range.
Dylan Beavers, OF, Baltimore Orioles
All that talk of the Orioles holding their prospects down in the Samuel Basallo section, could we see them call up a near-24-year-old prospect in Dylan Beavers? While I still have questions about the profile in general, Beavers has done nothing but mash this year. Slashing an impressive .311/.405/.482 Beavers has cut his strikeout rate down to 17 percent and has ten home runs to pair with 22 extra base hits. Beavers has even stolen 20 bases.
Under the hood, Beavers won't knock your socks off, but he does have respectable numbers. His average exit velocity of 87.8 mph is below average, but the 104.8 90th percentile exit velocity is solid. Being a selective hitter, Beavers picks his spots well and has great launch angles.
The power plays up thanks to a 38 percent sweet spot rate. He puts a ton of balls in play, running an 80 percent contact rate with an 87 percent in-zone mark. The approach is solid with a 46 percent zone minus out-of-zone swing rate.
Beavers profiles as a potential average regular in the majors, which would be a good outcome. Could we see him in Baltimore soon? Time will tell.
Dylan Beavers is hitting .318 (!) with a .913 OPS in Triple-A this season — and he’s really starting to show some power.
After going 22 straight games without a home run, Beavers has hit seven in his past 20 games (and five in his past 10). pic.twitter.com/Q3Lr6jWcS7
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) July 5, 2025
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