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-5 MLB Pitching Prospects To Stash For Week 18 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Leagues (2024)

DJ Herz - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Andy's top-5 MLB pitching prospects in fantasy baseball who can be stashed on your bench for Week 18 (2024) in fantasy baseball redraft leagues.

Welcome back to our top starting pitcher fantasy baseball prospects to stash for Week 18 of the 2024 MLB season. Today, we'll be taking a look at top MLB pitching prospects, including Zebby Matthews, Max Meyer, and Jackson Jobe.

Several of the sport's top pitching prospects who have been a recurring member of this column, such as Yilber Diaz, Christian Scott, and Drew Thorpe, have settled in the majors and are no longer "stash" options.

As the baseball season progresses, top prospects can have the opportunity to replace an injured player and immediately become valuable in fantasy. Below are five pitching prospects worth stashing in redraft leagues in Week 18. One of these players recently made their major league debut, and a few are nearing the call to the big leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top Fantasy Baseball Prospect Stashes

Max Meyer - Miami Marlins (Currently At Triple-A, 30% rostered)

Something very interesting happened with our column's recurring name this week. On July 20, the right-hander pitched only three innings, compared to around five in each start over the past month. Even though he recorded only 10 outs at this start, he still struck out several batters and allowed only one run.

This is worth noting, as the Marlins would gain an extra year of control of their top pitching prospect if they waited until July 21 to promote him. Seeing that he was clearly on a strict innings limit on July 20 suggests his promotion could be any day now.

Meyer has held a microscopic 0.95 ERA and strong 1.26 WHIP across his four starts at Triple-A and has struck out 23 batters in 19 innings. Even though he may have an innings limit in the majors similar to what Christian Scott has now, his upside clearly puts him at the top among all prospect pitchers.

River Ryan - Los Angeles Dodgers (Currently In The Majors, 10% rostered)

The 25-year-old made his major league debut on Monday, July 22, and tossed 5 ⅓ innings of one-run ball (zero earned runs). He allowed just four hits and three walks and struck out two.

This season at Triple-A, the right-hander performed well, holding a solid 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 6:19 BB:K ratio across 16 ⅓ frames. Last summer at Double-A, Ryan posted a 3.33 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 97 innings of work.

Even though the Dodgers will welcome back Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) and Tyler Glasnow (back) from injury this week, Ryan could still carve out a full-time role in the rotation. With the recent news of James Paxton being DFA’d, Ryan has a strong opportunity to remain in the big leagues for the rest of the season.

Still, Ryan could stay in the rotation, even serving as the sixth man, especially if the Dodgers want to be careful and not overwork their two front-of-the-line starters due to their lengthy injury history.

Zebby Matthews - Minnesota Twins (Currently At Triple-A, 1% rostered)

The Minnesota right-hander made his Triple-A debut on Sunday, July 21, and performed quite well. He tossed five innings of two-run ball, allowing just four hits, no walks, and six strikeouts.

Matthews began the campaign at High-A and needed only 22 innings to prove he was ready for the next level. At Double-A, Matthews held a 1.95 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and a 6:63 BB:K ratio across 55 frames and a similar 1.59 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 22 innings at High-A.

Matthews is known for his incredible control, which was prevalent in his first taste of Triple-A ball as he has allowed only six total free passes all season.

The fifth man in the Twins rotation, Chris Paddack (forearm), was recently placed on the 15-day IL due to a forearm strain in his throwing arm. This is the second injury on his throwing arm this season and it could sideline him for a significant amount of time.

The Twins could look to recall fellow prospect David Festa, who made his major league debut back in May and lasted only two starts at the big league level after posting a poor 10.80 ERA. If Matthews continues his stellar play at Triple-A, it will be hard for him not to get the call over Festa to fill the spot in the rotation.

Jackson Jobe - Detroit Tigers (Currently At Triple-A , 10% rostered)

I’ve written about Jackson Jobe several times in my prospect risers column, but now he has officially entered "stash" territory. Arguably, the best pitching prospect in the game has been tearing up Double-A since recovering from a hamstring injury.

In his first three starts back at Double-A, the former No. 3 overall pick has posted a dominant 0.56 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, and a 6:21 BB:K ratio in 16 innings of work.

Last summer, in 64 innings across primarily Single-A and High-A, Jobe had a 2.81 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 6:84 BB:K ratio.

While the injury did hinder Jobe’s chances of making the big leagues this season, his ability to pick up right where he left off is incredible. He is posting the best numbers of his minor league career. The Tigers are looking to be sellers at the deadline and will likely trade away Jack Flaherty and potentially ace Tarik Skubal.

Even if one rotation spot opens, Jobe has a strong chance of at least getting a taste of the big leagues during the final two months of the summer. If he gets the call, he can have league-winning upside, even on an innings limit. 

DJ Herz - Washington Nationals (Currently At Triple-A, 3% rostered)

Herz spent all of June and a part of July in the big leagues, posting a 5.17 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. However, he struck out an eye-catching 41 batters at an elite 29.1% rate. He also generated whiffs at a 30.9% mark, which places him in the top 87th percentile among all pitchers.

Herz tallied double-digit strikeouts twice, including a 13-punchout game on June 15 against the Miami Marlins.

In his first start back at Triple-A, the southpaw logged only 3 ⅓ innings with two strikeouts and two earned runs.

Currently, the Nationals only have four healthy starters and may look to promote Herz once his eligibility window opens up toward the end of the month. Herz is a high-strikeout-upside pitcher who could be worth deploying in favorable matchups in all leagues.

Note: Herz was promoted on Tuesday afternoon (July 23) to start that evening against the San Diego Padres.



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 Analysis




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

Jacob deGrom

Being Skipped in Rotation Due to Shoulder Fatigue
Adley Rutschman

Scratched on Tuesday With Abdominal Discomfort
CBJ

Brendan Smith Joins Blue Jackets on Tryout Deal
STL

Milan Lucic Joins Blues for Tryout
DET

Red Wings Pick Up Travis Hamonic
Austin Riley

Doesn't Appear Ready to Return Any Time Soon
Aaron Judge

Unikely to Throw Normally Again This Year
Jalen McMillan

Could be Out Through Week 9 Bye
Indiana Pacers

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Agrees to a Multiyear Contract Extension on Tuesday
Washington Wizards

John Wall Retires After 11 NBA Seasons
Daniel Jones

Named as Colts Starting Quarterback
Jalen McMillan

Will Not Be Ready for Season Opener
Collin Sexton

Hornets Have High Hopes for Collin Sexton
Rui Hachimura

Likely to Start Season Without Contract Extension
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Hopes to Bounce Back in 2025-26
Stephen Curry

Ready to Go for New Season
Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones Agrees to Deal With Magic
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Cleared to Play on Tuesday Night
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Pulled With Hamstring Tightness
MLB

Game 2 of Brewers-Cubs on Monday Postponed
Bryce Miller

to be Activated on Tuesday
Kyle Tucker

to Get Multiple Days Off
Shane Bieber

to Make Season Debut on Friday
Joe Mixon

Could Start Season on NFI List
Zack Wheeler

has Surgery to Remove Blood Clot
De'Von Achane

Unlikely to Practice This Week
Justin Jefferson

Returning to Practice
Chris Godwin

Bucs Chris Godwin Likely to Start Season on PUP List
Joe Flacco

Browns Name Joe Flacco as Their Week 1 Starter
Jalen McDaniels

Inks Deal With New Orleans
N'Faly Dante

Signs Deal With Hawks
Matthew Stafford

Practicing on Monday
Dru Smith

Agrees to Deal With Heat
Austin Dillon

Scores an Upset Victory at Richmond
William Byron

Clinches the Regular Season Championship Title at Richmond
Denny Hamlin

Pit-Road Struggles Impede Denny Hamlin's Chances of a Top Finish at Richmond
Joey Logano

Earns A Fourth-Place Finish at Richmond
Kyle Larson

Rallies to A Top-10 Finish at Richmond
Malik Nabers

Dealing With Back Injury
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout
Leodalis De Vries

Earns Promotion to Double-A
Nathaniel Lowe

Finalizing Deal with Boston
Geoff Neal

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Ketel Marte

Arizona Could Trade Ketel Marte in the Offseason
Carlos Prates

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Page

Dominates At UFC 319
Jared Cannonier

Gets Outclassed
Tim Elliott

Gets Submission Win
Kai Asakura

Still Winless In The UFC
Austin Cindric

has Arguably his Best Run of the Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contends for First Richmond Win but Comes Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finishes Second but Loses Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps-Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Josh Hader

Unlikely to Return During Regular Season
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Kyle Stowers

Out Saturday With Left-Side Tightness
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Joe Mixon

Not a Lock to be Ready For Week 1
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse

RANKINGS

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