We didn’t see many fantasy baseball prospects from last week’s list earn promotions, but things are moving. Carson Whisenhunt appears lined up for at least a spot start on Wednesday night. While he’ll likely return to Triple-A afterward, it’s still something worth monitoring.
Meanwhile, Hagen Smith suffered a left shoulder impairment and is expected to miss at least four weeks, removing him from near-term consideration.
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As trade rumors heat up, we’re entering a stretch where prospect movement becomes far more volatile. This can play out in two ways:
- Either a prospect gets promoted once the MLB player blocking them is moved.
- The prospect himself becomes part of a trade and lands on a clearer path to the Majors.
Either scenario creates opportunity.
It’s an exciting time of year, and we’re likely heading toward weekly, if not daily, updates on potential call-ups. This week brings a few new names along with several familiar ones who continue to push for a promotion. Here are the Week 12 prospects to consider stashing.
Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Stash
Cooper Ingle (C – CLE) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 70
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June/July
Cooper Ingle has recently shifted to the outfield, which initially seemed like his best path to cracking the Guardians’ 26‑man roster. However, his bat has cooled significantly, and that may delay his promotion.
Over the last 10 days, Ingle has zero home runs, just one extra-base hit and a troubling 13 strikeouts to five walks. That’s not the type of hitter he typically is, so he’ll need to rebound quickly, not only to earn a call-up but to stay on this list.
Luis Lara (OF – MIL) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 91
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June/July
As mentioned last week, Luis Lara’s contract extension didn’t guarantee a fast promotion. While I still believe he’ll debut sooner rather than later, we may have to wait until the All-Star break.
During the past 10 days, Lara has been hitting just .171 with zero extra-base hits. The silver lining is that he continues to show strong plate discipline, walking more than he strikes out, and he added two stolen bases during that span. Still, Lara will need to heat up at the plate to force Milwaukee’s hand.
Kaelen Culpepper (SS – MIN) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 36
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June
Kaelen Culpepper remains one of the most intriguing names on this list, and his performance suggests a promotion could be coming. Over the last 10 days, he’s hitting .368 with two home runs, three stolen bases and an excellent 6:2 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
The challenge is playing time. With Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee and Luke Keaschall handling most of the infield reps, there isn’t an obvious opening. However, slumps happen, and Culpepper is playing too well to ignore. If you need infield help, especially at shortstop, Culpepper is a strong stash.
River Ryan (SP – LAD) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 77
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June
River Ryan remains the most likely pitcher on this list to receive the next promotion. In his most recent outing, Ryan lasted only 4.1 innings and gave up eight earned runs. This will delay his promotion. Ryan is still a valuable stash, but he needs to rebound from this start.
The main obstacle in his way is Eric Lauer, who continues to pitch well enough to hold a spot in the Dodgers’ rotation. Still, if you need starting pitching in deeper leagues, Ryan is worth adding now and waiting on.
Joshua Baez (OF – STL) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 65
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June
Joshua Baez had been performing steadily with a couple of homers and doubles last week, then he erupted for four home runs on Tuesday night.
Baez doesn’t need to show that level of power consistently to earn a promotion, but if he stays hot for another week, he could be in St. Louis by the end of the month. Baez is an exciting hitter and a strong add in deep or five‑outfielder leagues.
Yohandy Morales (1B, 3B – WSH) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: Unranked
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June/July
Yohandy Morales continues to hit and has forced his way onto this list. He added three more home runs over the past 10 days, bringing him to 15 on the season, along with a .330 average, .982 OPS and .577 slugging rate.
Curtis Mead has been serviceable at third base for Washington, but he’s far from locked in. Morales can also play first base, and the designated hitter spot provides another avenue for at-bats. Once promoted, Morales should see plenty of playing time. If you need corner infield power, he’s a strong stash.
Additional Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Consider
Karson Milbrandt (SP – MIA) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 100
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: July/August
Karson Milbrandt bounced back nicely in his second Triple-A start, striking out seven after recording just one strikeout in his debut. As long as he continues to make progress and handle assignments, we should see him in the Majors by August.
Miami must add him to the 40‑man roster this fall to avoid losing him in the Rule 5 Draft. With so many injuries to their young pitchers, Milbrandt is one of the last healthy options standing. He’s a worthwhile stash for managers preparing for a playoff push.
Max Clark (OF – DET) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 7
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: July
Max Clark has been swinging the bat better lately, reaching base safely in eight of his last 10 games. He hasn’t homered during that stretch, but long-term power still projects well. A promotion after the All-Star break feels likely. For now, Clark remains a deep league stash.
Jackson Kent (SP – WSH) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: Unranked
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: June/July
Jackson Kent has made just five Triple-A starts after opening the season in Double-A, where he posted a 2.35 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. In Triple-A, he has a 4.07 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 24.1 innings.
Kent’s command has been excellent at both stops, reflected in his 0.88 WHIP in Double-A and 1.03 WHIP in Triple-A. He’s more of a deep league stash or watchlist candidate as we wait to see how he handles his next few outings.
Kade Anderson (SP – SEA) | Top 100 Prospect Ranking: 6
- Current Level: Triple-A
- ETA: July/August
Kade Anderson is a well-known prospect and is dominating Double-A with a 1.13 ERA, 82 strikeouts and a 6-0 record in 55.2 innings. Seattle may not need him immediately, but his performance is impossible to ignore, especially with the Mariners firmly in the playoff hunt.
Anderson could debut via a spot start or a six-man rotation. Maybe even a bullpen role. Seattle has a history of skipping Triple-A with their top pitching prospects, so don’t wait for that step. He’s a stash-now candidate.
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