Welcome to the fourth edition of The Stash List for pitchers! And what a great time it is to be a Guardians fan. Currently, half of the top six pitchers on the list below are in Cleveland’s organization. There will likely be a rotation crunch at some point this summer, and these young pitchers have the stuff to force their way in down the stretch.
Ground Rules
- The Stash List is for your redraft leagues and does not consider impact beyond 2023
- Only current minor league players who are expected to make an impact this season are included
- Players who have already made their MLB debuts can not have thrown more than 50 IP in MLB
- Upside, proximity, health, and opportunity are all weighed for each player
- The focus is on 12-team leagues with standard categories
- Rankings and ownership percentages will be updated weekly
Graduates
This section of the column is going to highlight the pitchers that were on the previous week’s list, but who have since made their MLB debuts and are no longer considered stashes.
Taj Bradley, TBR (Prev. 3)
Taj Bradley looks to have solidified himself a spot in the Rays’ rotation for the foreseeable future. His first two starts were fantastic, and it looks like he’s found the strikeout stuff that he featured in the lower levels of the minors.
Top 10 Pitcher Prospects to Stash
1. Brandon Pfaadt, ARI – ETA April (Previously 1)
I haven’t seen anything that would indicate that Brandon Pfaadt deserves to drop at all on this list, so he stays at the top.
2. Tanner Bibee, CLE – ETA May (Prev. 2)
Tanner Bibee has yet to allow earned runs en masse in his Minor League career, and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. He’s barreling towards the Big Leagues.
3. Matthew Liberatore, STL – ETA April (Prev. 5)
Matthew Liberatore has continued his dominance in AAA after adding velocity. He’s also reduced his walk rate recently to further cement his preparation for the majors. I imagine the Cardinals won’t wait much longer to give him another crack at MLB hitters.
4. Luis Ortiz, PIT – ETA May (Prev. 7)
Luis Ortiz has continued his impressive start to the season, and he would really take a huge step forward with another slight improvement in his K-BB%. The rotation is currently full with established veterans and exciting youngsters, so it will likely take an injury to force the issue here. But if something changes and we get wind that he’s getting called up earlier, be ready to sneak in with some strategic bids. He likely won’t be as expensive as these other high-upside arms.
5. Logan Allen, CLE – ETA April (Prev. 10)
6. Gavin Williams, CLE – ETA July (Prev. 8)
7. DL Hall, BAL – ETA June (Prev. 6)
DL Hall hasn’t really taken any big steps forward or backward yet this season. He still features the spotty command that threatens to land him in a permanent bullpen role, and the stuff still looks solid. The drawback so far is that we’re not seeing quite as many strikeouts as we’re used to from him, so his timeline is likely pushed back a bit. And it’s going to be tough to crack the Baltimore rotation, which is very deep and performing very well.
8. Forrest Whitley, HOU – ETA May (Prev. NR)
Forrest Whitley is the poster child for prospect fatigue. He’s been in the Houston organization since 2016, when he was drafted in the first round out of high school. He will likely finally get the chance to make his MLB debut later this summer, as he’s performing really well so far in AAA. While he doesn’t have the same ceiling as we used to think he did, he could still be a dependable MLB starter if the Astros need him. Watch how that walk rate stabilizes in his next few starts, and from there we’ll have a better idea of his trajectory.
9. Gavin Stone, LAD – ETA May (Prev. 4)
Gavin Stone makes the biggest drop on this week’s list because he has continued to post subpar K-BB percentages and he’s getting knocked around pretty consistently. His arsenal isn’t as deep and impressive as other top prospects, even though he features an elite changeup. That xFIP doesn’t do much to inspire confidence in a sharp turnaround, either. He could still get a call-up to the majors soon because the Dodgers are hurting for starting pitching depth. I would keep him on the bench for a start or two if that happens.
10. Andrew Abbott, CIN – ETA July (Prev. NR)
Andrew Abbott has come on the scene and absolutely lit up AA to start the season. once he makes the jump to AAA, he could quickly follow that up with a jump to the majors. The nice thing about a rebuild is there usually aren’t many guys blocking prospects from the team. The Reds find themselves in that situation and currently have two rotation spots up for grabs. He’s a guy to keep in your back pocket because we still likely have to wait a few months for him to get a shot.
The Watchlist
This section of The Stash List is aimed towards those of you who play in deep leagues (15+ teams or 375+ players rostered) where some of the guys on the list above might already be taken because of their higher pedigree. These players’ debuts will likely be a bit further out than the players listed above, but the purpose is to be ready to pounce on them as soon as it becomes clear that an opportunity might open up.
I expect it will primarily consist of top-200 prospects who are advancing faster than expected, or players who are outperforming expectations and came seemingly out of nowhere (see: Cody Bradford).
The players are listed in alphabetical order, and I don’t have the time to do write-ups for these guys, so I’d highly suggest checking out their Fangraphs pages and/or watching one of their starts. Also, shout out to @SpokaneWaUpdate on Twitter for inspiring this section of the article!
Louie Varland also made one start in the Majors this season. He went 6 innings, gave up 3 runs, and struck out 8. He’s been known to have exceptional command, but this year his stuff has taken a step forward as well. The Twins just have such a deep group of starters that it will be tough for him to make starts consistently in Minneapolis.