Ryan Pasti | Sat, Mar 14th 2026, 8:06am EDT

Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy: Hitters Early (2026)

Who doesn’t love home runs? Drafting hitters early is a bold approach you should look into if you want your batters to be the envy of your league. The strategy below details the general methods to ensure your fantasy baseball team will have excellent hitting stats.

There is one select group of people who do not love home runs. Pitchers. This strategy will focus on hitters, but it will also explain ways to acquire good pitching at a discount. By drafting hitters early, your team will have superstar bats and solid arms.

Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy: Hitters Early

The Approach

This strategy will be less about specific players and more about general ideas. Every draft can go differently, and every league format is different. The looser this strategy is, the more translatable it will be.

The most important part of this strategy is being flexible. Do not self-impose unnecessary strictness. Yes, this methodology calls for drafting hitters early. No, this methodology does not call to ignore Paul Skenes if he is available in the second round.

Also, be flexible with league formats. For example, a hitting-heavy team means something entirely different in a points league compared to a categories league. Good hitters can mean more points, while bad pitching could mean forfeiting categories. General points leagues are better-suited for an early focus on hitters. Your dedication to drafting hitters may depend on your league settings.

Approach the draft by being flexible. Be hungry for elite bats. Do not close your eyes to ace pitchers available for a discount. Daydream about the hits, runs, RBI, home runs, stolen bases and ratios your hitters will accumulate. This strategy believes that pitching is good, but hitting is more valuable.

The Early Rounds

The beginning of the draft is simple. Draft. Hitters. Draft elite hitters. Scout the average draft positions (ADPs) of top players, and go get’em. I recommend taking three great hitters in the first three rounds. Of course, remember to keep an eye out for pitching value, but this strategy does not require top-end arms to win.

If you draft fifth in a 10-team league, your first three picks could look like:

Juan Soto (OF – NYM) (ADP: 5)
Gunnar Henderson (SS – BAL) (ADP: 16)
Pete Alonso (1B – BAL) (ADP: 25)

How deadly does this trio look? The caveat here is that, unfortunately, the draft will not always go favorably. Regardless of whether these specific players are available, there will be an abundance of great batters in these first rounds. The first three rounds and the other early rounds should be dedicated to pitching.

The main idea is to draft reliable hitters early. There is plenty of room for risks later. Find batters who have been good for a while and who usually stay healthy. These players will anchor your team and lead your lineup.

It is also worthwhile to consider positional scarcity within your league. Outfielders will vanish off the draft board in formats with five outfielders. The same will happen for catchers in those rare two-catcher leagues. It is extra valuable to draft a hitter from a scarce position in your league to gain an advantage over your league mates seeking those same positions.

Draft hitters at the beginning of the draft. Craft a devastating lineup.

The Middle Rounds

The early middle rounds of your draft have a similar strategy. Good bats should be targeted once again. Reinforce your lineup. Be greedy in finding good hitters.

Go down the line and draft batters. There are still many excellent batters available in this territory, such as Jarren Duran (ADP: 62) and Vinnie Pasquantino (ADP: 80). In general, hitting talent will dry up before pitching talent. Gather hitting talent while you can in the early middle rounds of your draft. Your starting hitters should be more or less solidified by the end of these rounds.

The early middle rounds are also a respectable time to find an ace. Pitchers like Joe Ryan (ADP: 74), Framber Valdez (ADP: 75) or Jesus Luzardo (ADP:76) all have ADPs in the 70s and should be available around here. If you do not like these specific pitchers, an abundance of talented arms are available within this range. Although these pitchers are not Tarik Skubal, it is perfectly fine for them to lead a team with dominant hitting.

The late middle of the draft is finally the time to find pitching. Draft pitcher after pitcher. Go down the line and draft starters. However, just like how you keep an eye out for good pitchers that slipped through the cracks early in the draft, stay aware of good hitters in these rounds.

Get more talented hitters in the beginning of the middle rounds, and find pitchers in the later middle rounds.

The Later Rounds

The later rounds are for solidifying your roster. Targeting only hitters can leave holes in your team. These rounds are dedicated to depth and upside.

This section of the draft is the prime opportunity to draft some sleepers. Sleepers at this point in the draft can be both hitters and pitchers. Ideally, emphasize high-upside pitchers over hitters to even out your rotation.

It is also time to find some relief pitchers. Aim for upside. No premium closers are available this late, but potential closers and set-up pitchers are available.

Relievers such as Dennis Santana (ADP: 190), Griffin Jax (ADP: 216) and Lucas Erceg (ADP: 662) will have save opportunities this season, especially Santana. Future closers are also always available on the waiver wire early in the season. Bullpens get shaken up, and waiver wire claims can become All-Star closers.

Use the final section of the draft to finalize your team. Draft sleepers and closers. Aim for upside.

Final Thoughts

Drafting hitters early is not an approach for everyone. But when it works, it really works. If you want explosive bats and solid pitching, this methodology is for you. Good luck on draft day.

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