Fantasy Baseball Prospect Risers - Rookies to Stash and Top Performers for Week 16

July 12, 2026

Jeremy's top fantasy baseball prospect risers, breakouts with big upside for Week 16 of 2026. He analyzes top MLB rookies and call-ups to stash who are surging.

Welcome to the Week 16 edition of the top prospect performers. In this weekly piece, we take a look at some of the top-performing minor leaguers who could matter in fantasy down the road. While some may be promoted more quickly than others, it's important to stay up to date on recent prospect performances so you're ready to add them when they do get the call.

The most recent big-name prospect promotion was Luis Lara, who has been featured in this piece several times over the course of the season. It's not yet clear if he'll get the chance to contribute on an everyday basis for the Brewers, but he's making a good impression early, with at least one hit in each of his first four games. He's definitely worth taking a chance on in five-outfielder roto leagues at the very least, as he has great stolen base upside.

If you missed out on Lara or are looking for the next prospects to make an impact, there are plenty more waiting for their chance. This week, we'll take a look at three hot hitters, including two elite Dodgers prospects with superstar potential. Adding the right prospect at the right time could propel your team to a fantasy championship, as they oftentimes come with upside that is rare to find on the waiver wire. Without further ado, let's get into it.

Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins

Twins No. 1, Overall No. 14

Walker Jenkins has been a highly regarded prospect ever since being drafted with the 5th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of high school, but he's dealt with several injuries over the course of his professional career that have delayed his major league debut. This year has been no different, as he was held out from May 3rd to June 13th with a shoulder sprain.

However, the 21-year-old is finally back and healthy and has been on a tear since making his return to the lineup. In 17 games since, he is hitting for a .373 batting average, and in the first eight games of July, he's slashing .290/.353/.452. This season, the youngster has five home runs, 16 RBI, 29 runs, and seven steals in 42 games.

Walker Jenkins in his 11 games since returning off the injured list:

.442/.467/.814 with 8 XBH@Twins | @TwinsPlayerDev | @StPaulSaints pic.twitter.com/4cdwy1z4w9

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 4, 2026

While Jenkins has never stayed on the field enough to produce eye-popping season totals, the skill was clearly there from the start, and it has never left. The outfielder has put up an exceptional .297/.400/.470 slash line in his minor league career, a time period spanning 234 games. There was never a point where it looked like he was overmatched, which is rare for someone drafted straight out of high school who rose through the ranks so quickly.

With a 60-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 55-grade speed, it's obvious why he has an extremely high fantasy ceiling. The five-category threat has nothing left to prove in the minors, outside of staying healthy, so 2026 could be the perfect time to get him some late-season at-bats in preparation for him to become a major part of the Twins' lineup in 2027.

Verdict: Monitor for promotion

Josue De Paula, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers No. 1, Overall No. 4

For as good as the Dodgers are at the major league level, their farm system is equally impressive. That's how Josue De Paula, who is the number four-ranked prospect in all of baseball, is still in Double-A and has yet to be featured in this piece this season. The Dodgers have nine prospects ranked within the top 100, and six of them are outfielders, which has the potential to turn into one of the larger log jams of talent we've ever seen, with Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker, and Teoscar Hernandez occupying the major league spots.

De Paula is slashing .322/.417/.547 with 15 home runs, 67 RBI, 74 runs, and 25 stolen bases in 80 games at Double-A this season, which clearly shows just how high his upside is. He's only getting better too, as he's currently in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak with five multi-hit performances, with the best of the bunch coming on July 1st.

🔵 4 hits
🔵 2 HRs
🔵 4 RBIs

MLB's No. 4 prospect Josue De Paula (@Dodgers) delivers his second multihomer game for the Double-A @TulsaDrillers: pic.twitter.com/L9QXgfqrdB

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 2, 2026

Not only does he have the raw tools needed to succeed, but he also has a great approach at the plate, with a 13.8% walk rate and 13.3% strikeout rate that are both elite marks. You'd be surprised to learn that the 21-year-old actually has below-average speed, despite stealing 57 bases over his past 182 games.

There's a lot more skill to base stealing than just being fast, so if he can translate that basepath aggressiveness to the majors, he could be a true five-category fantasy superstar. Even if the steals do fade out eventually, there's still plenty of room to be a first-round fantasy talent without them. Just look at Yordan Alvarez, who De Paula has been frequently compared to during his rise through the minors.

There's no guarantee that the youngster makes his debut this season, but you can't completely rule out a late-season promotion. With the All-Star break approaching, now is a good time to check in on the future fantasy superstars you need to know about, even if they aren't going to be called up any minute.

Verdict: Elite dynasty asset

Zyhir Hope, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers No. 3, Overall No. 19

Speaking of elite outfield prospects buried in the Dodgers’ organizational depth chart, Zyhir Hope is right there with Josue De Paula and Mike Sirota in their Double-A outfield. He’s ranked 19th overall in baseball according to MLB.com, and he’s been the hottest of the bunch, with six home runs in his past eight games. 

Since the start of July, he’s batting .474, including a two-homer game and two four-hit performances. For the season as a whole, he’s slashing .291/.367/.525 with 19 home runs, 80 RBI, 58 runs, and 14 stolen bases. The 21-year-old does have a bit of a strikeout problem, with a rate of 24.6%, so he’ll have to keep that in check as he rises to Triple-A and eventually the major leagues. 

Zyhir Hope cannot be stopped 💪

MLB's No. 19 prospect (@Dodgers) mashes his sixth home run in his past seven games for the Double-A @TulsaDrillers: pic.twitter.com/tnmuHoZLpI

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 10, 2026

Still, he has above-average speed and exceptional raw power that results in great exit velocities, as one of his most recent homers was clocked at 114 miles per hour. He also excels at keeping the ball in the air, with a 37.1% groundball rate, along with a 40.9% pull rate that allows him to truly maximize his power. The amount of balls he pulls in the air allows him to do the most damage when he does make contact, which makes the strikeout rate less of an issue. 

The big question remaining, is when will he get promoted? As noted previously, the Dodgers are already set at the major league level, so there’s no real urgency here to rush Hope to the majors. Whether he gets a chance late this season or not, the youngster is someone you’ll want to keep an eye on moving forward, along with the previously mentioned outfielders. 

Verdict: Elite dynasty asset

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