Top-5 MLB Pitching Prospects To Stash For Fantasy Baseball Redraft Leagues - Week 17

July 16, 2026

Andy's top pitching fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 17 (2026). His MLB prospects to pick up and stash on your bench and N/A spots in redraft leagues.

Welcome back to our top starting pitcher fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 17 of the 2026 MLB season. Even though MLB has been out of action, the minor leagues have continued their seasons, and we even saw the Nationals promote first-base prospect Abimelec Ortiz on Sunday afternoon.

This week, we will once again spotlight our current top-5 pitching prospects to stash ahead of the second half's opening. Be sure to follow RotoBaller MLB on X for all of our league-winning content and me, @A_Smith_FS, for any questions!

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Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners

Currently at Double-A

As always, without a doubt, Seattle's Kade Anderson is in the top spot in our ranking. Even though the southpaw sits at the Double-A level, his upside on a per-start basis remains the highest not only among the pitchers on this list but also among nearly every pitcher in the minor leagues.

Through his first 14 starts in the professional ranks, the LSU product has lived up to his No. 3 draft pick capital. Over 72 2/3 innings, the left-hander has posted a dominant 1.36 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP. He has struck out an impressive 108 hitters and allowed just 10 total free passes.

Even though Anderson has taken a slight step back recently, allowing at least two runs in each of his last two games, the southpaw still spots an incredible ERA and has established himself as the clear No. 1 pitching prospect in the entire sport.

This season, the left-hander has allowed more than two runs in only one game and has even hit the nine-punchout mark in six of his starts.

While it did not appear last week that Anderson was approaching his MLB debut, the Seattle pitching staff is dealing with an injury that could force its hand. Right-hander Emerson Hancock underwent X-rays on his palm and middle finger after leaving his start early last Sunday. While an extended absence would push Luis Castillo into the "No. 5 role," Anderson would quickly be the next man up on this staff.

Managers should continue to pay close attention to Hancock's stats, as any stint on the injured list could put Anderson in must-watch territory.

His elite command and strikeout upside will keep him in the No. 1 spot for the remainder of the season. Those with an open N/A spot or a free bench spot in a deeper 12+ team league should view Anderson as a worthy stash option.

Kade Anderson racks up nine punchouts across six frames of two-run ball for the Double-A @ARTravs 🔱

MLB's top-ranked pitching prospect (@Mariners) is running a 108/10 K/BB ratio in his debut season: pic.twitter.com/UvwqlSPpfd

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 4, 2026

Quinn Mathews, St. Louis Cardinals

Currently at Triple-A

Sitting comfortably in the No. 2 spot on our stash is St. Louis' Quinn Mathews. Mathews has seen his fantasy stock soar over the last month of action as he is putting the finishing touches on his Triple-A development.

After an impressive debut season in the Cardinals system in 2024, the southpaw took a massive step back in 2025. Last summer, the former fourth-round pick out of Stanford struggled at Triple-A, posting a hefty 3.93 ERA and 1.60 WHIP over 94 innings.

While these struggles began to show during the early portion of the 2026 season, he has since turned the corner in a massive way. Through his first 35 2/3 innings, the left-hander posted a 5.55 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP, which put him firmly off the stash radar in nearly all league types.

However, since then, Mathews has looked like an entirely new pitcher at Memphis, logging 43 1/3 innings to the tune of a sharp 1.87 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. During this noted surge, the southpaw has racked up 53 punchouts while walking only 18, a stark improvement over his early season struggles.

Even though it may seem Mathews is on the doorstep of joining the Cardinals, the recent emergence of Kyle Leahy has pushed his debut back. Leahy began the campaign with a 4.63 ERA (through 70 frames) but has quietly been one of the game's top options, posting a sharp 0.47 ERA over his last 19 1/3 innings.

Managers should continue to monitor his production, but Mathews appears all but finished with his development in the minor leagues, setting him up for an early call-up in the second half.

#STLCards No. 6 prospect Quinn Mathews hurled seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts for @memphisredbirds!

🏆: https://t.co/TLUttzKGVV pic.twitter.com/mRqygVRT61

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 13, 2026

Jaxon Wiggins, Chicago Cubs

Currently at Triple-A

Moving up to No. 3 in our stash rankings is Jaxon Wiggins of the Chicago Cubs. Wiggins has spent the majority of the 2026 season on the Triple-A injured list but has since returned to Iowa and is now firmly on the stash radar.

Wiggins is currently viewed as Chicago's top pitching prospect and is No. 93 on MLB Pipeline's overall prospect rankings.

During the 2025 campaign, Wiggins flashed immense upside as he moved through the system, logging 78 innings across three levels (High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A) and posting a dominant 2.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 97:36 K:BB. While his 2026 season has not gone as planned due to a lengthy stint on the IL with an elbow injury, he is finally past the injury and should compete for promotion to Chicago in August.

In his first start back in Iowa since April 4, Wiggins logged 2 2/3 innings of work and allowed three runs with a 4:3 K:BB. While it will take time for him to settle down at Iowa, Wiggins' raw upside makes him a worthwhile stash candidate.

As he moved through the lower levels in his rehab assignment, Wiggins totaled nine punches (over 9 1/3 innings) with a 2.89 ERA.

Currently, the Cubs are dealing with numerous injuries to their pitching staff, which will give Wiggins ample opportunities to contribute down the stretch, especially if they are unable to land a major pitcher before the deadline. Currently, the Cubs are without Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton, and Justin Steele.

He may only need a handful of outings to prove he is ready to join the Cubs for the playoff push.

Four strikeouts tonight for Jaxon Wiggins! pic.twitter.com/NTghTA8Rdw

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 11, 2026

Karson Milbrandt, Miami Marlins

Currently at Triple-A

Moving down to the No. 4 spot this week is Miami's Karson Milbrandt. Milbrandt was flashed as an elite upside in Double-A, prompting an early promotion to Triple-A. However, early in the season, the right-hander was not on the stash radar as Miami had two far more polished pitchers in the system, Robby Snelling and Thomas White, waiting in the wings.

This quickly changed as both Snelling and White have been shut down for the season, leaving Milbrandt as the next option in the system. While veteran Braxton Garrett (currently at the Triple-A level) could get another look in the majors before Milbrandt, in terms of prospects, the Liberty Senior HS product is the clear top option in this system.

At Double-A (where Milbrandt opened the season), he logged a near-perfect 1.34 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Over this nine-start stretch (47 innings), Milbrandt racked up 70 strikeouts with 19 free passes.

Karson Milbrandt had a ridiculous May.

5 starts
4-0
28.2 IP
3 ER
16 H
47 Ks
8 BB

The @Marlins RHP posted a ridiculous 36.4% strikeout-to-walk ratio 🔥https://t.co/c2rrtaLSfA pic.twitter.com/2mLRrxg9MW

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) June 2, 2026

Over his first three innings with Jacksonville, Milbrandt continued his success, posting a stellar 1.20 ERA over 15 frames. While he walked a concerning 111 hitters over this stretch, he struck out 15 and limited the damage.

Unfortunately, his high walk rate has caught up to him. He has since allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts (just eight innings) while holding a rough 5:11 K:BB.

Given this concerning stretch, Milbrandt has put himself off the stash radar in all 12-team leagues as he will need ample time at Triple-A to work out these struggles. While a 2026 late-season debut remains in play, managers should view him as a name to "monitor" and not in the same tier as the three names above him.

Additionally, the Marlins welcomed back Janson Junk from the injured list shortly before the All-Star break, bringing their rotation back to full strength. His strikeout upside still keeps him on this list, but Milbrandt will need to drastically lower his walk rate if he wants to truly compete for a late-season call-up.

Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox

Currently at Triple-A

Last week, we looked at New York's Jack Wenninger in the No. 5 spot, who is still a worthy target in deeper leagues. However, this week we will spotlight an intriguing option that is currently on the Triple-A injured list.

Even though Chicago's top pitching prospect is currently on the shelf with a shoulder injury, he is worth monitoring in deeper leagues as he should not face competition to reach the majors once healthy.

Smith was selected by the White Sox with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and ranks as MLB.com's No. 55 overall prospect. He spent his entire 2024 season at High-A and then spent all of 2025 at Double-A.

As expected, the left-hander was given the green light to begin 2026 in Triple-A, where he has shown some impressive "highs" but some concerning "lows." Through his first 22 1/3 innings, Smith posted a sharp 2.82 ERA while striking out 32 hitters. However, in this stint, he walked a rather high 16 hitters, which inflated his WHIP to 1.25.

Then, over his next three outings (11 2/3 innings), Smith allowed 10 earned runs with a 15:11 K:BB. However, the Arkansas product quickly bounced back, posting a strong 2.37 ERA with a much-improved 32:7 K:BB over his next 19 frames.

Hagen Smith (@whitesox No. 4 prospect) racks up 17 whiffs for Triple-A @KnightsBaseball:

⚫️ 4.1 IP
⚪️ 2 H
⚫️ 1 R
⚪️ 2 BB
⚫️ 9 K (season high) pic.twitter.com/7dA4XcDZuU

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 3, 2026

This career-best stretch was brought to a screeching halt on June 13 when he allowed a season-worst seven earned runs before being placed on the injured list with a shoulder impingement.

While there has been no news on his status, once he returns to the bump, he would be immediately pushed up this stash list, given his immense strikeout upside. Additionally, he could quickly earn the call, as Chicago's back half of the starting rotation is not very impressive or deep, with Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde currently occupying those spots.

Other Prospects To Consider Stashing

• Jack Wenninger, NYM
• Carlos Lagrange, NYY (on 7-Day IL)
• River Ryan, LAD (on 7-Day IL)
• Ty Johnson, TB
• Owen Murphy, ATL (had a brief MLB debut but was sent back to Triple-A)
• Elmer Rodriguez, NYY

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