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Frank's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of Week 2 (2026). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.
Welcome back to the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we continue Week 2 of the 2026 MLB season. Even though we're still extremely early in the season, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be stashing injured players. They can make a major impact on your roster down the road. If you have IL spots like most leagues, these players are worth stashing on your bench.
In this column, we'll include the top 25 injured MLB players rostered in less than 65% of Yahoo! leagues who are worth stashing, including names like Shane Bieber, Corbin Burnes, Justin Steele, and more. The ranking will be by roster percentages, and then we'll dive into five of my favorite targets. Projected return dates are an estimate. Always assume they'll come back a bit later just to be safe.
I've dug through the waiver wire to find some potential values for you. You'll find projected timelines for when these players will be back in the lineup. So, without further ado, let's find out my top-25 injured players to stash for Week 2 of the 2026 fantasy baseball season.
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Top Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball
| Player | Team | IL Type | Ros. % | Estimated Return |
| Merrill Kelly | Diamondbacks | IL15 (Nerve) | 64% | Mid-April |
| Jackson Holliday | Orioles | IL15 (Hand) | 58% | Mid-April |
| Shane Bieber | Blue Jays | IL15 (Elbow) | 57% | Mid-May |
| Spencer Schwellenbach | Braves | IL60 (Shoulder) | 45% | Mid-July |
| Corbin Burnes | Diamondbacks | IL60 (Elbow) | 44% | Mid-July |
| Andrew Vaughn | Brewers | IL10 (Hamate) | 40% | Late-May |
| Alejandro Kirk | Blue Jays | IL10 (Thumb) | 39% | Early-June |
| Joe Musgrove | Padres | IL15 (Elbow) | 32% | Early-June |
| Bryce Miller | Mariners | IL15 (Oblique) | 30% | Mid-May |
| Jordan Westburg | Orioles | IL60 (Elbow) | 29% | Early-June |
| Quinn Priester | Brewers | IL15 (Wrist) | 27% | Early-May |
| Justin Steele | Cubs | IL60 (Elbow) | 19% | Early-June |
| Cody Ponce | Blue Jays | IL60 (Knee) | 19% | Mid-August |
| Jared Jones | Pirates | IL60 (Elbow) | 19% | Early-June |
| Edwin Uceta | Rays | IL15 (Shoulder) | 18% | Early-May |
| Kirby Yates | White Sox | IL15 (Knee) | 12% | Early-May |
| Grayson Rodriguez | Angels | IL15 (Shoulder) | 13% | Mid-May |
| Garrett Cleavinger | Rays | IL15 (Calf) | 13% | Mid-April |
| Kyle Teel | White Sox | IL10 (Hamstring) | 12% | Late-April |
| Hunter Gaddis | Guardians | IL15 (Forearm) | 11% | Mid-April |
| Jason Adam | Padres | IL15 (Quad) | 11% | Mid-April |
| Tommy Edman | Dodgers | IL10 (Ankle) | 10% | Late-May |
| Jordan Lawlar | Diamondbacks | IL10 (Wrist) | 9% | Mid-June |
| Zach Eflin | Orioles | IL15 (Elbow) | 8% | TBD |
| Justin Verlander | Tigers | IL15 (Hip) | 4% | Late-April |
Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely
Quinn Priester, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
Rostered: 27% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early-May
Quinn Priester put up a 3.32 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP with a 20.2% strikeout rate and a 7.7% walk rate in 157.1 innings last season. The advanced metrics were respectable as well, including a 3.96 SIERA. We all know how good the Brewers are at developing pitchers, which is why you have to be monitoring Priester's return timetable.
The 25-year-old righty is dealing with a wrist injury, but he's been given the green light to face live hitters as of April 1st. From here, the Brewers will schedule a couple of rehab assignments for Priester to get back into a groove before they bring him back to the big-league squad.
You're going to have to be patient with Priester, as his wrist issues included symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome, so it may take some time for him to get back on track. But what we saw last year was a reliable innings-eater who can make a fantasy impact, especially in home starts, since it's a favorable pitching environment. With the Brewers off to a strong start, it's clear they're going to contend for a playoff spot once again, adding more value to Priester's profile.
Edwin Uceta, RP, Tampa Bay Rays
Rostered: 18% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early-May
Edwin Uceta Could be a Candidate for Saves https://t.co/Y2wO5WMBrq
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) April 5, 2026
Edwin Uceta registered a 3.79 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP with a 32.1% strikeout rate and an 8.4% walk rate last season. This included a rock-solid 12.4% swinging-strike rate. These are the types of skills that you want to see in a high-leverage reliever.
What makes Uceta intriguing right now is that the Rays' closer role is wide open. Griffin Jax has gotten off to an abysmal start to the season. The Rays have opted to use him more as a "fireman," where his most recent outing was two innings. Bryan Baker has been terrific (44.4 K%), so he's the best bet for saves right now, but we can't count out Uceta emerging as a candidate for the role. That makes him worth monitoring on your waiver wire.
Uceta could return from a shoulder injury towards the end of the month. If Jax continues to struggle and Baker fails to run away with closing duties, there's a reasonable chance that Uceta could get a crack at the job.
Garrett Cleavinger, RP, Tampa Bay Rays
Rostered: 13% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-April
Garrett Cleavinger posted a 2.35 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP with a 33.7% strikeout rate and a 7.4% walk rate last season. Those are the kinds of strikeout numbers that you want in a closer, but as a lefty, Cleavinger is less likely to get the job.
Before dealing with a calf injury, Cleavinger had tossed three scoreless innings with zero walks and four strikeouts. Even though he's less likely than Uceta to get into the saves mix, since Rays manager Kevin Cash may prefer to use him in other high-leverage situations, you should still monitor him. It's a wide-open situation in the Rays' bullpen.
Cleavinger is expected to be activated off the injured list when eligible, so keep a close eye on how he's deployed once he returns.
Kyle Teel, C, Chicago White Sox
Rostered: 12% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Late-April
Kyle Teel is an intriguing catcher prospect who was one of the main pieces sent to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade. Teel slashed .273/.375/.411 with eight homers and three steals in 297 plate appearances last season. You have to be impressed with the plate discipline, including a 12.5% walk rate.
After getting injured in the World Baseball Classic, we haven't seen Teel all year, but his return is approaching. The latest update states that Teel is getting close to working off a tee. From there, he'd go on a rehab assignment for a few games before getting back in the big leagues.
Teel is most appealing in two-catcher leagues, as he's exactly the type of second catcher with upside that you want to target here. In those formats, keep a close eye on him on the wire.
Tommy Edman, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Rostered: 10% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early-May
Tommy Edman was taking BP today!
Just a reminder that Edman will be coming back around May according to Dave Roberts!
🎥 @Naoto_SANSPO pic.twitter.com/bIKDog425e
— DodgersMuse (@LADodgersMuse) March 24, 2026
Tommy Edman .225/.274/.382 with 13 home runs and three stolen bases in what was a disappointing 2025 season. The biggest surprise was the total lack of stolen bases, which don't seem likely to return. The Dodgers have an All-Star caliber lineup, meaning they don't have to manufacture runs by being aggressive on the basepaths.
That's bad news for the 30-year-old Edman, who gets most of his fantasy value from stolen bases. Once he returns from an ankle injury, the Dodgers figure to tread lightly with him.
This is more of a stash in deeper leagues, where you're trying to get a piece of what could be one of the best offenses in baseball. Perhaps your leaguemate who was in a roster crunch decided to drop Edman rather than stash an injured player. If you have room, it makes sense to give him a shot.
