FantasyPros Staff | Sat, Mar 21st 2026, 3:06am EDT

Fantasy Baseball League Winners: Pitchers (2026)

Every fantasy baseball draft has a sweet spot where leagues are quietly won. It sits between the early stars and the late lottery tickets, where value, upside, and opportunity collide.

These mid-round picks rarely come with hype, but they often decide championships. We asked our Featured Pros to identify the players who could turn solid drafts into league-winning ones in 2026.

Fantasy Baseball League Winners

Pitchers

Which pitcher currently going in the middle rounds (Picks 60 – 120 in FantasyPros Consensus ADP) could end up being a league-winner who significantly outperforms their draft slot?

Kyle Bradish (SP – BAL)

“Kyle Bradish comes with obvious injury and innings-limit concerns, but few can match his production when he’s on the mound. The Orioles’ ace has posted an ERA below 2.85 and a WHIP under 1.08 in three consecutive seasons. He also strikes out well over a batter per inning (10.05 K/9 since 2023) and rarely gives up home runs (0.71 HR/9 since 2023). Bradish will likely be capped at around 150 innings, but those limits are already baked into his current draft price. If he can stay healthy, even with the shortened workload, Bradish could easily be a league winner at 79th overall.”
– Austin Lowell (Fantasy Baseball By The Numbers)

Jacob Misiorowski (SP – MIL)

“Even in an era of extreme velocity, Jacob Misiorowski is an outlier. He routinely tops triple digits with his 4-seamer, a pitch that held opponents to a .193 average last season. Misiorowski offers elite traits and ace-like upside at a mid-draft price, which is exactly the sort of pitcher we need to target. If we get 150 or so innings from him in 2026, he can deliver 180 Ks with glittering fantasy ratios.”
– Andy Behrens (The Deep Shot)

“If there is one pitcher going in the middle rounds with the talent to turn into a fantasy ace this year, it’s Jacob Misiorowski. He was dominant in his first three starts as a pro last year, only to hit the typical rookie bumps in the road. The walks still need to be harnessed, but even if he delivers an ERA around 3.50 and lowers the WHIP a bit, his substantial strikeout rate and win potential will make him well worth it.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)

Nolan McLean (SP – NYM)

“Nolan McLean certainly has the ability to be a difference maker for your roster. He’s dominated at every stop, including his 48 innings in the majors last year. Among qualified pitchers, he would’ve finished with the 3rd-highest strikeout rate. He also threw 161 innings last year, so unlike many young pitchers, he could throw the innings to finish as a top pitcher.”
– Brandon ‘B_Don’ Myers (Razzball)

“The pitcher currently going in the middle rounds (Picks 60 – 120) in FantasyPros Consensus ADP) that could end up being a league-winner who significantly outperforms their draft slot is Nolan McLean. McLean isn’t just another hyped arm; he’s arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball entering 2026. His strikeout production is already translating to the MLB level with his 10.7 K/9 debut. His slider and sweeper have elite movement, and his fastball is touching 98 mph. This combination gives McLean true SP1 upside immediately, not the typical “rookie learning curve” profile. You’re not drafting a prospect, you’re drafting a potential top 10 strikeout arm immediately. If you’re looking for the pitcher who becomes this year’s Spencer Strider or Tarik Skubal-type breakout, Nolan McLean is one of my top bets on the draft board.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

Chase Burns (SP – CIN)

“Some of my preferred targets in Nathan Eovaldi (121), Michael King (122), and Cam Schlittler (128) fell just outside the question’s consensus ECR parameters. While I may not target starting pitching heavily in this range, it’s awfully difficult to ignore Chase Burns’ upside despite the immense risk. Skeptics already took Twitter victory laps over him supposedly not making the Opening Day roster before Reds manager Terry Francona announced Tuesday that Burns will start the season in Cincinnati. An innings cap remains probable, but Burns is still a burgeoning ace who stockpiled 67 strikeouts and a 15.8% swinging-strike rate in 43.1 innings last season. Although this may end horribly, I’m still much more tempted to get burned by Burns than the rest of this high-risk, high-reward tier featuring Spencer Strider, Brandon Woodruff, and Jacob Misiorowski.”
– Andrew Gould (FantasyPros)

“In 2026, I’m very high on Chase Burns because of his profile, not his relatively lackluster 113.2 Average ADP. It took him a year to travel from Low-A in the Minors to the Majors in large part because he has elite fastball velocity and a swing-and-miss breaking ball. Once in the Show, he struck out double-digit major league hitters in four of five rookie starts. His K/9 could be a league leader, needing only his ratios to catch up to his “stuff,” to be a Top 10 starter currently being drafted outside the Top 100/10 rounds. By my count, there are only three elite starters in Fantasy baseball (Skubal/Skenes/Crochet), and there were only 12 200+ strikeout pitchers in 2025. Burns has the potential to be a fourth, making the #113th pick in the draft a league-winner and enormous value in ’26.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)

Tyler Glasnow (SP – LAD)

“Tyler Glasnow has already shown he can pitch like an ace when healthy, but he is still being drafted outside the top tier of starting pitchers. His strikeout upside is among the best in baseball, and pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers gives him elite win potential, especially with Edwin Diaz locking down games in the ninth inning. If Glasnow can stay on the mound for a full season, he has the ability to outperform his draft position, finish as one of the top starting pitchers in fantasy baseball, and potentially be a Cy Young contender.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Joe Ryan (SP – MIN)

“Joe Ryan is going as the 23rd pitcher off the board with an ADP of 74. He’s coming off his best season, which saw him set career bests in innings and ERA, and, according to Fangraphs’ player rater, was the 16th most valuable pitcher last season. Ryan has been really consistent since his debut in 2021. His ERA has ranged between 3.42 and 4.51, and his WHIP has been 1.10 or better in three of the last four seasons. He’s never had more than 13 wins in a season, but one lucky year in that regard could see him as a top-10 pitcher in fantasy.”
– Chase Davis (FantasyPros)

Dylan Cease (SP – TOR)

“Dylan Cease stands out for me as a potential league-winning option for those who wait or miss out on one of the top-tier options in drafts with an ADP of 69. The right-hander has recorded over 200 strikeouts in each of his last five seasons, offering ace-level stuff despite a down 2025 campaign (8-12, 1.33 WHIP, 4.55 ERA) with the San Diego Padres. I would have zero issue with taking Cease over Logan Gilbert (ADP 39), Chris Sale (ADP 40), and Cole Ragans (ADP 50) in any format while grabbing top position player options.”
– Chris Schommer (FantasyPros)

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