August is winding down, but the stash pool is far from drying up. A few arms from last week's list, including Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler, Cleveland's Parker Messick and Minnesota's Mick Abel, have already gotten the call. That opens the door for some fresh faces in this week's list, with Jonah Tong bursting onto the scene to claim the top spot. Here are 10 prospects to keep on your stash radar.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to reach out in the comments or on X (@jerschneid14) with any questions or thoughts!
Stats are updated through the night of Aug. 25
Top 10 Prospects to Add Right Now
Jonah Tong, SP, Mets (#36, #6 P, #2 NYM)
Editor's note: Since this article was written, the Mets announced that Tong will be called up Friday to make his major-league debut against the Marlins.
Tong finally received the long-overdue promotion from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-August and has wasted no time making his mark, firing 11.2 scoreless innings with a 17:3 K:BB ratio across two starts. That dominance builds on his stellar Double-A performance, where he posted a 1.68 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 over 102 innings in 20 outings. The right-hander doesn't boast a prototypical power arm or imposing frame, but his deceptive over-the-top delivery creates elite vertical break on his fastball and pairs with a hammer curveball, drawing comparisons to former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.
Meanwhile, fellow prospect and stash-list alum
August is winding down, but the stash pool is far from drying up. A few arms from last week's list, including Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler, Cleveland's Parker Messick and Minnesota's Mick Abel, have already gotten the call. That opens the door for some fresh faces in this week's list, with Jonah Tong bursting onto the scene to claim the top spot. Here are 10 prospects to keep on your stash radar.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to reach out in the comments or on X (@jerschneid14) with any questions or thoughts!
Stats are updated through the night of Aug. 25
Top 10 Prospects to Add Right Now
Jonah Tong, SP, Mets (#36, #6 P, #2 NYM)
Editor's note: Since this article was written, the Mets announced that Tong will be called up Friday to make his major-league debut against the Marlins.
Tong finally received the long-overdue promotion from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-August and has wasted no time making his mark, firing 11.2 scoreless innings with a 17:3 K:BB ratio across two starts. That dominance builds on his stellar Double-A performance, where he posted a 1.68 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 over 102 innings in 20 outings. The right-hander doesn't boast a prototypical power arm or imposing frame, but his deceptive over-the-top delivery creates elite vertical break on his fastball and pairs with a hammer curveball, drawing comparisons to former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.
Meanwhile, fellow prospect and stash-list alum Nolan McLean was called up Aug. 16 and has already steadied New York's rotation, logging a 1.46 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in his first two starts. Reports suggest the Mets are shifting to a six-man rotation to give their veterans more rest, and it looks like Tong will get the next call-up. With his breakout season and unique profile, Tong is the type of arm fantasy managers should grab as soon as possible.
Robby Snelling, SP, Marlins (#125, #43 P, #4 MIA)
Another week, another strong outing for Snelling, leaving Peter Bendix and the Marlins front office with fewer and fewer reasons to keep him in the minors. The southpaw tossed six scoreless innings Thursday against Worcester, giving him a dazzling August line of a 0.38 ERA and 0.83 WHIP across 24 frames in four starts. On the year with Triple-A Jacksonville, he now owns a 1.13 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 39.2 innings over seven starts. Though the 21-year-old isn't the prototypical power arm with overwhelming stuff, he keeps finding ways to dominate and continues trending upward.
Miami recently moved on from Cal Quantrill and plugged Ryan Gusto into the rotation, though Gusto has pitched to an ERA north of 5.00 in 26 big-league appearances this season. Another spot could soon be in flux with Janson Junk battling right forearm discomfort, even if he hasn't officially landed on the injured list. With his Triple-A dominance and the possibility of multiple openings in the big-league rotation, Snelling deserves to be near the top of stash lists for the rest of 2025.
Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks (#28, #12 SS, #1 ARI)
Lawlar is, unsurprisingly, hitting well against minor-league pitching, batting .306/.359/.500 with an .859 OPS, two doubles, a triple, a homer, five RBI and two stolen bases in eight games since returning from a hamstring injury. On the year with Triple-A Reno, the 2021 first-round pick is slashing .317/.403/.571 with a .974 OPS, 21 doubles, five triples, 11 homers, 50 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 61 contests. While his well-documented struggles in limited big-league samples remain part of the story, the infielder has more than proven himself against Pacific Coast League competition.
Looking at Arizona's active roster, Blaze Alexander has been respectable with a .738 OPS in 44 games this season, while journeyman Ildemaro Vargas has posted a .677 OPS in 13 games. Neither player should represent a major barrier to Lawlar seeing opportunities, particularly with third base presenting a more open path than his natural position of shortstop, which remains occupied by Geraldo Perdomo. Now that Lawlar has found his rhythm again in Triple-A, a promotion before season's end to give him consistent big-league run makes plenty of sense.
Sal Stewart, 2B, Reds (#17, #3 2B, #2 CIN)
Stewart's bat has remained red hot since his promotion to Triple-A Louisville, carrying a five-game hitting streak in which he's gone 7-for-19 with three homers and seven RBI. In 33 games at the level, the 21-year-old is slashing .323/.399/.653 with a 1.052 OPS, 14 doubles, nine home runs, 29 RBI and four steals. His contact skills have long been regarded as his calling card, providing a strong floor, but now that the power is beginning to show up consistently, his ceiling — and overall profile — may be climbing.
The Reds remain in the thick of the wild-card race, though second base has been a glaring weak spot. Matt McLain has seen his playing time shrink while posting a .631 OPS in 117 games, and Santiago Espinal's .585 OPS in 105 games has been even less encouraging. It would be unreasonable to expect Stewart's Triple-A production to immediately carry over to the majors, but with Cincinnati's keystone options producing so little, there's little downside to giving their breakout prospect a legitimate look as they push for a playoff spot in September.
JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals (#10, #7 SS, #1 STL)
It's been business as usual for Wetherholt, who continues to dominate at the plate. In August alone, he's slashing .329/.420/.571 with a .991 OPS, five doubles, four homers, 11 RBI and three steals across 17 games for Triple-A Memphis. Incredibly, those numbers actually pull down his overall production at the level, where he owns a .328/.413/.648 line with a 1.061 OPS, 10 doubles, a triple, nine homers, 20 RBI and five steals through 31 contests. Few prospects can match his combination of polish, power, speed and defensive prowess, making him one of the most complete players in the minors.
The big-league outlook hasn't shifted much. Masyn Winn looks like he'll avoid the injured list after some left knee discomfort, while Nolan Gorman has done well filling in for Nolan Arenado (shoulder). On the flip side, the results from Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin covering for Brendan Donovan (groin) have been far less encouraging. Simply put, Wetherholt is big-league ready and deserves a shot, but St. Louis continues to keep him down — a frustrating situation for a prospect who looks poised to make an immediate impact.
Quinn Mathews, SP, Cardinals (#129, #47 P, #5 STL)
Mathews has pitched his way into big-league consideration with a strong August, logging five starts and 26.1 innings with a 2.73 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 34:9 K:BB ratio. On the season with Triple-A Memphis, the 24-year-old owns a 3.82 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 19 starts and 77.2 innings. The glaring issue is his control, as his 7.1 BB/9 has hampered plenty of outings. When he's around the strike zone, though, Mathews is tough to square up, leaning on a quality changeup and effective slider to miss bats. His own wildness is simply the biggest obstacle.
St. Louis has a healthy five-man rotation at the moment, but with no postseason push on the horizon, the organization could look to give younger arms some run down the stretch. Andre Pallante and Miles Mikolas both carry ERAs north of 5.00, with Pallante already beyond his career-high workload. With other notable prospects like Tekoah Roby (elbow) and Tink Hence (undisclosed) sidelined, Mathews stands out as the most viable option if the Cardinals want to audition fresh arms before season's end.
Caden Dana, SP, Angels (#17 LAA)
In what has otherwise been a rocky 2025 season, Dana may be finding some traction down the stretch. The right-hander turned in one of his best starts of the year Friday, firing seven innings of two-run ball with a season-high 13 strikeouts — his first double-digit strikeout effort of the campaign. Once viewed as one of the Angels' most promising arms on the farm, Dana's stock has dipped after a disappointing year. He's struggled at both levels, putting up a 7.50 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in six innings of MLB relief and a 5.58 ERA with a 1.56 WHIP across 79 innings and 17 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake. The main culprits have been a spiked walk rate (5.1 BB/9 compared to 2.6 last season) and an elevated 1.5 HR/9, numbers inflated in part by the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League environments compared to his 2024 work in Double-A Rocket City. Still, Dana's arsenal remains intriguing, with a mid-90s fastball paired with a wipeout slider that flashes as a true out pitch.
Victor Mederos looked set to claim the fifth spot in the rotation before landing on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation following a blowup outing Saturday. The Angels could turn to previous stash mentions like George Klassen or Sam Aldegheri, but pulling Dana out of the PCL grind and giving him a real chance to start games in the majors is a move that would make sense — though it's the type of opportunity the organization has often struggled to manage properly.
Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (#16, #2 2B, #1 CLE)
Bazzana's early stint at Triple-A Columbus has demonstrated a mix of patience and emerging production. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft opened by drawing plenty of walks, and now his hit tool is starting to click. He's riding a five-game hitting streak, lifting his line at the level to .243/.472/.351 with two doubles, a triple, five RBI and a stolen base in 11 games. The average and power numbers don't jump off the page yet, but it's a small sample, and the recent trend is encouraging.
Second base production in Cleveland has been underwhelming with Brayan Rocchio holding the everyday role despite poor offensive results. The big-league infield mix also includes Daniel Schneemann (currently on paternity leave), Will Wilson and Angel Martinez, so it's not as simple as saying Bazzana is next in line. Still, he's a central piece of the organization's long-term plans, and a late-season debut to give him a taste of the majors remains very much on the table.
Carter Jensen, C, Royals (#99, #9 C, #1 KC)
Jensen briefly dealt with a right wrist contusion in mid-August but hasn't shown any lingering effects, hitting .381/.536/.714 with a 1.250 OPS, two homers, a double, five RBI and a stolen base in six games since returning. Since earning a promotion to Triple-A Omaha at the end of June, the 22-year-old has been excellent, slashing .272/.389/.596 with a .985 OPS, nine doubles, a triple, 11 homers, 31 RBI and three steals in 38 games. His advanced plate discipline paired with exciting power has been evident both in the numbers and on the field.
The catching situation in Kansas City hasn't changed much, with veteran Salvador Perez still handling most of the starts despite his defensive decline and journeyman Luke Maile (.610 OPS) filling in when Perez rests or slots in at designated hitter. The Royals remain in the wild-card mix, so a major roster shake-up isn't expected down the stretch. That said, if the club wants to inject some youth while upgrading the backup catcher spot, Jensen supplanting Maile would make plenty of sense.
Nelson Rada, OF, Angels (#286, #68 OF, #7 LAA)
Rada has stayed hot since arriving at Triple-A Salt Lake, slashing .304/.407/.435 with an .842 OPS, a double, a triple, four RBI and three stolen bases in a recent six-game set against Reno. Since his early-August promotion, the 20-year-old outfielder has hit .338/.460/.465 with two doubles, two triples, a homer, 11 RBI and 12 steals across 19 games. Offensive production in the Pacific Coast League always comes with some inflation, but Rada has looked comfortable, consistently making hard contact while showcasing his well-regarded speed every chance he gets.
There isn't a simple, plug-and-play spot for him in the Angels' outfield right now, but a 2025 call-up isn't out of the question. Los Angeles has leaned on Bryce Teodosio to man center field, whose glove is MLB-caliber but whose bat lags behind, and recently recalled Matthew Lugo, who has shown flashes of power but remains unproven. With the Angels battling injuries, drifting out of postseason contention and maintaining their reputation for aggressiveness with prospects, Rada deserves mention as a deep stash with appealing upside.
