Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Nick Kurtz's 2025 rookie season showed the potential that made him a top prospect, highlighted by strong on-base skills but uneven in-game power as he adjusted to MLB pitching. His 2026 projections anticipate a small step forward in home runs, but his .290 batting average is a mirage (xBA of .249). The allure of what he is capable of will drive up his price on draft day, and it is difficult to argue with that dream as the A's continue to play 81 games in Sacramento. The volatility is real, and at age 23, he still has some growing pains to come. Even with all that, though, he'll go in the second round in 12-team leagues, so decide quickly if you want that on your squad.

Fantasy managers who took a chance on Tyler Soderstrom in 2025 were rewarded with a breakout season. At just 23 years old, he delivered 25 home runs, drove in 93 runs, scored 74 times, swiped eight bases, and posted a strong .276/.346/.474 slash line. He made tangible progress cutting down his strikeouts while continuing to impact the ball at an elite level, ranking in the 86th percentile in hard-hit rate (49.8%). Encouragingly, his expected batting average and slugging percentage closely matched his actual production, suggesting the performance was well-earned. With projections calling for a comparable output in 2026 and the Athletics' hitters benefiting from games in Sacramento, Soderstrom enters his age-24 season as a dependable OF3 option.