MLB Prospect Debuts: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups and Rookie Stashes (Week 2)

April 8, 2026

Marty's fantasy baseball prospect stashes, sleepers, and rookie waiver wire pickups for Week 2 of 2026 -- recent MLB prospect debuts and potential call-ups to monitor.

With all the Opening Day festivities behind us, the fantasy baseball grind officially begins. Remember, the season is a marathon, and this week marks the start of a long adventure, one that will eventually have you stressing over the final out of a meaningless late-September game between two non-playoff teams. Luckily, this article is here to guide you each week in your pursuit of a championship.

This week, we’re highlighting two Triple-A hitters with significant upside and two pitchers who have the potential to be top-50 arms. When a top prospect gets the call, fantasy managers often rush to the waiver wire or submit inflated FAAB bids. That’s why it’s important to anticipate these promotions in advance, allowing you to build a stronger roster at a lower cost.

The next two key windows for prospect call-ups are April 10–20 and early to mid-June. With those timelines in mind, make sure you stay up to date on the latest injury news and roster moves. Each of the players featured here is currently rostered in fewer than 60% of Yahoo! leagues. If you have any questions or want me to cover a specific player, feel free to reach out to me on X @Marty_Tallman. Now, let’s go digging for some prospect gold.

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Fantasy Baseball Hitter Prospects To Target

Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants (9% rostered)

Level: Triple-A

2026 Stats: 44 PA, .281/.477/.375, 8 R, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 20.5 BB%, 29.5 K%, 151 wRC+

Bryce Eldridge is one of the most exciting young prospects in baseball, largely because of his light tower power. Unfortunately, like many developing sluggers, he strikes out way too much. In Triple-A last season with the Sacramento River Cats, Eldridge showcased that power by hitting a ball 114.6 mph on his way to a 25-home run season. Here’s a Statcast breakdown of his 2025 performance as a River Cat.

During spring training, Eldridge hit one home run while posting a .380 on-base percentage across 40 plate appearances. Despite the strong OBP, he was ultimately sent back to Triple-A. So far this season in Triple-A, the 21-year-old is slashing .281/.477/.375 with three doubles, eight runs scored, three RBI, and a 13-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 44 plate appearances.

The San Francisco Giants are hoping Eldridge can bring his strikeout rate below 30% as soon as possible because they currently rank as the worst offense in baseball, posting a 67 wRC+ through 11 games. However, the Giants are already struggling defensively, and inserting an inexperienced rookie with swing-and-miss concerns may not be the front office’s preferred solution.

Still, it feels like only a matter of time before the 6-foot-7 Virginian gets the call. If he earns a promotion by May, he has the potential to hit more than 20 home runs. He should be stashed in 15-team leagues, especially if you are lacking in the power department.

Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (3% rostered)

Level: Triple-A

2026 Stats: 32 PA, .207/.281/.276, 3 R, 0 HR, 3  RBI, 2 SB, 6.3 BB%, 15.6 K%, 47 wRC+

Joshua Baez is currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, and he is coming off an outstanding 2025 campaign. Over 499 plate appearances split between High-A and Double-A, Baez slashed .287/.384/.500 on his way to 20 home runs and 52 stolen bases. He also demonstrated strong plate discipline, striking out in just 21% of his at-bats while walking nearly 12% of the time.

Most notably, Baez was one of only two players, alongside top overall prospect Konnor Griffin, to reach 20-home runs and 50 steals in 2025. Before being sent down to Triple-A during spring training, Baez flashed that upside, homering in three consecutive games. Here is one of his home runs that went 436 feet.

Joshua Baez hits his first home run of the spring 436 FEET 🚀#STLCardinals pic.twitter.com/1zHqDtuZYl

— Milb Central (@milb_central) March 6, 2026

So far this year in Triple-A, Baez has struggled, which gives the savvy fantasy manager a chance to pick him up at little to no cost. When evaluating prospects early in the season, it’s more important to focus on talent, tools, and opportunity rather than small-sample statistics. So, when will Baez be called up? The answer should be sooner rather than later.

For 2026, the Cardinals' outfield is currently occupied by Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, and Nathan Church, while they await the return of Lars Nootbaar (heel) from the injured list. Although Walker has been outstanding, posting a team-high 183 wRC+, Scott has struggled with a 69 wRC+, while Church has been even worse at -23.

Even though Scott may receive a longer leash as the center fielder, if both continue to struggle, it’s reasonable to anticipate Baez earning a call-up within the next few weeks. If promoted soon, the 22-year-old right-handed hitter has the raw tools to produce up to 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases while hitting around .230. For fantasy purposes, he’s worth stashing in deeper leagues because of his five-tool upside.

Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Prospects To Target

Andrew Painter, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (59% rostered)

Level: MLB

2026 Stats: 9 1/3 IP, 4.82  ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 21.4 K%, 4.8 BB%, 1.89 FIP

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Andrew Painter in 2021 with the 13th overall pick, and he immediately showed how talented he was. In 2022, Painter was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year and later made his MLB debut at 22. Unfortunately, after a few appearances, he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2024 season.

In 2025, he returned to action and, despite some ups and downs, finished the season healthy. For 2026, Painter has already made two starts for the big league club, but will he stay in the rotation once Zack Wheeler (elbow) returns from injury? Most expect Taijuan Walker to move to the bullpen or possibly remain as a sixth starter.

This will remain something to monitor as Wheeler progresses in his recovery. In Painter's first MLB outing this year, the 6-foot-7 right-hander out of Florida struck out eight batters while issuing just one walk across 5 1/3 innings. Painter’s stuff appeared to rebound as well, as he posted a 103 Stuff+, 117 Location+, and a 117 Pitching+. He also topped out at 98.7 mph, showing that his elite velocity is fully back.

Andrew Painter balled out in his MLB debut, striking out 8 over 5.1 one-run innings

The Phillies top pitching prospect has his breaking balls cooking, with his slider leading the way. This was a very impressive outing for the young righty! pic.twitter.com/X9YQrovymu

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 1, 2026

In his second outing, he struggled against the San Francisco Giants, allowing four earned runs over just four innings. However, the Giants posted an inflated .474 BABIP in that game, while he recorded a 3.43 FIP, suggesting it was just an unlucky outing. With rookies, there will always be ups and downs, but because of Painter's upside, he is worth the rollercoaster until further notice.

He should be rostered in all 12-team leagues, and if he can stick in the rotation, he offers top-40 starting pitcher upside.

Didier Fuentes, SP, Atlanta Braves (12% rostered)

Level: Triple-A

2026 Stats: 3 2/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 50 K%, 7.1 BB%, 1.30 FIP

Despite all of the injuries, the Atlanta Braves optioned Didier Fuentes at the end of March so he could build up his arm to a starter's workload. As he works on that, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, and Martin Perez will round out the team's rotation. Luckily for Fuentes, he should have no problem being called up once he is stretched out. 

Holmes has often struggled to stay healthy, while Elder and Perez offer limited upside. If Atlanta is serious about contending this season, there’s a strong case that Fuentes should be in the mix by the end of April. In his most recent Triple-A outing, the 20-year-old was dominant. Fuentes generated 12 swinging strikes and struck out seven over 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

This will come as a shock to absolutely no one, but Didier Fuentes had himself a DAY in his 2026 debut 🔥

3.2 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 7 K pic.twitter.com/X3FlaZfouV

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) April 4, 2026

Fuentes did get a brief look in the majors in 2025, but the results were rough as he posted a 13.85 ERA and 2.23 WHIP across 13 innings. However, in his limited action this year, he’s shown improvement, allowing just one run over four innings while recording four strikeouts. Overall, Fuentes has the raw stuff to miss bats at a high rate, but his long-term success will depend on improving his command and refining his secondary pitches.

If everything clicks, Fuentes has the upside of a mid-rotation starter with strong strikeout potential, which is exactly what the Braves need. Fantasy managers should expect a potential call-up around May, making him a smart stash ahead of time. Once promoted, he’s likely to draw significant FAAB interest.

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