The most savvy fantasy baseball managers are always looking ahead. While it's easy to get caught up in the moment of what's happening right now, stashing players who potentially can help in the near-term and long-term future can propel a team to a championship down the stretch. These can be both injured players or those on the MLB prospect rankings who are nearing a call-up to The Show.
There's a price to pay with stashing, which makes it critical for managers to determine whether the short-term negative impact will be worth it in the long run. Knowing projected timelines for stashed players and paying attention to MLB projections can help you decide whether it's worth it to stash a player for long-term payoff.
Defining the "Stash" Strategy
Stashing means rostering a player who is either injured, suspended or not currently in the Major Leagues. This player is accumulating no MLB player stats at the time of the acquisition but, in theory, is expected to contribute at some point later in the season. Much of stashing is dependent on league rules and settings, so you'll want to understand if a roster spot accumulating zero points or statistics while they're inactive is worth it.
It also matters where your team is in the standings; if you've got a comfortable lead and a playoff spot locked up, it makes more sense to stash a player compared to teams that are fighting for a playoff berth or trending in the wrong direction after a
The most savvy fantasy baseball managers are always looking ahead. While it's easy to get caught up in the moment of what's happening right now, stashing players who potentially can help in the near-term and long-term future can propel a team to a championship down the stretch. These can be both injured players or those on the MLB prospect rankings who are nearing a call-up to The Show.
There's a price to pay with stashing, which makes it critical for managers to determine whether the short-term negative impact will be worth it in the long run. Knowing projected timelines for stashed players and paying attention to MLB projections can help you decide whether it's worth it to stash a player for long-term payoff.
Defining the "Stash" Strategy
Stashing means rostering a player who is either injured, suspended or not currently in the Major Leagues. This player is accumulating no MLB player stats at the time of the acquisition but, in theory, is expected to contribute at some point later in the season. Much of stashing is dependent on league rules and settings, so you'll want to understand if a roster spot accumulating zero points or statistics while they're inactive is worth it.
It also matters where your team is in the standings; if you've got a comfortable lead and a playoff spot locked up, it makes more sense to stash a player compared to teams that are fighting for a playoff berth or trending in the wrong direction after a slow start.
The IL Stash: Managing the Injured List
Before diving into the fantasy baseball draft kit, it's critical for managers to know their league settings. Some leagues have multiple IL spots while others have none, but a deeper bench. Leagues with multiple IR spots will make it easier to stash injured players, but note that in most instances, suspended players are ineligible for the IL.
If your league has no limits on adds and drops, it makes sense to fill your IL spots with stashes. It's free to do and won't cost your active roster anything. Even if that player doesn't get healthy or returns and doesn't play well, it hasn't cost you anything in terms of stats from your active players.
It's also a good strategy to grab IL-eligible players late in drafts. An injured player may have a lower fantasy baseball ADP, making them a steal at no cost to your active roster.
Prospect Stashing: Hunting for the Next Paul Skenes
Each year a player gets the call to The Show and takes the league by storm. Not every player will dominate as quickly as Paul Skenes did, but last season alone saw players like Drake Baldwin, Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson and Cade Horton all get their call and contribute–despite most not being high up on any fantasy baseball rankings.
Rookies need 172 days to accrue a year of MLB service time, which is why so many young stars are called up in early to mid-April. Those surefire call-ups are likely high on fantasy baseball dynasty rankings lists and likely to be drafted, but it's good to pay attention to news regarding hot prospects who get the call once the service time mark has been reached.
Between late May and mid-June, the Super 2 cutoff occurs, which gives teams the flexibility of adding another year of arbitration to a player's contract. It's why this is another popular time period for the game's best prospects to be called up. Rumors constantly fly around which players may get the call, so you'll want to always be paying attention to the latest reports to grab these players and stash them before another manager does.
The Opportunity Cost of a Bench Spot
Stashing an injured player with no IL spots remaining or stashing a prospect involves risk. This is where understanding your league settings is critical. In head-to-head leagues, stashing is easier because you're hoping for payoff when the postseason rolls around. It can be tougher in Rotisserie leagues, where stats in April matter the same as they do in September.
It's also important to know whether your league does weekly or daily lineups, with the former making it easier to stash players because your bench gets less action. Also understand whether your league has a games limit, if it does, stashing becomes easier because you aren't starting every player every day.
If league settings are optimal for stashing, make sure you pay attention to both injured players flying under the radar on draft day with RotoWire's fantasy baseball draft assistant as well as keeping an eye on news updates throughout the season. It really can pay off in the long run, and there's more upside than there is downside with this strategy. You just need to subscribe to RotoWire to be prepared.
