In early 2026 fantasy baseball drafts, hitters are being picked quickly, while smart managers are quietly building strong pitching staffs by choosing starters whose draft position doesn’t match their real potential.
On the latest FantasyPros Fantasy Baseball Podcast, Joey P, The Welsh, and Joe Orico talked about their favorite undervalued pitchers for 2026. They used early NFBC ADP, FantasyPros rankings, and key stats like strikeout-minus-walk rate, pitch quality, and role stability.
Here are 10 undervalued pitchers that fantasy baseball experts like to draft in 202. You’ll see why they’re undervalued, what you get for their draft price, and tips on how to pick them.
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Fantasy Baseball Values Experts Love to Draft
Let’s dive into a few of our favorite fantasy baseball draft values of 2026. And you can find the full podcast episode below.
Quick Hit: What Makes a Pitcher “Undervalued” in 2026?
- Skills > surface stats: ERA can lie. We care about K-BB%, SIERA, xFIP, and contact quality.
- ADP discount: Injuries, role uncertainty, or recency bias push talented arms down the board.
- Draft fit: These are pitchers who outperform their draft slot as SP2-SP5 types, not necessarily “aces” you must reach for.
Why he’s undervalued: The surface stats weren’t pretty last year, but the skills were elite. Ragans posted a massive strikeout rate and one of the best strikeout-minus-walk profiles in baseball, even while battling injuries.
- Strikeouts stayed elite
- Walk rate improved
- Underlying metrics and pitch quality point to SP1 upside
How to draft him: Ragans is the rare “discount ace.” If he’s going outside the top-tier SP range, you’re buying top-10 upside at SP2 prices.
Why he’s undervalued: King’s season was derailed by injury, and his post-injury results dragged down perception. But his early-season run showed the same electric stuff that made him a breakout target, and his deep pitch mix gives him multiple ways to win.
- Strong home performance
- Five-pitch mix and shape-driven upside
- Healthy offseason reports fuel a rebound case
How to draft him: King is a classic post-hype value. If the room treats him like a mid-rotation arm, you can land a top-20 SP ceiling at a steep discount.
Why he’s undervalued: Lodolo’s value is tied to one thing: control. The strikeouts have always been there, but last year he showed real improvement in walk rate, and that’s the difference between “streamer with upside” and “set-and-forget SP2/3.”
- Walk rate improvement unlocked better innings
- Solid ERA estimators matched the surface results
- Team context rising (Reds trending up)
How to draft him: Draft Lodolo as a stable SP3 who can pitch like an SP2 if the command gains hold.
Why he’s undervalued: Rasmussen’s profile is fantasy-friendly even without elite strikeouts. He’s been consistently strong in ratios, and the park boost helps maintain that floor.
- Reliable ERA/WHIP profile across multiple seasons
- Doesn’t need a huge K rate to return value at cost
- Strong fit for managers building around stable ratios
How to draft him: Rasmussen is the ideal “glue” starter. Take him as an SP4 who can function as an SP3 when you’ve already secured strikeouts elsewhere.
Why he’s undervalued: Managers remember the ugly first half. But Gallen looked like himself again late in the season, showing the kind of second-half stabilization that often signals mechanical or pitch-shape fixes clicking.
- Strong second-half run with quality start consistency
- Innings volume matters in fantasy
- Veteran skill set is often discounted after one “bad year”
How to draft him: Gallen isn’t flashy at cost — and that’s the point. If he’s being drafted as a mid-rotation arm, you’re buying an innings-and-quality SP2 profile.
Why he’s undervalued: Age and injury anxiety are pushing Eovaldi down boards, but his performance ceiling is still high. Even if you expect regression, the quality of his season before injuries wasn’t fluky — his estimators backed it up.
- High-end ratios when healthy
- Strikeout and walk profile supports strong performance
- Massive ROI if he stays on the mound
How to draft him: Eovaldi is a discount win-now arm. Draft him as an SP4 and you could get SP2 production for long stretches.
Why he’s undervalued: Cavalli is the definition of “post-hype sleeper,” but the skill markers still suggest a breakout is possible. The results lagged, yet the underlying indicators — whiffs, chase, ground balls, and limited barrels — are the type that often precede a jump.
- Deep pitch mix with strong “stuff” indicators
- Hard-contact suppression and ground-ball lean
- Strikeout rate likely improves from last year’s surface number
How to draft him: Cavalli is a perfect last-pick lottery ticket. You’re not paying for the breakout — you’re paying for the chance it arrives.
Why he’s undervalued: Ponce is nearly free in early drafts, but he’s coming off an absurd KBO season with real volume. He’s the kind of late-round arm who can become relevant if the stuff translates and the role sticks.
- Huge recent innings workload overseas
- Reported velocity gains vs earlier MLB stints
- Opportunity for wins on a competitive roster
How to draft him: Treat Ponce like a bench SP with early-season “prove it” upside. If he looks sharp in April, he becomes a weekly start.
Why he’s undervalued: Pepiot isn’t sexy, but he’s the type of starter fantasy managers love: solid ratios, usable strikeouts, and enough innings to matter. The second-half turbulence may be pushing his ADP down, creating a buying window.
- Innings and role stability
- Helpful WHIP profile
- Park boost matters if home run rate is a concern
How to draft him: Pepiot is a “leave him in your lineup” type. Draft as an SP3/SP4 who stabilizes your rotation while your upside arms develop.
Why he’s undervalued: The skills scream upside, but the market is baking in role uncertainty. Sheehan’s strikeout-minus-walk profile and estimator support are the type you rarely get at a mid-round price. The only question is volume and rotation stickiness.
- Strong K% and manageable walk rate
- Excellent ERA estimators
- Elite team context for wins and run support
How to draft him: If Sheehan holds a rotation spot, he can smash ADP. Draft him as an upside SP4 — and be ready to pivot if spring news shifts his role.
Bonus Watchlist: Logan Henderson (MIL)
Why he’s worth tracking: Henderson may not have a locked-in job right now, but the skill foundation and organizational context make him a high-upside stash candidate in deeper formats.
Draft plan: Reserve-round target in deep leagues, or a Week 1-2 watchlist add if rotation openings appear.
How to Draft Undervalued Pitchers Without Blowing Up Your Team
- Pair upside with floor: If you draft Sheehan/Cavalli types, balance with Rasmussen/Pepiot stability.
- Don’t stack the same risk: Avoid building a staff of “injury bouncebacks” only.
- Chase skills, not last year’s ERA: K-BB%, whiffs, and contact quality win long-term.
Final Takeaways
Early 2026 drafts are where value lives. Managers who win leagues rarely do it by “getting every first-round pick right.” They do it by stacking undervalued pitchers who outperform ADP and building a rotation that stays strong even when injuries and variance hit in-season.
If you want the safest approach, anchor with stability (Pepiot, Rasmussen), then layer upside (Ragans, King, Sheehan, Cavalli). That blend is how you build a pitching staff that can win your league by July.