Impact Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Know - Brandon Sproat, Arjun Nimmala, Owen Caissie, Jarlin Susana, Konnor Griffin, Travis Bazzana

January 22, 2026

2026 fantasy baseball prospects that can make big impacts - Brandon Sproat, Arjun Nimmala, Owen Caissie, Jarlin Susana, Konnor Griffin, Travis Bazzana. Target these top prospects in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.

In the later rounds of your fantasy baseball draft, managers often look to target hig-huspdie prospects as they could provide league-winning potential compared to proven veterans. Last season, managers who stashed Nick Kurtz either on the waiver wire orin the final round were rewarded with high-end first basemen.

In this piece, we will spotlight six prospects. While one has madeh is MLB debut, the other five are knocking on the MLB door and would likely become high-end fantasy assets once given the promotion.

Who are six high-upside prospects managers should keep on their radar heading into draft season? Let's dive in!

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Brandon Sproat, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Current Level: Milwaukee Brewers
2025 MLB stats: 20 2/3 IP, 4.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 17 SO, 7 BB

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired starting pitching prospect Brandon Sproat from the New York Mets in a four-player trade, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. Starter Freddy Peralta and reliever Tobias Myers are headed to the Mets, while Sproat joins shortstop prospect Jett Williams in the package headed back to Milwaukee. Sproat is 25 years old and was the Mets' second-round pick in 2023. The University of Florida product spent most of last season at Triple-A, but he did make his MLB debut and found himself starting four games for the big-league club.

Over those four starts, he posted a 2.80 FIP with 7.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. He enjoyed similar success over a larger sample size at Triple-A -- including 8.4 K/9, 3.9 BB/9, and an impressive 53.2% ground ball rate -- but his FIP was markedly higher (4.18). Sproat has always been a starter in pro baseball, and while the Mets reportedly floated the idea of using him as a multi-inning reliever in 2026, the Brewers' willingness to acquire him in this trade indicates that Milwaukee likely plans to insert him into its rotation.

Brandon Sproat, Near Immaculate Inning.
(One pitch away) pic.twitter.com/0rWybiVefH

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2025

After all, they have a spot to fill after shipping Peralta away. Before Wednesday's trade, Sproat ranked as the #141 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.

Arjun Nimmala, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Current Level: High-A
2025 MiLB stats: 120 G, .224/.313/.381, 29 2B, 13 HR, 17 SB

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala will participate in major league spring training as a non-roster invite, according to an announcement from the team. Nimmala peaked at High-A in 2025, but he's regarded as one of the top young players in Toronto's farm system. In fact, he is listed as the Blue Jays' No. 2 prospect in the latest rankings from FanGraphs.

The 2023 first-round pick posted an underwhelming .224/.313/.381 slash line with a 10.1% walk rate, 21.4% strikeout rate, and 92 wRC+ across 120 High-A games last year. He also slugged 13 home runs and stole 17 bases. FanGraphs lists power as Nimmala's best attribute, while assigning below-average grades to his speed and hit tools.

Owen Caissie, OF, Miami Marlins

Current Level: Miami Marlins
2025 MLB stats: 12 G, .192/.222/.346, 1 2B, 1 HR, 11 SO, 1 BB

According to Kevin Barral of FishOnFirst.com, outfield prospect Owen Caissie will "very likely" crack the Opening Day roster and serve as a primary right fielder. The Marlins acquired Caissie from the Cubs as the top asset in the trade that shipped right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera to Chicago. While Caissie was already expected to compete for an everyday role in Miami, this report confirms that Caissie appears ticketed for a large role at the start of the season.

The former 45th overall pick made his MLB debut last season with the Cubs and hit one home run with a .192/.222/.346 line across 12 games. At Triple-A, Caissie flashed immense upside, posting a .286/.386/.551 slash line with 28 doubles and 22 home runs. If he can claim the starting job in right field, Caissie would have intriguing sleeper appeal in five-outfielder formats.

Jarlin Susana, SP, Washington Nationals

Current Level: Double-A
2025 MiLB stats: 56 1/3 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 95 SO, 34 BB

Washington Nationals right-handed pitching prospect Jarlin Susana is a name to monitor in spring training. The right-hander is currently considered the No. 87 overall prospect on MLB.com and the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Washington system. He began the 2025 campaign with High-A but needed only nine innings to prove he was ready to join Double-A Harrisburg. With the Senators, Susana flashed immense strikeout upside, tallying 79 across 47 1/3 innings of work. In this stint, the 21-year-old posted a solid 3.61 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP.

However, Susana underwent right lat surgery late in the second half, which could potentially limit him in spring training. While Susana was not in the mix to debut in Washington in the first half of 2026, if he continues this high-end production, he could make a strong case to debut later in the year.

Konnor Griffin, INF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Current Level: Double-A
2025 MiLB stats: 122 G, .333/.415/.527, 23 2B, 21 HR, 65 SB

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder/outfielder Konnor Griffin is among the Pirates' invites to big-league spring training this year, according to the team. Per MLB Pipeline, Griffin is considered the top prospect in baseball in 2026. The 19-year-old turned heads in his first year in the minors for the Bucs in 2025, hitting .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs, and 65 stolen bases in 122 combined games with Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Double-A Altoona.

Depending on how he looks in spring training, Griffin has a real chance to be the first teenager to debut in the big leagues since Juan Soto in 2018. Griffin is expected to compete for the starting shortstop job this spring. Griffin is a premium all-around athlete with plus-plus speed, and he certainly has the looks of a future fantasy superstar, potentially as early as 2026.

KONNOR GRIFFIN ROUNDS THE BASES FOR AN INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER!@MLBPipeline | @YoungBucsPIT | @BaseballAmerica pic.twitter.com/34AUQIpKud

— Bradenton Marauders (@The_Marauders) June 7, 2025

Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians

Current Level: Triple-A
2025 MiLB stats: 84 G, .245/.389/.424, 17 2B, 9 HR, 12 SB

Cleveland Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana is expected to begin the 2026 season with Triple-A Columbus. The Guardians selected the second baseman with the top pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Oregon State. Following the draft, Bazzana was given a brief 27-game taste of High-A to conclude 2024, where he struggled, holding a modest .238 AVG with a .738 OPS. In 2025, Bazzana began the season with Double-A and was eventually able to earn a promotion to Triple-A.

Across 77 games split between the top two levels in the Cleveland system, Bazzana held a .246/.383/.430 line with an .813 OPS, nine home runs, and 11 stolen bases. Unfortunately, multiple oblique injuries significantly limited his total playing time. While Bazzana figures to compete for a first-half MLB debut, fantasy managers should expect the top prospect to begin 2026 at Triple-A.

Prospect Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Who are the top fantasy baseball prospects to know? Check out our latest 2026 prospect fantasy baseball rankings which are updated regularly:

More Fantasy Baseball Prospects and Rookies