X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top 25 Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Stash - Updated Rankings for 2023 Redraft (Week 6)

Jordan Walker - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Prospects

Eric's updated top 25 fantasy baseball prospects rankings for Week 6 (2023). MLB prospects, rookies, call-ups to make fantasy baseball impacts in redraft leagues.

It was an interesting week for prospect promotions and demotions. We received another exciting Cleveland prospect with Tanner Bibee while Michael Busch FINALLY made his long-awaited MLB debut, even if it took half the Dodgers team going on the paternity leave list for it to happen. But on the other side, St. Louis optioned Jordan Walker to Triple-A and Tampa Bay did the same with Taj Bradley.

The purpose of this article is to assist those trying to answer the last part above. Stashing fantasy baseball prospects should be done strategically, not haphazardly. You need to be cognizant of which prospects will be up sooner and can make the biggest short-term impact on your teams -- even if that means stashing a prospect that might be ranked lower than another in long-term dynasty prospect rankings.

In this article, we will focus on MLB prospects, rookies, and call-ups who could make impacts for the 2023 fantasy baseball season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top 25 Prospects to Stash for Fantasy Baseball

Notes on plenty of prospects can be found below the rankings table. And remember, these rankings are for 2023 redraft value only. These are MLB prospects to potentially make a rest-of-season fantasy baseball impact in 2023. As prospects are called up, they are removed from the rankings. You can also see our top 250 fantasy baseball dynasty prospects for long-term outlooks.

Called Up Last Week: Tanner Bibee (CLE), Michael Busch (LAD)

Honorable Mentions: Maikel Garcia (KC), Addison Barger (TOR), Ricky Tiedemann (TOR), Luis Ortiz (PIT), Cade Marlowe (SEA), Justin Foscue (TEX), Casey Schmitt (SF), Pedro Leon (HOU), Samad Taylor (KC), Sal Frelick (MIL)

Rank Name Position Team ETA Last Wk
1 Jordan Walker OF STL May NR
2 Gavin Stone SP LAD May 3
3 Brandon Pfaadt SP ARI April 1
4 Matt Mervis 1B CHC May 6
5 Taj Bradley SP TBR May NR
6 Kyle Manzardo 1B TBR May 2
7 Edouard Julien 2B MIN May 4
8 Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B/3B CIN June 19
9 Curtis Mead 2B/3B TBR May 5
10 Matthew Liberatore SP STL May 7
11 Ronny Mauricio SS NYM June 12
12 Colton Cowser OF BAL June 10
13 Matt McLain SS CIN June 17
14 Royce Lewis SS MIN June 11
15 Jordan Westburg 2B/3B/SS BAL June 13
16 Justyn-Henry Malloy OF DET May 14
17 David Hamilton SS BOS June 9
18 Connor Norby 2B BAL June 15
19 Bobby Miller SP LAD June 16
20 Nolan Jones OF COL May 20
21 Elly De La Cruz SS CIN July 18
22 Gavin Williams SP CLE July NR
23 Chase Silseth SP LAA May 21
24 Bo Naylor C CLE May 22
25 Endy Rodriguez C PIT June 24

 

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings Analysis

Jordan Walker (OF - STL)

Is it disappointing to see the Cardinals send Jordan Walker down to Triple-A? Obviously. Should they probably make a trade to free up some space in their crowded outfield? Absolutely. But for now, we'll have to wait for Walker to make his return. Honestly, I don't have a good sense of when that will be. However, given the immense upside that Walker possesses, you absolutely need to be holding him unless you have very shallow benches and are desperate for the roster spot.

Taj Bradley (SP - TBR)

Ditto for Taj Bradley. If you have Bradley, I'd be holding unless you play in a shallower league. In three starts with the Rays, Bradley compiled an impressive 3.52 ERA, 2.29 xERA, 0.91 WHIP, 38.3% strikeout rate, and 35% K-BB rate. He was missing bats at a high clip with both his changeup (44.4%) and curveball (37.5%), and all four of Bradley's offerings had an xBA of .200 or less. I'm anticipating Bradley will be back up before the end of May and he's already shown that he has the stuff to be an impact arm.

Gavin Stone (SP - LAD)

Make sure you go check your league's waiver wire to see if Gavin Stone is available. The Dodgers are calling him up to make his MLB debut this week and there's a chance he could stick for a bit if he impresses in that outing. Or it could be a spot start, who knows. But I'm not opposed to adding him regardless to see what happens. Stone has looked much better in his last two Triple-A starts, combining for 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings while allowing five hits, four walks, and one earned run.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B/3B - CIN)

After missing the first few weeks of the Triple-A season, Christian Encarnacion-Strand made his debut at the level early last week and has been mashing all week. Encarnacion-Strand is slashing .448/.500/.931 in seven games with two doubles and four home runs already.

And just as impressive is the fact that he's improved his strikeout rate to 15.6%. He's an aggressive hitter in general, but the quality of contact is elite and he'll be able to call the most hitter-friendly ballpark in baseball home at some point this season. That might be sooner rather than later, especially if he continues mashing like this.

Matt Mervis (1B - CHC)

Speaking of mashing, Matt "Mash" Mervis continues mashing in Triple-A while Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini continue to be the epitome of "meh" offensively for the Cubs. Another two hits on Sunday, including the missile below, have Mervis' season line up to .295/.407/.580 with seven doubles, six home runs, and as many walks as strikeouts (17). Mervis has nothing left to prove in Triple-A and should be up with the Cubs before the end of the month.

Gavin Williams (SP - CLE)

We've already seen the debuts of Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen over the last week, and Gavin Williams likely isn't too far behind them. After a dominant 19-start stint in Double-A including a 0.63 ERA in a trio of starts this season, Williams was finally bumped to Triple-A last week and tossed 5.1 shutout innings with six strikeouts in his debut at the level.

Williams has proven himself to be a top-five pitching prospect in the game with a dynamic four-pitch mix headlined by a big fastball and plus or better curveball. There's not currently an opening in Cleveland's rotation given the recent promotions, and they'll get Triston McKenzie and Aaron Civale back at some point as well. Williams is knocking on the door and could make a sizeable fantasy impact once up.

Andrew Abbott (SP - CIN)

We go from one pitching prospect that dominated Double-A and was recently promoted to Triple-A to another in the exact same situation. If you follow me on Twitter and check my daily prospect stat tweets each morning, you'll know that the name Andrew Abbott has popped up a few times already this season.

It's hard not to when you strike out 64.3% of the batters you face in three starts, which ended with 11, 14, and 11 strikeouts in 15.2 combined innings. That's about as impressive as a pitcher can be at any level. Abbott struck out another seven in 5.2 innings in his Triple-A debut and looks poised to join the Cincinnati rotation by the All-Star break, likely much sooner than that.

Jo Adell (OF - LAA) & Christopher Morel (3B/SS/OF - CHC)

While neither are technically prospects, I wanted to include a quick blurb on Jo Adell and Christopher Morel this week. Both are hitting for a ton of power in Triple-A right now, but both also have major issues in the contact and approach departments, specifically with how much they strike out. If I were to stash either of these two right now, it would be Morel.

He feels like a much safer bet for production at the MLB level this season and could be up any day now while the Angels seem content letting Adell sit in Triple-A. Morel is currently slashing .363/.463/.835 in 23 games with a whopping 11 home runs. I'm not rushing to add either one, but Morel could have some value again in the near future and has multi-positional eligibility which also helps.

If you enjoyed these rankings and want to see additional rankings, analysis, and more, check out Eric's Toolshed Fantasy Patreon.



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!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
Christian McCaffrey

RapSheet: Signs Pointing Towards Christian McCaffrey Playing in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Signs Fully Guaranteed Deal with Cleveland
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Quentin Johnston

Scores Twice in Brazil
Justin Herbert

Spectacular in Win Over Chiefs
Marquise Brown

Sees Absurd Target Share Friday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Xavier Worthy

Injures Shoulder Early in Brazil, Questionable to Return
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Jayden Reed

Questionable to Play in Season Opener
Christian McCaffrey

Listed as Questionable for Season Opener With Calf Issue
Tyreek Hill

Cleared for Week 1
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Christian Kirk

Ruled Out for Week 1
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
De'Von Achane

Without Injury Designation Heading Into Week 1
Christian McCaffrey

Seen Working on Side Field During Friday's Practice
Malik Nabers

Cleared to Play on Sunday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Chris Godwin

Officially Ruled Out for Week 1
Malik Nabers

' Reps Limited Friday Due to "Tight" Back
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Saquon Barkley

Scores Touchdown in Low-Yardage Outing
Jalen Hurts

Rushes for Two Touchdowns on Thursday
Javonte Williams

Salvages Inefficient Outing With Two Touchdowns
CeeDee Lamb

110-Yard Game Marred by Four Drops
Will Shipley

Questionable to Return on Thursday Night
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Micah Parsons

Expected to Play in Week 1
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Brandon Sproat

to Start for Mets on Sunday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Will Smith

X-Rays Negative on Will Smith's Hand
Will Smith

Exits With Hand Contusion
Jackson Chourio

in Lineup Wednesday Despite Hamstring Cramps
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
Christian Yelich

Dealing With Soreness in Lower Back
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP