Top-5 MLB Pitching Prospects To Stash For Fantasy Baseball Redraft Leagues - Week 18

July 23, 2026

Marty Tallman's top pitching fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 18 (2026). His MLB prospects to pick up and stash on your bench and N/A spots in redraft leagues.

Welcome back to our top starting pitcher fantasy baseball prospects to stash article for Week 18 of the 2026 MLB season. With the trade deadline quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to stash your favorite prospects.

This week, we're skipping Seattle Mariners left-hander Kade Anderson. He's the clear No. 1 pitching prospect to stash and could be promoted if Luis Castillo is traded.

If not, expect a call-up sometime between August 15-23, which would allow him to retain his rookie eligibility for the 2027 season. With the clear top stash out of the way, let's take a look at five more pitching prospects worth considering in redraft leagues.

Gage Wood, Philadelphia Phillies

Currently at Double-A

Gage Wood is the Phillies' No. 5 prospect and was selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Since signing, he has wasted little time climbing the organizational ladder, already earning a promotion to Double-A.

What a night for Gage Wood!

The @Phillies top pitching prospect struck out a career-best nine hitters through four frames 😤

4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K@PhilsPlayerDev | @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/Astzik1J4y

— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) July 20, 2026

Before his promotion, the 22-year-old posted a 3.00 xFIP, 1.10 WHIP, 38.1% strikeout rate, and 11.4% walk rate across 26 1/3 innings at Single-A Clearwater.

He hasn't missed a beat since moving up to Double-A, where he has recorded a 3.26 xFIP, 1.07 WHIP, and an impressive 29.5% K-BB rate. A big reason for Wood's early success has been his fastball and curveball.

FanGraphs grades his fastball as a 70-grade pitch and his curveball as a 60-grade offering, giving him two weapons that are already capable of getting major league hitters out. So why isn't he in the majors yet?

The answer comes down to the development of the rest of his arsenal and workload concerns. While his top two pitches are advanced, his slider and splitter are still works in progress. Durability has also been a concern throughout his career.

At the University of Arkansas, Wood missed several months in 2025 due to a right shoulder impingement. It wasn't the first time he dealt with a shoulder issue, as he also missed time in high school with a similar injury.

Because of that history, Wood threw fewer than 40 combined innings between Arkansas and the minor leagues in 2025. The Phillies have understandably been cautious with his workload this season, allowing him to complete five innings only once in 17 starts.

Entering the second half, Wood has already logged 59 innings, making a workload around 100 innings a reasonable expectation. That limited workload could make a major league debut this season difficult.

For Wood to get the call, the Phillies would likely need a rotation injury or decide to move on from veteran starter Aaron Nola, who currently owns a 5.68 ERA across 103 innings.

From a fantasy perspective, Wood remains a worthwhile stash in 15-team leagues or deeper, especially in formats with minor league roster spots.

His elite fastball-curveball combination gives him the upside to make an immediate impact if Philadelphia decides he's ready.

Quinn Mathews, St. Louis Cardinals

Currently at Triple-A

Quinn Mathews is a 6-foot-5 left-hander who has piled up 418 strikeouts across 327 1/3 minor league innings. This season at Triple-A, he owns a 29% strikeout rate, a 4.27 xERA, and a 1.16 WHIP.

Quinn Mathews is through five hitless innings with just one walk. His scoreless streak is up to 17.1 innings. pic.twitter.com/QHFrx2HG3n

— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) July 19, 2026

Mathews' arsenal is built around a fastball that sits around 95 mph and touches 98. The pitch plays even better than the radar gun suggests thanks to his extension and deceptive arm slot. His best offering, however, is his changeup.

It features excellent arm-speed deception, generating plenty of whiffs and weak ground balls while giving him a reliable weapon against right-handed hitters. Scouts consistently grade it as a plus pitch.

His slider has also taken a step forward since turning pro. Thrown in the mid-80s, it has become an effective weapon against left-handed hitters.

He rounds out his mix with a curveball that he often uses early in counts to steal strikes, and he has recently added a two-seam fastball to generate more ground balls and give hitters another fastball shape to account for.

The biggest question surrounding Mathews is his command. His 14.1% walk rate this season is an improvement over last year's 17.5% mark at Triple-A, but it's still well above where it needs to be.

Major league hitters are less likely to chase pitches out of the zone, making it easy to envision shorter outings if the walks continue.

There is reason for optimism, though. Tampa Bay Rays starter Joe Boyle dealt with similar command issues in the minors before making meaningful improvements in the majors.

While the two pitchers aren't direct comparisons, it shows that command can improve with major league coaching and experience. As things stand, there isn't an obvious opening in the Cardinals' rotation, but that could change quickly.

FanGraphs currently gives St. Louis just a 24% chance of reaching the postseason, and the club entered the season focused on getting younger and reducing payroll.

If the Cardinals continue to slide in the standings, veteran starter Dustin May remains a logical trade candidate, with reports already linking him to the rumor mill.

If that happens, Mathews could find himself in the rotation shortly after the trade deadline.

His strikeout upside makes him an excellent stash in 15-team leagues, and once he's promoted, he should be on the radar in all 12-team formats.

Owen Murphy, Atlanta Braves

Currently at Triple-A

The Atlanta Braves recently optioned 22-year-old right-hander Owen Murphy back to Triple-A after his first taste of the major leagues.

In his brief stint, Murphy allowed six hits and three earned runs while walking two and striking out six over 6 2/3 innings.

The underlying metrics largely matched his scouting report. He posted a 106 Location+, 97 Stuff+, and 96 Pitching+, showing that his command remains ahead of his raw stuff.

Before earning his promotion this season, he impressed across Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 3.85 xERA, 27.1% strikeout rate, 11.2% walk rate, and 1.26 WHIP over 81 innings. Here's a look at his Statcast data at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Murphy isn't the type of pitcher who overwhelms hitters with velocity. Instead, he succeeds by locating his pitches, changing speeds, and leaning on two above-average breaking balls.

If his velocity continues to return following Tommy John surgery and his changeup develops into a reliable fourth offering, he has the ingredients to become a dependable mid-rotation starter.

Atlanta has dealt with constant turnover in its rotation this season because of injuries, so Murphy should get another opportunity before long. He's a solid stash in 15-team leagues.

Once he's back in the majors, he has the command and pitchability to provide useful innings, even if he isn't a high-strikeout arm.

Ty Johnson, Tampa Bay Rays

Currently at Triple-A

Ty Johnson has emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in the minor leagues this season. Acquired by the Rays in the Isaac Paredes trade, the 24-year-old right-hander has quickly climbed Tampa Bay's prospect rankings.

Unfortunately, and even more so than Wood, Johnson relies heavily on a two-pitch arsenal. While both his fastball and slider are elite offerings, he'll need to develop another pitch if he wants to stick as a starting pitcher long term.

However, that has not stopped him from dominating the minor leagues. Across 49 1/3 innings this season, Johnson has posted a 2.62 xERA, 33% strikeout rate, 9.8% walk rate, and a WHIP below 1.00 for the second consecutive year.

The biggest question is when he'll get the call. The timeline remains uncertain, but the Rays have shown they're willing to promote starters who force the issue with strong performances at Triple-A.

Johnson is an excellent stash in 15-team leagues with minor league roster spots, and once he's promoted, he has the upside to be useful in 12-team leagues.

George Klassen, Los Angeles Angels

Currently at Triple-A

The Los Angeles Angels could be active sellers at the trade deadline, with Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano viewed as potential trade candidates. If either pitcher is moved, right-hander George Klassen should be the first name considered for a promotion.

Earlier this year, Klassen received a brief taste of the majors, but the results were brutal. Over 4 2/3 innings, he allowed 10 walks before a finger injury sent him back to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Since returning to the minors, Klassen has shown flashes of improvement, although the overall results remain inconsistent. Through 78 1/3 innings, he owns a 4.85 xERA, 21.9% strikeout rate, and 13.4% walk rate.

However, his recent stretch has been much more encouraging. Over his last four starts, he has posted a 2.66 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP, 25 strikeouts, and 11 walks. Just a few days ago, he pitched the best game of his professional career.

George Klassen recorded a season-best 11 punchouts over six frames in his latest Triple-A start.

The @Angels' No. 4 prospect racked up nine of them in the first four innings to set a @SaltLakeBees record: pic.twitter.com/tXFA12q31A

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 20, 2026

Ultimately, his fantasy value will come down to which version of Klassen shows up consistently. Because of that volatility, he should only be stashed in 15-team leagues with a minor league roster spot available or by managers willing to take on risk for upside.

If the Angels create a rotation opening at the trade deadline and Klassen continues trending in the right direction, he could find himself pitching meaningful innings down the stretch.

Other Prospects To Consider Stashing

• Kade Anderson, SEA
• Karson Milbrandt, MIN
• River Ryan, LAD (on 7-Day IL)
• Hagen Smith, CHW
• Elmer Rodriguez, NYY

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