Top-5 Hitter Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Stash For Week 19 - Redraft Leagues (2026)

July 31, 2026

Marty Tallman's hitter fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 19 (2026). His MLB prospects to pick up and stash on your bench and N/A spots in redraft leagues.

The trade deadline is only a few days away, which means we should see several top prospects make their major league debuts soon. The Detroit Tigers have already kicked things off by calling up their No. 1 prospect, outfielder Max Clark.

If another wave of promotions doesn't come before the deadline, expect it in mid-August, when teams can call up players while preserving their rookie eligibility for 2027.

This week we'll highlight five hitting prospects to stash before the trade deadline. Every player featured is available in at least 80% of Yahoo! leagues. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out on X at @Marty_Tallman. Now, let's dive in!

Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Coming into the season, the St. Louis Cardinals were focused on getting younger and clearing veteran contracts. After a strong start, it looked like they might stay in the playoff race, but their postseason odds have continued to fall.

With the trade deadline approaching, St. Louis could look to move veterans like outfielder Lars Nootbaar and infielder Nolan Gorman. If the Cardinals move one or two of those bats, it could open a spot for Joshua Baez.

After a slow July, Baez looks to be back on track. Earlier this week, he launched his 31st home run of the season, tying for the Minor League Baseball lead.

Joshua Báez (MLB No. 44) lifts a sky-high blast for his 31st homer of the season, which ties the MiLB lead!@Cardinals | @mephisredbirds | @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/9eqBgUy391

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 26, 2026

This season, Baez is slashing .247/.320/.566 with 31 home runs and 15 stolen bases, good for a 116 wRC+. As we've discussed, his biggest flaws are a 30% strikeout rate and a 35% chase rate.

Still, he makes up for the swing-and-miss with a 72% zone contact rate and an elite 19.2% barrel rate. He may whiff often, but when he connects, he does serious damage.

Earlier this season, he recorded a 114.1 mph max exit velocity, a mark that would rank among the hardest-hit balls in the majors.

The 23-year-old also has plus instincts on the bases and 92nd-percentile sprint speed, giving him legitimate power-speed upside.

Baez should already be stashed in all 15-team leagues, and once he's called up, he'll be a must-roster player in all fantasy formats.

Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins

Outfielder Walker Jenkins would likely already be in the majors if not for injuries, but now that he is back on the field, he looks ready to make an impact.

Walker Jenkins since returning to the lineup for the @StPaulSaints on June 23rd...

72 PA
.308 AVG
.375 OBP
.554 SLG
10 XBH
2 HR
4 SB
7 BB
9 K#MNTwinspic.twitter.com/3flVYesGie

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 21, 2026

Across 214 Triple-A plate appearances, Jenkins has posted a 14.3% strikeout rate while slashing .271/.383/.436 with four home runs, 14 doubles, 10 stolen bases, and a 114 wRC+.

Overall, Jenkins has plus raw power, a 112.3 mph max exit velocity, and 88th-percentile sprint speed, giving him the potential to contribute across all five categories.

The only concern has been his health. Jenkins battled a quad strain and left hamstring strain in 2024, then re-aggravated the hamstring this season before suffering an AC joint sprain after crashing into the outfield wall.

As a Twins fan, it's easy to think of Byron Buxton, but Jenkins is still too young to earn the "injury-prone" label.

With the Twins sitting at just a 12% chance to make the playoffs, they could once again move veterans at the trade deadline. Jenkins has nothing left to prove in Triple-A, and if Minnesota clears an outfield spot, he should be one of the first players called up.

The 21-year-old is worth stashing in 15-team leagues with five outfielders, and once he gets the call, he should be rostered in all fantasy formats.

Hector Rodriguez, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Outfielder Hector Rodriguez is the Reds' No. 3 prospect and has the skill set fantasy managers love: strong bat-to-ball skills, speed, and emerging power.

With outfielder Spencer Steer sidelined by a potentially season-ending wrist injury and the Reds falling out of the playoff race, Rodriguez has a clear path to the majors over the next few weeks.

In Triple-A, the 22-year-old left-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic is slashing .269/.346/.522 with a team-leading 25 home runs, six stolen bases, a 20.1% strikeout rate, and a 9.6% walk rate.

The underlying metrics are just as encouraging. Here's a look at his Triple-A Statcast data.

As you can see, Rodriguez owns a 10% barrel rate, a .250 expected batting average, and a .430 expected slugging percentage. His 113.7 mph max exit velocity is another sign of his raw power, and there's still room for more as he continues to develop.

The biggest concern is his aggressive approach. Rodriguez chases too many pitches outside the zone, but he makes up for it with the ability to hit all pitch types while consistently putting the ball in play.

Overall, Rodriguez's fantasy value should come from his batting average, runs, and steals more than his home run totals. He is worth stashing in 15-team leagues with a minor league spot, and once he gets the call, he'll be worth adding in 12-team leagues with five outfielders.

Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies

Last week, we broke down top Rockies prospect Charlie Condon. This week, we're looking at his Triple-A teammate, outfielder Zac Veen.

The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen was once considered one of the top outfield prospects in baseball before injuries to his wrist, back, thumb, and lower body slowed his development.

After battling through those injuries, the Rockies called up Veen late last season, but he struggled in his first taste of the majors. Across 37 plate appearances, he slashed just .118/.189/.235 with one home run, two stolen bases, and a 4 wRC+.

Veen has since admitted that he became too aggressive and started pressing almost immediately. That led to chasing pitches outside the zone and never feeling comfortable at the plate. This season, however, he looks like a completely different hitter.

Across 396 Triple-A plate appearances, Veen is slashing .311/.386/.574 with 17 home runs and 16 stolen bases, good for a 125 wRC+.

A 448 ft. dinger for Zac Veen!

T4: Isotopes 11, Chihuahuas 7 pic.twitter.com/LpAXEvxSzV

— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) July 29, 2026

He has also kept his strikeout rate to a manageable 20.7% while maintaining a strong 10.6% walk rate. With the Rockies continuing to rebuild, they are likely to move veteran outfielders before the trade deadline.

Mickey Moniak has already been linked to the Astros, while Jake McCarthy has also surfaced as a potential trade candidate. If Colorado clears an outfield spot, Veen could join the Rockies by mid-August.

For now, Veen is worth stashing in 15-team leagues with five outfield spots and should be on the radar in 12-team leagues once he earns regular playing time at Coors Field.

Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Minnesota Twins

Kaelen Culpepper is another Twins prospect who looks close to the majors, but the biggest question has been whether he can stay on the field.

The 23-year-old shortstop has dealt with multiple injuries this season, including a left hip strain that he aggravated twice, a hand injury after being hit by a pitch, and most recently a glute strain.

Despite the setbacks, Culpepper has been productive when available. This season, he is slashing .267/.367/.474 with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases while posting a strong 17.4% strikeout rate and an 11.7% walk rate.

The underlying numbers show why the Twins are excited about his potential. Culpepper owns a .267 expected batting average, a 7.5% barrel rate, a 46.9% hard-hit rate, and a 110.2 mph max exit velocity.

Even with the lower-body injuries, his athleticism remains intact, as he ranks in the 87th percentile in sprint speed.

Unlike the other prospects we've discussed this week, there is a real chance Culpepper does not make his major league debut until 2027. However, his upside is too good to ignore.

Culpepper is worth stashing in 15-team leagues with a minor league roster spot. If he gets the call, he projects to be a solid middle infielder in deeper leagues, especially for managers looking for speed.

Five Other Prospects to Consider Stashing 

• Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox
• Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
• Seaver King, SS/2B, Washington Nationals
• Luke Adams, 1B/3B, Milwaukee Brewers
• George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis