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.

With this week being the All-Star break, there isn’t a ton of new game action to review, so this week we’re going to give each featured player a “grade” for their first half, and predict their end of season MLB statline. This will be a little bit different to my normal “performance + roster fit” model, but it should still be a fun way to evaluate these guys.

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 All-Star break served as a “freeze” on prospect call ups for the majority of the week, so there was drastically less roster movement this week than there has been all season. Expect regular programming, in this case promotions/demotions, to resume next week.

One notable promotion took place on Saturday, as Adrian Del Castillo was recalled by the Diamondbacks. Del Castillo was a stash-list regular last season after a 26-homer, 136 wRC+ season. He then tore up the big leagues, with a .893 OPS in 25 games in the majors. This season, he has a .945 OPS in 14 AAA games after returning from injury. Del Castillo is now the third catcher on Arizona’s roster, but he should get a solid chunk of at-bats as the designated hitter.

Top 10 Hitting Prospects to Stash

1. Chase DeLauter, OF – Cleveland Guardians

Trade Likelihood: 0/10: Same old story. Cleveland has no reason to even consider trading DeLauter.

First Half Grade: C

No shocks here. DeLauter retains his #1 spot after lighting up AAA for 34 games leading into the All-Star break. The 23-year-old posted a .859 OPS with a 130 wRC+, both of which are among the top 25 marks for AAA outfielders (min. 140 PA’s). He’s showcased his 60-grade power with above-average consistency (91.3 AVG EV, 51.9% hard hit), and has boosted his walk rate by 3% compared to last season. There’s been an uptick in strikeouts by 2% between last year and now, but thats partly due to DeLauter’s ludicrous 8.2% whiff rate from 2024 regressing to 18% this season.That “regressed” number would still rank near the top 25 marks in the majors this season, better than slugging outfielders like Kyle Tucker and Juan Soto. That mark will likely go up against MLB competition, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

The one fault on DeLauter is still his health, and that is why he still has a “C” grade. He missed the start of this season with another injury, and has been plagued with them throughout his career. If he had a full season under his belt right now, he’d be approaching “A+” territory. In comparison to the sample sizes provided by the rest of the players on this list, DeLauter has roughly half as many games under his belt, which has to be looked at with a grain of salt. If he’s able to stay healthy for the rest of the season, he could hit 15 homers and his ~.250 in the middle of the lineup for the Guardians. Cleveland could really use that level of production with some members of their current crop of outfielders struggling to get anything going at the plate. That said, the injury track record looms large, and the Guardians’ front office will undoubtedly be wary of DeLauter’s health for the rest of the season.

Note: Reports emerged on Saturday night that DeLauter will have his wrist evaluated in the next few days. If there is a health concern, DeLauter’s ranking will be affected next week. 

2. Samuel Basallo, C – Baltimore Orioles

Trade Likelihood: 0/10 – Trading Basallo would be organizational malpractice. I doubt I’ll change this sentiment during this deadline cycle.

First Half Grade: A-

In spite of all of Baltimore’s shortcomings in 2025, it’s hard to deny that they’ve been successful at building an exciting young core that’ll be at the forefront of their organization for years to come. Most of that core has either debuted or established themselves in the big leagues, but one is yet to. Samuel Basallo wasn’t expected to make his debut this season. He’s still only 20, and there isn’t a clear spot for him in the lineup or in the field right now. However, his performance in the first half of the season is making it hard for the Orioles to rationalize not promoting him. Despite being the youngest qualified batter in AAA, he ranks 3rd in wRC+ with a 153 and 8th with a .987 OPS. Those numbers would be great for a player much older than him, but when you take into account the fact that he’s over six years younger than the average age of his competition, it becomes ridiculous.

The only reason he doesn’t earn the coveted A+ is because of his defensive limitations. Basallo’s performance behind the plate this season may force the Orioles to move him out from behind the plate permanently. He’s caught just five out of 36 possible base stealers, and has four errors in 25 games as the backstop. At first, he’s been quietly solid. Basallo is yet to make an error in 16 games at the position, and has participated in seven double plays. Depending on the Orioles’ trade deadline actions, that is likely his best path to MLB playing time. Ryan O’Hearn has been excellent this season, but with his team out of contention, he could bring back a haul as a rental bat going to a contender. If that reality comes to pass, then Basallo and Mayo could be called upon to man first base for the rest of the season. Given the performances of both over the course of the past two years, I’d bet on Basallo to win out in that matchup.

Note: Basallo picked up an oblique injury on Friday. His status is unclear as of the time of posting. Any news regarding his health will be taken into account next week. 

3. Owen Caissie, OF – Chicago Cubs

Trade Likelihood: 9/10 – His hot streak has boosted his stock in a similar fashion to Cam Smith at the end of 2024. Cubs fans will be hoping including him in a deal will land a player in the same caliber that Smith’s deal resulted in.

First Half Grade: B

19 home runs, a 143 wRC+ and a .961 OPS are all either on par, or exceed Caissie’s career highs, so why is he not in “A” grade territory? The main reason is the strikeout and whiff rates. He’s always been a strikeout-heavy player, so it’s not surprising to see his mark eclipse 30% this season, but it puts a ceiling on his value. If he’d shown an ability over the last few years to cut down that rate by even a few percent, then I’d be more excited about him, but he looks more and more like a player who will strikeout one in three plate appearances in the Majors. When you whiff 43% of the time against sliders, and 36% of the time against curveballs and sweepers, major league pitching will expose that. Caissie has legit 30+ homer power, and an 82% Z-Con rate isn’t horrific, but there are improvements needed before he’s considered an elite prospect.

The second half production we’ll get from Caissie is highly dependent on what uniform he’ll be wearing next month. If he remains with the Cubs (as unlikely as it is), he’ll likely have to wait until at least September, or even next season, to make his debut at Wrigley Field. However, if he is traded, then it will depend on the roster build of his new team. Caissie holds a 40-man roster spot, which makes any move to get him on the active roster slightly easier, and he has the performance to warrant a debut. That said, if he joins a team with an existing young outfield core (i.e. Athletics, Nationals), then he faces the same challenge he does in Chicago. If he gets consistent playing time in August and September, he could add double-digit home runs to your fantasy rosters. If he remains with the Cubs, or finds himself with another outfield-crowded team, then his value decreases heavily.

4. CJ Kayfus, 1B/OF – Cleveland Guardians

Trade Likelihood: 1/10 – There’s no reason to trade him unless Cleveland gets a serious contributor with years of control AND they have full faith in Kyle Manzardo.

First Half Grade: A

CJ Kayfus is quickly becoming a big part of Cleveland’s plans for the future. The organization’s #5 prospect has been nothing short of dominant this season, and should play a big role with the Guardians at some point this season, and definitely next season. Among minor leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances, Kayfus has the 14th best wRC+ (159), and only four players above him have also reached AAA. He’s not posting elite exit velocities (89.7 average, 110.4 max.), but an 87% Z-Con rate and 48% hard-hit rate make up for it in terms of creating production. In the big leagues, he projects to hit in the 15-20 homer range, with plus OBP and average numbers. While that doesn’t put him in the DeLauter/Basallo tier of hitting prospects, that’s still production fantasy managers should be excited about.

The one knock on Kayfus’ game is the strikeout numbers since being promoted to AAA. Nearly 30% of his plate appearances with the Columbus Clippers have ended in the lonely walk back to the dugout. He’s not the only player on this list with a 30+% strikeout rate, but in comparison to Caissie and DeLauter, he doesn’t have the same power ceiling to make up for it. The whiff rate isn’t egregious (26.7%), but he’ll have to work on getting the bat to curveballs more (46.2% whiff). MLB pitchers are tougher competition, so those strikeout numbers won’t go anywhere after he’s promoted. Kayfus still likely makes his debut this season, and has a high floor, but he lacks the elite ceiling of some other names on this list.

5. Justin Crawford, OF – Philadelphia Phillies

Trade Likelihood: 4/10 – Crawford’s performance may start to move him from “valuable trade chip” to “possible second half difference maker” in the eyes of the Phillies. 

First Half Grade: A+

What a season it has been so far for Justin Crawford. He holds the eighth-best batting average in the minors (min. 250 PA’s) to go with an .835 OPS and almost 30 steals. For most, that’s a career year. For Crawford? That’s the standard. He’s got a career MiLB batting average of .319 with 128 steals in 287 games. Unlike other speed-first prospects, Crawford also possesses good pop in his bat (89.8 AVG EV) with decent consistency (41.8% hard hit). That, in combination with an elite ability to put the ball in play (90.8% Z-Con, 84.3% contact), makes him a legitimate fantasy option.

The Phillies are at a crossroads with Crawford now. They’re in the middle of a feisty battle for the division lead, and will likely be in the playoff picture for the fourth straight year. Crawford undoubtedly would bring value to the roster as a decent center fielder with elite speed and good offensive production. However, you could make the argument that his value could be better used in the trade market to bring back an elite closer. If a certain two teams in the AL Central decide to part with their elite closers, Crawford may be seen as the expendable talent atop the Phillies’ prospect rankings.

6. Kristian Campbell, 2B – Boston Red Sox 

Trade Likelihood: 0/10 – Trading Campbell would be organizational malpractice.

First Half Grade: D+

Back in spring training, Kristian Campbell was the odds on favorite to log the most at bat’s out of Boston’s “big three”, including him alongside Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. Three months later, Campbell is back in AAA, and hasn’t replicated the production that vaulted him from third round pick to one of baseball’s top prospects. A “D+” looks harsh, but if you take away the context and the storylines, Campbell is a long ways away from his 178 wRC+ season last year. Regression is expected once a player arrives in the majors, but a .223 AVG, .664 OPS and 86 wRC+ was deemed not satisfactory for a team in the midst of the playoff hunt.

Campbell’s season is far from over. Mayer has taken over second base, but if Campbell’s production wasn’t good enough to stay on the roster, Mayer’s may not be either (81 wRC+, .680 wRC+). Trying to displace Alex Bregman is a long shot, and the outfield experiment was unsuccessful in the majors, so second base remains Campbell’s most likely landing spot. The Red Sox have a good problem on their hands, and they’ll continue to deal with it for the next few seasons. They have a ton of young talent on the roster, but not enough spots for all of them, alongside their veterans. Campbell will not reach the 20+ homer, .280 AVG ceiling some projected for him this season. That said, if he gets back onto the roster, he could generate 8-10 homers and a healthy amount of steals.

7. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF – Minnesota Twins 

Trade Likelihood: 2/10 – I’d be surprised if Rodriguez is even mentioned in possible deadline deals. 

First Half Grade: C

A “C” grade may seem harsh for Rodriguez, but it was given only for consistency purposes. In reality, Rodriguez’s grade would be an “incomplete” if we were going off of a collegiate grading system. In a similar vein to DeLauter, Rodriguez has missed significant time over the last few seasons, and missed almost a month this year. Therefore, the sample size is sufficiently different from the rest of the list to warrant a slightly lower grade. Make no mistake, Rodriguez has been very impressive in his 43 AAA games, but that’s almost 30 fewer games than those who stayed healthy for a full season. The Twins remain under .500, and now should lean into being sellers at the deadline. Harrison Bader could net a nice return as a veteran outfielder with a good glove and decent bat. Should he be moved, a spot opens up in the outfield for Rodriguez.

Trying to predict what Rodriguez will do for the rest of the season is the bigger challenge than finding his fit on the roster. He possesses one of the most unique profiles in all of baseball. He strikes out around 33% of the time, but has a .850 OPS and a walk rate approaching 20%. Rodriguez whiffs on 40% of the fastballs he sees, but still possesses a .472 wOBA against four seamers this year. He does struggle against sliders (.154 AVG) and curves (.188 SLG), which major league pitchers will undoubtedly expose at the next level. The power numbers are good, but not in the “Basallo-tier” (that may stick for the rest of the season). His average exit velocity sits just below 90 miles an hour, to go with a 46% hard-hit rate.

8. Spencer Jones, OF – New York Yankees

Trade Likelihood: 6/10 – The Yankees could make a splash for another arm at the deadline. If they go for a big fish, Jones may be a “must-include” to get the deal over the line. 

First Half Grade: B+

No player in Minor League Baseball has a higher wRC+ than Spencer Jones at the All-Star break (190, min. 200 PA’s). He’s also one of only three players to register 20+ homers and 10+ steals, alongside LA’s Ryan Ward and James Outman. His power numbers are approaching top-prospect levels, with an average exit velocity of 94 mph and a hard-hit rate of 55%. A ludicrous 39% of his fly balls are leaving the park this year, and his fly-ball rate in AAA this year sits at 47%. That’s a good recipe if you’re a power-reliant slugger. The chances this production continues after a MLB promotion are slim, but the output has been hard to ignore so far. The major knock on him continues to be his lackluster bat-to-ball ability (60.1% contact, 72.6% Z-Con) and sky-high strikeout rate. It’s tough to develop those things as a 24-year-old, but the power potential he wields with his lefty swing may warrant taking the risk on him anyway.

Jones’ second half performance has landed him in discussions to join the Yankees roster before the end of the season. Thats a far cry from where he was at the start of the season. He was in the bottom 20 in strikeout rate among all minor leaguers last season, despite approaching 20-20 range. I’ll hold my hands up, I predicted Jones would enter “bust” territory this season in an article around the start of spring training (I also said Mick Abel wouldn’t pan out, not my finest predictions). He’s proven me wrong and then some this season. For 2025 purposes, Jones has an uphill battle ahead of him to lock down playing time in an outfield that has been the best in baseball this season (151 wRC+). His path to fantasy relevance is injury or slump reliant, which keeps him towards the bottom of the top ten, although neither of those things are impossible. Jones’ production alone would put him in the top five, but the roster situation around him limits his value for now.

9. Dylan Beavers, OF – Baltimore Orioles

Trade Likelihood: 4/10 – Baltimore’s snuck back to nine games under .500. If they think adding at the deadline could get them into postseason conversations (it won’t), then Beavers could be seen as expendable. 

First Half Grade: A-

Ten qualified players this season have ten or more home runs, 20 or more steals, and an OPS above .850. There are some expected names in there, like Pirates’ top prospect Konnor Griffin, Dodgers’ breakout star Eduardo Quintero, and the recently promoted Brice Matthews. The player with the fourth-best batting average of that group? Dylan Beavers. Few would have expected Beavers to perform to the level that he is now after his 2024 output. He managed 15 homers and 31 steals, but a .242 AVG, .750 OPS and 108 wRC+ weren’t “breakout” indicators. He also ended the year 5-for-20 with ten strikeouts in AAA, which suggested that he may not have been ready for that level of competition. He’s certainly ready for it now. Beavers cut his strikeout rate by 6% this season, and doesn’t appear to have a go-to pitch to use against him. Of the pitch types he’s seen more than 100 times this year, only the cutter has generated a whiff rate above 30% (30.3), and he’s hitting .457 and .362 against sliders and changeups respectively.

One of the first articles I ever wrote for Pitcher List was reviewing the Orioles farm system ahead of the 2024 season. In that article, I ranked Beavers as the #15 prospect in the system for dynasty. Clearly, that was too low. The combination of power, speed and bat-to-ball ability in his 6’5″ frame makes Beavers one of the more intriguing outfield prospects on the verge of a call up. His defensive versatility in the field also makes him an asset and boosts his proximity, especially with the Orioles leaning more towards the “sellers” side of the market. I’ve speculated in previous weeks about how trades could open up routes for Beavers to debut, and I still think they’re very possible. If he gets a consistent run of games down the stretch, Beavers could land double-digit steal numbers with 7-9 homers in the back half of the lineup.

10. Jonathon Long, 1B/3B – Chicago Cubs

Trade Likelihood: 7/10 – Similar to Caissie, the Cubs will have to give up value to get MLB contributors. With Busch at first and Shaw + a possible deadline addition at third, Long becomes expendable. 

First Half Grade: A+

When Long was taken in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, few would have thought he’d be this productive in professional baseball, especially this fast. He has the 25th best wRC+ among all minor league first basemen (136). Long’s also one of 30 MiLB players at his position to have a walk rate above 10%, and a strikeout rate under 20%. Of that group, he ranks third in batting average (.323), fifth in OPS (.914) and sixth in wRC+. In that same group, he’s the youngest player to reach AAA, and one of six players with a .400+ wOBA. That’s production you’d expect from a top-100 prospect, not someone sitting outside of his own organization’s top ten.

Long has been a pleasant surprise for the Cubs, but it could result in him wearing a new jersey by the end of the month. Long’s starting to present value as a first/third baseman with 20+ homer potential, in addition to .850+ OPS upside. That should land him in the middle of the lineup for most lineups in the league, especially those clubs looking for cost-controlled value. All of these factors make Long a desirable asset for teams to target in possible deals with the Cubs. Miami, Washington and Texas have all received negative WAR from their first basemen this season, and Miami hasn’t been getting production at third either. If the Cubs continue to pursue one of the Marlins’ intriguing starters, it’d be easy to imagine them asking for Long back in a deal.

On The Bubble

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

Joe Mack

Carson Williams

JJ Wetherholt

Carter Jensen

Deyvison De Los Santos

Stash List

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