Impact Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Know - Nolan McLean, J.J. Wetherholt, Owen Caissie, Ryan Waldschmidt, Brice Matthews, Noah Schultz

January 15, 2026

2026 fantasy baseball prospects that can make big impacts - Nolan McLean, J.J. Wetherholt, Owen Caissie, Ryan Waldschmidt, Brice Matthews, Noah Schultz. Target these top prospects in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.

Targeting high-upside fantasy baseball prospects can play a major role in winning your fantasy baseball league. Every season, managers see top prospects immediately break out at the MLB level and become must-start players.

Last season, Nick Kurtz of the Athletics became a legit top-3 first baseman as soon as he earned the call. In this piece, we will spotlight six high-end MLB prospects managers should target in their 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.

Who are six high-upside prospects managers should keep on their radar heading into draft season? Let's dive in!

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Nolan McLean, SP, New York Mets

Current Level: New York Mets
2025 MLB stats: 248 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 57 SO, 16 BB

According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets appear to be the favorite to land Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta in a trade. However, Rosenthal and Sammon noted that they would be able to acquire him without moving top pitching prospect Nolan McLean. Instead, they could look to move one of Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong, or Christian Scott. McLean made his MLB debut last summer and was one of the biggest risers in terms of prospects.

McLean was sharp over his brief 48-inning taste of the majors, posting a 2.06 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP. He struck out 30.3% of the batters he faced and allowed walks at an 8.5% rate. In 87 1/3 innings at Triple-A, McLean posted a 2.78 ERA with 97 punchouts. Given his expected role in the MLB rotation, McLean is worth viewing as a solid SP3 in all formats in 2026 and is primed for a massive breakout season.

J.J. Wetherholt, SS, St. Louis Cardinals

Current Level: Triple-A
2025 MiLB stats: .306/.421/.510, 28 2B, 17 HR, 23 SB

On Tuesday afternoon, the St. Louis Cardinals traded veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and according to The Athletic's Katie Woo, this move opens the door for top prospect J.J. Wetherholt to compete for a starting job in spring training. Last season, Wetherholt saw extensive time at third base with Triple-A Memphis, potentially foreshadowing his role once he reaches the major leagues. The 23-year-old is still developing his power, but for now, he profiles as a contact hitter with strong plate discipline.

With Nolan Arenado gone...

IT'S JJ WETHERHOLT SEASON!!! pic.twitter.com/5Iqp0prKhr

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) January 13, 2026

Between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, Wetherholt slashed .306/.421/.510, collecting 56 doubles, 17 home runs, and 23 stolen bases while walking nearly as often as he struck out. His advanced approach and athleticism give him a strong chance to contribute immediately if he breaks camp with the big-league club. If Wetherholt does earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, he projects for up to 15 home runs with 20 or more stolen bases and a .265 batting average. With this news, he should be drafted in all formats.

Owen Caissie, OF, Miami Marlins

Current Level: Miami Marlins
2025 MiLB stats: .286/.386/.551, 28 2B, 22 HR, 5 SB

According to Kevin Barral of FishOnFirst.com, outfield prospect Owen Caissie will "very likely" crack the Opening Day roster and serve as a primary right fielder. The Marlins acquired Caissie from the Cubs as the top asset in the trade that shipped right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera to Chicago. While Caissie was already expected to compete for an everyday role in Miami, this report confirms that Caissie appears ticketed for a large role at the start of the season.

The former 45th overall pick made his MLB debut last season with the Cubs and hit one home run with a .192/.222/.346 line across 12 games. At Triple-A, Caissie flashed immense upside, posting a .286/.386/.551 slash line with 28 doubles and 22 home runs. If he can claim the starting job in right field, Caissie would have intriguing sleeper appeal in five-outfielder formats.

Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Current Level: Double-A
2025 MiLB stats: .289/.419/.473, 27 2B, 18 HR, 29 SB

Arizona Diamondbacks top outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt could break camp with the MLB roster. According to Baseball America, the Kentucky product appears to be entering camp with a legitimate chance to make the Opening Day roster as outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) is expected to miss at least the first half of the season, recovering from a torn ACL.

Additionally, the Diamondbacks also shipped depth outfielder Jake McCarthy to the Colorado Rockies, further opening a position for Waldschmidt. The 23-year-old has yet to even debut at Triple-A, but has seen his prospect stock soar. In 2025, Waldschmidt split the seasons at High-A and Double-A and held an overall .289/.419/.473 line with an .812 OPS. He showed an elite eye at the plate, posting a 96:106 K:BB. Managers in the deeper leagues should continue to closely monitor his status, as he could be worth a late-round flyer if he performs well in camp.

Brice Matthews, SS/OF, Houston Astros

Current Level: MLB
2025 MiLB stats: .260/.371/.458, 18 2B, 17 HR, 41 SB

According to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, Houston Astros top infield prospect Brice Matthews is expected to see time in the outfield during the upcoming season. Matthews made his MLB debut last season but was deployed in the infield, spending most of his time at the keystone. The former first-round pick came up in the minor leagues as a shortstop but appears ticketed to shift to the outfield to open more opportunities, given the crowded Houston infield. Currently, Jeremy Pena, Carlos Correa, Isaac Paredees, Christian Walker, and Jose Altuve all appear poised to see opportunities before Matthews.

"He's got power, and he's pretty athletic. We're looking for him to steal some bases -- the complete package."

With a crowded infield, the #Astros are working MLB's No. 93 prospect Brice Matthews into their plans for the 2026 season: https://t.co/OCOcwp4OR2 pic.twitter.com/4d2x1uCRPC

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) December 28, 2025

As a result, the former Nebraska standout's best opportunity to crack the Opening Day roster would be to shift positions. In his debut season, Matthews posted an underwhelming .167/.222/.452 line across 13 games. However, he did flash high power potential, launching four long balls during this brief taste. He could be worth a look in AL-only formats if he can earn a consistent role.

Noah Schultz, SP, Chicago White Sox

Current Level: Triple-A
2025 MiLB stats: 73 IP, 4.68 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 76 SO, 45 BB

According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Chicago White Sox left-handed pitching prospect Noah Schultz (knee) is expected to be a "full-go" for spring training. The team's No. 2 overall prospect, according to MLB.com, was dealing with right patellar tendinitis late in the season but appears not to be in line to miss much time. Schultz opened the 2025 campaign with Double-A Birmingham but was able to reach Triple-A Charlotte later in the season.

With Double-A, the left-hander posted a 3.34 ERA with a 58:36 K:BB across 56 2/3 innings. During his first taste of Triple-A, Schultz stumbled, posting a hefty 9.61 ERA across a brief 16 1/3-inning stint. Managers should expect Schultz to begin 2026 with Charlotte and contend for a mid-season MLB debut.

Prospect Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Who are the top fantasy baseball prospects to know? Check out our latest 2026 prospect fantasy baseball rankings which are updated regularly:

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