18 Pitchers Experts 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 Pitchers experts are targeting in drafts.

• 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit
• Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings
• Fantasy Baseball Projections
• Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Simulator

Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets Experts Love: Pitchers

Here are players fantasy baseball experts rank well above their current consensus ADP.

After a brilliant 2024 season, Cole Ragans dealt with injuries in 2025, including a groin strain and a left rotator cuff strain. He started only 13 games, threw 61 2/3 innings, and finished with an ugly 4.67 ERA. However, his xERA was 2.68, FIP was 2.50, and xFIP was 2.45, so a lot of his struggles resulted from terrible luck (.354 BABIP). His 38.1% strikeout rate is unsustainable, but his career swinging strike rate is 14.2%, meaning he should remain a valuable source of Ks. No one likes hearing “left rotator cuff strain” on a left-handed pitcher, but upon his return late last year, he pitched his best innings of the season. There is some risk involved in the 28-year-old, but he will be a high-reward pick if he stays healthy.

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.

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