Top-5 Hitter Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Stash For Week 20 - Redraft Leagues (2026)

August 7, 2026

Marty Tallman's hitter fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 20 (2026). His MLB prospects to pick up and stash on your bench and N/A spots in redraft leagues.

The dust has settled from the trade deadline, which saw five top-100 prospects, including outfielder Zyhir Hope, shortstop Arjun Nimmala, and pitcher River Ryan, change organizations.

We also saw Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. and Guardians shortstop Angel Genao get called up. As discussed last week, I expect several more prospects to reach the majors soon. Here are my top five stash candidates in redraft leagues.

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 take a look!

Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Earlier this week, the St. Louis Cardinals traded veteran outfielder Lars Nootbaar, creating a path to the majors for their No. 6 prospect, Joshua Baez.

Following the trade, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom was asked about Baez and replied, "His time is definitely coming."

Baez has been my top hitting prospect to stash for the past few months, and I expect his long-awaited call-up to come by the middle of August.

The 23-year-old right-handed hitter has little left to prove in the minors. In Triple-A this season, he's slashing .251/.325/.573 with 32 home runs and 18 stolen bases, good for a 120 wRC+.

The underlying metrics are just as encouraging. Baez owns a 20% barrel rate (97th percentile), a .513 expected slugging percentage (95th percentile), and a 52.3% hard-hit rate (94th percentile).

His 115.4 mph max exit velocity ranks in the 99th percentile. To put that into perspective, that would rank as the 17th-hardest-hit ball in the majors this season, ahead of sluggers like Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, Juan Soto, and Kyle Schwarber.

Joshua Baez smokes a 115.4 MPH double, the hardest-hit ball of his career in Statcast-tracked games pic.twitter.com/a6XR3gDbl6

— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) August 2, 2026

The power isn't the only thing that stands out. Baez also possesses 94th-percentile sprint speed, giving him the tools to be a legitimate power-speed threat. The biggest concern, however, has always been his approach at the plate.

He owns a 29.8% strikeout rate, a 33.9% whiff rate, and a 34.4% chase rate, so improving his pitch recognition will be key to unlocking his full offensive potential and naturally lead to more walks.

While it's not a direct comparison, Alonso posted a 32% chase rate as a rookie and still led the majors with 53 home runs in 2019.

That's not to say Baez is headed for that kind of season, but the comparison shows that an aggressive approach doesn't automatically prevent a hitter from becoming an impact fantasy bat if the power is elite.

Baez has the tools to provide an immediate boost in home runs and stolen bases once he's promoted, and looking ahead to 2027, a 30-homer, 15-steal season is well within reach if the hit tool continues to develop.

With Bloom indicating that Baez's promotion is on the horizon, he's worth stashing in all 12-team leagues that start five outfielders and should be rostered in all formats once he earns the call.

Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies

Charlie Condon has done everything he can in the minors to earn a promotion, and he should make his major league debut within the next few weeks.

Across 92 Triple-A games this season, Condon is slashing .287/.403/.551 with 22 home runs, 83 runs scored, 69 RBI, and six stolen bases, good for a 128 wRC+.

MLB's No. 69 prospect Charlie Condon crushes his system-leading 22nd homer of the year -- 109.6 mph | 446 ft 💥@Rockies | @ABQTopes pic.twitter.com/NcYxkF2NNM

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 6, 2026

The Rockies' No. 1 prospect has lived up to his reputation as an elite power hitter, pairing his 70-grade raw power with a manageable 25% strikeout rate, an outstanding 18% chase rate, and a 13.1% walk rate.

Condon has spent most of his time at first base, but he can also handle either corner outfield spot, giving Colorado multiple ways to get his bat into the lineup.

The only thing keeping him in Triple-A appears to be service-time and rookie eligibility considerations.

If the Rockies wait a little longer before promoting him, Condon would retain his rookie status for 2027 and enter next season as one of the favorites for National League Rookie of the Year.

He's worth stashing in 12-team leagues right now, and once he's promoted, he should be rostered in every fantasy format.

When you combine his power with Coors Field, the fantasy upside is obvious.

Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins

Outfielder Walker Jenkins is the Twins' No. 1 prospect, and he should be with the big league club in the coming weeks.

For the first time in his young career, @WalkerJenkins6 has homered twice in a game. He demolishes this changeup 400 feet to right field. Over his last 36 games, Jenkins is hitting .326 (45-138). Go ahead #MNTwins fans, have at it pic.twitter.com/vhATGdWzbQ

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) August 7, 2026

Although he has struggled to stay healthy, when he has been on the field, Jenkins has been impressive, slashing .285/.386/.445 with four home runs and 10 stolen bases across 233 Triple-A plate appearances.

Jenkins has the upside to become a five-category fantasy stud and projects as a potential top-20 outfielder. The 21-year-old possesses excellent bat-to-ball skills, 55-grade raw power, and enough speed to steal 20-plus bases over a full season.

The biggest concern with Jenkins has always been his ability to stay healthy. Last season, he dealt with a quad strain and a left hamstring strain before re-aggravating the hamstring this year. He then suffered an AC joint sprain after crashing into the outfield wall.

However, Jenkins appears to be fully healthy now, and he has been on a tear. Since June 17, he is batting .319 with two home runs, 10 doubles, five stolen bases, and only 19 strikeouts compared to 13 walks.

While the Twins added talent at the trade deadline and are pushing for the playoffs, Jenkins remains a strong candidate to make his debut down the stretch and should be in Minnesota by September.

If you have a minor league roster spot, Jenkins is worth stashing in any league. Otherwise, he's worth adding in 15-team leagues and formats with five starting outfielders, and he should be rostered everywhere once he reaches the majors.

Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Minnesota Twins

Although a 2026 debut isn't guaranteed, shortstop Kaelen Culpepper remains one of the Twins' most intriguing prospects.

The 23-year-old has been swinging a hot bat over the last week, going 9-for-24 (.375) with five singles, three doubles, a triple, two walks, and a stolen base.

He's even holding his own against major league pitching, including Cincinnati Reds starter Nick Lodolo.

For just the second time in his career @thechosen1kc has doubled twice in a game and both come off Major League rehabber @nicklodolo. This one drives in a pair. Now has 4 XBH in his last 3 games (3 2B, 3B) pic.twitter.com/NXQa9ck5gP

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) August 5, 2026

Despite missing time this season with a left hip strain, glute tightness, and a hand injury, Culpepper is slashing .272/.370/.483 with 14 home runs and 17 stolen bases across 338 Triple-A plate appearances.

The Twins' No. 3 prospect has also shown an advanced approach at the plate, posting an 18.9% strikeout rate alongside an 11.5% walk rate.

The underlying metrics support the production. Culpepper owns a .263 expected batting average, a 7.5% barrel rate, a 47% hard-hit rate, and a 110.2 mph max exit velocity.

Even after dealing with multiple lower-body injuries, his athleticism remains intact, with sprint speed grading out in the 90th percentile.

There's a legitimate chance Minnesota waits until 2027 before giving him his first taste of the majors, but Culpepper is still worth stashing in 15-team leagues with a minor league roster spot.

When he does get the call, he has the tools to provide immediate value as a middle infield option in 12-team leagues.

Staying on the field has been his biggest challenge this season, but when healthy, it's easy to see why the Twins selected him 21st overall in the 2024 draft.

Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies

Outfielder Zac Veen has been one of the hottest hitters in Triple-A over the past two weeks.

Zac Veen over his past 8 games following this roundtripper:

🟣 35 total bases
🟣 10 XBH
🟣 1.503 OPS@Rockies | @ABQTopes pic.twitter.com/v3eUclf6MY

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 6, 2026

Over his last eight games, the 23-year-old has launched five home runs, ripped five doubles and a triple, swiped a base, and continued making loud contact in 42 plate appearances.

At this point, it feels like only a matter of time before the Rockies give him another shot in the majors.

The ninth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen spent years ranking among Colorado's top prospects before injuries to his wrist, back, thumb, and lower body repeatedly stalled his development.

He finally made his major league debut late last season, but the transition didn't go as planned. Veen slashed just .118/.189/.235 with one home run, two stolen bases, and a 4 wRC+ across 37 plate appearances.

He later admitted he pressed from the moment he arrived, getting away from his approach and expanding the strike zone in an attempt to force results.

That version of Veen hasn't shown up in 2026. Back at Triple-A, he's looked far more confident at the plate, slashing .315/.389/.603 with 21 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 131 wRC+ across 427 plate appearances.

Veen should already be stashed in 15-team leagues that start five outfielders. Once he's back in Colorado, he has the upside to be rostered in all fantasy formats, especially with half of his games coming at Coors Field.

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
• Cam Cannarella, OF, Miami Marlins

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