Prospect Surge: Top-100 Talents Making Immediate Fantasy Baseball Impacts

I love all things baseball, but I'm partial to young players, which translates to dynasty baseball leagues. Here, I thought it'd be fun to go over top-100 MLB prospects who are in the big leagues, looking at how they are faring so far.

If you haven't been paying attention, rookies are tearing it up at the start of the season, so there's several big-time fantasy players to go over.

We'll discuss their dynasty outlooks, along with redraft outlooks. There's 18 players to go over, so we'll split this story into two. Let's get right to it!

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Kevin McGonigle - Detroit Tigers

McGonigle is rostered in 85% of fantasy baseball leagues at the moment. He's been a big riser since the start of the season.

In five games, McGonigle has six hits, including two doubles. He has five RBIs, four runs scored, three walks and three strikeouts.

He's lived up to some of the big-time hype surrounding him as a prospect. Hopefully he's able to keep it up.

The sky could be the limit for McGonigle, and he's already emerged as a redraft fantasy asset. Add and utilize him already in all leagues.

JJ Wetherholt - St. Louis Cardinals

Wetherholt is owned in 87% of fantasy leagues, which is also way up since the start of the regular season.

He has six hits, including a homer, over five games. Wetherholt has four RBIs and runs scored, two walks, one stolen base and three strikeouts.

Wetherholt has been good so far, and he too could keep delivering big numbers in his rookie year. He's another really good dynasty asset, but also has redraft upside already. Get him added, especially if you need some infield help.

Bubba Chandler - Pittsburgh Pirates

Chandler is up to 90% owned in fantasy leagues.

He made his MLB debut in 2025, and has one start under his belt in 2026. Chandler worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings, not allowing a hit, but walking six. He struck out six to work out of trouble.

Chandler has been a highly-regarded prospect for several years, so hopefully he stays healthy now that he's up in the big leagues. He'll need to limit his walks going forward, but I wouldn't worry too much about one start.

Consider streaming him in any leagues where he's still available, and holding him if he starts stacking some success. He's an even better dynasty asset as just a 23-year-old.

Trey Yesavage - Toronto Blue Jays

Yesavage is rostered in about 85% of leagues right now. He's on the injured list with a shoulder injury.

He was drafted in 2024 and made his minor league and MLB debut in 2025. In the big leagues, he had a 3.21 earned run average over three regular season starts, and was good in the postseason too.

Yesavage could be a really good fantasy asset when back on the mound, but until that happens, he won't be rostered in any more fantasy leagues. 

Keep tabs on him and his status, and be ready to add/utilize him when he's back on the bump.

Carson Benge - New York Mets

Benge is rostered in 52% of fantasy leagues right now. That's up a good deal since the start of the season, when he made the big league team because of an injury to Mike Tauchman.

He has played in five games so far, popping a homer across three hits. Benge also has an RBI, three runs scored, two walks and stolen bases and six strikeouts.

Benge was thrust into a big role early on with New York, and he's produced a bit. He's likely to stick in the big leagues for a while, but he'll need to hit better to stick in the MLB.

He's an OK deep-league fantasy asset for the time being, but be watching him in case he takes off, as he'd deserve standard league roster spots then. Benge is a better dynasty asset as a 23-year-old.

Carter Jensen - Kansas City Royals

Jensen is owned in 34% of fantasy leagues at the moment.

He too got to the big leagues last year, and is back to start the 2026 year. In four games so far, Jensen has just one hit (a homer). He has two RBIs, a run scored, a walk and five strikeouts as well. 

Jensen fared much better in 2025, so I'm chalking his numbers this year up to a slow start. I think better days are ahead, so keep tabs on him.

He's a deep-league fantasy asset because he's at a weaker fantasy position. Jensen also is a better dynasty asset though.

Sal Stewart - Cincinnati Reds

Stewart is up to 76% owned, which is considerably up from the start of the season.

He got in the big leagues for 18 games last year, and is red hot to start 2026. Stewart has nine hits (three doubles and two homers) across six games. He also has seven walks, three RBIs and strikeouts and five runs scored.

I think the sky is the limit for Stewart, and he's flashing some high upside early on. Add him in redraft leagues before it's too late. He's an even better dynasty asset at just 22 years old.

Andrew Painter - St. Louis Cardinals

Painter is sitting at 59% owned today. He's on the rise after making his first big league start on Tuesday.

Painter earned a win after working 5 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and one walk, while striking out eight batters.

It was great to see Painter excel in his first big league start, especially after he struggled in 2025. Now is when things will toughen, as the league has tape to go off of with Painter.

I'm a fan of adding him in deeper redraft leagues, while streaming him in standard leagues. If he excels for another start or two, he could stick in standard redraft leagues.

Painter is a better long-term asset though, and at 22 years old, hopefully he has a long career ahead of him. We'll see how Painter progresses from here.

Owen Caissie - Miami Marlins 

Caissie has shot up to 33% owned after not being owned in too many fantasy leagues at the start of the regular season.

He made the big leagues with the Cubs in 2025, but was traded to Miami this offseason in the Edward Cabrera deal. Through six games, Caissie has come through several times.

He has seven hits, including two doubles and a home run. Caissie has eight RBIs, three runs scored, two walks, a stolen base and four strikeouts as well.

Caissie has a better fantasy outlook in Miami because he has a chance to play regularly. That could help him be a fantasy asset as early as this season, and he of course has a good long-term outlook as a young player with plenty of promise.