The Hitter Edition of the Stash List is back for the 2025 season.
This Stash List highlights the 10 best hitting prospects likely to make an impact during the 2025 season.
Prospects are often thought of as only holding value in dynasty formats. However, knowing which prospects hold value for the current season can help set you apart in redraft leagues. Several have a 2025 ETA, and getting ahead of the curve on rostering these prospects is a key part of roster management. Read to discover the top 10 hitters you should stash in your redraft leagues.
Ground Rules
- The Stash List is for your redraft leagues and does not consider impact beyond 2025.
- Only current minor league players who are expected to make an impact this season are included.
- Upside, proximity, health, and opportunity are all weighed for each player.
- The focus is on 12-team leagues with standard categories.
- Rankings will be updated weekly.
- Stats will be updated weekly for all players through Thursday’s games.
The Stash List
Graduates/Call Ups
Over the last two weeks, seven players featured in the top ten received their call ups to the big leagues.
Kansas City, rejoice. Jac Caglianone was called up on Monday, and made his debut in St. Louis on Tuesday night. Despite an 0-5 night, his tools were on full display. Caglianone registered the second- and fifth-hardest hit balls of the day, hitting an 112 mile per hour groundout before lining out on an 114 mile per hour screamer. His bat speed was arguably even more impressive. Caglianone averaged a swing speed of 79.48 miles per hour on his five balls in play, which would put him in the #1 spot in the major leagues this season. Although it’s a tiny sample size, the ball and bat speed showcase just how dangerous Caglianone is at the plate. With the Royals still right in the thick of the Wild Card hunt, their top prospect could prove to be a difference maker in the middle of the lineup.
The White Sox continue to give their top young players chances. They called up Kyle Teel on Thursday evening, handing the 23-year-old backstop his big-league debut less than two years after drafting him. It’s easy to see why Chicago decided to pull the trigger. Teel has done nothing but hit since being drafted, and that hasn’t changed this season. He’s mashed eight homers with a 131 wRC+ in AAA so far, with seven steals to go with that line. Teel reportedly had been taking reps at first base before being called up, so Tim Elko may find himself out of the lineup in favor of baseball’s #26 prospect.
The Colorado Rockies rewarded one of the hottest hitters in the minor leagues, promoting Ryan Ritter to the big leagues on Friday. The 24-year-old shortstop has appeared in 18 games since May 14th. He has a hit in all of them, and had more that one base knock in 72% of his appearances. Over the last three weeks, Ritter is hitting .443 with nine home runs and a 245 wRC+. His 1.049 OPS in that time would rank 3rd in the big leagues over a full season, in between Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani. The chances that Ritter puts up this level of production in the major leagues is slim to none (and that’s putting it lightly), but his hot streak results in a stint in the Show.
Otto Kemp was called up by the Phillies to take Bryce Harper’s place on the roster while Philadelphia’s star deals with a wrist injury. Kemp has been relegated to the honorable mentions in the past after starting the year red-hot. His 14 homers rank sixth among all qualified minor league hitters, and his 163 wRC+ is the top mark in the Phillies organization (min. 150 PAs). Concerns around playing time and the transition from AAA to MLB kept him off the list in the past, and his fantasy value is highly dependent on how many chances he gets at the plate.
Ronny Mauricio returned to the Mets’ MLB roster on Tuesday, going 0-4 with a strikeout against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old was incredible in AAA, hitting .515 with three homers and a 1.382 OPS in nine games in Syracuse. Mauricio’s hype as a prospect has died down in the past couple of years, but he has two 20-20 seasons in the minors under his belt. His 92 mile per hour average exit velocity and 48.3% hard-hit rate in his short stint in AAA are both encouraging signs as well. Depending on his playing time in the majors, Mauricio could be worth a shot if you can spare the bench space.
Max Muncy returned to the A’s lineup after almost a month in AAA, where he hit .325 with three home runs. His MLB numbers haven’t been nearly as good (.181 AVG, 35 wRC+), and his career high of 19 homers and 19 steals came while he was still between A/A+ ball. Muncy doesn’t carry much fantasy value, but should get a decent amount of opportunities to make an impact as the A’s fall further outside of the playoff picture.
Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash
1. Roman Anthony, OF – Boston Red Sox
I’m at a loss for words. Roman Anthony has nothing left to prove in the minor leagues, and the Red Sox are in desperate need of a spark. Boston is 2-8 in their last two games, with six of those losses being one-run games. They lost two straight one-run contests to the Angels, and had the chance to take the lead with a clutch hit in both. Anthony may not have proven to be the difference in either game, but having his bat in the lineup wouldn’t have hurt. On the other hand, the main sources of offense recently has been from players blocking Anthony. Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela combined for 50% of Boston’s hits on Tuesday night, and 100% of their RBI in the 4-3 loss to Los Angeles. Rafaela then followed that with a walk-off two run shot on Wednesday. The other outfielder, Wilyer Abreu, has 13 homers and a 117 wRC+, while the DH, Rafael Devers, isn’t going anywhere.
It cannot be an easy challenge to try and solve the positional puzzle it would take to get Anthony onto the lineup. That said, they have to do something, and fast. The Red Sox sit ten games behind the division lead, and their recent form could lead them to drop even further back. Anthony’s production (151 wRC+, .932 OPS), and his batted ball data (94.7 mph AVG EV, 86% Z-Con) put him among some of the most talented players in the game, and he will likely get the chance to prove it soon. He’s also yet to make an error in the outfield, despite moving in between all three spots. With Caglianone making the jump to the show, Anthony becomes the clear #1 prospect remaining in the minor leagues. However, with the Red Sox struggling, they may try to cash in on the 21-year-old’s ludicrous numbers to try and propel them back into the division race.
2. Samuel Basallo, C – Baltimore Orioles
Since week ten’s article went live, Basallo is on a four-game hit streak, and has mashed three homers in that time. Those three swings averaged a 105 mile per hour exit velocity, including a .974 xBA, 410 foot blast on Tuesday night. In those same four games though, he struck out six times. That’s going to be the story for the rest of the season for Basallo. There’s no question that the 20-year-old has enough pop in his bat to benefit the Orioles, but is the plate approach ready for MLB pitching? Yes and no. Basallo’s increased his walk rate (14.2%) by 6% this season, but his strikeout rate has also jumped significantly since 2024 (21.1% -> 25.7%). He’s crushing fastballs (.722 SLG, 68.3% hard hit), but at the same time is struggling with curveballs (.083 SLG). His average exit velocity (93.3 mph) and hard-hit rate (55.1%) are both solid, but will they stay that way at the next level?
The Orioles have won five straight games at the time of writing, so there’s signs of life for the first time in a while in Baltimore. That said, they still sit 13 games adrift of the division lead, and four games back of the also-struggling Red Sox. With just over 100 games to go in the 2025 season, the O’s need to take risks if they’re going to get themselves back into the postseason picture. Calling up Basallo is definitely a risk, and there’s a chance that, like many other top prospects this season, he returns to AAA after an uninspiring stint. There’s also a chance of high reward, which would be Basallo plugging himself into the middle of the Baltimore lineup and providing an instant power boost to a team that needs one.
3. Chase DeLauter, OF – Cleveland Guardians
All Guardians fans can ask of Chase DeLauter at this point is “please stay healthy”. On paper, DeLauter’s stats since returning to action look pretty poor. However, a look under the hood indicates that he may have been the victim of some bad batted ball luck in his 15 games so far. DeLauter’s BABIP this season sits at .182, his worst mark since a three-game stint in the Complex League in 2024 (.167). That number doesn’t match up with his 94.7 mph average exit velocity or his 57.9% hard-hit rate. His spray chart is also remarkably balanced. He’s hit 35% of his balls in play to the pull side or up the middle, with another 30% going to the opposite field. The 44% ground-ball rate is a little high, but that should come down with more exposure to AAA pitching.
As was the case with Kansas City and Caglianone, the Guardians are still in the hunt for a return to the playoffs, but need an injection of offense to get there. Cleveland sits in the middle of the pack in batting fWAR(6.6, 17th), home runs (61, 16th) and OPS (.685, 23rd). Their outfield has been a key reason for why they haven’t been able to give José Ramírez (162 wRC+) and Steven Kwan (131) more help. Lane Thomas, Nolan Jones and Jhonkensy Noel have all been lackluster (or worse) this season. Adding an injury prone bat to the lineup is risky, but DeLauter carries upside that no one else currently on the roster has. If the 23-year-old can stay healthy for a prolonged period of time, he should be in Cleveland within the next month.
4. Bryce Eldridge, 1B – San Francisco Giants
Eldridge returned to AAA during the week after 34 games in AA, posting a 147 wRC+ in the process. The Giants really need Eldridge to succeed against AAA pitching, because time is not on their side. San Francisco designated veteran first-baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. for assignment on Wednesday. It’s never easy to cut ties with a five-year mainstay in the lineup, but if that player is hitting .167 with a 58 wRC+ after 50 games, it’s the right move. Dominic Smith, who was signed on the same day, is now the only true first baseman on the big league roster. Jerar Encarnación could take over at first for now, but his 32.5% career MLB strikeout rate, and his injury issues make him a question mark at best. The Giants are far from out of the playoff picture, but they’re going to need an upgrade at first base, offensively and defensively, if they’re going to keep pace with the Dodgers and Padres.
The statcast data on Eldridge’s early performances in AAA will be something to keep an eye on. There’s limited data available from his eight-game stint at the level in 2024, but it’s impressive. He posted an average exit velocity of 91.6 miles per hour and a 55% hard-hit rate in 35 plate appearances, although his 31% strikeout rate and .258 AVG were the worst marks of his career. Should he maintain, or improve, on these figures, the Giants will be hard pressed to come up with excuses to keep him in the minors. The Giants lack a true 25+ homer bat in the middle of the lineup, and while that may be a lofty goal, Eldridge has the build and tools to reach that mark. The 6’7″ lefty isn’t a perfect prospect, but he carries tons of upside and should get plenty of chances to establish himself in San Francisco.
5. Brady House, 3B – Washington Nationals
Since May 25th, Brady House has been held hitless in just one game. In that ten-game stint, the 22-year-old third baseman is hitting .395 with four homers and a 215 wRC+. House’s batting average (.296) improved by 23 points during that time, and his season OPS mark of .877 ranks fourth among AAA third basemen (min. 150 PA’s). He continued his stellar streak on Thursday night, going 3-5 with his 12th homer of the season. At 6’4″, House has the frame to be a true power threat, and his batted ball numbers in AAA back it up. House’s 91 mile per hour exit velocity and 47% hard-hit rate would rank 11th among big league third basemen. In that same group, he’d rank third with a .383 wOBA, behind only José Ramírez and Alex Bregman.
House isn’t perfect though. His 48% ground-ball rate has room for improvement, and he’s hitting 50% of his balls in play to the pull side. MLB pitchers will find a way to expose that tendency, which House will have to adapt to. He’s shown the capability to do it. The aforementioned home run was smashed 109 miles an hour, reaching 411 feet over the right field fence. Additionally, House has shown a capability to do damage against any pitch thrown to him, except one. He’s struggling mightily against the changeup this year, hitting just .053 with a 40% whiff rate. Even with the flaws in House’s game, he still represents the most upside out of any of Washington’s options at third base. José Tena and Nasim Nuñez haven’t been bad, but throwing House into the bottom half of the lineup gives the Nationals another significant threat in the order behind Abrams and Wood.
6. Jordan Lawlar, SS – Arizona Diamondbacks
I’m starting to worry that Jordan Lawlar may become a 4A player. His career numbers in AAA compared to his MLB production look like slash lines from two different players. After dominating the highest level of the minors to the tune of a .339 AVG, 1.002 OPS and 144 wRC+, he regressed into a 0-19 slump in the majors. After that stretch, Lawlar is now just 4-50 in his big league career, striking out in 40% of his at bats. Additionally, his average exit velocity dropped by six miles an hour and he’s yet to record a barrel in the major leagues. All of Lawlar’s bat-to-ball numbers (61.5% contact, 75% Z-Con) also nosedived after his promotion to the major leagues. An eight-game sample of 22 plate appearances isn’t enough to write off a prospect for good, but Lawlar’s had two chances to make an impression, and is yet to do so.
That’s one school of thought. The other is the mindset that I used when discussing Matt Shaw. A small sample size doesn’t tell the full story. Lawlar’s bat (72.6 mph) puts him comfortably among productive big league hitters like Xander Bogaerts and Bryan Reynolds. Arguably even more impressive, his 29.9 mile per hour sprint speed is faster than both Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong. The power and speed potential is still there, even if it hasn’t materialized in the major leagues so far. Fantasy managers shouldn’t give up on Lawlar yet, because despite two disappointing stints in the Show, the third time could be the charm.
7. Colby Thomas, OF – Athletics
Colby Thomas has been a mainstay on the Stash List since last summer, and I’m not sure what more he has to do to earn a debut with the Athletics. Over Thomas’ last eight games, he’s hitting .382 with three homers and nine RBI’s. His 192 wRC+ and 1.227 OPS over the small sample size would both be the best in the A’s farm system by a wide margin. Thomas’ slugging percentage (.536) and ISO (.270) both top the leaderboards among A’s minor leaguers, and his OPS and wRC+ are both comfortably in the top ten. His contact (74%) and zone-contact (86.1%) rates are both up from 2024, as is his average exit velocity (89.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (41.1%). While none of these numbers put him in “elite prospect” territory, they’re still an upgrade from the production being shown in the majors as of late.
After a promising start to 2025, the Athletics are now 16 games under .500, and are 2-18 in their last 20 games. Denzel Clarke earned a promotion to the MLB roster ahead of Thomas, and it hasn’t worked out. The 25-year-old may be a better option in center field, but a 56% strikeout rate and 49 wRC+ is not remotely good enough to hold down a roster spot. In left, JJ Bleday is hitting under .200 with a barrel rate under 4%. There are still exciting pieces at the top of the lineup in Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom, and Brent Rooker, but the rest of the lineup is uninspiring. The A’s are staring down the barrel of another lost season, and they should pivot towards giving their minor leaguers a chance to prove their worth in the big leagues. Thomas should be first in line to get that chance.
8. C.J. Kayfus, 1B – Cleveland Guardians
I went back and forth between Kayfus and Jonathon Long all week, but in the end, the 23-year-old out of Miami won out. My reasoning for picking Kayfus isn’t very scientific, but it’s logical. The Cubs have generated elite production from their lineup so far this season, and the Guardians have not. As discussed in the DeLauter segment, Cleveland’s outfield has been bad offensively, and haven’t shown signs of improvement. Despite being listed as a first baseman, Kayfus has made 12 appearances in the corner outfield spots in AAA so far. If the bottom half of the Guardians’ lineup doesn’t improve, Cleveland may opt to shake up their roster in hopes of boosting their offensive output.
Kayfus doesn’t possess 30+ homer power, but his batting average and 84% zone-contact rate show that he possesses an above average bat-to-ball tool. That, in tandem with a near 50% hard-hit rate and 110 mph max exit velocity, should allow him to generate plenty of offense at the next level, even if he doesn’t put the ball over the fence as often as more prototypical “slugging” first basemen. Kayfus’ ceiling isn’t as high as some of the names on this list (Eldridge, DeLauter), but he represents a high-floor bat that should be able to maintain a .270 AVG with double digit homer numbers in the majors. Depending on his promotion date, Kayfus could prove to be a difference maker for the Guardians in the second half of the season.
9. Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B – Miami Marlins
A fan favorite returns to the list for the first time in 2025. The 21-year-old slugger peaked at #1 on last year’s lists, but hasn’t reached those heights so far this season. De Los Santos mashed 28 homers between AA and AAA with the Diamondbacks last year, then added 12 more after being sent to Miami for A.J. Puk. So far in 2025, he’s only managed five, and his 95 wRC+ is 32 points lower than last year’s mark. Still, there’s plenty to be intrigued about in De Los Santos’ profile. His hard-hit rate (50.5%) is up by almost 13%, and his 91.3 mph average exit velocity is significantly higher than his mark with the Marlins last season.
As is the case with several other names on this list, he represents a more intriguing option than what’s currently on the roster. Miami’s lost faith in Matt Mervis; his designation for assignment at the end of may is evidence of that. Eric Wagaman hasn’t been terrible, but four homers and an 85 wRC+ is hardly anything to get excited about. De Los Santos isn’t a sure thing prospect, but at least he provides some kind of upside. Miami’s already 1/1 in successful promotions (Agustín Ramírez). While De Los Santos carries much more risk, he provides a chance for the Marlins to go 2/2 in finding future contributors.
10. Jonathon Long, 1B – Chicago Cubs
Full disclosure: Until Kyle Teel was called up, Long was relegated to the honorable mentions. However, due to the White Sox promoting their top bat, the Cubs’ #12 prospect returns to the final spot this week. He didn’t lose his spot because of anything he did, but the MLB situation in Chicago continues to leave question marks around his proximity. Moisés Ballesteros was also in contention for this spot, but neither him or Long have a clear path to consistent at bats. Additionally, I prefer Long’s outlook to Ballesteros’ right now. The former bests the latter in average exit velocity (93.3 vs. 89.0 mph), hard-hit rate (56.7% vs. 39.6%), and wOBA (.441 vs. .393). Long also has the ability to play both corner infield spots, while Ballesteros looks like he will land as a full-time DH in the Majors.
The one area where Ballesteros has the advantage is in the contact numbers (87.5% contact, 85.7% Z-Con), but Long’s aren’t far behind him either. The 23-year-old operates with a seemingly effortless swing from the right side, which allows him to generate easy power to all fields. Long’s 85% zone-contact rate indicates that he’s more than capable of putting the ball in play on good pitches, and the 26% chase rate shows that he doesn’t feel the need to expand the zone. He can spray the ball to all fields (36.1% pull, 39.6% oppo), and while the ground-ball rate (42%) is a little high, the .446 BABIP shows that he’s creating production despite it. Should the Cubs be forced to add another bat to their lineup, Long is making a really compelling case for that addition to be him.
On The Bubble
Here are the next five hitters considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order.
Stash List
Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)
