Every single season, looking for prospects to stash has become commonplace. Everyone wants to have that next big and exciting name on their roster before that player gets promoted so they don’t have to fight with their league mates on the waiver wire or during weekly FAAB. But stashing a prospect is a luxury in redraft leagues, not a necessity. Your path to winning a league championship won’t ride or die on if you have any of these names waiting on your bench. Can it help? Absolutely. But be strategic, and only do so if you have the bench depth to make it work without hurting your teams in the short-term.
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Prospects to Stash in Redraft Leagues
1. Oneil Cruz (SS – PIT)
ETA: Late-April
There’s honestly no good reason why Pittsburgh should’ve sent Oneil Cruz to Triple-A to begin the season. Defense? Please. That’s always the excuse teams give to keep their top prospects down. Cruz is coming off a 17-homer, 19-steal season in just 69 games last season, including a six-game stretch in Triple-A where he hit five home runs and walked eight times. Cruz then followed that up with another blast in his two Major League games and two more homers 15 PA this spring. While Major League pitchers will likely expose his larger strike zone, keeping his AVG in check, Cruz has the power/speed blend to make an immediate impact and that should come as soon as Pittsburgh realizes that rolling Kevin Newman out every day at shortstop isn’t the answer.
116 mph off the bat!
Oneil Cruz powered up on this 2 RBI double for the @indyindians. pic.twitter.com/AoqIk1oFKp
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 9, 2022
2. MacKenzie Gore (SP – SDP)
ETA: This Week
If you had asked me a month ago, I never would’ve expected MacKenzie Gore to be on this list, let alone in the #2 spot. Gore was impressive in camp, throwing more strikes and showing a slightly toned-down delivery. There was even talk about him being in the rotation to open the season, but that final spot ended up going to Nick Martinez. However, since Gore was sent down, he pitched a gem in his 2022 season debut (5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) and now Blake Snell is on the IL. Snell’s spot in the rotation comes up on Friday in Atlanta, and there’s plenty of speculation that Gore will get that start. How long he stays in the rotation is another question, but if he pitches well while Snell is out and Martinez doesn’t;t, it’s conceivable that Gore sticks in the rotation after Snell returns. Plus, this San Diego rotation isn’t exactly the most durable cast of characters.
3. Jose Miranda (1B/2B/3B – MIN)
ETA: As Soon As There’s An Injury at 1B, 2B, or 3B
After a solid spring showing and Minnesota trading Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Yankees, there was hope that 2021 breakout prospect, Jose Miranda, would be able to lock down the starting third base gig on opening day. And unsurprisingly, his ADP began to rise. But then Minnesota went out and signed Carlos Correa to a three-year deal which shifted Gio Urshela back to the hot corner and Miranda down to Triple-A to start the season. While Miranda won’t bring much speed to the table, his hit/power combination is above-average to plus in both areas and he showcased that in 2021 with a .344/.401/.572 slash line with 32 doubles and 30 homers combined between Double-A and Triple-A. All he needs is a spot and Miranda should be the first one up if Minnesota has a need at any infield position outside of shortstop.
4. Adley Rutschman (C – BAL)
ETA: Early-May
It was looking like Adley Rutschman was going to take over behind the plate for Baltimore on opening day, but a triceps injury in March put that on hold. Rutschman has yet to return to action but that should happen by the end of April unless he has a setback with his recovery. At that point, Baltimore will likely give him a bit of time in Triple-A to ramp back up before bringing him up to Baltimore. Once Adley does get the call, he has the offensive prowess to immediately produce like a top-10 catcher, maybe higher. Rutschman’s blend of hit, power, and approach are hard to match, especially at the catcher position. If he was dropped in your league following the injury news, it’s not a bad idea to stash him if you have the room. And yes, this is probably the first time I’ve recommended stashing a catcher.
5. Riley Greene (OF – DET)
ETA: June
The only reason why Riley Greene is 5th on this list is because of his broken foot. Without the injury, Greene was going to make Detroit’s opening day lineup along with Spencer Torkelson. now we’ll have to wait a couple of months for the former #5 overall pick to debut, but it’s certainly going to be worth the wait. Greene experienced some strikeout issues last season with a 27.4% mark, but he ranked up 24 homers and 16 steals with a .301/.387/.534 slash line. Maybe his AVG isn’t the greatest right off the bat, but Greene is capable of a .260/12/6 line in half a season’s worth of at-bats once he’s healthy and gets a cup of coffee in Triple-A to shake off the rust.
6. Triston Casas (1B – BOS)
ETA: June
While Bobby Dalbec is holding down first base in Boston at the moment, he’s got Triston Casas breathing down his neck. The one standout area with Dalbec is his raw power. Well, Casas can match him along with much better contact skills and a more advanced approach. Cut the strikeout rate in half, add 40 points in AVG, and 50 points in OBP, and you’d be in the ballpark of what Casas is capable of offensively. In 86 games last season between Double-A and Triple-A, Casas racked up 15 homers and 14 steals with a .279/.394/.484 slash line without really trying to hit home runs. He said that will be more of a focal point this season and the massive 475-foot blast he hit yesterday is a great start. This June ETA might very well sneak into May.
Triston Casas: 477 feet of fun pic.twitter.com/8JOzk5vnkl
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) April 12, 2022
7. Vidal Brujan (2B/OF – TBR)
ETA: May/June
Josh Lowe got the first crack in Tampa Bay’s outfield following the Austin Meadows trade, but Vidal Brujan should be next on the list. His ability to play both second base and outfield definitely helps the matter as well. The jury is still out on what range his power will wind up, but Brujan’s hit tool and speed have always been there for him. That speed alone would make him immediately fantasy relevant once he gets the call, but at the same time, do we trust the Rays to give him everyday at-bats even when he’s up?
8. Brennen Davis (OF – CHC)
ETA: June
The Chicago Cubs are in the middle of a rebuild and have plenty of exciting prospects due up over the next few years, headlined by Brennen Davis. In 2021, Davis played in 100 games across three levels, racking up 19 homers and eight steals with a .260/.375/.494 slash line. His power/speed combination has had him on the rise since 2018, but Davis swing and missed a bit too much last year and is off to a slow start in 2022 as well with nine strikeouts in his first 22 PA. This is a 25+ homer bat with double-digit steals annually though that could go 10/5 over half a season once up with the Cubs. Just don’t expect a high AVG right away.
9. Nolan Gorman (2B – STL)
ETA: June
This spot almost went to someone else. That has nothing to do with Gorman though and everything to do with the fact that he’s thoroughly blocked at the Major League level. Gorman is coming off a season where he hit .279 with 25 homers and seven steals in 117 games, including 14 homers in 76 games. His 25+ homer power projects favorably at the second base position, but we might not see that power until later this season. However, if the need arises at second base, third base, or at DH, Gorman might be the first one up. If you want to pivot and go another way, I’d recommend Edward Cabrera.
10. Grayson Rodriguez (SP – BAL)
ETA: June
When it comes to prospect stashes, I’m usually more willing to recommend hitting prospects given their higher chance of making an immediate impact. That is especially true when the pitching prospect in question isn’t expected to debut in the immediate future. But exceptions need to be made for pitching prospects like Grayson Rodriguez. While Shane Baz and Daniel Espino can rival his upside, not one single pitching prospect can match Rodriguez’s blend of ceiling and floor. He has a workhorse frame, four above-average or better pitches, and above-average to plus command and control as well.
Honorable Mentions
Alek Thomas (OF – ARI), Jarren Duran (OF – BOS), Miguel Vargas (3B – LAD), Gabriel Moreno (C – TOR), Oswald Peraza (SS – NYY), Vinnie Pasquantino (1B – KCR), Nick Pratto (1B – KCR), MJ Melendez (C – KCR), George Valera (OF – CLE), Pedro Leon (SS/OF – HOU), Michael Busch (2B – LAD), Juan Yepez (1B/OF – STL)
Edward Cabrera (SP – MIA), George Kirby (SP – SEA), Bobby Miller (SP – LAD), Luis Gil (SP – NYY), Max Meyer (SP – MIA), Cade Cavalli (SP – WAS), Cody Morris (SP – CLE), Caleb Killian (SP – CHC)
Media Credit: MLB Pipeline, Worcester Red Sox,
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