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Eric Carabelle
multiple authors
pittsburgh pirates Approved top prospect SS waited nearly a week into 2026 season to promote Connor Griffin For the major leagues. Now, imaginary manager may be thinking about next Future superstars will grace our fantasy rosters. The 19-year-old Griffin played five Triple-A contests before getting the call up, hitting .438/.571/.625 for Indianapolis. He managed to score 1 point out of 9 in his first weekend against baltimore orioles. Hey, it’s hard to hit baseball at a top level!
Using ESPN standard-league roster rates as our guide (and ranking order), here are the next 10 hitters ready to make the jump to MLB, along with one analyst’s thoughts. Maybe the next Connor Griffin is hiding!
colt emersonss, seattle mariners (3.4% roasted)
Emerson, 20, made news last week By agreeing to an eight-year, $95 million contract, he is certainly giving the impression that he could be the American League’s version of Griffin in terms of promotion velocity and perhaps future production. However, the Mariners may be in no rush to promote Emerson to the big club after missing their first trip to the World Series last time out and still remain a legitimate contender to do so in 2026. ss JP Crawford He is their longest tenured player and he continues to be productive. Emerson has a .758 OPS through seven Triple-A games this season, though, with 10 strikeouts and no walks. Keep Emerson involved in ESPN leagues, but be patient. This may take a few months.
travis bazan2B, cleveland patron (2.4%)
Bazzana, 23, played in 26 Triple-A games last season and has gotten off to a slow start for Columbus in 2026, hitting just .212/.316/.394 through 39 plate appearances. Bazana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, hasn’t produced great minor league numbers, right? Any Including range, power. Thus, fantasy managers may value him a bit more. brian rocioCurrently handling second base for the Guardians, there’s certainly no stopping him. Even though we’ll see Bazana in the majors soon, optimistic managers shouldn’t expect a Griffin- or Emerson-like impact.
Bryce Aldridgedh, san francisco giants (2.2%)
The 21-year-old Aldridge is the only batsman in this list who has already made his debut in major competitions, as he took 3 for 28 in 10 matches last season. Fantasy managers thought he could win the team’s 1B or DH role this spring, but alas, that did not happen. Aldridge is hitting .281/.477/.375 for Triple-A Sacramento. The power potential is real and it shouldn’t be long before the Giants promote him again. Also, note that Aldridge is not yet eligible for 1B in fantasy leagues for 2026.
leo de vriesss, Exercise (1.8%)
De Vries, 19, is batting .200/.385/.200 for Double-A Midland after playing 21 games at that level at the end of last season. He should move up to Triple-A soon and, even as a teenager, the Athletics could give him a chance to face big league pitching later this season if his numbers (and opportunity) warrant it. just do not expect it. Athletics will probably be quite patient.
max clarkOf, detroit tigers (1.5%)
The 21-year-old Clark is off to a great start in his first stint with Triple-A Toledo, hitting .367/.474/.567 with seven walks and just two strikeouts in eight games. A left-handed hitter and the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft, Clark hasn’t shown much power yet, though scouts think it is pending. The base ability to walk and steal is already there. The Tigers, trying to make the playoffs for the third time in a row, look ready in the outfield. riley green, parker meadows And kerry carpenter (All left-handed hitters too). Still, all it takes is one injury to create the opportunity. One could argue that Clark still tops any list for immediate fantasy relevance among hitting prospects in the minors.
walker jenkinsOf, minnesota twins (1.5%)
The 21-year-old Jenkins, two selections after Clarke in 2023, is earning a reputation for struggling to stay on the field as foot injuries have held him back for several seasons. Jenkins is back in Triple-A St. Paul, hitting .200/.333/.200 through six games and, unlike Clark, the Twins aren’t likely to compete this season – potentially sidelining Jenkins’ timeline. Let’s see Jenkins play a full season before committing to fantasy.
charlie condon1B, colorado rockies (1.4%)
The 22-year-old Condon attracted fantasy managers this spring because the Rockies had little idea what they were doing at first base. Ultimately, Condon was probably always on his way to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he’s slashing .389/.500/.778 through five games, including a pair of home runs. Condon, a right-handed power hitter, probably won’t need a full season with the Isotopes and he isn’t blocked by the current Rockies pick. TJ Rumfield And troy johnson. Condon could become a relevant fantasy option before the All-Star break, at least when the Rockies play at home.
jesus createdss, milwaukee brewers (1.3%)
Made, 18, is back up to Double-A Biloxi. Last Sunday he had four hits, with a home run, a walk and a stolen base. Yes, Brewers fans are salivating over this top prospect. The current left side of their infield is usually displayed Joey Ortiz, david hamilton And louis rengifoBut that trio isn’t the reason Made might spend all of 2026 in the minors. Made turns 19 in May, but like Griffin in Pittsburgh, he looks like a generational prospect. Still, the Brewers can be aggressive. Made is iconic in dynasty/keeper formats for a reason.
spencer jonesOf, New York Yankees (1.3%)
Jones, 24, returns to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2025 after clubbing 19 home runs in 67 games for the RailRiders. After eight games there this year, Jones is hitting .212 with a pair of home runs, but also three walks (in 37 PA!) against 19 strikeouts. Plate discipline is a big problem in the big leagues. Yankees don’t even have room for an OF jason dominguez (hitting .379/.455/.655 at Triple-A), so we may not see Jones for a while. Optimistic fantasy managers are misunderstanding this situation.
Ryan WaldschmidtOf, Arizona Diamondbacks (1.3%)
Waldschmidt, 23, was another candidate to make the team’s Opening Day roster because of outfield injuries, and he hit .302/.348/.488 over 46 PA in spring training. Alas, he went to Triple-A anyway, where he is hitting .257/.395/.429 through nine games and 43 PA. Perhaps none of the Triple-A numbers from just a week or so will matter much, but if a player is really successful, it could motivate the franchise to promote the player sooner. The Diamondbacks are currently without injured OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. (knee) and jordan lawler (wrist) and they use a rotating DH. If Waldschmidt performs well in April, he should get the call, so let’s be prepared for that.
What about the pitcher?
toronto blue jays rhp trey yesways (53.8% rostered) is the only current “prospect” (eligible for both the Young and Rookie of the Year awards) to be rostered in more fantasy leagues than Emerson, though this situation is different than all the others. The 22-year-old Yesves made only three MLB starts late in the last regular season before finding success in the playoffs. The Blue Jays are dealing with a myriad of injuries in their rotation and Yves, after recovering from a shoulder injury and not really a minor league player anymore, should be back with the Blue Jays this month.
The next batch of starting pitcher prospects are much like the top hitters, settled in the minors and featuring in no more than 1.5% of ESPN leagues (boston red sox LHP payton toll, New York Mets rhp Jonah Tong, miami marlins LHP Robbie Snelling And thomas white). Pitchers are always on a different timetable than hitters and, even when they reach the majors, they are far from guaranteed to assist fantasy managers as they are handled with extreme care. When in doubt – and when not in doubt Paul Skenes – Go with the young batsmen first.
