Top 25 Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Stash (Redraft): Eric Cross' Rookie Rankings for Week 18

August 1, 2025

Eric Cross' top 25 fantasy baseball prospects to stash in redraft for Week 18 (2025). His updated MLB rookie rankings for prospect call-ups to make 2025 impacts.

It's been fairly slow on the prospect promotion front, with only a couple of semi-notable names getting the call this month. With that said, the Triple-A level is loaded with notable names right now, some of which will certainly get the call over the final two months of the season. Stashing or at least monitoring these names is still a viable strategy, especially if you have the bench depth to stash one of these names.

We'll also likely find some clarity or have new playing time situations open up later this week, as the Major League Baseball trade deadline is this Thursday. Several of the names below could either be on the move in a trade package or have a spot open up for them with their current team due to a Major League piece being shipped out of town.

These prospect rankings are for 2025 redraft value only. These are MLB prospects who could potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2025 redraft leagues. You can also see our top fantasy baseball dynasty prospects rankings for longer-term outlooks and our 2025 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for all other league formats.

Top 25 Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues

My prospect write-ups are below the rankings. These rankings are for 2025 redraft value only, not dynasty. These are MLB prospects who could potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2025.

Promoted This Week: Carson Whisenhunt (SFG)

Promoted Last Week: Troy Melton (DET)

Honorable Mentions (Hitters): Jett Williams (NYM), Kevin Alcantara (CHC), Sterlin Thompson (COL), Alex Freeland (LAD), Blaze Jordan (BOS), Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA), Jakob Marsee (MIA), Jorge Barrosa (ARI), Matthew Lugo (LAA), Joe Mack (MIA), Emmanuel Rodriguez (MIN), Jhostynxon Garcia (BOS), Everson Pereira (NYY)

Honorable Mentions (Pitchers): Thomas Harrington (PIT), Noah Schultz (CHW), Cade Cavalli (WAS), Rhett Lowder (CIN), Quinn Mathews (STL), Luis Morales (ATH)

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings Analysis

Spencer Jones, New York Yankees

It feels like Spencer Jones is becoming a weekly staple in this analysis section, and with how he's hitting, it's hard NOT to continue talking about him each week. There was plenty of excitement around Jones possibly getting the call when Aaron Judge landed on the IL, but that call was not directed at Jones, as he was dealing with back spasms over the weekend.

Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones is RAKING since being called up to Triple-A:

16 G, .426 AVG, 10 HR, 1.422 OPS 😳 pic.twitter.com/dHueus2NwG

— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2025

That doesn't mean he won't get the call soon, though, as it doesn't sound like Judge will require a minimal stay on the IL. There are also still plenty of trade rumors surrounding Jones, but the latest reports make it sound like he'll remain on the Yankees unless he's part of a blockbuster deal for a star. There are only three days remaining until the trade deadline, though, so we should have a better idea by the end of the week.

Jones has been on a Barry Bonds-ian run since reaching Triple-A, smacking 13 home runs in 19 games with a .400/.457/.950 slash line. As you can expect, the quality of contact metrics has been elite with a 95.3 mph AVG EV, 61% hard-hit rate, and a 23.7% barrel rate. However, the contact skills have still been poor during this time, with a 69.6% zone and 63.4% overall contact rate.

Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox

After initially struggling following his demotion to Triple-A, Kristian Campbell has been heating up of late. With a home run on Sunday, Campbell is now on an eight-game hitting streak and has three home runs in his last 13 games. He's also reached base in 14 of his last 15 games.

With the Red Sox having to play Ceddanne Rafaela at second base and still rotating Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro at first base, Campbell could be recalled in the near future to provide some additional stability and depth at those two positions. I'm still a firm believer in the 2024 minor league breakout and the April version of Campbell we saw before his rib injury.

J.J. Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals

I'm really starting to get the feeling that we'll see J.J. Wetherholt up with St. Louis by the end of the season, maybe even shortly after the trade deadline if the Cardinals trade Brendan Donovan or others. Wetherholt has been playing second base around one-third of the time over the last two months, making 12 starts at the position in his last 37 games. Outside of an injury, a Donovan trade opening up second base is the lone path I see for Wetherholt this season, though.

JJ Wetherholt is mashing Triple-A pitching 🔥

MLB's No. 17 prospect (@Cardinals) drills two long balls in three innings, raising his @MemphisRedbirds OPS to 1.521: pic.twitter.com/3LVPWGbwqR

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 24, 2025

If Wetherholt does get the call, he brings a well-rounded offensive skill set to the table. He's also been red hot over the last month, slashing .299/.390/.716 with five doubles, seven home runs, and only 12 strikeouts in his last 77 plate appearances. Wetherholt has a contact rate around 81% this season with a 15.1% walk rate and 14.5% strikeout rate. Since arriving in Triple-A, Wetherholt has posted a 91.3 mph AVG EV, 50% hard-hit rate, and a 17.6% barrel rate.

Carson Whisenhunt, San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have called up Carson Whisenhunt to make his Major League debut on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at home. Many consider Whisenhunt to be San Francisco's top pitching prospect, but I'm not terribly high on him personally and wouldn't be rushing out to add him for this start against Pittsburgh. Nor do I have much intrigue in targeting him for the remainder of the season and beyond.

In 18 starts for Triple-A Sacramento this season, Whisenhunt recorded a 4.42 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 6.8% walk rate, and a 21% strikeout rate. Whisenhunt is basically Drew Thorpe with more velocity on his 4-seamer. He'll generally be in the mid-90s with a plus changeup and solid command/control, but Whisenhunt has never established a legit breaking ball and has been middle of the road in generating whiffs and picking up strikeouts. The upside is pretty limited here.

Nolan McLean, New York Mets

Outside of a five earned run outing on July 18, Nolan McLean has been pitching very well over the last two months, and really for the entire season.

In his last 11 starts for Triple-A Syracuse, McLean has compiled a 3.02 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, a 9.3% walk rate, and a 26.8% strikeout rate with a .185 BAA, .278 SLG allowed, and .093 ISO allowed. When McLean is on, he's hard to square up, and opposing hitters have only managed four home runs off of him in this 11-start stretch and six all season.

McLean has a strong 6'4 frame and sits in the mid-90s on his 4-seamer with solid riding action. He'll also mix in a solid curveball, a two-seamer, and the occasional changeup, but all those pale in comparison to McLean's incredibly nasty mid-80s slider, which is in the discussion for the best breaking ball currently in the minor leagues.

If the New York Mets were to need a starter over the final two months of the season, that call likely goes to McLean or Brandon Sproat, and given the fragile nature of most of the Mets' current rotation, I'd bank on a spot opening up at some point.

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