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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Kade Anderson, Charlie Condon, Quinn Mathews - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Over the past two weeks, prospect call-ups have been at the forefront of fantasy as Joshua Baez, Zac Veen, and George Lombard Jr. have all received call-ups to the big leagues.
Below, we will look at three of the top prospects in the entire minor leagues and determine if they are top stash options ahead of Week 21.
Should fantasy managers stash these high-end prospects? Let's dive in!
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Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Level: AA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AA Stats: 93 1/3 IP, 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 135 SO, 13 BB
Another week, another dominating start by Kade Anderson. Anderson is expected to be called up within the next week, and the Mariners' front office has already said he will be a starter for the rest of the season.
Kade Anderson was awesome again. Final line: 5.1IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 9K, 19 whiffs, 78 pitches, 58 strikes.
12th start without allowing a run.
Anderson in his first professional season:
17G, 1.13ERA, 87.2IP, 45H, 12BB, 128K. pic.twitter.com/YshHD76jle— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 8, 2026
In Double-A, Anderson has a 1.13 ERA, a 40.9% strikeout rate, a 38% whiff rate, a 3.8% walk rate, and a 0.65 WHIP across his first 87 2/3 innings. Simply put, he is the best pitcher in the minor leagues.
From an arsenal standpoint, Anderson has a 70-grade fastball that sits around 92-95 mph. It doesn't have elite velocity, but the carry through the top of the zone helps it play up.
The former LSU standout gets on hitters with a combination of carry, extension, arm speed, and pinpoint location. His slider is another strong pitch, sitting in the mid-80s with good lateral movement.
The velocity also makes it tough for hitters to sit on. His curveball is arguably his best breaking pitch. It's a high-spin, deep-breaking ball with plenty of vertical drop.
He also mixes in a changeup, which he mostly uses against right-handed hitters to keep them off balance.
Once Anderson gets called up, he'll be a must-roster in every fantasy format. He should already be stashed in all leagues, so get him while you still can.
- Written by Marty Tallman
Charlie Condon, OF, Colorado Rockies
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 101 G, .271/.388/.525, 18 2B, 22 HR, 7 SB
First baseman Charlie Condon has done everything he can at Triple-A, and at this point, it feels like only a matter of time before the Rockies call him up.
The Rockies' No. 1 prospect is hitting .279/.395/.538 with 22 home runs, 85 runs, 73 RBI, and six stolen bases in his first 98 Triple-A games, good for a 122 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
Condon's 70-grade raw power is his carrying tool, but his approach has also been impressive. He's striking out 25% of the time while posting an 18.73% chase rate and a 13% walk rate.
Not only does the 23-year-old possess light-tower power, but he’s also one of the fastest first basemen in the minors. Condon has 84th-percentile sprint speed, which could lead to 5-10 stolen bases over a full season.
The Georgia native has mostly played first base but can also handle either corner outfield spot, giving Colorado plenty of ways to get his bat into the lineup.
At this point, service time and rookie eligibility appear to be the only things keeping him in Triple-A.
There isn’t an obvious spot for Condon just yet, but the Rockies aren’t playing for anything, and he’s their first baseman of the future. I expect him to be in the Show within the next few weeks.
For fantasy, Condon is worth stashing in 12-team leagues with minor-league roster spots. Once he gets the call, he should be rostered everywhere.
-Written by Marty Tallman
Quinn Mathews, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2026 AAA Stats: 99 IP, 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 120 SO, 61 BB
Update - Mathews is set to join the MLB roster ahead of Monday's doubleheader.
Quinn Mathews was pulled early from his Triple-A start on August 12, and Cardinals beat writers are speculating it could be because he's in line to start Monday's doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds.
The Cardinals previously called up Mathews at the beginning of August, when he made one start against the Toronto Blue Jays before being sent back down to Triple-A.
In his MLB debut, he went five innings with three strikeouts and three walks while allowing six hits and two earned runs.
What impressed me most, besides his swaggy pearls, was his ability to get six of the 24 hitters he faced to 0-2.
Even with just three strikeouts, he did a good job mixing in his curveball while using his slider and changeup to generate whiffs.
As we discussed earlier this year, command has always been his biggest weakness, but he limited the damage to three walks and battled out of a bases-loaded jam.
He also did a good job limiting hard contact and keeping hitters off balance. At 22 years old and 6-foot-5, Mathews' biggest calling card has always been his ability to miss bats.
He struck out 202 hitters over 143 1/3 innings in 2024, becoming just the second minor-league pitcher since 2011 to reach 200 strikeouts in a season.
A lot of that success comes from his changeup. MLB Pipeline gives it a 60-65 grade, and it's been his best weapon for generating swings and misses while also getting weak contact.
He also throws a slider in the low-to-mid 80s, a slower curveball, and a four-seam fastball that has taken a big step forward since his college days.
Mathews sat around 91-92 mph at Stanford, but that jumped to 93-96 mph as a pro. Here's a look at his first MLB strikeout. Notice the radar gun reading.
Save that baseball!
Quinn Mathews picks up his first MLB strikeout! pic.twitter.com/NSnN4OjVW1
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 1, 2026
That extra velocity gives him a little more margin for error and helps the rest of his arsenal play up.
Quinn should be back in the majors within the week and is worth stashing in 12-team formats. Once he's up, I'd pick his matchups carefully, especially against teams that struggle against lefties.
Looking at the schedule starting August 17, the Cardinals are set to take on the Reds (100 wRC+), Phillies (92 wRC+), Orioles (101 wRC+), and Pirates (88 wRC+).
Overall, it's a favorable stretch if Mathews gets called back up and sticks in the rotation.
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: George Lombard Jr. (NYY), Kaelen Culpepper (MIN), Angel Genao (CLE), Hagen Smith (CHW)
Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Zach Ehrhard (LAD), Kemp Alderman (MIA), Ryan Clifford (NYM), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Ryan Ward (LAD), Gavin Cross (KCR), Jacob Melton (TBR), Manuel Pena (ARI), Jett Williams (MIL)
Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): George Klassen (LAA), Jack Wenninger (NYM), Hunter Barco (PIT), Brody Hopkins (TBR), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC), Karson Milbrandt (MIA)
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | Mariners |
| 2 | Joshua Baez** Promoted | OF | Cardinals |
| 3 | Walker Jenkins | OF | Twins |
| 4 | Franklin Arias | SS | Red Sox |
| 5 | Charlie Condon | 1B | Rockies |
| 6 | Zac Veen **Promoted | OF | Rockies |
| 7 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | Mariners |
| 8 | Seaver King | SS/2B | Nationals |
| 9 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | Guardians |
| 10 | Cam Cannarella | OF | Marlins |
| 11 | Jonathon Long | 1B | Marlins |
| 12 | Cooper Ingle | C/OF | Guardians |
| 13 | Jhostynxon Garcia | OF | Pirates |
| 14 | Jonah Tong | SP | Mets |
| 15 | Elmer Rodriguez | SP | Yankees |
| 16 | Parks Harber | 3B | Giants |
| 17 | Lazaro Montes | OF | Mariners |
| 18 | River Ryan | SP | Tigers |
| 19 | Luke Adams | 1B/3B | Brewers |
| 20 | Bo Davidson | OF | Giants |
| 21 | James Tibbs III | OF | Dodgers |
| 22 | Josue Briceno | 1B | Tigers |
| 23 | Michael Forret | SP | Orioles |
| 24 | Max Anderson | 2B/3B | Tigers |
| 25 | Charles McAdoo | 3B | Blue Jays |
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 Kade Anderson, Charlie Condon, Quinn Mathews, Cam Smith, Dylan Crews, Heliot Ramos, Willy Adames, Brandon Marsh, Vinnie Pasquantino, Samuel Basallo, Abimelec Ortiz, Francisco Alvarez, Travis Bazzana, Luis Robert Jr., JJ Bleday, Jackson Holliday, Agustin Ramirez, Keider Montero, Tyler Mahle, Sam Antonacci, Carter Jensen, Kody Clemens, Jake Burger. 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 Kade Anderson, Charlie Condon, Quinn Mathews, Cam Smith, Dylan Crews, Heliot Ramos, Willy Adames, Brandon Marsh, Vinnie Pasquantino, Samuel Basallo, Abimelec Ortiz, Francisco Alvarez, Travis Bazzana, Luis Robert Jr., JJ Bleday, Jackson Holliday, Agustin Ramirez, Keider Montero, Tyler Mahle, Sam Antonacci, Carter Jensen, Kody Clemens, Jake Burger:
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