10 Hitters Experts Love to Draft (2026 Fantasy Baseball)

When preparing for your fantasy baseball drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy baseball rankings compared to average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable players below.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Advice

RK	PLAYER NAME	TEAM	POS	BEST	WORST	AVG.	STD.DEV	ECR VS. ADP
67	Vinnie Pasquantino	KC	1B9	43	87	71	9.5	15
68	Corey Seager	TEX	SS9	41	105	71.6	11	22
80	Jeremy Pena	HOU	SS12	38	106	81.3	8.5	14
88	Michael Harris II	ATL	OF21	69	136	92.8	10.1	16
97	Michael Busch	CHC	1B12	90	124	103.3	6.6	12
101	Teoscar Hernandez	LAD	OF22	91	148	107.1	12.7	17
103	Willy Adames	SF	SS13	65	168	109.2	17.7	16
105	Yandy Diaz	TB	1B13	65	172	110.9	13.3	18
111	Luke Keaschall	MIN	2B7	87	162	120.2	17.5	15
123	Ozzie Albies	ATL	2B8	103	198	128.2	21.1	12

Vinnie Pasquantino showed us the power we’d been hoping for in 2025, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 113. He barrels the ball well (10.8%), and he offers a decent batting average in the .265 range. Batting behind Bobby Witt Jr. and the seemingly ageless Sal Perez will never be a bad thing for counting stats. If you wait until the middle rounds, Pasquantino is in the last of the tier to be a true anchor at first base in 2026.

Michael Harris took another step back in 2025, slashing .249/.268/.409 with a career-worst 88 OPS+ despite playing 160 games. His plate discipline eroded further, as his walk rate cratered to 2.5% while his .281 BABIP and .295 rOBA both trended well below his rookie peak. The underlying quality of contact also dipped (43.6% HardHit, 89.4 mph EV), and his once-impactful baserunning regressed, leading to a sharp decline in overall offensive value. While the 2026 projections still forecast a return to 20/20 production, Harris is best viewed as a fantasy faller entering his age-25 season unless he meaningfully rebounds in approach and on-base skills.

Teoscar Hernandez saw a dramatic step back in 2025 after posting a massive 25.6 offensive WAR the year before, finishing with just 0.4. His production dipped nearly across the board, and injuries limited him to 134 games. Hernández still managed 25 home runs with 89 RBI, scored 65 runs, and added five steals, but his efficiency cratered. He posted career lows with a .247/.285/.454 slash line, raising concerns about age-related decline as he enters his age-33 season. While hitting in the Dodgers lineup provides a strong run-producing environment, continued struggles could push him lower than a typical middle-of-the-order role. Power remains his calling card, but at this stage, Hernandez profiles best as a depth outfielder, ideally drafted as an OF3 or OF4 rather than a lineup anchor.

What is Fantasy Baseball?

Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.

Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success

1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring

Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.

2. Drafting Your Team Wisely

A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:

Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.

3. In-Season Management

Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.