The Pitcher 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.

I’m trying my hand at the pitching edition of the Stash List for the first time this season. John Villavincencio is taking a well-deserved break this week, and I’m more than happy to fill in and give my opinions on an impressive group of pitching prospects. My list will look pretty similar to John’s, but there are a couple of new names at the bottom of the list to keep an eye out for. I tried my best to emulate John’s format from previous weeks, and ended up with a three-part formula that I used for every prospect (#1: Season Review / #2: Review of This Week’s Start / #3: Promotion outlook + Potential rotation fit).

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

The Cardinals recalled Michael McGreevy on Thursday to start the second game of a rain-induced doubleheader against the White Sox. In comparison to his last MLB opponent (the Dodgers), this was a little less intimidating. McGreevy took advantage, shutting down Chicago’s offense to the tune of just one earned run (three hits) and five strikeouts in five innings. The four-seam/cutter combo, utilized almost exclusively against left-handed hitters, was effective. He landed the heater in the zone 70% of the time (20 pitches), generating four whiffs on ten swings (40% CSW). The cutter was only used against lefties and got three whiffs on ten swings (38% CSW). The sinker/sweeper tandem utilized against righties was less effective (9 BIP out of 13 total), but he managed to limit the damage. McGreevy still looks relegated to a “taxi-squad” role for now, but if a spot opens up in St. Louis’ rotation, he could be a valuable add.

Atlanta took some by surprise on Thursday, calling up 20-year-old Didier Fuentes to start Friday night’s matchup against the Miami Marlins. It’s a soft landing in the Show for Fuentes, as Miami’s offense has scored more than two runs in just one of their last four outings. Fuentes’ one start in AAA provides a brief look at what to expect from him in the majors. He has an electric fastball (16.0″ iVB, 6.7 ft of extension) that he went to over 70% of the time in his last start. He generated nine whiffs on 29 swings, but also had a 66.7% hard-hit rate against it. The curveball (.768 xSLG) and splitter (.911 xBA) were used far less often, and the numbers paint a clear picture as to why. His first start in the Majors wasn’t great (5IP, 4 ER), and his stuff wasn’t as effective against big league competition (21% whiff, 28% CSW). Fuentes is still an exciting prospect, but his 2025 value is lower than some of the names on this week’s list.

The Mets recalled Blade Tidwell to start Friday night’s game against the Phillies. It wasn’t smooth sailing. Tidwell couldn’t get through the fourth, giving up two earned runs on four hits and three walks. Tidwell had a 58% strike rate, and struck out three in the process, largely due to the success of the 98 mile an hour heater. The fastball generated four whiffs on nine swings (45% CSW) and effectively set up the slider (33% whiff). It wasn’t a start to write home about, but Tidwell has shown flashes of effectiveness, and should get more chances throughout the season.

Chase Petty returns to the Reds’ rotation with Wade Miley going on the injured list. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Petty so far after two starts in the Majors (21.94 ERA in 5.1 IP), but he will get another chance to show his worth. He doesn’t appear as a probable starter on MLB.com as of Saturday morning, but with Brent Suter slated to start today, he could serve as the second pitcher after the veteran gets the first few outs. Petty comes back to the Reds on a roll, striking out 12 in his last ten innings, allowing just one run (a homer). With Chase Burns rapidly approaching MLB readiness, Petty is on borrowed time in the rotation. He needs a strong performance to remain a viable fantasy option for 2025.

Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash

1. Bubba Chandler, RHP – Pittsburgh Pirates

MiLB Stats: 55.1 IP | 2.60 ERA | 31.5 K% | 11.6 BB%

Outside of three forgettable starts, including his last two outings (as of 6/17), Chandler has been one of the most exciting pitchers to watch in all of baseball. From the start of the season to the end of May, he posted a 2.03 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 35% of the batters he faced in the process. Since then, he registered only eight outs and gave up four runs in two starts, walking five and striking out just one. Every pitcher has bad outings, so there is no reason to raise the alarms yet, but if it had carried into his next start, then it would be cause for concern.

Luckily for Chandler managers, it did not. Pittsburgh’s top prospect struck out three and allowed just one run (3 hits) in a four-inning outing on Tuesday. He wasn’t able to generate as much swing-and-miss as we’ve become accustomed to this season (7 whiffs, 32 swings), but hitters were unable to do any damage against Chandler’s 98 mph heater (.170 xBA, 16.7% hard-hit rate). Perhaps even more encouraging, he only walked one batter after struggling with control in the last two outings. Chandler threw 53% of his pitches for strikes, but could have been better at getting ahead in the count (4/17 first pitch strikes). The changeup (.618 xSLG) and slider (.494 xBA) were also not very effective. It’s a step forward for Chandler, but he wasn’t his dominant self we’ve seen at times in 2025.

For a team 15 games outside of the division lead, the Pirates have pretty good organizational depth in terms of starting pitching. Chandler would fit comfortably behind Skenes and Keller to begin his MLB career. When that rotation returns Jared Jones to the fray, they boast four legitimate arms that would contribute to competing teams. That’s without including Bailey Falter (3.36 ERA), Mike Burrows (4.24), and Thomas Harrington (2.50 ERA in June). Chandler has a higher ceiling than all of them and will undoubtedly debut as a starter, but don’t be surprised if the Pirates’ pitching turns some heads in the next few months.

2. Chase Burns, RHP – Cincinnati Reds

MiLB Stats: 66.0 IP | 1.77 ERA | 36.8 K% | 5.4 BB%

I was very tempted to move Chase Burns to the #1 spot on the list, but Chandler wins out because he may be closer to an MLB debut than Burns. That said, the former Tennessee and Wake Forest standout will not be far behind him. To say that Burns has been a phenom may be considered an understatement. He’s been dominant at every stop between A+ and AAA, as evidenced by his sub-two ERA and strikeout-per-nine rate around 12.5. He made his AAA debut against the Iowa Cubs on June 12th, striking out seven in 5.1 innings. Burns did walk four and allowed two earned runs in that start, mostly because the fastball was hit hard (.372 xBA, 98.6 AVG EV). The slider looked dominant, though, generating six whiffs on 12 swings (.201 xwOBA).

He was up to his usual tricks again on Wednesday too. Burns hurled seven innings of one-run ball, striking out seven without registering a walk. He threw strikes 70% of the time and battled through two tough spots to record his 10th straight start with less than two earned runs allowed. Burns ran into trouble in the sixth when Braden Shewmake and Ismael Munguia recorded a double and single, respectively, but a strikeout on a slider and a fastball-induced weak flyout got him out of the inning. The arsenal is undoubtedly big league ready. The slider (87-89 mph, ~2,700 rpm) gave righties fits. Burns recorded five strikeouts on the offering, and all were well off the plate, away from the hitters. The fastball (98.5 mph, 16.7″ iVB) control was a little iffy, but he still generated two strikeouts on it in the first inning.

The Reds’ rotation has some interesting pieces in the mix, but there are pathways available to Cincinnati to get their top prospect arm into the rotation. Hunter Greene’s on the injured list for the time being, and Wade Miley was signed to eat the innings vacated while the ace recovers. While Miley is a serviceable arm with plenty of experience, he shouldn’t block Burns if the latter proves to be ready for MLB exposure. The NL Central is far from a foregone conclusion, even with the Cubs holding a significant lead as things stand. If the Reds want to vault themselves into the playoff picture, it may be worth taking a risk on Burns to stick in the Show.

3. Andrew Painter, RHP – Philadelphia Phillies

MiLB Stats: 42.1 IP | 4.25 ERA | 26.4 K% | 7.9 BB%

MLB’s #5 prospect is closer than ever to his major league debut. After battling back from being forced to sit out of baseball for two seasons, the 23-year-old has been impressive between Single-A and AAA this season. Painter’s 26.4% strikeout rate would rank in the top 25 among MLB pitchers, between Paul Skenes and Christopher Sanchez, his future teammate. His whiff rate (25.7%) doesn’t quite get into that range, but sits in the top 50 among productive arms like Casey Mize and Andrew Abbott.

There were plenty of other storylines to follow in the baseball world on Sunday night, so Painter’s impressive start may have gone unnoticed by many in the baseball world.  It didn’t deserve to be overlooked, though. Painter cruised through five innings, allowing just one hit and two walks, striking out six in the process. He was remarkably efficient too, averaging 14.4 pitches per inning (2025 Total: 16.2). Painter stuck with what’s been working for him all season, relying on his four-seamer (48%), cutter (20%), and curveball (19%) against nearly every hitter. He narrowly outperformed his 2025 whiff rate, getting 10 swing and misses on 35 swings (28.6%), and didn’t allow a barreled ball in play.

While Philadelphia’s rotation striking out a ton of batters (662, 2nd most in MLB), they haven’t been dominant as a unit. They rank just 16th in ERA (3.90 ERA) and 17th in WHIP (1.29). That said, taking a spot from Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suárez, or Jesús Luzardo (10 K’s vs. CHI in last start) is not realistic right now, and Mick Abel (2.35 ERA) has been fantastic in his three starts so far. Painter has the talent to jump into the rotation, but may have to wait for a convenient opportunity to emerge.

4. Joe Boyle, RHP – Tampa Bay Rays

MiLB Stats: 64.0 IP | 1.83 ERA | 32.3 K% | 10.0 BB%

MLB Stats: 5.0 IP | 0.00 ERA | 38.9 K% | 11.1 BB%

When I started diving into fantasy baseball for real about 18 months ago, Joe Boyle was a player I targeted in every league I was in. The combination of height, stuff, and 2023 stats (1.69 ERA in three MLB starts) made Boyle seem like a diamond in the rough. I was proven very wrong in 2024 (6.42 ERA in 13 appearances). Now, after an offseason trade to Tampa Bay, the Rays have seemingly unlocked a new level in Boyle’s game. He’s holding hitters to a 29% hard-hit rate in AAA, while also cutting his walk rate (10.4%) by almost 10% compared to his mark in the A’s minor league system last year.

The Rays completely rebuilt his arsenal this offseason, and it’s working. The high-90s heater has slightly more horizontal, arm-side action than it did in 2024, and he’s added a mid-90s splitter with ~16 inches of horizontal break. Trying to deal with those two pitches alone would be a nightmare, but mix in a ~90 mph slider with tight movement, and it only gets harder. The slider was on full display last weekend, as it generated 12 whiffs on 20 swings and had an xBA of .014.

Boyle has more than proven he’s ready for another shot at major league competition, but the Rays don’t currently have the room to make that happen. Tampa Bay’s pitching has been solid so far this season, ranking fifth in ERA (3.24) and 3rd in WHIP (1.17). There are intriguing pieces in all five spots in the rotation, which makes it difficult for the Rays to move one. That said, should a spot open up, Boyle has the upside to make Tampa think long and hard about how to ensure he can continue to pitch in the majors.

5. Logan Henderson, RHP – Milwaukee Brewers

MiLB Stats: 48.0 IP | 2.44 ERA | 32.5 K% | 8.4 BB%

MLB Stats: 21.0 IP | 1.71 ERA  35.8 K% | 7.4 BB%

6. Jack Perkins, RHP – Athletics

MiLB Stats: 44.0 IP | 2.86 ERA | 38.4 K% | 11.3 BB%

There are 869 pitchers in affiliated baseball with at least 30 innings pitched this season. Just one of them has a strikeout rate of at least 38%, a walk rate lower than 10%, and a 1.00 WHIP or below. No prizes for guessing that it’s the namesake of this segment, but don’t let that diminish just how impressive the former Indiana Hoosier has been for the A’s this season. It’s only Perkins’ third season in pro-ball, but he’s already putting up numbers that would better suit a top prospect, not a 25-year-old outside of the organization’s top-20 prospects (per Fangraphs). In his two June starts, he’s struck out 52.9% of the batters he’s faced (42), and allowed just four hits and one run, which was good enough for a 1.06 FIP. That’s just ridiculously dominant, especially in the hitter’s haven that is the Pacific Coast League.

He took advantage of a more pitcher-friendly environment against the Space Cowboys in Sugar Land, throwing his fourth scoreless outing of the season on Tuesday night. He threw 53% of his pitches (91) for strikes, but did show shaky control at times, giving up five free passes. Two of those came in the third, but he induced a double play to get out of the jam. Despite only giving up one hit, an infield single, he was hit hard a few times. Perkins gave up three hard-hit balls with an average exit velocity over 103 mph. Anytime your pitcher gets through five innings with seven strikeouts and one hit, it’s encouraging. However, the walks, which have been an issue at times, need to be kept in check if he’s going to succeed at the next level.

The Athletics’ rotation this year is not good. The starters this year have the fourth-worst ERA in baseball (5.10) and have the lowest fWAR (1.2). Luis Severino (4.30 xERA) and Jeffrey Springs (4.19) have been okay, but six other A’s starters all have an ERA above five in 40 combined starts. It’s becoming clear that the current options on the MLB roster simply aren’t good enough. Perkins may not have an elite ceiling, but he should prove to be a better option for the A’s to explore for the rest of 2025.

7. Quinn Mathews, LHP – St. Louis Cardinals

MiLB Stats: 31.0 IP | 3.19 ERA | 26.1 K% | 17.9 BB%

After missing a month with a left shoulder issue, Mathews is back to top form. He had high hopes to live up to after leading all of Minor League Baseball last season with 202 strikeouts, to go with a 2.76 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. Mathews hasn’t quite reached those heights yet since returning to AAA. His ERA has jumped almost a full point, despite cutting his AAA batting average against from .278 to .228. The main culprits for the drop off are the 9% drop in strikeout rate and near 10% increase in walk rate. Mathews had issues with walks when he was promoted to AAA last season (17.7%), and that issue has carried over into this season. Even with these issues present, he’s still effective. Mathews has a 2.30 ERA in four starts, striking out 20 in 15.2 IP.

That effectiveness was on display on Wednesday. Despite facing a lineup including MLB-level talent in Heston Kjerstad and intriguing prospects Jud Fabian and Dylan Beavers, Quinn Mathews looked comfortable. He shut down the Norfolk Tides over five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks, while striking out six. The slider was the star of the show, generating four putaway whiffs. Mathews got two lefties to whiff on the sweepy ~85 mph offering outside of the zone, while getting two other righties to come up empty on pitches in the zone. His changeup (~82-84 mph) generated the final two whiffs, with both coming in the lower half of the zone. The fastball sat at 93.5 mph, but was primarily used as a “get-ahead” pitch or as a setup for the two offspeed pitches.

Mathews is the last of four names on this list who would find themselves pitching in the NL Central, and the story is the same for all but one of them (sorry, Bubba). That division has been, and will continue to be, a dogfight. There are four teams in the playoff hunt right now, and each squad can rattle off a winning streak and continue to play baseball when the calendar moves to October. The Cardinals don’t employ any high-upside starters right now, but each member of the rotation has been able to eat valuable innings and avoid giving up crooked numbers (for the most part). St. Louis also has plenty of spot-start options in the minors, but Mathews has performed better than all of them in AAA and should be given a chance to start in the majors. If they need to fill a rotation vacancy, Mathews can jump right in and steady the ship.

8.  Cam Schlittler, RHP – New York Yankees

MiLB Stats: 68.1 IP | 2.37 ERA | 32.1 K% | 8.8 BB%

The 24-year-old out of Northeastern likely wasn’t on many people’s radars for immediate fantasy impact in 2025, but Schlittler is quickly changing that. In 12 appearances between AA and AAA, he’s posting a 2.71 xFIP with  11.2 strikeouts per nine and a walk rate under 10%. For context, only six other qualified arms in the minor leagues are in that same category, and only one other arm has reached AAA. His name is Chase Burns, so that’s pretty good company to be in. After ten solid outings in AA, he was promoted and has shone so far since arriving. In three starts (15.1 IP), he’s struck out 24 batters and allowed just four runs. He did walk seven batters in those appearances, so there’s some room for improvement, but there’s still a lot to be excited about.

Schlittler’s arsenal is one of the more unique repertoires I’ve seen out of a pitcher since I started writing. He primarily operates with a four-pitch mix, three of which are breaking balls (FF, SL, SW, CU), and mixes in a changeup every now and then. The sweeper is incredibly unique, averaging 8.8 inches of iVB at 85-87 mph, but only used against right-handed hitters, and it’s not his most effective pitch. The slider (.113 xBA, 25% hard hit) and four-seamer (44% whiff) both have performed better in his time in AAA so far. The curve is a lefty-only offering with sharp 12-6 movement, but left-handed hitters have been able to do damage on it this season (.504 xSLG, 100% hard hit).

The MLB season is a grind, and we’ve seen plenty of teams start the season with elite rotations adopt a “next man up” mentality by this point of the year. The Yankees are no different. Few New York fans would have expected Will Warren and Ryan Yarbrough to be relied upon in big games at the start of the season. With Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Marcus Stroman all on the shelf, that’s the reality they’re in. Bringing up an unproven prospect to contribute to a playoff push has its risks, but Schlittler could blossom into a steady innings-eater in the back of the Yankees’ rotation.

9. Noah Schultz, LHP – Chicago White Sox 

MiLB Stats: 62.0 IP | 3.92 ERA | 23.1 K% | 13.6 BB%

When I reviewed the White Sox this offseason, I described Schultz as a result of a mad scientist’s experiment to create a “monster” pitcher. I also said that a strong start to 2025 could land him a debut “by summertime”. Six months later, I stand by both statements. Schultz’s second full season in the minors hasn’t been as impressive as his first, but there are still positives to point to. First, though, we have to deal with the negatives. The White Sox may be getting too aggressive with Schultz’s promotions. The ERA looks good on paper (3.34), especially for a 21-year-old, but the rest of the numbers tell a different story. His strikeout rate is currently at a career low (23.2%), while his walk rate (14.4%) has skyrocketed by more than double since last year.

His AAA debut continued to diminish the flame that Schultz had been fanning for the first two months of the season. He was hit for six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings against Gwinnett on Thursday. Schultz did register six strikeouts, including three combined strikeouts on MLB-caliber bats in Jurickson Profar and Jarred Kelenic. The sinker and fastball both sat comfortably in the mid-90s, but the sinker was hit hard, with three balls in play hit at 95+ mph. The offspeed stuff was a mixed bag, with both the changeup and curveball generating a pair of putaway whiffs, while also being hit hard to drive in runs.

I didn’t think I’d say this at the start of the season, but the Sox have some interesting rotation pieces to build on. Shane Smith, a Rule-5 pick, has the 12th-best ERA in baseball (2.37), with Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon performing well in their chances as well. Schultz, alongside Hagen Smith, will undoubtedly be a part of that nucleus in the next few years, but for 2025, only the latter is expected to make the jump to the majors. Schultz’s height, arm slot, and velocity make him a unique arm who should find success in the majors if he continues to progress. For now though, he has plenty to work on in AAA. Schultz’s promotion may not be imminent, but the upside makes him worthy of a stash if you have room in deeper leagues.

10. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP – San Francisco Giants 

MiLB Stats: 79.0 IP | 4.10 ERA | 22.0 K% | 5.6 BB%

Despite having to deal with the notoriously tough pitching conditions present in the Pacific Coast League, Whisenhunt has been stellar. He has the second-best ERA of any pitcher in the division, and leads the league in K%-BB% (15.9%) and WHIP (1.15). His changeup has been his best pitch, diving back towards his arm side with almost 13 miles an hour of velocity separation between it and his sinker. It’s been effective against both lefties (.096 xBA, 52.9% whiff) and righties (.175 xBA) while his slider has emerged as a true weapon against LHH (43.6% whiff).

He hasn’t been as good as of late, though. Tuesday night’s start was his fifth straight outing in which he allowed more than three earned runs. The strikeout rate, walk rate, WHIP, and batting average all suffered in that time. Whisenhunt did strike out 7+ batters for the sixth time this season in the aforementioned Tuesday start, but he also got hit pretty hard. He gave up nine hits and three extra-base hits en route to four earned runs, although he was still credited with his seventh win of the season. Considering the final score of the game was 12-10, it’s clear to see that the underwhelming results may have been due to the offensive environment as opposed to Whisenhunt’s level of performance. A 46% whiff rate and just one barrel is usually a pretty good recipe for a pitcher, but not on this particular day. The changeup (63.2% whiff, .204 xBA) and slider (69.2% whiff, .224 xBA) were the stars of the show, but a .600 BAA on the fastball is hard to recover from.

If I had been asked to write this article last week, Whisenhunt would not have been in the top ten. Then, the baseball world was shaken by the Rafael Devers trade. I don’t think I have to inform anyone reading this who was in that return, as it was all over baseball social media. Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison combined for 71 innings for the Giants before the trade, about 11% of the team’s total innings this season. The other options on the Giants’ 40-man are either low-ceiling or not performing well. If they want to continue to put themselves in contention for the division title, they’ll need another impact arm in the rotation. Whisenhunt’s upside and 2025 run of form in a tough pitching environment make him a prime candidate to fill that role.

On The Bubble

Here are the next five pitchers considered for inclusion on this week’s list in no particular order.

Nolan McLean: Dominant in 12 appearances between AA and AAA this year (2.08 ERA, 9,0 K/9). Sweeper is the most effective offering (.199 xBA, 34.2% whiff), but the four-seam/sinker combo is impressive too. Would have made the list, but Mets’ MLB arms have been very good, and Tidwell/Sproat could block his path.

Luis Morales: Relies on four-seamer(~96 mph)/slider (~2,900 rpm at 84 mph) combo, but numbers suggest cutter is his best pitch (.140 xBA, .275 xSLG). Took a no-hitter into the sixth in AAA debut, but has been struggling since (5.66 ERA in four starts).

Cade Cavalli: Approaching post-prospect phase, but has been good in 2025 (3.29 ERA, 3.97 xFIP). Utilizes curveball more than most (38.2%) with impressive results (.179 xBA, 34.7% whiff). The rest of the arsenal (FF, CH, SI) is not as effective.

Ian Seymour: Excellent results (.224 xBA, .272 xwOBA) despite low velocity. Was solid in lone MLB appearance (2.0 IP, 2 K’s, 0 ER). Lacks the upside of other names on the list, but could prove to be a solid 4/5 starter. 6 1/3 IP,  3 H, 0 ER, and 7 K’s on 5/14

Hunter Barco: 0 ER in 25.2 IP in AA. Results haven’t been as good in five AAA starts, largely due to an 11% increase in walk rate. Low average exit velocity (84 mph) and 20% hard-hit rate, with a 130 point bump in BABIP indicate 4.32 ERA in AAA will go down. Chandler should get the call first, but look out for Barco later this summer. 4 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, and 6 K’s in 3 IP on Wednesday.

Stash List

Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)