Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Dylan Beavers, Kristian Campbell, Sal Stewart - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
Stashing the right prospect can provide a much-needed boost to your fantasy roster. Last season, many high-end prospects finally got the call during the second half, like Junior Caminero or Dylan Crews, and immediately flashed high fantasy upside.
In this piece, we will look at three of the top hitting prospects in the sport and determine if we should be starting them on our fantasy bench.
Should those players be left on the waiver wire, or should fantasy managers add them before their breakout? Let's dive in!
The 23-year-old currently sits at the top 100 on MLB.com and only recently moved up to the top five in the system following several graduations.
Beavers spent the vast majority of the 2024 season at Double-A before earning a brief six-game taste of Triple-A at the end of the season. During this short look, Beavers went 5-for-20 with a double and four RBI. Through 119 games at Double-A, Beavers carried a modest .241/.343/.413 line with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, and 31 stolen bases.
However, since becoming a full-time player at Norfolk, Beavers has taken a significant step forward. Through 81 games with the Tides this season, the California product has posted an impressive .302/.412/.459 line with a .907 OPS. He has gone deep 13 times, added 13 doubles, and swiped 21 bags.
However, unlike the name above, Beavers has a viable path to join the major leagues very shortly.
At the trade deadline, the Orioles moved three outfielders (Cedric Mullins, Ramon Laureano, Ryan O'Hearn), which could open up a path for Beavers in the very near future.
Given his ability to hit for power and steal bases, he is worth stashing in all deep category formats for the time being.
Campbell has finally been getting things going at the plate. After an improbable rise through the minors last year, Campbell made the Opening Day roster for the Red Sox and looked pretty good to start the season. Pitchers adjusted to him and over his most recent 104 plate appearances with Boston, Campbell slashed a smooth .176/.279/.231 with just one home run and a 29 percent strikeout rate.
The demotion to Triple-A didn't do much good either. Campbell struck out in 34 percent of plate appearances while slashing .186/.352/.300 in 20 games. Suddenly, things have gotten on track, and Campbell has hits in his last 10 games with three home runs and just eight strikeouts.
Campbell seems to have re-found his groove while also working through a rib injury and some swing adjustments. This is a pretty typical process for most prospects. For hitters especially, a prospect comes up and looks the part, but eventually, pitchers adjust. Going back to the Minors can be a good time of adjustment and to get things on track.
For Campbell, the first time he struggled and faced adversity was probably a good thing for him. He should return mentally tougher and mechanically more prepared to face MLB pitching. For fantasy players, it is the perfect time to buy low on Campbell.