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Ben Ueberroth highlights the top five fantasy baseball pitching prospects that should be stashed on your bench in fantasy baseball redraft leagues (Week 16).
At the halfway point in the season, contending clubs will start calling up their top-performing prospects to make a playoff push. Even those teams who are out of contention will promote key prospects for auditions to see how they can contribute going into the 2024 season. Some familiar faces from earlier this year who were subsequently demoted are most likely to return and contribute, with other fresh faces potentially participating in late-season races.
The 2023 season has seen an abundance of rookies contribute both at the plate and on the mound. As the playoff push intensifies, identifying prospects who are likely to see playing time is key.
Fantasy managers can check in on this list weekly to keep an eye on prospects who are likely to see significant opportunities during the remainder of the 2023 season, helping their managers make playoff pushes of their own.
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Top Fantasy Baseball Pitching Prospect Stashes
Logan Allen - Cleveland Guardians
"Availability is the best ability.".That seems likely to ring true for Allen with Cal Quantrill heading to the injured list with shoulder inflammation. While Allen certainly carries risk having given up five earned runs in his most recent Triple-A start, his 3.71 FIP in 62.1 innings pitched in the MLB carries more upside than other starters left on the waiver wire in most leagues.
Furthermore, with only 80.2 IP between Triple-A and the majors this year, Allen may have more opportunities to pitch into the fantasy playoffs than some of his rookie contemporaries who may be reaching their innings limits. Managers should keep an eye on the Quantrill injury news, and if Allen is called up, pick him up as a sneaky add in the second half of the season.
Grayson Rodriguez - Baltimore Orioles
Similar to Allen, Rodriguez is high on this list due to what seems to be an imminent call-up. Which of the two has more fantasy value is purely dependent on which hurler receives more opportunities at the major league level this season.
Rodriguez has seemingly put it all together in Triple-A, logging a 1.96 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and only 19 walks across 41.1 IP. The strikeout potential has always been there, managing a 26.5 K% in his time in the MLB, and if he can maintain the improved control after his promotion back to the Orioles, Rodriguez will likely be on many championship-winning fantasy rosters.
Gavin Stone - Los Angeles Dodgers
Stone rounds out this trifecta of arms who showed promise earlier in the year only to be demoted for performance and/or workload management. With Bobby Miller struggling in this last four starts and multiple injuries to their core of starters, Stone seems likely to get another chance in the majors after his cup of coffee in May.
Stone's underwhelming strikeout numbers in his brief time in the MLB do not reflect the underlying ability that he's displayed at every stop in the minors. He may be more of a risk to ratios than the two names above him, but pitching for a competitive Dodgers team with unrealized strikeout potential, Stone is worthy of a stash in most leagues.
Kyle Harrison - San Francisco Giants
Beyond Allen and Rodriguez, and to a lesser degree Stone, there are few "guaranteed" stashes remaining with so many rookie pitcher ascensions earlier in the year. Harrison seems as good a candidate as any to receive an audition period in the MLB this season as the Giants' number one prospect. The Giants will want to see if he can be a consistent contributor going into the 2024 season. Managers will want to keep an eye on Harrison's recent hamstring strain which may delay his promotion until closer to the fantasy playoffs.
Harrison brings significant strikeout upside, registering a 36.1 K% at the Triple-A level. At each stop in the minor leagues, he has maintained a K% above 35.0%, an incredible feat. As eye-popping as his strikeout potential is, it is counterbalanced by his control issues as exemplified by a 17.3 BB% at Triple-A this season. Those in points league can consider using an NA spot on Harrison for his significant strikeout upside and likely audition period later this season.
Will Warren - New York Yankees
Warren has two potential paths to a shot in the Yankees rotation. With as fickle as Carlos Rodon's health has been all year, there's a decent chance a rotation spot could open up. Even if Rodon can come back and contribute for the remainder of the season, Clarke Schmidt has been used as a reliever as recently as last season and could step aside for Warren to audition.
In his last two starts at Triple-A, Warren has given up just five hits in 10.2 IP. He brings a five-pitch repertoire with him, with his fastball control and slider action being standouts. If Warren can get a shot, he may well stick around through the fantasy playoffs, backed by a Yankees team that is beginning to show signs of life.
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