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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Emmanuel Rodriguez, Hagen Smith, Spencer Jones - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Stashing high-end prospects can provide your fantasy team with some unexpected upside. So far in the opening month of the 2026 campaign, high-end prospects like Noah Schultz and Payton Tolle have showcased elite upside on a per-start basis and are emerging as potential must-start pitchers.
In this piece, we will look at three prospects who are showcasing high-end upside at the Triple-A level, including two top outfield prospects.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Minnesota Twins
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 10% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 25 G, .247/.417/.506, 3 2B, 6 HR, 3 SB
Rodriguez is currently slashing .253/.406/.519 with six home runs and three stolen bases in 101 plate appearances.
He's going to be a risk to your batting average due to his high strikeout rate (30.7%). However, the good news is how much he walks, as highlighted by an impressive 18.8 BB%. This makes him even more enticing in OBP formats.
With Matt Wallner scuffling at the plate, the Twins may give Rodriguez a chance sooner or later. This is a hitter who can perform at a 25/10 whenever he gets the call.
I'd imagine that he gets called up to the Twins sometime in July, as there's not too much left for him to prove in the minors, especially since he's in his age-23 season. The Twins would be wise to see what they have in Rodriguez. Get him some big league reps. For now, the best you can do is monitor him on your watch list.
-Written by Frank Ammirante
Hagen Smith, SP, Chicago White Sox
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 22 1/3 IP, 2.82 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 32 SO, 16 BB
After spotlighting his teammate at Triple-A, Tanner McDougal, last week, I want to spotlight another budding arm in the Chicago system, Hagen Smith, who also resides at Triple-A. While McDougal may be just as near to his MLB debut, Smith is flashing much higher upside in the upper minors and could enjoy a similar trajectory that Schultz has put together over his first stint in the big leagues.
Smith joined the White Sox with the fifth overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Arkansas and has progressed through the system at an impressive rate. Following the draft, Smith was assigned to High-A, where he logged 7 2/3 innings with a 7:2 K:BB and a 3.52 ERA. To open his first professional campaign in 2025, the White Sox sent Smith to Double-A, where he spent the previous season.
Through 75 2/3 innings, the southpaw flashed high-end strikeout potential, totaling 108 punchouts with a solid 3.52 ERA. However, a major knock on his profile was his command, as he allowed a hefty 56 free passes to go along with a 1.30 WHIP. Out of spring training, the White Sox assigned Smith to Triple-A, making him just one step away from the big leagues.
While his command has remained just as shaky (15.2% BB% compared to a 17.6% BB% last season), Smith has done a great job in limiting the damage, posting a 2.33 ERA while striking out 29 hitters, over just 19 1/3 frames. The southpaw was enjoying a strong start to his season, in terms of command, allowing just five walks over his first 13 frames, but he has taken a step back, serving up eight walks over his last 6 1/3 innings.
Smith will need to continue to lower his walk rate to be in the mix for a promotion. As a result, McDougal is likely closer to a promotion, but Smith possesses far more upside when looking for punchouts in this system.
Hagen Smith with a 1-2-3 2nd inning, including 2 strikeouts. 23 pitches in the inning, 55 for the game.
Knights trail 2-0, B 2.@FutureSox pic.twitter.com/1RihahhqtN
— jeff cohen (@TripleAJeff) May 3, 2026
- Written by Andy Smith
Spencer Jones, OF, New York Yankees
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 31 G, .261/.366/.586, 6 2B, 10 HR, 7 SB
Alright, it's time for another Spencer Jones update. The large and polarizing outfield prospect is now up to 10 home runs in 31 games this season with a .261/.366/.586 slash line. He's also walking at a 12.2% clip and swatted five dingers in his last six games, including a two-homer game on Sunday. Overall, Jones is running an impressive 95.3 mph AVG EV, 56.5% hard-hit rate, and a 29% barrel rate this season.
Spencer Jones' second homer of the game is a GRAND SLAM 🤯
111.1 mph off the bat and 406 feet for the @Yankees slugger! pic.twitter.com/e5EpEX4y4f
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 3, 2026
However, the contact rates are still downright terrible, currently sitting at 56.5% overall and 65.5% in zone. Jones is also striking out at a 32.8% clip. Those metrics simply won't get it done at the major league level. With Giancarlo Stanton on the IL, Jasson Dominguez got recalled, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Yankees gave Jones a shot in the near future.
This is a guy who could have some massive offensive weeks, along with some notable stinkers. Invest at your own risk.
Update - Jones is set to join the Yankees on Friday following the injury to Dominguez. He is worth adding in all standard formats ahead of his MLB debut.
- Written by Eric Cross
2026 Prospect Fantasy Baseball Redraft Stash Rankings
Who are the top fantasy baseball prospects to know? Check out our latest 2026 prospect fantasy baseball rankings which are updated regularly by Eric Cross:
Promoted Last Week: Trey Yesavage (TOR), Elmer Rodriguez (NYY), Travis Bazzana (CLE)
Promoted This Week: Bryce Eldridge (SFG), Joe Mack (MIA)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Gabriel Gonzalez (MIN), Zac Veen (COL), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Hector Rodriguez (CIN), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Jonathon Long (CHC), Blaze Jordan (STL), Jacob Melton (TBR), James Tibbs (LAD)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Gage Jump (ATH), Carlos Lagrange (NYY), Hagen Smith (CHW), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Trey Gibson (BAL), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Kendry Rojas (MIN), River Ryan (LAD)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Bryce Eldridge | 1B | SFG | This Week |
| 2 | Robby Snelling | SP | MIA | May |
| 3 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | ARI | May |
| 4 | Max Clark | OF | DET | June |
| 5 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | May |
| 6 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | MIN | May |
| 7 | Didier Fuentes | SP | ATL | May |
| 8 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | June |
| 9 | EmManuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | June |
| 10 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | July |
| 11 | Charlie Condon | 1B | COL | June |
| 12 | Luis Lara | OF | MIL | June |
| 13 | A.J. Ewing | OF | NYM | July |
| 14 | Kevin Alcantara | OF | CHC | June |
| 15 | Thomas White | SP | MIA | July |
| 16 | Jonah Tong | SP | NYM | June |
| 17 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | MIL | June |
| 18 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | July |
| 19 | Spencer Jones | OF | NYY | July |
| 20 | Aidan Miller | SS | PHI | July |
| 21 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | May |
| 22 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | PIT | June |
| 23 | Henry Bolte | OF | ATH | July |
| 24 | Pedro Ramirez | 2B/3B | CHC | July |
| 25 | Joe Mack | C | MIA | This Week |
Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Spencer Jones, Braxton Garrett, Robby Snelling, Noah Schultz, Tanner Scott, Abner Uribe, Louis Varland, EmManuel Rodriguez. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Looking to pick up someone else instead? Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like Spencer Jones, Braxton Garrett, Robby Snelling, Noah Schultz, Tanner Scott, Abner Uribe, Louis Varland, Emmanuel Rodriguez:
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