Top Fantasy Baseball Prospect Breakouts and Stashes at First Base (2026)

March 13, 2026

Andy's top fantasy baseball prospect stashes, sleepers and breakout candidates at 1B for 2026. These prospects have big upside if they get the opportunity.

Targeting prospects in the later rounds of your fantasy baseball draft can push your team over the edge and secure a championship. Those who targeted players like Nick Kurtz at the beginning of the season and Nolan McLean in the second half reaped the rewards.

In this piece, we will spotlight five of the top first base prospects who are set to have a major impact in the 2026 season and provide the coveted league-winning upside you are searching for.

Be sure to follow RotoBallerMLB on X for all of our league-winning content and me, @A_Smith_FS, for any questions! Additionally, be sure to use code SMITH at checkout for 30% off on all premium packages. Let's dive in!

Sal Stewart, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

While last season the first base position had several high-end options like Caglianone and Kurtz, there are still a handful of options who could make a high impact in their debut seasons. The primary name to know is Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds.

Stewart is considered the No. 22 overall prospect on MLB.com and has already earned a sort taste of the majors, which sets the stage for a breakout season in 2026. The Reds called up their top prospect late in the second half last season, and he held his own over his first 18 games, posting a .255/.293/.543 line with a .838 OPS.

During this stretch, Stewart hit one double, five home runs, and held a 15:3 K:BB. Under the hood, Stewart posted an elite .398 xwOBA, .289 xBA, and a .626 xSLG, all of which were well above the average marks. The former 32nd overall pick also generated a remarkable 17.5% barrel rate, a 52.5% hard-hit rate, and an above-average 72.1 mph average bat speed.

While he did not run much during his first stint in the majors, he tallied 17 stolen bases over 118 games in the upper minors (mostly at Double-A), suggesting he has the skill to be a five-category contributor.

Through these 118 games (80 at Double-A), Stewart posted a strong .309/.383/.524 line. He even took a step further at Triple-A (38 games), holding a .325/.394/.629 line.

The 22-year-old has already been able to flash this five-category profile in spring training, hitting two home runs and swiping two bags over his first six games. He has posted a stellar 107.9 mph max exit velocity with a 50.2% hard-hit rate during this brief stretch as well.

If that wasn't enough to convince you that Stewart is a prime breakout candidate, he is also well-suited for an everyday role in the infield. He is slated to be the primary first baseman but has been taking reps at second and third base, which will only add to his versatility. If he continues this trajectory, the Reds will have no need to remove him from the starting nine.

Finding a first baseman with near 20/20 upside in today's game is near impossible, and Stewart has the profile. He could still be selected at a surprisingly low cost at his current 191.5 NFBC ADP (since February 1).

Did Sal Stewart hit this over the batter's eye??

MLB's No. 22 prospect clobbers one 410 ft, 107.2 mph for the @Reds. pic.twitter.com/vzbMYOh2pV

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 2, 2026

Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants

While San Francisco's Bryce Eldredge also received a taste of the majors late last season, he did not enjoy the same success as Stewart. Over his first 10 games with the Giants, Eldridge posted a modest .107/.297/.179 line with two doubles and no home runs. While his surface-level statistics leave a lot to be desired, the high .362 xwOBA under the hood suggests he should have better fortunes over a longer stint.

Eldridge also generated an elite 25.0% barrel rate and drew walks at an 18.9% rate, which helped offset the hefty 35.1% K%.

The first baseman joined the Giants with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and progressed through the system quite quickly as a high school graduate. Eldridge spent the 2024 season primarily in the lower levels and needed only 102 games in the minors in 2025 before earning the call. He played 34 games at Double-A last summer, and posted a strong .280/.350/.512 line with serve long balls.

He was then bumped up to Triple-A (66 games), where he continued to hit for high power, holding a .249/.322/.514 line with 18 long balls.

While his raw power upside is quite high, a knock in his profile is his K%. At Triple-A, he saw his K% jump to 30.8% (from the 27.9% he held at Double-A). It then increased even further during his first brief taste of the majors. This will keep his value limited in points leagues, especially as he continues to find his footing.

However, the 21-year-old possesses elite power upside (70/80 FanGraphs Scouting Grade in Raw Power), which will keep him on the fantasy radars. He should split time at DH and first bae at the start of the season with Rafael Devers, which gives him viable streaming value in 12+ team leagues.

Even if his strikeout rate remains high during his first taste of MLB action, Eldridge possesses 25+ HR upside over a 162-game season.

Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies

While the first two names are already penciled on the Opening Day rosters, Charlie Condon will likely report to Triple-A to begin the season. The former Georgia standout joined the Rockies with the third overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and has begun to showcase his high raw power in the lower levels.

He began 2025 at High-A, where he posted a stellar .312/.431/.420 line over a short 35-game stint. He then moved up to Double-A, where he spent most of his time (55 games) and hit 11 long balls with a .235/.342/.465 line and an .807 OPS. Injuries limited him last summer, but when he was on the field, he began to show why the Rockies selected him with the third overall pick.

Per the FanGraphs Scouting Report, Condon holds a 70/70 Raw Power grade, suggesting he has the skill set to make a massive impact in that department early in his career. At Double-A, Condon was able to raise his fly-ball rate to 40.4% (from the 32.4% at High-A), and raised his pull ratefrom 46.6% to 50.4%, the highest mark in a single stint of his career.

Even though the Rockies lack any proven option at first base, Condon will most likely report to Triple-A to begin the season, given his lack of experience in the upper levels. However, he has begun to make a case in spring training, launching three home runs over his first 10 games.

Charlie Condon's third home run of #SpringTraining left the bat at 115.3 MPH 😱 pic.twitter.com/41JjXpMhGp

— MLB (@MLB) February 28, 2026

The 22-year-old is setting up to be one of the top early-season hitter stash candidates. Playing in Coors Field, his raw power could make him a must-start option as soon as he earns the call.

Abimelec Ortiz, 1B, Washington Nationals

Abimelec Ortiz was included in the package that sent MacKenzie Gore to Texas this offseason, and the young slugging first baseman holds some sneaky appeal in deep formats. Ortiz has yet to step foot on an MLB diamond but could be in the mix to either break camp in D.C. or push for an early first-half promotion.

Per MLB Pipeline, Ortiz is only included in the team's No. 24-ranked prospect, but that shouldn't convince you not to look his way on draft day, especially in deeper leagues.

Ortiz enjoyed impressive success in the upper minor leagues last season and could face very little competition in Washington for at-bats. He began the 205 season at Double-A, where he posted a .247/.343/.444 line with 16 home runs over 89 games. However, at Triple-A (41 games), the 24-year-old took a step further, posting a .283/.388/.565 line with nine long balls.

At Triple-A, Ortiz was able to raise his BB% to 12.7% and lower his K% to 21.8%, both of which were improvements compared to Double-A. He also generated an elite 53.8% hard-hit rate and a 112.7 mph max exit velocity at Triple-A Round Rock, further showcasing his high-end raw power.

The former Ranger is now competing for the first base job alongside Andres Chaparro and Luis Garcia Jr. Like Condon, Ortiz may not make the Opening Day roster but will hold worthy stash upside in deeper leagues and could find a spot as a corner infielder in most leagues once he does earn the call.

Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF, New York Mets

Rounding out our list will be the future first baseman of the New York Mets. While the Mets have been shifting Ryan Clifford to the outfield in camp, his long-term outlook remains the future first baseman.

Clifford was sent to the Mets in the trade that moved Justin Verlander back to the Houston Astros in August of 2023.

Clifford spent most of the 2025 season at Double-A, where he hit an eye-catching 24 home runs with a .243/.355/.493 line across 105 games. This earned him a ticket to Triple-A, where he took a step back, posting a low .219/.359/.395 with only five home runs over 34 games. However, during this stint, Clifford was actually able to lower his K% and raise his BB5, which is a positive sign.

However, he posted a much lower 15.2% HR/FB%, compared to the hefty 23.8% HR/FB% he posted back at Double-A.

Despite this, given New York's current lineup, Clifford may only need brief seasoning at Triple-A in 2026 to earn the call to Queens. For now, Jorge Polanco is set to play first base, while right field is either covered by fellow prospect Carson Benge or veteran Tyrone Taylor. Polanco enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign in 2025 but has been no stranger to lengthy IL stints.

If Clifford can continue to showcase his high-end power, the Mets won't keep him in the minors for much longer. Given that the team has already begun to trust him in the outfield, it is a very positive sign for both his short- and long-term outlook.

Similar to Condon, when Clifford earns the call, he will be a must-roster asset in 12-team formats given his high-end power upside. However, on draft day, managers should only look to take him in the final rounds in deeper 15-team leagues, as he may have to wait at least a month to earn the call.

Ryan Clifford crushes a three-run home run! pic.twitter.com/z96fKiQIJ5

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) September 6, 2025

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