Twoseamers | April 11, 2026
The minor league season is two weeks old and some of the most interesting near-MLB arms in the game are already forcing conversations in front offices. These aren’t 18-year-old lottery tickets — these are Double-A and Triple-A starters throwing four-plus innings per outing (or building post-surgery), with stuff and command that says “ready.” Here are the 10 pitching performers worth tracking right now.
1. Noah Schultz · LHP · Charlotte Knights (Triple-A, White Sox)
The best minor league pitching performance of early 2026, full stop. Through three appearances — a scoreless Opening Day relief outing and two starts — the 6-10 lefty has posted a 1.29 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 14 innings, consistently topping 98 mph. His April 8 start was the highlight: five innings, nine Ks, one earned run, zero walks. Opponents are hitting .089 against him. The walk rate that ballooned to 14.1% during an injury-plagued 2025 has cratered to 4.3%. That’s the difference — in 2024, Schultz was dominant (2.24 ERA, 115 K in 88.1 IP at Double-A) before knee tendinitis derailed his 2025. This version looks like the pre-injury arm with better command. Per Sox Machine, he threw fewer sliders than expected against Nashville, instead leaning on fastball command and sequencing — a maturity marker. GM Chris Getz has said the top pitching prospects will get the call this season. The Randy Johnson comparisons are out there, and when the zone control looks like this, they don’t sound absurd. A callup feels inevitable — the only question is timing.
2. JR Ritchie · RHP · Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A, Braves)
Ritchie has been on a steep upward trajectory across three starts: 1.72 ERA, 15 strikeouts, 15.2 innings. The progression tells the story. Start one against Memphis was rough — 3.2 IP, two earned, three walks, 87 pitches to get through it. Start two: five scoreless against Round Rock with five Ks. Start three, April 8 against Nashville: seven innings, one run, one hit, one walk, seven strikeouts — arguably the best single start by any Triple-A pitcher this season. Per Battery Power, he generated nine swinging strikes on 92 pitches and threw 57 strikes in that second outing. The walks — six in his first two starts — have cleaned up dramatically. His two-year Triple-A line now sits at 2.75 ERA with 76 Ks in 75.1 innings. The Braves have Didier Fuentes and Spencer Strider ahead of him on the depth chart, but Ritchie looks major-league ready and could get a look as soon as next week when Reynaldo Lopez serves his five-game suspension. In dynasty formats, he’s a hold with near-term upside. Redraft leagues — he’s a deep stash worth the roster spot.
3. Richard Fitts · RHP · Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A, Cardinals)
Fitts has been an anchor of the best team in professional baseball to start 2026. The Redbirds reached 10 wins first among all pro clubs, and Fitts has been a central reason — 2-0 through three starts with his most recent outing on April 9 going five innings, one run, four hits, two walks, three Ks against Charlotte. The 26-year-old Auburn product works with a six-pitch mix — four-seam, sinker, cutter, changeup, splitter, slider — and his Savant data from his brief MLB time with Boston in 2025 showed a 90.7 mph average exit velocity and 48.5% hard-hit rate against, which isn’t elite but is workable with that pitch diversity. The real selling point is the track record: in his 2024 debut with the Red Sox, Fitts didn’t allow an earned run in his first 18.2 MLB innings — the longest such streak to start a career in Boston’s expansion era — and only one of 69 batted balls against him was barreled. The Cardinals acquired him in the Sonny Gray trade last November. He’s on the 40-man roster. Per Viva El Birdos, both Fitts and Hunter Dobbins are expected to contribute to St. Louis at the MLB level this year. The path is clear and the performance is backing it up. Don’t expect great things, but watch for hot streaks and any noticeable improvement to consistency.
4. Tanner McDougal · RHP · Charlotte Knights (Triple-A, White Sox)
The third arm in Charlotte’s loaded rotation, and arguably the one most likely to make a 2026 MLB impact. Through two starts: 11 strikeouts in nine innings, two earned runs. His Triple-A debut was electric — eight Ks on 16 whiffs, one earned run on two hits and four walks. Baseball America featured him as one of 10 Statcast Standouts from Triple-A opening weekend. The arsenal is legit: a plus four-seam that sits mid-to-high 90s and touches triple digits, held deep into outings, paired with a high-spin curveball in the high 70s to low 80s with sharp depth and break. Per Sox Machine, his second start saw the fastball average 98.3 mph — he didn’t throw a single changeup since he faced mostly righties, relying on what the writer called “country hardball.” The walks (eight in nine innings) need to tighten, but the raw stuff is ahead of where Schultz and Smith are from a readiness standpoint. McDougal missed all of 2022 to Tommy John, cratered in 2024 (6.04 ERA), then broke out in 2025 with a 3.26 ERA and 136 Ks across 113.1 innings at High-A and Double-A. The development arc is real. He’s 22. The ceiling is a mid-rotation starter with power stuff. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should already own him.
5. Hagen Smith · LHP · Charlotte Knights (Triple-A, White Sox)
The No. 5 overall pick from the 2024 draft out of Arkansas is still building up — limited to three innings per start after his AFL participation pushed his spring ramp-up later — but the flashes are loud. Through two starts: nine strikeouts in six innings, two runs allowed. His April 2 outing against Nashville: 97.4 mph max velo, seven swinging strikes, five Ks on 50 pitches, per MLB Pipeline. The more interesting development, per Sox Machine’s detailed breakdown: Smith threw just nine sliders out of those 50 pitches, instead mixing in more cutters and his split-grip changeup as he turned the lineup over. That’s pitch-mix maturity from a guy who leaned heavily on the slider at Arkansas. The concern remains the same one it’s always been — walks. He issued 56 free passes in 75.2 Double-A innings last year against 108 Ks. If the command tightens as the workload extends, the stuff plays at any level. He’s a dynasty blue-chip arm. In redraft, he’s a watch-and-wait — the three-inning outings aren’t startable yet, but once stretched to five-plus, he’ll be a priority add.
6. River Ryan · RHP · OKC Comets (Triple-A, Dodgers)
Ryan made his 2026 debut April 4 in Las Vegas — nearly 20 months post-Tommy John surgery — after staying back in Arizona for extended spring work. The physical transformation is notable: he added 30 pounds to his 6-1 frame over the offseason and showed increased velocity this spring, posting a 1.86 ERA with 12 Ks across 9.2 Cactus League innings. The Dodgers optioned him despite an outstanding spring, wanting to manage workload carefully for a likely May or June MLB return. His 2024 MLB cameo was exceptional — 1.33 ERA, 18 Ks in 20.1 innings, .208 BAA, 50% ground ball rate across four starts before the elbow gave out. He throws five pitches, headlined by a pair of plus breaking balls and dual mid-90s fastballs. The OKC game notes had a fun detail — Ryan and his brother Ryder are teammates for the first time since North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, N.C. In an organization this deep in pitching, the fact that Ryan still has a rotation path says everything about the ceiling. The Dodgers have dealt with pitching attrition every recent season. Ryan will get his chance. Dynasty leagues: hold firmly. Redraft: stash now if you have the roster space.
7. Miguel Ullola · RHP · Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Triple-A, Astros)
The 23-year-old Dominican right-hander is off to a dominant start for Sugar Land — 1.86 ERA through two starts and 9.2 innings, with 15 strikeouts against just three hits allowed (.094 BAA). Per Astros Future, the command improvement is the headline: just four walks so far, a dramatic shift from the 78 free passes in 113.2 innings last season (career 15.6% walk rate). His first start was a statement — a no-hit bid carried into the sixth inning, finishing with seven Ks over six frames. In his second outing, he struck out eight through four innings before allowing a couple runners in the fifth. The fastball reaches 97 mph with excellent movement, paired with a slider/cutter combo and an evolving changeup. He dealt with right shoulder discomfort during spring and is still building back up, but the stuff is as potent as ever. He’s on the 40-man roster after a November addition. Sugar Land’s rotation owns the PCL’s best ERA (2.75) through the early going, and Ullola is a big reason. Houston’s MLB rotation has taken some hits recently and Ullola has the arm to step up sooner or later. Worth a deep-league stash in redraft; a strong hold in dynasty.
8. Jack Wenninger · RHP · Syracuse Mets (Triple-A, Mets)
The most under-the-radar arm on this list, and maybe the one with the most interesting profile for what he doesn’t have — namely, name recognition. The 24-year-old sixth-round pick out of Illinois made his Triple-A debut April 1 and threw 4.2 scoreless innings: five hits, one walk, five Ks. Per Baseball America, his mid-90s fastball averaged 18 inches of induced vertical break, and he mixed four secondary offerings — changeup, slider, sinker, sweeper. His second start April 8 was nearly as clean: 4.1 innings, one earned run, five Ks, though three walks were a blemish. The 2025 breakout at Double-A Binghamton was the real foundation — 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings, 147 Ks, 42 walks, a 12-6 record across 26 starts. His go-to pitch is a low-to-mid-80s changeup that generates whiffs from both sides. Per Amazin’ Avenue, Wenninger kept pace with both Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong statistically in 2025 despite drawing a fraction of the attention. He’s not on the 40-man, which adds a barrier to callup, but the Mets’ rotation has built-in volatility and Wenninger has a legitimate path to a debut this summer if he keeps performing. Dynasty leagues: buy low while the price is still negligible.
9. Connor Prielipp · LHP · St. Paul Saints (Triple-A, Twins)
The stuff has never been the question with Prielipp — it’s been whether the body would let him use it. The former Alabama standout and 2022 second-round pick has had two UCL procedures (Tommy John in 2021, internal brace surgery in 2023), limiting him to just 32.2 professional innings before 2025. Last year was the first real test of durability — 82.2 innings across Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul, posting a 4.03 ERA with a 27% K rate and 8.5% walk rate (3.52 FIP). He earned the Opening Day start for St. Paul and delivered four innings of one-run ball against Indianapolis. His April 10 start in Toledo was rockier — 3.1 innings, two runs, four hits, three walks — but the early-season rust is expected given the limited career workload. When he’s on, the arsenal is elite: mid-90s fastball that’s topped 98, a slider with elite spin rates that touches 90 mph and has generated a 62% whiff rate, and a developing changeup. He’s on the 40-man after a November addition. The Twins gutted their bullpen at last year’s deadline, so Prielipp could fill a high-leverage multi-inning role or start — the org has incentive to get creative. When healthy and locked in, there may not be a more electric left arm in the upper minors. Dynasty: hold and be patient. The payoff, if it comes, is significant.
10. Ethan Pecko · RHP · Astros (Rehab at Single-A Fayetteville)
Pecko is working his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome and made his first appearance of 2026 on April 4 — a rehab start at Single-A Fayetteville against the Wilson Warbirds. The line: two scoreless innings, two hits, four strikeouts, 34 pitches with 23 strikes. Short and controlled, exactly what a rehab outing should look like, and the swing-and-miss was there immediately. No reports of any setback, and the Astros had projected him pitching in games in April, which puts this right on schedule. The larger body of work is what makes him worth tracking here. The 2023 sixth-round pick from Towson was named Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024 after a 3.47 ERA with 125 strikeouts in 96 innings across three levels. In 2025, a strained forearm cost him the first two months, but he rallied to finish strong at Triple-A Sugar Land — 3.09 ERA, 48 Ks in 35 innings, K rate jumping to 31.8% at the highest level. Per Baseball Savant’s scouting report, Pecko has added to his fastball since turning pro — it now operates at 93-95 and touches 98, with a flat approach angle and carry that help it miss bats up in the zone. His 83-mph slider and 89-mph cutter are his top two secondary offerings, and he also mixes a curveball and a fading upper-80s changeup. Baseball America grades him as a No. 5 starter ceiling who could debut in 2026 if healthy. As the pitch count builds — likely through Fayetteville and then back to Corpus Christi or Sugar Land — Pecko has a real shot at crashing the Houston roster in the second half. The rotation is deep, but depth gets tested every season, as we have seen already in April. Dynasty: hold and monitor the build-up closely.
Honorable Mentions
Caden Scarborough · RHP · Rangers — Building up at extended spring after February melanoma surgery, targeting a May return to High-A Hub City. His 2025 was absurd: 0.57 ERA and 58:8 K:BB over his final 47.1 innings across Single-A and High-A. A 70-grade fastball and dastardly sweeper, per Baseball America. The ceiling is mid-rotation starter — but he’s only 21 and still at High-A, so MLB readiness is likely 2027 at the earliest. The talent is undeniable.
Quinn Mathews · LHP · Cardinals — At Triple-A Memphis with a slider/changeup combo that can be plus-plus when his fastball sits 94-95. A wild 2025 (16.8% walk rate) knocked him off some prospect lists, but his 2024 breakout (2.76 ERA, 202 K in 143.1 IP) showed the ceiling. The zone rate — just 42.5% of pitches in the strike zone last year — has to come up. If it does, he’s a menace.
Coleman Crow · RHP · Brewers — The 5-10 righty earned his first Triple-A win April 4 with a quality start against Charlotte, then picked up another win with five innings and seven Ks at Gwinnett on April 9. His curveball averages 3,000 rpm with sharp bite. On the 40-man roster but buried behind Milwaukee’s deep pitching depth chart. He’s a competitor with a five-pitch mix, good spin rates and strike-throwing ability, signs of future fantasy relevance.
Stats through April 10, 2026. More at twoseamers.com.
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times (James Fegan), Sox Machine (Jim Margalus), Sox On 35th, South Side Sox, Battery Power (Brady Petree), Amazin’ Avenue, Mets Minors, Mets News and Links, Viva El Birdos, Cardinals Prospects (Kareem Haq), Astros Future, Climbing Tal’s Hill, True Blue LA (Eric Stephen), Dodger Blue, DodgersBeat (Cody Snavely), Baseball America (Geoff Pontes, prospect reports and Statcast Standouts), MLB Pipeline, MLB.com (prospect assignments and game notes), MiLB.com (game recaps and player pages), Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, Baseball Savant, RotoWire, Pitcher List (Stash List series), SI Minor League Baseball, Bleacher Report, The Athletic (Fabian Ardaya, Chandler Rome), Twins Daily, Star Tribune, Brewer Fanatic, The Prospect Times, Prism News, OurSports Central (game notes: OKC Comets, Memphis Redbirds, St. Paul Saints, Charlotte Knights, Nashville Sounds, Indianapolis Indians, Toledo Mud Hens), World Baseball Network, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, ESPN, NBC Sports, Heavy.com.
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