RADIO
Fantasy baseball prospect breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire stash analysis for Week 13 of 2026 including James Tibbs III, Kade Anderson, Zac Veen, Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, and more.
Managers have already begun to see the importance of stashing prospects. Those who got ahead of the curve and targeted players like Cole Carrigg, Henry Bolte, and Gage Jump ahead of their call-ups may have potentially secured a "lineup-lock" for the remainder of the season.
Below, we will spotlight eight prospects who have showcased high-end upside in the minor leagues this season and determine if managers should stash them ahead of Week 13.
Should fantasy managers stash these breakout prospects? Let's dive in!
Featured Promo: Save 50% off the regular price with discount code SUMMER, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW
James Tibbs III, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III has been among the top power hitters at the Triple-A level this season and is making a strong case to join the MLB roster in the immediate future. On Thursday, Tibbs launched his 20th long ball of the campaign when he went 1-for-5 against Sacramento. Through 69 total games with Oklahoma City this season, the 23-year-old has held a .297/.413/.602 line with a dominant 1.015 OPS.
This is even more impressive as Tibbs did not log a single bat at the Triple-A level prior to the 2026 campaign. Currently, the Dodgers have turned to fellow prospect Ryan Ward to replace the injured Teoscar Hernandez on the MLB roster. However, given Tibbs' current play and much higher upside, they could turn to the Florida State product to add a spark to their lineup. His path to at-bats and elite raw power upside makes him a top stash target among hitting prospects.
- Written by Andy Smith
Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has enjoyed an incredible stretch at the plate at Triple-A and is on the verge of earning the call to the big leagues. Through 64 total games with the Memphis Redbirds, the outfielder has held a dominant .275/.343/.628 line with 24 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Over his last 14 contests (since June 2), the outfielder has been even more impressive at the dish, launching eight of these home runs with a .368/.381/.877 line. On June 16, Baez made headlines across the minor leagues, slugging four long balls in a single game.
However, despite this level of play, the Cardinals have yet to turn to him. Even though Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church are both back in action, Baez's current production should pave the way for him to join the MLB roster before the end of the month, especially if they remain in the Wild Card race. He remains an elite prospect to stash in all standard leagues ahead of Week 13.
111.1 mph off the bat on Joshua Báez's fifth homer this week 🔥
MLB's No. 64 prospect ranks second in all of @MiLB with 24 roundtrippers this season for the Triple-A @memphisredbirds.@Cardinals | @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/fev8aIrljj
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 19, 2026
- Written by Andy Smith
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen is sizzling at Triple-A Albuquerque, riding a 19-game hit streak, during which time he has gone 34-for-79 (.430) with 11 doubles, two triples, six home runs, and a pair of stolen bases. Including walks, the last time he did not get on base was back on May 17, a stretch of 23 games. The Rockies' 13th-ranked prospect earned a debut in the majors back in April of last year, but went just 4-for-34 (.118) with a 37.8 percent strikeout rate during his brief time there.
However, after a solid season in Albuquerque in 2025 and with the heater he is on now in 2026, the former ninth-overall draft pick looks ready for another shot, currently the author of a .323/.415/.556 slash line with 10 home runs, 13 steals, a 13.6 percent walk rate, and an improved 19.9 percent strikeout rate through 62 games for the Isotopes. The 6-foot-3 slugger could get another shot in the majors by the All-Star break, and this time around, he may have more success given how well he is hitting.
With the potential to be a multi-category contributor playing half his games at Coors Field, the 24-year-old is a worthy stash in deeper leagues.
-Written by Jarod Rupp
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson has seen his short-term fantasy stock take a hit this past week, but the budding ace remains firmly on the stash radar. The Mariners acknowledged that they will be looking to "piggyback" each of their MLB starters and do not view Anderson as part of their immediate plans.
While this could change in the second half, for now it appears the former LSU superstar will remain in the minor leagues for the foreseeable future. However, during his first taste of professional baseball, the southpaw has looked nothing short of dominant, posting an elite 1.13 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and an 82:7 K:BB over 55 2/3 innings of work. While his path to the majors is not overly clear, his upside remains elite, making him a top-stash candidate in standard formats with NA spots.
- Written by Andy Smith
Quinn Mathews, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals left-handed pitching prospect Quinn Mathews has begun to turn the corner at Triple-A and is quickly emerging as a top prospect to stash among pitchers. Mathews turned in a dominant debut season in the St. Louis system in 2024 but has yet to return to that level of play. In 2025, he logged only 99 innings and saw those troubles linger early in 2026. Through his first 35 2/3 innings this season, the southpaw posted a hefty 5.55 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP.
During this stint, Mathews posted a rough 44:30 K:BB. However, over his last 21 innings of work (four starts), the former Stanford standout has held a stellar 1.71 ERA with a much-improved 28:9 K:BB. While he may need to show this success over a longer stretch, he has a clear path to the majors given St. Louis' weak rotation. He is a viable target in the 12+ team leagues ahead of Week 13, but can quickly enter priority stash range if he turns in a strong conclusion to June.
- Written by Andy Smith
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt was optioned back to Triple-A on Monday as the team felt that he needed to work on hitting breaking pitches. Then, in his first game back with Reno on Wednesday, the D-backs' top-ranked prospect did just that, sending a German Marquez (forearm) knuckle-curve over the fence for his first home run since April 26. The former first-rounder had a fantastic 2025 and a strong start to 2026 that led to his promotion to the big leagues, however, he scuffled a bit in his first taste of the majors, slashing .259/.314/.357 with zero home runs and a 32.8 percent strikeout rate in 122 plate appearances.
The 23-year-old still managed to swipe five bags, though, which kept him somewhat fantasy relevant during his tenure. The right-handed hitter will hopefully get back on track at Triple-A and should be back in the big leagues later this year. Though he did not show the home run power during his 33-game debut, it is there, and together with his speed and what figures to be an improved approach, the University of Kentucky product should be back on the stash radar in deeper leagues.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Karson Milbrandt, SP, Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has looked right at home during his short time at Triple-A Jacksonville, allowing just one run on five hits in 11 innings so far for the Jumbo Shrimp. One critique could be that he has also walked six batters during that time, which registers as a 15.4 percent walk rate, and he's struck out seven batters, which is a 20.5 percent strikeout rate, quite a dip from the 38.3 percent rate we saw through nine starts at Double-A.
Nevertheless, he's been able to limit damage, and if he keeps it up, a debut in the majors should happen later this year. Despite multiple blows to the starting rotation, the team has resisted calling up the 6-foot-2 hurler, but assuming he gets the walks under control and returns to his high-strikeout ways, look for the Marlins' fifth-ranked prospect to make a debut by August.
For those who want to get ahead of that, the 22-year-old is worthy of stash consideration in most leagues for his strikeout potential. The former third-round draft pick will take his next turn on the mound on Saturday for Jacksonville for those who want to monitor his progress.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Hagen Smith, SP, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Hagen Smith (shoulder) has been shut down for two weeks with a left shoulder impingement, delaying his MLB debut until some time later in the second half of the season. Chicago's fourth-ranked prospect had been performing well as of late, yielding just three earned runs on nine hits and six walks while striking out 25 over his last three starts (14 innings) heading into Saturday before getting tagged for eight runs (seven earned) and allowing a whopping four home runs in 4 1/3 innings of work in his latest outing.
It felt like the left-hander's major league debut could come at any time, but fantasy managers will now have to wait until he returns to the mound and can prove to be effective once again. Without a clear timeline for return and knowing a debut won't come anytime soon, the 22-year-old is likely only worth stashing in the deepest of formats, but he could become one of the top arms to stash in all leagues later this year once he gets rolling again.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Top 25 Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues
Check our Eric Cross' updated top-25 prospects to stash below. These rankings are for 2026 redraft value only, not dynasty. These are MLB prospects who could potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2026.
Promoted Last Week: Braden Montgomery (CHW), Cole Carrigg (COL), Blaze Jordan (STL), Cooper Pratt (MIL), Denzer Guzman (LAA)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Lazaro Montes (SEA), Harry Ford (WAS), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Jacob Melton (TBR), Michael Arroyo (SEA), Jonathon Long (CHC), Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (ATH), Zach Ehrhard (LAD)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Owen Murphy (ATL), Quinn Mathews (STL), George Klassen (LAA)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins | June |
| 2 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals | July |
| 3 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners | July |
| 4 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies | July |
| 5 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers | June |
| 6 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers | August |
| 7 | Ryan Waldschmidt | OF | Diamondbacks | July |
| 8 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins | August |
| 9 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers | June |
| 10 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins | August |
| 11 | Luis Lara | OF | Brewers | June |
| 12 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies | July |
| 13 | Hector Rodriguez | OF | Reds | August |
| 14 | Yohandy Morales | 1B/3B | Nationals | June |
| 15 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox | July |
| 16 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers | July |
| 17 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians | August |
| 18 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets | July |
| 19 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees | July |
| 20 | George Lombard Jr. | SS | Yankees | July |
| 21 | Jaxon Wiggins | SP | Cubs | July |
| 22 | Kemp Alderman | OF | Marlins | July |
| 23 | Abimelec Ortiz | 1B | Nationals | July |
| 24 | Brody Hopkins | SP | Rays | July |
| 25 | Wei-En Lin | SP | Athletics | August |
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 James Tibbs III, Kade Anderson, Zac Veen, Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, Ryan Waldschmidt, Karson Milbrandt, Hagen Smith, Gage Jump, Cole Carrigg, Henry Bolte, Braden Montgomery. 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 James Tibbs III, Kade Anderson, Zac Veen, Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, Ryan Waldschmidt, Karson Milbrandt, Hagen Smith, Gage Jump, Cole Carrigg, Henry Bolte, Braden Montgomery:
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
