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 8)

It was another exciting week of prospect promotions with two big names being promoted to the Majors. First, Miami called up their studly right-handed pitching prospect Eury Perez who made his debut on Friday, and then Cincinnati gave Matt McLain's mother one heck of a Mother's Day gift by promoting him Sunday night. Needless to say, both of those guys shouldn't still be on your league's waiver wire, and if they are, you need to change that immediately. Both have the upside to make a significant fantasy impact both this season and beyond. Even with that exciting duo off the list, we still have a loaded Top 25 prospects to stash list again this week with a few more names on the cusp of debuting.

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: Matt McLain (CIN), Eury Perez (MIA), Luis Ortiz (PIT)

Honorable Mentions: Cade Marlowe (SEA), Justin Foscue (TEX), , Pedro Leon (HOU), Samad Taylor (KC), Sal Frelick (MIL), Joey Ortiz (BAL), Addison Barger (TOR)

Rank Name Position Team ETA Last Wk
1 Jordan Westburg 2B/3B/SS BAL May 11
2 Jordan Walker OF STL June 1
3 Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B/3B CIN June 5
4 Kyle Manzardo 1B TBR June 2
5 Taj Bradley SP TBR May 6
6 Edouard Julien 2B MIN June 4
7 Elly De La Cruz SS CIN July 18
8 Colton Cowser OF BAL June 7
9 Matthew Liberatore SP STL June 10
10 Ronny Mauricio SS NYM July 12
11 Gavin Stone SP LAD June 8
12 Curtis Mead 2B/3B TBR July 9
13 David Hamilton SS BOS June 13
14 Oscar Colas OF CHW June NR
15 Gavin Williams SP CLE June 14
16 Royce Lewis SS MIN July 15
17 Bo Naylor C CLE June 19
18 Ben Brown SP CHC June NR
19 Endy Rodriguez C PIT July 23
20 Justyn-Henry Malloy OF DET June 16
21 Connor Norby 2B BAL July 17
22 Justin Dirden OF HOU June NR
23 Andrew Abbott SP CIN June 20
24 Bobby Miller SP LAD July 21
25 Mark Vientos 3B NYM July 25

 

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings Analysis

Elly De La Cruz (SS - CIN)

The narrative for Elly De La Cruz for a while now has been that he possesses massive fantasy upside given his elite power and speed, but that the approach needed refinement. We saw that all on full display last season when De La Cruz went bonkers for 28 home runs and 47 steals in 121 games. However, he also struck out in 30.8% of his plate appearances. This season was off to a similar tune, but De La Cruz's approach has done a complete 180 from April to March.

Month PA BB% K%
April 43 4.7% 41.9%
May 60 16.7% 16.7%

Yeah, that's much better. And fortunately, De La Cruz hasn't sacrificed his power to improve his approach either, as is often the case. On the season, Elly is already up to six home runs and four steals in 103 plate appearances with a .278/.369/.589. Once De La Cruz is up, the potential fantasy impact is immense, and there will surely be a massive rugby-style scrum to pick him up or acquire him via weekly FAAB. If he's sitting on your league's waiver wire, do your best to change that in a hurry.

Jordan Westburg (2B/3B/SS - BAL)

We're a month and a half into the Triple-A season and Jordan Westburg just wont stop hitting. With home runs on Saturday and Sunday, Westburg is now up to 11 in 32 games with four steals and a .321/.395/.626 slash line. Throughout his minor league career, Westburg has always shown a decent power/speed blend, going 15/17 in 112 games back in 2021 and 27/12 in 138 games last season along with 39 doubles. He's also always walked at a high clip and has a walk rate above 10% once again this season.

Given his ability to play second base, third base, and shortstop, coupled with the struggles of Gunnar Henderson and recent struggles of Jorge Mateo, it feels like Westburg should get the call up to Baltimore sooner rather than later. And once he's up, his 20+/10+ upside would immediately put him on the 12-team mixed-league radar as a priority add.

Justin Dirden (OF - HOU)

Another bat on fire in Triple-A has been Houston Astros outfield prospect, Justin Dirden. Over the last 10 days, the 25-year-old Dirden has racked up seven extra-base hits, four home runs, and a .394/.459/.909 slash line. He does strike out a bit too much , but the power/speed blend would give Dirden mixed-league fantasy appeal if he were given a shot at regular playing time in Houston's outfield.

Oscar Colas (OF - CHW)

While Colas struggled during his stint with the White Sox to open the season, he's been hitting very well since being sent back down. Over the last 10 days, Colas is slashing .424/.459/.727 with a home run, steal, and seven doubles. Colas is still an overly-aggressive hitter and could stand to develop a bit more patience, but the contact skills and power are there to be a .270/25 bat at the Major League level, and he'll likely get another shot with the White Sox sooner rather than later if he continues hitting well in Triple-A.

Taj Bradley (SP - TBR)

It's yet to be confirmed anywhere to my knowledge, but given the latest injury to Drew Rasmussen, there's a chance Taj Bradley could be recalled this week to help a severely depleted Tampa Bay rotation that is down to Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin, and Josh Fleming right now. Bradley certainly hasn't looked good at all since being sent back to Triple-A a few weeks ago, but he impressed during his three starts with Tampa Bay last month. In those three starts, Bradley posted a 3.52 ERA, 2.27 xERA, 0.91 WHIP, 3.3% walk rate, and 38.3% strikeout rate. Given the upside and likely recall, Bradley is an ideal player to pick up and stash right now.

Ben Brown (SP - CHC)

In each of the last five weeks, we've had a rookie pitcher go for over $200 in FAAB in my TGFBI league. First it was Taj Bradley followed by Mason Miller, Tanner Bibee, Bryce Miller, and Eury Perez last week. While it will be tough to extend that streak to six this week, two arms that could be up very soon are Gavin Williams and Ben Brown. I've talked about Williams fairly recently so I'll mention Brown here this week.

In six starts this season between Double-A and Triple-A, Brown has a pristine 0.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 39.5% strikeout rate. Standing at 6'6, Brown features a plus fastball with plenty of riding action and will mix in a curve and slider, both of which are above-average to plus offerings. The strikeout upside alone is considerable and Brown has shown solid command and control of his arsenal as well. He has the potential to make a solid fantasy impact once up.

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

Jameson Williams

Extending Tenure in Motor City
Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward, Steelers Reach Agreement on Revised Deal, Will Play in Week 1
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Travis Hunter

to be Every-Down Wide Receiver
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
Shedeur Sanders

Unlikely to Play in 2025
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
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

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
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
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
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
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

RANKINGS

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