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Fantasy baseball prospect breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire stash analysis for Week 18 of 2026 including Joshua Baez, Jacob Melton, Zac Veen, Angel Genao, Quinn Mathews, Walker Jenkins, Franklin Arias, and more.
Throughout the first half of the 2026 campaign, prospects such as Payton Tolle, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing have all flashed upside and emerged as weekly must-start players.
Below, we will look at 13 emerging prospects who have put themselves near the top of the stash radar ahead of Week 18 of the fantasy season.
So, should fantasy managers stash these breakout prospects? Let's get to it!
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Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has endured a tough skid in July, which has delayed his eventual MLB debut. Since the start of the month, the young slugger in the St. Louis system has carried a modest .138/.239/.328 line. During this 15-game stretch, he has not shown his typical high-end power potential, hitting only three home runs, including a grand slam on July 17 and a two-home run effort on July 2.
On the season, Baez has hit 29 home runs and even swiped 15 bags while holding a .241/.313/.551 line with a .864 OPS. While this stretch at the plate likely delayed an immediate promotion, his high-end five-category promotion keeps him at the top of most stash boards ahead of Week 18. He would immediately emerge as a must-start option for fantasy as soon as he earns the call.
- Written by Andy Smith
Jacob Melton, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton has quietly been one of the top hitters at the Triple-A level over the last several weeks and is emerging as a top prospect to stash. Over his last 13 contests at Triple-A (since returning from injury), Melton has carried an elite .327/.421/.592 slash line with four doubles, three home runs, three stolen bases and a sharp 11:7 K:BB.
On the season, Melton has posted a .272/.377/.500 line through 33 Triple-A contests. During this noted stretch, the outfielder has swiped 20 bags and added 12 doubles with four round-trippers. Given his impressive play, Melton has put himself one step closer to joining the Rays for the final stretch. While the recent surge of Victor Mesa Jr. has delayed a call-up, Melton has positioned himself as the clear top name if a starter were to miss time with an injury.
-Written by Andy Smith
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies prospect Zac Veen has shown a steady hand at Triple-A Albuquerque this season, producing solid stats and making a case for a second-half call up. Veen has racked up 16 homers and 61 RBI while scoring 60 runs and stealing 15 bases all while hitting .314. It's very solid all-around production from the talented left-handed hitter and could result in a big league shot in Colorado.
Veen is the No. 13 overall prospect in the Rockies' system but his overall stats paint a much brighter picture. The 24-year-old is a five-tool prospect who could contribute to fantasy rosters as early as this season. Position prospects in Colorado always make for good fantasy pickups because of the hitting environment at Coors Field and Veen should be no exception. His rock solid profile makes him an excellent stash candidate in the second half for mid-to-deeper leagues.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Angel Genao, INF, Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians prospect Angel Genao has shown solid productivity across two minor league levels at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. The switch hitting infield prospect is red-hot this month with a .452 batting average across 42 July at bats in Columbus with a homer and four RBI to go with 10 runs scored.
Since getting called up to Columbus, Genao has been steady across the board with a .305 batting average with seven homers and 28 RBI to go with 17 runs scored and six stolen bases. At 22 years old, Genao checks in as the No. 2 overall prospect in the Guardians' system and grades out with a 60 overall hit tool and 55 overall run tool.
With Jose Ramirez on the injured list, Genao could force his way up to Cleveland. He does a little bit of everything from a production standpoint and that should translate to fantasy. Because he is so young, he is a bit of a risky stash, but could reward fantasy managers who take a chance on him.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Quinn Mathews, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews appears to be on the precipice of a major league debut after a strong season at Triple-A Memphis. The southpaw has been rolling as of late, allowing two earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts, but for the most part, he's been pitching well all year. Take away his worst three starts of the year, the Cards' sixth-ranked prospect owns a 1.89 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in the other 15 starts.
Not to mention 101 strikeouts in 85 total innings pitched are also very usable for fantasy. Opponents are batting .171 off of him on the year, so if he can translate some of that success to the majors, he could be a productive pitcher for fantasy over the final two months of the season. Look for the 25-year-old to debut in the coming weeks, and managers in deeper 12-team leagues should consider stashing him in an NA spot ahead of time.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins prospect Walker Jenkins has had a productive July at Triple-A St. Paul with two homers and four RBI in 45 at bats. Jenkins, the former first-round pick, was activated by St. Paul on June 22 following a left shoulder injury that held him out for an extended period of time. Jenkins has managed just 171 at bats this season and has recorded six homers and 18 RBI with nine stolen bases across three minor league levels.
Back healthy, fantasy managers should keep an eye on Jenkins, the Twins top overall prospect, as he strives to prove himself back at the Triple-A level. The left-handed hitter is just 21 years old, but is considered one of the top prospects in baseball. If he can prove he can maintain his good health, he could be a big-time contributor for the Twins as soon as this season. It's well worth taking a chance on Jenkins on the waiver wire.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Michael Arroyo, INF, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners infield/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo earned a promotion to Triple-A back on July 7 and has looked like he belongs there, collecting a hit in eight of the 10 games he's played in, going 17-for-45 (.378) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, and a pair of stolen bases. He's struck out eight times in 51 plate appearances, which is just a 15.7 percent rate (84th percentile), so the 21-year-old does not appear overmatched in that regard either.
The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect offers a solid hit tool with some power to go along with it and some speed to boot, making him an intriguing fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats. At this rate, a late-season debut in the majors looks possible, so managers in deeper leagues could consider stashing him, but if that doesn't happen, look for a productive 2027 in the majors from the 5-foot-10 Colombian.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Franklin Arias, INF, Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are promoting shortstop prospect Franklin Arias to Triple-A Worcester, according to Tommy Cassell. The 20-year-old Venezuelan infielder is getting the call to the top level of the farm system after hitting an impressive .319/.407/.581 with a .987 OPS, 18 home runs, 51 RBI, 49 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 74 games across 327 plate appearances at Double-A Portland this year.
Per MLB Pipeline, Arias is Boston's top prospect, and he's also considered the No. 7 overall prospect in all of baseball in 2026. At the shortstop position, Arias is the No. 4 overall prospect. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder makes contact to all fields and has advanced hand-eye coordination for his age. Arias has a bright future, but fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues already holding him would like to see him add weight/strength and put the ball in the air more often.
He also has below-average speed, so he probably won't be a high-end power/speed option at the 6 at the next level. Arias has had a fine season in the minors and is now one stop away from the Show, but that might not come until 2027.
Franklin Arias in his first 3 pro seasons, combined: 18 HR
Franklin Arias in 2026 for the @PortlandSeaDogs: 19 HR!MLB's No. 7 prospect leads all @RedSox Minor Leaguers in roundtrippers this year: pic.twitter.com/ePGjhQmON6
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 23, 2026
- Written by Keith Hernandez
George Lombard Jr, SS, New York Yankees
New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. returned to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup on July 17 and wasted little time making his presence felt with a home run in his return game. Lombard Jr. missed nearly a month with sprained fingers on his glove hand, but came back with a bang. In 11 July at bats, Lombard Jr. already has three homers and three RBI between the FCL Yankees and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The 21-year-old is regarded as the top prospect in the Yankees' system and is making a case for a big league shot sooner rather than later. But at age 21, the Yankees could be patient with their prized prospect and wait on his big league debut until next season. The right-handed hitter has had an injury plagued season up to this point and it might be more beneficial for the Yankees to see him get back to full health at Triple-A during the second half of this season.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Max Clark, OF, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has had a nice season at Triple-A Toledo and has turned in a solid month of July. In 45 at bats this month for Toledo, Clark has recorded two homers and three RBI with nine runs scored while hitting .289 overall. Altogether, the talented 21-year-old left-handed hitter has racked up eight homers and 35 RBI with 58 runs scored and 20 stolen bases at Toledo this season while hitting .265.
The Tigers top overall prospect, Clark, a first-round pick out of Franklin High School in Indiana, is a five-tool threat who could contribute immediately to fantasy teams if given a shot at the big leagues. The Tigers could look to the upside of Clark in the second half, especially if they decide to be sellers at the trade deadline. Clark has the potential to reward fantasy managers who take a chance on rostering him.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF, New York Mets
New York Mets prospect Ryan Clifford has put together a nice season at Triple-A Syracuse, but his batting average remains very low. His productivity is solid with 16 homers and 47 RBI to go with 48 runs scored and seven stolen bases, but he is hitting just .192. Clifford has continued to produce, but hit just .099 in the month of June over 81 at-bats.
The first base/outfielder is the No. 2 overall prospect in the Mets' system but will likely need to improve his overall hitting before receiving a shot at a big league debut. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter grades out at just a 45 hit tool, but does boast 60 grade power. So the low batting average might come as part of the package with Clifford.
He is the top position player in the Mets' farm system, so he could get a look this season depending on New York's moves. Fantasy managers may have to deal with a low batting average as part of Clifford's game, but he does have good upside in other categories.
- Written by Brian Buckey
Kemp Alderman, OF, Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins outfield prospect Kemp Alderman blasted his 14th home run of the season on Wednesday in a two-hit effort for Triple-A Jacksonville. The Marlins' eighth-ranked prospect is hitting .326 in 12 July games for the Jumbo Shrimp, which has raised his season-long slash line to .295/.372/.515. The former second-rounder offered stolen base potential last year, recording 22 steals (20 of which came at Double-A), but is up to just six this year, and is still striking out at an elevated rate of 31.2 percent.
The 22-year-old could make an MLB debut later this year, but he'll need to flex some more of his highly-rated power tool in order to make the strikeout rate (and corresponding low walk rate) worth it. For now, he looks like a high-risk, high-reward stash consideration for home runs in very deep redraft leagues given his proximity to the majors.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Luke Adams, INF, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers corner infield prospect Luke Adams collected a pair of hits for the second day in a row on Wednesday, smacking a pair of singles, drawing a walk, and scoring once for Triple-A Nashville. The Brewers' 11th-ranked prospect is hitting .341 in July with two doubles, two home runs, three steals, and a 5:5 BB:K in 12 starts. The former 12th-rounder is having a solid season overall, batting .265 with a .962 OPS for the Sounds; that OPS is top 10 at Triple-A for players who have logged at least 190 plate appearances there.
The 6-foot-4 slugger would have even more plate appearances by now if not for missing a month and a half on the injured list earlier this year. The right-handed hitter owns a low 16.0 percent strikeout rate with a solid 11.9 percent walk rate at Triple-A, and with a sound overall approach, he could be in the mix for a big league promotion in the coming weeks.
There is enough contact and power here to make him intriguing for fantasy if he gets regular at-bats, but the 22-year-old is realistically only worth stashing in very deep 14-teamers and NL-only leagues, and would have to be added to the 40-man roster ahead of any potential debut.
- Written by Jarod Rupp
Top 25 Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues
Check out 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: Harry Ford (WAS)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Jonathon Long (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
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2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Joshua Baez, Jacob Melton, Zac Veen, Angel Genao, Quinn Mathews, Walker Jenkins, Franklin Arias, George Lombard, Ryan Clifford, Max Clark, Kemp Alderman, Luke Adams, Michael Arroyo, Luis Lara, Bryce Eldridge, Gage Jump. 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.
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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 Joshua Baez, Jacob Melton, Zac Veen, Angel Genao, Quinn Mathews, Walker Jenkins, Franklin Arias, George Lombard, Ryan Clifford, Max Clark, Kemp Alderman, Luke Adams, Michael Arroyo, Luis Lara, Bryce Eldridge, Gage Jump:
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