Hot MLB Prospects to Watch for Fantasy Baseball - Kade Anderson, Theo Gillen, Luis Serna, Daniel Pierce, LuJames Groover

April 17, 2026

Andersen looks at the top fantasy baseball prospects risers, sleepers for Week 3 in April 2026. These MLB prospects may become strong waiver wire stashes or pickups.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Can you believe we're already halfway through the month of April? That means the 2026 baseball season is already three weeks old!

Monitoring the top fantasy baseball prospects who have turned heads thus far is imperative. The players listed here are coming off dominant weeks and have significant long-term upside. Don't be surprised when these exact names are painting corners, mashing homers, and swiping bags at the big league level soon.

Savvy fantasy managers looking for an edge in their leagues should watch these players over the long haul, as they may soon be excellent additions.

Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners

Level: Double-A
2025 stats: 2 G, 2 GS, 1-0, 9.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 FIP, 17.00 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 53.3% GB%, .333 BABIP

Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick in last summer's MLB Draft. The LSU product was a College Baseball World Series hero and was widely regarded as the best left-handed pitcher — as well as one of the best overall arms — in the 2025 draft.

The talented left-hander has four plus pitches in his repertoire, anchored by a fastball that reaches 97 mph and induces plenty of whiffs with incredible ride. He has great feel for his slider, and his changeup has the ability to miss plenty of bats with a significant tunneling effect. He rounds out his repertoire with a curveball.

Making his second pro start last Friday, Anderson tossed five no-hit, shutout innings. He allowed just two walks and struck out a whopping 11 batters along the way. It was impressive to see Anderson bypass A-ball and make his pro debut at Double-A, but he has capitalized on the opportunity with nine consecutive scoreless innings to begin his career.

Kade Anderson through his first two professional starts...

9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 17 K

Anderson is one of the frontrunners, along with Seth Hernandez and Ryan Sloan, to be the #1 pitching prospect in baseball by mid season.#TridentsUppic.twitter.com/NRIxm72B0A

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) April 11, 2026

Theo Gillen, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Level: High-A
2025 stats: 8 G, .333/.419/.889, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 10 R, 3 SB, 6.5% BB%, 22.6% K%, .313 BABIP, .573 wOBA, 251 wRC+

Gillen was the Rays' first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, signing out of high school for more than $4.37 million. He briefly debuted at the Single-A level in 2024 and remained there in 2025 while also missing time due to injury. A strong campaign last year resulted in Gillen being promoted to High-A this spring, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him in Double-A soon.

The 20-year-old has developed more strength since being drafted, supplementing his plus hit tool with above-average power potential. He produces high-quality contact while still making good swing decisions, as evidenced by his 19.8% walk rate last year. Getting on base is just half the story with Gillen, as he also offers tremendous value with his speed; he averaged 0.49 steals per game in 2025.

The start of 2026 has been much of the same for Gillen. Across five games last week, he went 7-for-17 with four home runs, one double, eight RBI, two walks, and four strikeouts. He was also a perfect 2-for-2 when attempting to steal a base. He's only 20, but this rare blend of plate discipline, power, and speed could make Gillen a hot commodity in dynasty fantasy leagues.

THEO GILLEN YET AGAIN!

In his past 5 at-bats, @RaysBaseball's top prospect has 4 homers 🤯

It's his second two-homer game in a row for the @BGHotRods. pic.twitter.com/ocdx8fV3N1

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 12, 2026

Luis Serna, SP, New York Yankees

Level: High-A
2026 stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 7.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.17 FIP, 12.86 K/9, 1.29 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 33.3% GB%, .083 BABIP

Serna signed with the Yankees as an international free agent out of Mexico in 2021. He was hit around at Single-A in 2024, and he missed most of last season due to injury. However, he has always been capable of racking up strikeouts, and there are plenty of reasons to be encouraged by his first start of the 2026 campaign.

The 21-year-old right-hander's best pitch is easily his changeup. Not only does it induce plenty of whiffs and weak contact, but it's also one of the best changeups in all of Minor League Baseball, possessing 20 inches of horizontal break and three inches of induced vertical break. The offering could be his ticket to a big-league rotation spot someday, given how well he integrates it into his four-pitch mix.

In his 2026 debut (and his High-A debut) last Thursday, Serna went seven full innings, allowing just one walk, one hit, and zero runs. He struck out 10 opponents, including all three batters he faced in the first inning. Serna finished the outing with an otherworldly 74.1% strike rate. He's still a long way from the majors, but there's legitimate back-of-the-rotation potential here.

Luis Serna with his first K as a Renegade🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/eyNuGVSCwp

— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) April 9, 2026

Daniel Pierce, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

Level: Single-A
2026 stats: 9 G, .333/.429/.611, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 6 R, 3 SB, 9.5% BB%, 31.0% K%, .450 BABIP, .523 wOBA, 204 wRC+

The Rays' amateur scouting department strikes again. Pierce is the second Rays first-round prep shortstop to appear in this week's list. The 2025 first-rounder follows up Gillen, who was highlighted earlier in the article after his four-homer week at the plate. Pierce enjoyed a similar power output during his own games at the Single-A level.

Coming out of high school, Pierce was viewed as a potential five-tool player with the ability to make an impact on any given pitch. At the plate, he hits for contact to all parts of the field, but his frame and bat speed leave room for him to develop more power. He runs well enough to steal bases and remain at shortstop, where he offers reliable hands, range, and arm strength.

Pierce made his pro debut earlier this month and wasted no time leaving his mark. Across five games last week, he hit 10-for-21 with three home runs, 10 RBI, three walks, and seven strikeouts. He also slugged a double and stole two bases. The 19-year-old has reached base safely in eight of his nine pro contests, and he currently owns a seven-game hitting streak.

Third homer of the week for @RaysBaseball 2025 first-rounder Daniel Pierce ‼️

The 14th overall pick is slashing .308/.419/.654 across his first seven games for the Single-A @ChasRiverDogs: pic.twitter.com/bVMXMFE2KC

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 12, 2026

LuJames Groover, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Level: Triple-A
2025 stats: 15 G, .377/.451/.475, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 8 R, 0 SB, 11.3% BB%, 11.3% K%, .415 BABIP, .415 wOBA, 141 wRC+

Groover was the Diamondbacks' second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The NC State product was selected 48th overall and fetched a signing bonus north of $1.75 million. He performed quite well over a full season at Double-A last year, ultimately earning his way onto the Triple-A roster to kick off the 2026 season.

With Groover, the proof is in the pudding. His results speak for themselves, as he's posted above-average wRC+ marks in every minor league season. He boasts a plus hit tool with impressive K/BB ratios, and he's an average power threat capable of hitting around 15 homers every year. There's not much speed here, so Groover's defensive profile is limited to the corner infield spots.

Across eight games last week, Groover went 10-for-24 with one home run, three doubles, 13 RBI, seven walks, and just three strikeouts. The 23-year-old owns a 10-game on-base streak, and we wouldn't be surprised if he gets a call to the show once he gains a little more Triple-A experience.

LuJames Groover delivers a career-high 6-RBI performance for the @Aces 🔥

MLB's No. 6 third-base prospect (@Dbacks) swats a grand slam to cap his night, his first Triple-A HR. pic.twitter.com/okhH87DUar

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 9, 2026

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