RADIO
Brian's top-5 fantasy baseball hitting prospects in MLB who can be stashed on your bench for Week 21 in fantasy redraft leagues as of August 14, 2024.
We have reached the point of the fantasy baseball season in which many of the big-name prospects have forced their way up to the major leagues. With the recent promotions of Jackson Holliday, Junior Caminero, and Coby Mayo -- three mainstays on the top prospects to stash list -- fantasy managers might have to dig a little deeper down the prospect list to figure out who to stash next.
That doesn't mean that all the potential valuable prospect assets are currently in the major leagues. There are still plenty of names to consider adding to your fantasy bench ahead of a call-up.
With fewer than two months remaining in the regular season and even less time left in most fantasy leagues before the head-to-head playoffs, it is important to try to identify the right mix of talent and timing when considering potential stashes. Here are five names that can be helpful down the stretch this season.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:- BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
- PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
- Who should I start? Fantasy baseball comparisons
- Who should I pickup? Fantasy baseball comparisons
- Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
- MLB Props finder tool
- Fantasy baseball closer depth charts
Deyvison De Los Santos - 3B/1B, Miami Marlins
All De Los Santos has done this season is rake. It doesn't matter if it was in Double-A Amarillo or Triple-A Reno with the Arizona Diamondbacks or at Triple-A Jacksonville with the Marlins following his trade-deadline deal. His 33 home runs between those three teams lead Minor League Baseball this season.
Since coming over to Jacksonville, De Los Santos has five homers and 11 RBI in 14 games. The guy is a flat-out wrecking crew at the plate this season and has proven all he needs to at Triple-A this season. The Marlins are an interesting team as they undergo their seemingly annual rebuild. There are young players there like Jonah Bride and Jake Burger at the corner infield spots who are holding their own.
Deyvison De Los Santos puts the jumbo in Jumbo Shrimp on his titanic, MiLB-leading 33rd homer of the season!
The @Marlins' No. 7 prospect has gone deep five times in 13 games for the @JaxShrimp, including back-to-back days: pic.twitter.com/UERLfWIBzs
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 11, 2024
So where De Los Santos fits in remains to be seen, but it sure seems like he is producing at a level that could warrant a promotion. If he does earn the call-up, he should immediately provide a lift to fantasy teams in the power categories without sacrificing batting average in a big way.
Agustin Ramirez - C, Miami Marlins
Welcome to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp portion of the top-5 stash list. Ramirez, who also came to Miami via a trade-deadline deal, is perhaps just as hot at the dish as his Jacksonville teammate De Los Santos.
The former Yankees farmhand has also played for three different teams this season for which he is hitting a combined .274/.364/.511 with 22 homers, 77 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Not too shabby for a catcher-eligible fantasy prospect. The 22-year-old oozes potential and could be a difference-maker in two-catcher leagues down the stretch.
AGUSTÍN RAMÍREZ...PUNISHER OF BASEBALLS!!!!!@elagus_10 pic.twitter.com/ehBaki7FrL
— Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (@JaxShrimp) August 11, 2024
With Ali Sanchez and Jhonny Pereda serving as the healthy catchers on the current Marlins roster, it could be a matter of time before Ramirez finds himself behind the plate in Miami. He has the bat to be a future fantasy stud at the position.
Dylan Crews - OF, Washington Nationals
Crews continues to find his name on this list but has not yet gotten the call-up to Washington. He has been solid since his promotion to Triple-A Rochester, hitting .263/.340/.474 with seven homers, 22 RBI, and seven stolen bases. He doesn't really wow you in any particular statistical category but he has the potential to be a contributor in all five main fantasy categories.
At 22 years old, the LSU product has advanced quickly through the minor leagues. He has the power-speed potential to be a very good fantasy asset in the future. He has turned it on in August so far, hitting .300 with three homers and six RBI with a 1.020 OPS in 10 games.
Dylan Crews (@Nationals) swats his third homer in the past four games!
MLB's No. 3 prospect raises his Triple-A OPS to .819 in 41 games for the @RocRedWings. pic.twitter.com/oW64JNxBMP
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 14, 2024
He's beginning to show off his big upside at the plate and make a push for a late-season promotion. Fantasy managers may want to get ahead of the curve.
Shay Whitcomb - SS, Houston Astros
Whitcomb's numbers at Triple-A Sugar Land this season are nothing short of eye-popping. The 25-year-old has done a little bit of everything, hitting .295/.379/.534 with 25 homers, 91 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. The Astros may soon need to find space for Whitcomb's bat in the majors.
Unfortunately, Whitcomb is currently blocked at his natural position by Jeremy Pena, a very good major league shortstop. So Houston may want to get creative in finding a way to get the UC San Diego product every day at-bats. His presence in the lineup would help the Astros in their playoff push.
Shay Whitcomb 2 run HR for Sugar Land! His 25th HR of the season! #Astros pic.twitter.com/CmPtrqQhgV
— Astros Future (@AstrosFuture) August 13, 2024
This is another player who you might want to be proactive with to guarantee he finds a spot on your fantasy roster. It could pay off in a big way.
Trey Sweeney - SS, Detroit Tigers
Sweeney, another trade-deadline acquisition, has been red-hot at Triple-A Toledo since coming over to the Tigers from the Dodgers organization. At Toledo, Sweeney is hitting .368/.429/.632 with two homers and eight RBI in 10 games. He has added two stolen bases.
A 24-year-old shortstop who has a smooth lefty swing, Sweeney has 15 homers and 70 RBI this season between Triple-A Oklahoma City and Toledo. He has some speed to boot with 18 steals. This is a player who could help the Tigers this season if given the opportunity. Should Detroit decide to move on from Javier Baez at shortstop, Sweeney could get a look in the last month or so.
Trey Sweeney has been on fire since joining the Tigers organization.
.400/.447/.686, 2 HR, 4 2B, 1 SB
Including:
108.6 Double
107.5 mph HR
106.8 Single
104.6 Single
102.2 HR
100.1 SingleHere's all of his hits as a Mud Hen
🎥MILBTV pic.twitter.com/OvNosOnfx1
— Clay Snowden (@clay_snowden2) August 12, 2024
One of the centerpieces of the deal that sent Jack Flaherty to L.A., Sweeney has turned heads with his new organization and he could be a sneaky pickup in anticipation of a call-up.
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!
