RADIO
Marty's fantasy baseball prospect stashes, sleepers, and rookie waiver wire pickups for Week 7 of 2026 -- recent MLB prospect debuts and potential call-ups to monitor.
Fantasy Baseball Hitter Prospects To Target
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks (17% rostered)
Level: MLB
2026 Stats: 11 PA, .273/.273/.364, 1 R, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 0.0% BB%, 36.4% K%, 74 wRC+
Ryan Waldschmidt is currently the Diamondbacks’ No. 1 prospect and is expected to be the team’s starting center fielder for the foreseeable future. After an ACL injury slowed him down in 2023, the 23-year-old has quickly re-established himself as one of the top young hitters in the minors. Across High-A and Double-A last season, Waldschmidt hit 18 home runs and stole 29 bases while posting an impressive 17.6% strikeout rate and 16% walk rate over 601 plate appearances.
He finished the year with a stellar 142 wRC+. Waldschmidt has carried that success into Triple-A this season, slashing .289/.400/.477 with three homeruns and six stolen bases, and the Diamondbacks front office took notice, promoting him after just 34 games. The Kentucky native made an immediate impact in his debut last week, recording an RBI single in his first major league at-bat.
"Welcome to the big leagues, Ryan Waldschmidt!"
The @Dbacks top prospect picks up his 1st MLB hit in at-bat No. 1. pic.twitter.com/tOUTTyeYR4
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 9, 2026
Right now, Waldschmidt is batting ninth in the lineup, but with Arizona posting just an 82 wRC+ over the past few weeks, there’s a strong chance he could move up the order if his contact skills and plate discipline continue to hold. From a fantasy perspective, Waldschmidt offers a special blend of power, speed, and patience. For this reason, he has a solid floor and should be rostered in all 12-team leagues. He also receives a boost in on-base percentage leagues.
A.J. Ewing, OF, New York Mets (16% rostered)
Level: MLB
2026 Stats: 132 PA, .339/.447/.514, 25 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 17 SB, 16.7% BB%, 15.2% K%, 156wRC+
With the Mets’ season beginning to spiral, the organization has decided to call up top-hitting prospect A.J. Ewing. The 21-year-old outfielder has moved quickly through New York’s farm system and brings a very fantasy-friendly profile: elite speed, strong plate discipline, and improving contact skills. Last season, Ewing broke out massively, posting a .315/.401/.429 slash line while stealing an eye-popping 70 bases. Yes, 70 steals.
His wheels were on full display in his first major league game as he ripped an RBI triple to the corner and later stole a base.
It's an RBI triple for A.J. Ewing's first Major League hit, 104.2 mph off the bat!@Mets | @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/ZGfQoAiCG7
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 13, 2026
While he is not considered a traditional power bat, Ewing consistently makes quality contact and already shows a remarkably mature approach at the plate. Across 564 plate appearances over multiple levels last season, Ewing posted a strong 12.1% walk rate. He has taken that patience to another level this year, improving his walk rate to an outstanding 16.7%. He earned three walks in his MLB debut against the Detroit Tigers.
A.J. Ewing is the 17th player since at least 1900 with 3+ walks in his MLB debut
Of the previous 16, none had:
A triple, SB OR multiple RBIEwing did all 3 of those things, on top of his 3 walks
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 13, 2026
So what should we expect from Ewing this year in redraft leagues? Stolen bases and plenty of them. Overall, he's a must-roster in 15-team roto formats thanks to his speed, and he’s also worth monitoring in 12-team leagues in case he settles in quickly. In a full season, Ewing has the skill set to hit around .260 with 40 stolen bases and deliver solid run production if he earns consistent playing time.
Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics (14% rostered)
Level: MLB
2026 Stats: 177 PA, .348/.418/.658, 41 R, 12 HR, 28 RBI, 17 SB, 9.6% BB%, 22.0% K%, 157 wRC+
The Athletics’ No. 5 prospect, Henry Bolte, was recently called up to the majors and is set to make his MLB debut this week. Bolte’s blend of raw power, speed, and elite athleticism gives him some of the highest fantasy upside among current prospects, and a look at his Triple-A Statcast profile helps explain why.
He has posted a higher max exit velocity than Giants' slugger Bryce Eldridge and offers even more speed than the previously mentioned Ewing.
In 2025, the 22-year-old outfielder had great success in Double-A and Triple-A, launching nine home runs while stealing 44 bases across 114 games, good for a 121 wRC+. Bolte has taken another step forward this year in Triple-A and has been especially impressive over the past few weeks.
🟢 12 consecutive hits
🟡 9 XBH in past 2 games
🟢 24-for-38 this month@Athletics No. 5 prospect Henry Bolte is the hottest hitter on the planet for Triple-A @AviatorsLV! pic.twitter.com/Q5XyqXFsmO— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 10, 2026
Bolte showed some concerning swing-and-miss issues in Triple-A last season, posting a 32.6% strikeout rate and a 68.5% contact rate across 141 plate appearances. This year, though, he has taken a clear step forward. His strikeout rate has dropped to 22%, while his contact rate has improved to a much healthier 75.4%. Even with that progress, there are still concerns about how his bat will translate to the majors.
However, for fantasy, the upside is simply too high to ignore. Bolte’s blend of power and speed makes him rosterable in all 12-team leagues. If he is still available on the waiver wire, he is worth adding. Be aware, though, he may not have everyday at-bats right away, so you must be patient.
George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees (4% rostered)
Level: AAA
2026 Stats: 138 PA, .270/.406/.450, 24 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SB, 17.4% BB%, 18.8% K%, 132 wRC+
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Prospects To Target
Liam Doyle, SP, St. Louis Cardinals (1% rostered)
Level: Double-A
2026 Stats: 21 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 23.5% K%, 14.1% BB%, 3.56 FIP
Although Liam Doyle has not yet dominated the minor leagues, he possesses all the tools to make an immediate fantasy impact once he reaches the majors. The left-hander was selected fifth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft after a dominant season at the University of Tennessee. During his final college season, Doyle recorded a school-record 164 strikeouts in just 84 1/3 innings while posting a 10-4 record and a 3.20 ERA.
Much of that success came from his elite 70-grade fastball. Doyle’s heater has touched 100 mph and consistently sits in the mid-to-upper 90s during games. Beyond the velocity, the pitch features excellent vertical ride, comes from a difficult high release point, and explodes through the top of the strike zone. Even at the major league level, it’s the type of fastball that can miss bats, even when hitters know it’s coming.
Liam Doyle retires 11 in a row en route to a career-high eight strikeouts over five frames for the Double-A @Sgf_Cardinals!
Jonathan Mayo discussed the @Cardinals' top prospect and his elite fastball in the latest Inbox: https://t.co/Vj6FkTz8OB pic.twitter.com/vtsuEERiSb
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 10, 2026
Doyle also features a strong secondary mix that includes a slider, curveball, and a splitter/changeup that works especially well against right-handed hitters. The main concern in his profile is inconsistent command, though many young pitchers improve with more major league experience. The bigger question is whether there is a clear spot for him in the Cardinals’ rotation, and eventually, there will be.
St. Louis’ current rotation includes Matthew Liberatore (4.86 SIERA), Andre Pallante (4.51 SIERA), Kyle Leahy (4.44 SIERA), Dustin May (4.22 SIERA), and Michael McGreevy (3.97 SIERA). None of these starters has separated themselves from the group, which makes a Doyle promotion later this summer increasingly realistic. This is especially true as the Cardinals continue to focus on their long-term rebuild.
With pitching injuries rising across MLB, Doyle should already be on the radar in 15-team leagues and becomes a strong speculative add in 12-team formats once he is promoted. However, that call-up may not come until the All-Star break or early August, unless there is an injury in the starting rotation.
More Fantasy Baseball Prospects and Rookies
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
