RADIO
Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Hagen Smith, Jaxon Wiggins, Ralphy Velazquez - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Over the opening months of the 2026 season, managers have seen many prospects make a massive impact for fantasy, such as Parker Messick, Payton Tolle, Henry Bolte and Carson Benge.
Below, we will look at two emerging pitching prospects at the Triple-A level and a top stash for power upside.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end 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
Hagen Smith, SP, Chicago White Sox
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 53 IP, 4.75 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 79 SO, 39 BB
Smith was selected by the White Sox with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and ranks as MLB.com's No. 55 overall prospect. He spent his entire 2024 season at High-A and then spent all of 2025 at Double-A.
As expected, the left-hander was given the green light to begin 2026 in Triple-A, where he has shown some impressive "highs" but some concerning "lows." Through his first 22 1/3 innings, Smith posted a sharp 2.82 ERA while striking out 32 hitters. However, in this stint, he walked a rather high 16 hitters, which inflated his WHIP to 1.25.
Then, over his next three outings (11 2/3 innings), Smith allowed 10 earned runs with a 15:11 K:BB. However, the Arkansas product quickly bounced back, posting a strong 2.37 ERA with a much-improved 32:7 K:BB over his next 19 frames.
Hagen Smith (@whitesox No. 4 prospect) racks up 17 whiffs for Triple-A @KnightsBaseball:
⚫️ 4.1 IP
⚪️ 2 H
⚫️ 1 R
⚪️ 2 BB
⚫️ 9 K (season high) pic.twitter.com/7dA4XcDZuU— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 3, 2026
This career-best stretch was brought to a screeching halt on June 13 when he allowed a season-worst seven earned runs before being placed on the injured list with a shoulder impingement.
Smith returned to action over the weekend at Triple-A but logged only one frame in his return. Managers should continue to monitor his usage, as he may take a few outings to return to a starter's workload.
Once built up, he could quickly earn the call, as Chicago's back half of the starting rotation is not very impressive or deep, with Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde currently occupying those spots.
- Written by Andy Smith
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 43 G, .268/.362/.415, 10 2B, 4 HR, 40 SO, 19 BB
A lot of fantasy managers might not be familiar with Cleveland Guardians' top prospect Ralphy Velazquez. Velazquez was taken in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft. Although he slowly rose up Cleveland's Minor League ranks, the hard-swinging lefty slugger is knocking on the door of a promotion to the big league roster.
Velázquez really broke out during the 2025 season at both High-A and Double-A. He slashed a combined .265/.342/.497 with 22 home runs, 28 doubles, 85 RBI, 52 walks, and one stolen base in 122 games across those two levels. Those numbers made him a top-100 prospect on both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline before the 2026 campaign.
Velazquez got off to a nice start at Double-A to begin the year. He slashed .317/.414/.566 with seven home runs, nine doubles, three triples, 30 RBI, and 22 walks in his first 36 games with the Akron RubberDucks before being promoted to Triple-A Columbus in mid-May. While there was an adjustment period for him once he was promoted to Triple-A, he has settled in quietly since the beginning of June.
Ralphy Velazquez, the @CleGuardians No. 1 prospect, laces one the other way to pad the AL lead!@GuardsInsider | #FuturesGame pic.twitter.com/QiGEXUrN8A
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 12, 2026
The Guardians' top prospect is batting .291 with four home runs, six doubles, 16 RBI, and 14 walks since June 2. His xwOBA (.349), expected batting average (.259), expected slugging (.445), average exit velocity (89 mph), and zone-swing rate (71.3%) all rank pretty well, and he's not striking out as much recently. Velázquez has only six strikeouts in 41 plate appearances in the month of July.
There is a chance the Guardians call up Velazquez sometime in August/September. He has been hitting the ball well over the last few weeks and has tallied a hit in seven of his last 10 contests. His power potential makes him a stash in some leagues at this point in the year. The lefty slugger has the tools to make an immediate impact in the big leagues.
-Written by Joey Pollizze
Jaxon Wiggins, SP, Chicago Cubs
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 13 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 17 SO, 13 BB
Usually, this article highlights the top-performing prospects and whether they are worth stashing in leagues. However, that hasn't been the case with Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, who hasn't posted solid numbers since returning from injury. Still, he's a prospect fantasy managers should get familiar with because he could make an impact down the stretch.
It hasn't necessarily been a great year for Wiggins. He started the year with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, where he looked good in his first start. The 24-year-old right-hander threw four innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts in his season debut against Triple-A Columbus on March 29.
After that solid outing, things have gone downhill for him. He struggled in his next Triple-A start on April 4 (four earned runs across four innings) and then went on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation on April 15. Wiggins proceeded to miss two months before appearing in his first rehab assignment outing on June 15 with the ACL Cubs at the rookie ball level.
He made three rehab starts as part of his ramp-up process (one at rookie ball, three at High-A) and was eventually activated from the injured list on July 10. The results, though, haven't been great for Wiggins since returning to Triple-A. He allowed three runs across 2 2/3 innings against Triple-A St. Paul on July 10 and gave up five runs across 2 1/3 innings against Triple-A Memphis on July 17.
Four strikeouts tonight for Jaxon Wiggins! pic.twitter.com/NTghTA8Rdw
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 11, 2026
Even though the Cubs' top pitching prospect has had his struggles in his first two starts back at Triple-A, he could still find his way to the big leagues in September. Fantasy managers have to remember that Wiggins missed multiple months with a right elbow injury. He is still trying to get into a rhythm on the mound following a multi-month absence.
Wiggins has the stuff to contribute to this Cubs team later this season. He has a solid 28% strikeout rate, 31.5% whiff rate, and a 14% swinging strike rate across 13 innings pitched at Triple-A in 2026. Despite the lack of results since returning, things could turn around for him in the coming weeks. If he gets into a groove, Chicago could call him up to provide a boost to either the rotation or the bullpen at some point.
Fantasy managers should only monitor him in leagues right now since he has struggled recently. However, if he puts together a couple of nice outings in a row, he could creep into must-stash territory in all leagues. The Cubs need the pitching help, and Wiggins would provide that.
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: Harry Ford (WAS)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Jonathon Long (CHC), James Triantos (CHC), Max Anderson (DET), Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Abimelec Ortiz (WAS), Lazaro Montes (SEA), Ryan Ward (LAD)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jonah Tong (NYM), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 3 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 4 | Joshua Baez | OF | Cardinals |
| 5 | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Twins |
| 6 | Max Clark | OF | Tigers |
| 7 | Hector Rodriguez | OF | Reds |
| 8 | Zac Veen | OF | Rockies |
| 9 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 10 | George Lombard Jr. | SS | Yankees |
| 11 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 12 | Angel Genao | INF | Guardians |
| 13 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 14 | Karson Milbrandt | SP | Marlins |
| 15 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 16 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 17 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 18 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 19 | Hagen Smith | SP | White Sox |
| 20 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | Brewers |
| 21 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 22 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 23 | Quinn Mathews | SP | Cardinals |
| 24 | River Ryan | SP | Dodgers |
| 25 | Jacob Melton | OF | Rays |
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 Tristan Peters, Dominic Canzone, JJ Bleday, Merrill Kelly, Braden Montgomery, Francisco Alvarez, Joshua Baez, Kade Anderson, Lane Thomas, Alex Lange, Jung Hoo Lee, Bryce Eldridge, Gleyber Torres, Kerry Carpenter, Henry Bolte, Jasson Dominguez. 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 Tristan Peters, Dominic Canzone, JJ Bleday, Merrill Kelly, Braden Montgomery, Francisco Alvarez, Joshua Baez, Kade Anderson, Lane Thomas, Alex Lange, Jung Hoo Lee, Bryce Eldridge, Gleyber Torres, Kerry Carpenter, Henry Bolte, Jasson Dominguez:
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!
