Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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1.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
NYY
Jazz Chisholm's 2025 season was a reminder of both his upside and volatility, as power-speed contributions were once again offset by durability concerns and streaky efficiency. His 2026 projections bake in similar power and speed totals with right around 600 plate appearances, reflecting ongoing availability risk. When on the field, his per-game fantasy production remains strong, particularly in steals. Chisholm is best approached as a ceiling play rather than a foundational early-round option, but qualifying at third base does bump him up a few spots on draft boards.
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2.
Ketel Marte
ARI
The list of elite second basemen in 2026 fantasy baseball looks to be about three players long, and Ketel Marte is at the top of the list, depending on how you feel about Jazz Chisholm Jr. Marte offers an excellent barrel rate (13.5%) and an elite hard hit rate (47%) at the position, while also providing a boon in batting average (career .281 hitter). The downside is there, however. Marte is on the wrong side of 30, and the number of games he's played in has gone from 150 to 136 to 126 in the last three years. Still, you're not getting 30 home runs from many second basemen, and batting in between Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll should help his counting stats. Marte's biggest issue is health; if you draft him, prepare for at least one IL stint during the season. Otherwise, he's as good as they come.
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3.
Brice Turang
MIL
Fantasy managers who drafted Brice Turang, hoping for a repeat of his 50-SB season in 2024, may have been disappointed in the drop to 24, but they got a whole lot more than expected everywhere else. Turang improved in almost every metric, jumping to 18 home runs thanks to a leap in HardHit rate from 29.7% to 47.4%. He batted an elite .288, ranking second at the position, and the 24 steals were still fifth on the list. At only age 26, Turang should bat behind Jackson Chourio and in front of William Contreras and Christian Yelich, an excellent spot to pick up counting stats. At the weakest position in fantasy, Turang may be the only one to offer something in all five categories and is the last of the three in the top tier.
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4.
Nico Hoerner
CHC
Nico Hoerner quietly delivered his best all-around season in 2025, pairing a career-high offensive impact (114 OPS+, 118 Rbat+) with elite contact skills and Gold Glove-caliber defense. His strikeout rate dipped to an excellent 7.6% while maintaining above-average run production and efficiency on the bases, reinforcing his high-floor fantasy profile. The 2026 projections largely stabilize his output rather than build in upside, but his strong plate skills and secure everyday role keep him valuable in batting average, runs, and steals. Entering a contract year, Hoerner has added motivation to sustain peak performance, even if his limited power caps category ceiling.
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5.
Jose Altuve
HOU
Jose Altuve's 2025 profile showed clear age-related erosion, with declining rOBA, reduced hard-hit rates, and a continued drop in stolen-base efficiency despite strong durability. While his contact skills remain above average, the quality of contact has flattened out, making his mid-20s home run totals harder to bank on going forward. The 2026 projections reflect this shift, leaning toward solid but unspectacular production with diminishing speed and only modest power. Altuve still offers batting average stability and run production in a strong lineup, but at his age, he profiles more as a floor play than a difference-maker in fantasy formats.
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6.
Luke Keaschall
MIN
Luke Keaschall was highly productive in his 49-game debut in 2025, slashing .302/.382/.445 with a 135 Rbat+ and an elite 14% strikeout rate that underscores his advanced bat-to-ball skills. While his below-average 85.9 mph EV and modest 1.9% HR rate cap his power ceiling, his 26% line-drive rate and .340 BABIP support a high-contact, table-setting profile. He also went 14-for-17 on stolen base attempts (82.4% success rate), adding category juice that plays up in roto formats. With 2026 projections forecasting a significant increase in plate appearances and steady growth across the board, Keaschall profiles as a batting-average stabilizer with 20+ SB upside and emerging run-production value in deeper mixed leagues.
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7.
Ozzie Albies
ATL
Ozzie Albies took a clear step back in 2025, slashing .240/.306/.365 with 16 homers after posting a 33-HR, .849 OPS campaign as recently as 2023. His ISO cratered to .124 (down from .233 in 2023), with a dip in average exit velocity (87.5 mph) and hard-hit rate (30.7%) driving the power regression. While he rebounded to 157 games and chipped in 14 steals, his 92 Rbat+ and declining run production reflected a more contact-oriented, lower-impact profile. The 2026 projections forecast a modest power rebound with improved run totals, but not a full return to peak production. Albies now profiles as a fantasy faller relative to his prime, settling in as a lower-end top-10 second baseman rather than a difference-making middle infield anchor.
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8.
Maikel Garcia
KC
Maikel Garcia took a massive step forward in 2025, transforming from a speed-first table-setter into a well-rounded fantasy contributor with a .286/.351/.449 line, 16 homers, and 23 steals. The offensive breakout was backed by real skill growth, including a sharp jump in on-base ability and contact quality after a down 2024. His elite defensive versatility locked in everyday playing time, which allowed the counting stats to fully surface across a full season. At just 26 years old, Garcia now profiles as a high-floor, multi-category infielder with sneaky upside rather than a niche speed play.
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9.
Ceddanne Rafaela
BOS
Ceddanne Rafaela took a meaningful step forward in 2025, emerging as a clear fantasy riser after trimming his strikeout rate from 26.4% in 2024 to 19.9% while boosting his ISO to .165. The improved contact quality (87.7 mph EV, 38.7% HardHit) and career-best 4.8% walk rate supported a jump to a .708 OPS and 4.7 WAR, with 16 homers and 20 steals across 156 games. While his .295 OBP still limits his runs ceiling in standard formats, Rafaela's elite defense secures everyday playing time, and his 80% SB success rate plus 65.9% extra-base-taken rate highlight impactful speed. If the 2026 projections hold near a 15-18 HR, 18-22 SB pace with incremental OBP growth, Rafaela profiles as a high-floor middle-round target whose category juice outweighs the modest plate-discipline concerns.
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10.
Xavier Edwards
MIA
Xavier Edwards followed up a breakout 2024 (.328/.397/.423, 129 OPS+) with a heavier workload in 2025, logging 619 PA but seeing his efficiency normalize (.283/.343/.353, 94 OPS+). The batted-ball profile supports the pullback: his .330 BABIP was far less inflated than 2024's .398 mark, while his 84.5 mph average exit velocity and 7.0% ISO continue to cap his power ceiling. Encouragingly, he trimmed his strikeout rate to 14.2% and maintained strong contact skills, giving him a stable batting-average floor even if the run production remains modest. The 2026 projections lean into that profile — high-contact table-setter with limited pop but double-digit steal potential thanks to his above-average success rate and baserunning value. Edwards' fantasy value hinges on lineup spot and volume; if he sticks near the top of Miami's order, he's a useful MI target for managers chasing average and speed without sacrificing plate discipline. Just don't draft him expecting meaningful power growth — he's a category specialist, not a five-category contributor.
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11.
Brandon Lowe
PIT
Brandon Lowe rebounded in 2025, earning an All-Star nod while clubbing 31 home runs across 134 games, his highest total since 2021. His underlying metrics remained strong — a 91.1 mph average exit velocity and 46.7% hard-hit rate supported a healthy 5.6% HR rate — but a declining 6.9% walk rate and 26.9% strikeout rate capped his OBP at .307 despite a career-best .297 BABIP. The 2026 projections forecast another 30-homer campaign with a batting average in the .245-.255 range, reinforcing his profile as a power-first middle infielder with limited speed. Given his restored durability and steady batted-ball quality, Lowe profiles as a fantasy riser, particularly in formats that reward power from the second base slot, though his batting-average volatility keeps him just shy of elite-tier stability.
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12.
Marcus Semien
NYM
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13.
Jackson Holliday
BAL
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14.
Gleyber Torres
DET
Gleyber Torres reestablished himself as a reliable fantasy middle infielder in 2025 after a down 2024, showing improved plate discipline (career-best walk rate) and a rebound in overall run production following his move to Detroit. While the power remains well below his 2018-19 peak, his 2025 advanced profile points to solid contact quality and a more patient approach that supports a stable AVG/OBP floor. The 2026 projections reflect a continuation of that skill set rather than a return to 30+ homer upside, making him more valuable in OBP formats than standard roto leagues. With minimal speed and capped power, Torres profiles as a low-ceiling but steady fantasy contributor, best viewed as a post-hype sleeper for managers seeking middle-infield stability rather than upside.
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15.
Bryson Stott
PHI
Bryson Stott took a step forward in 2025, rebounding from a down 2024 campaign to post a .257/.328/.391 line with 13 homers and 24 steals over 147 games. His underlying profile supports the modest bounce-back: a career-best 9.6% walk rate and improved .324 rOBA (95 Rbat+) were driven more by plate discipline than impact, as his 86.9 mph average exit velocity and 29.5% hard-hit rate remained well below league average. The shift toward more fly balls (29.2% FB rate, 0.68 GB/FB) helped stabilize his power output, but his .134 ISO still caps the ceiling. With 2026 projections forecasting another 20-plus steal season with double-digit homers and steady ratios, Stott profiles as a stable middle-infield contributor rather than a breakout bat.
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16.
Jorge Polanco
NYM
Jorge Polanco rebounded in 2025, posting a .265/.326/.495 line with 26 home runs and a 134 OPS+ across 138 games for Seattle. The underlying metrics support the bounce-back: his 89.9 mph average exit velocity and 45.8% hard-hit rate were both career-best marks, while his strikeout rate dropped to 15.6% after spiking to 29.2% in 2024. The result was a .348 rOBA and 134 Rbat+, well above league average and a clear return to middle-of-the-order production. Looking ahead to 2026, projections that peg him closer to the low-.250s with 20-23 homers suggest some pullback from last year's career-high ISO (.229) and HR rate (5.0%). That's reasonable given his age and prior volatility, but the improved contact quality and stabilized plate discipline from 2025 give him a higher floor than most mid-tier second basemen. Durability remains the primary variable, yet if he approaches 140 games again, Polanco profiles as a strong MI option with 20-plus homer power and counting stats buoyed by everyday run production.
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17.
Matt McLain
CIN
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18.
Luis Garcia
WSH
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19.
Otto Lopez
MIA
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20.
Brendan Donovan
SEA
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21.
Brett Baty
NYM
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22.
Jordan Westburg
BAL
Jordan Westburg followed up his 2024 All-Star breakout with another solid but less impactful 2025, as injuries limited him to 85 games and capped his counting stats. On a per-game basis, his power remained intact (17 HR, .457 SLG), but reduced doubles output and minimal speed kept him from taking the next step. His multi-position eligibility and steady contact quality help stabilize his fantasy floor, particularly in deeper formats. If he can stay healthy and reclaim a full-time role in Baltimore's crowded infield, Westburg still offers sleeper upside as a balanced power contributor entering his age-27 season.
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23.
Luis Arraez
SF
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24.
Colt Keith
DET
Colt Keith took a meaningful step forward in 2025, improving his rOBA from .308 to .326 and his Rbat+ from 95 to 107 while boosting his walk rate from 6.5% to 10.3%. The power growth was supported by real skill gains, as his ISO jumped from .120 to .157 with a spike in hard-hit rate (35.3% to 43.7%) and average exit velocity (87.8 mph to 90.0 mph), even as his strikeout rate ticked up slightly. His more balanced batted-ball profile (lower GB%, higher FB%) suggests the 2025 power gains are sustainable rather than fluky. With 2026 projections building on that improved plate discipline and batted-ball authority, Keith profiles as a fantasy riser, especially in OBP formats. While he's unlikely to contribute much in steals, a potential jump into the 18-22 HR range with solid run production at second base gives him stable middle-infield value with room for another step forward entering his age-24 season.
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25.
Tommy Edman
LAD
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26.
Caleb Durbin
BOS
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27.
Jose Caballero
NYY
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28.
Jeff McNeil
ATH
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29.
Andres Gimenez
TOR
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30.
JJ Wetherholt
STL
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31.
Chase Meidroth
CWS
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32.
Brooks Lee
MIN
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33.
Willi Castro
COL
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34.
Jake Cronenworth
SD
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35.
Ernie Clement
TOR
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36.
Lenyn Sosa
CWS
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37.
Marcelo Mayer
BOS
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38.
Jonathan India
KC
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39.
Ha-Seong Kim
ATL
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40.
Kristian Campbell
BOS
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41.
Christian Moore
LAA
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42.
Romy Gonzalez
BOS
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43.
Luisangel Acuna
CWS
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44.
Nolan Gorman
STL
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45.
Luis Rengifo
MIL
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46.
Jared Triolo
PIT
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47.
Travis Bazzana
CLE
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48.
Nick Gonzales
PIT
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49.
Gavin Lux
TB
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50.
Gabriel Arias
CLE
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51.
Brayan Rocchio
CLE
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52.
Hyeseong Kim
LAD
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53.
Tyler Freeman
COL
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54.
Kody Clemens
MIN
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55.
Javier Baez
DET
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56.
Brooks Baldwin
CWS
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57.
Sung-Mun Song
SD
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58.
Nasim Nunez
WSH
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59.
Mauricio Dubon
ATL
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60.
Max Muncy
ATH
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61.
Javier Sanoja
MIA
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62.
Edouard Julien
COL
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63.
Cole Young
SEA
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64.
Zack Gelof
ATH
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65.
Casey Schmitt
SF
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66.
Austin Martin
MIN
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67.
Blaze Alexander
BAL
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68.
Thomas Saggese
STL
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69.
Ronny Mauricio
NYM
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70.
Davis Schneider
TOR
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71.
Adael Amador
COL
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72.
Vaughn Grissom
LAA
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73.
Tim Tawa
ARI
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74.
Jett Williams
MIL
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75.
Brice Matthews
HOU
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76.
Angel Martinez
CLE
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77.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa
BOS
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78.
Michael Massey
KC
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79.
Miguel Rojas
LAD
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80.
Edmundo Sosa
PHI
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81.
Tyler Fitzgerald
SF
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82.
Thairo Estrada
FA
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83.
Amed Rosario
NYY
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84.
David Hamilton
MIL
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85.
Ezequiel Duran
TEX
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86.
Ryan Ritter
COL
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87.
Jose Fermin
STL
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88.
Cody Freeman
TEX
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89.
Jose Tena
WSH
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90.
Oswald Peraza
LAA
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91.
Adam Frazier
LAA
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92.
Dylan Moore
FA
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93.
Ramon Urias
STL
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94.
Andruw Monasterio
BOS
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95.
Daniel Schneemann
CLE
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96.
Max Anderson
DET
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97.
Enrique Hernandez
LAD
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98.
Nick Yorke
PIT
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99.
Jorge Mateo
ATL
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100.
Jesus Made
MIL
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101.
Curtis Mead
CWS
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102.
Darell Hernaiz
ATH
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103.
Jon Berti
FA
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104.
Bryan Torres
STL
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105.
Ryan Bliss
SEA
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106.
Chris Taylor
LAA
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107.
Richard Palacios
CLE
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108.
Kyle Farmer
ATL
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109.
Jose Iglesias
FA
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110.
Leo Rivas
SEA
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111.
Orlando Arcia
MIN
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112.
Luis Urias
FA
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113.
Tommy Troy
ARI
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114.
Santiago Espinal
LAD
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115.
Shay Whitcomb
HOU
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116.
Hao-Yu Lee
DET
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117.
Christian Koss
SF
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118.
Payton Eeles
BAL
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119.
Michael Arroyo
SEA
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120.
Max Schuemann
NYY
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121.
DJ LeMahieu
FA
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122.
Paul DeJong
NYY
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123.
Juan Brito
CLE
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124.
Kyren Paris
LAA
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125.
Nick Loftin
KC
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126.
Brendan Rodgers
BOS
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127.
Jadher Areinamo
TB
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128.
Nick Sogard
BOS
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129.
Andy Ibanez
ATH
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130.
Orelvis Martinez
WSH
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131.
Tyler Callihan
CIN
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132.
Sam Antonacci
CWS
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133.
Ildemaro Vargas
ARI
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134.
James Triantos
CHC
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135.
Tanner Murray
CWS
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136.
Tristan Gray
MIN
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137.
Cesar Prieto
STL
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138.
Brandon Drury
KC
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139.
Brett Wisely
ATL
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140.
Nick Madrigal
LAA
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141.
Luke Williams
ATL
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142.
Abraham Toro
KC
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143.
Tim Anderson
FA
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144.
Alika Williams
PIT
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145.
Liover Peguero
PHI
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146.
Jared Serna
MIA
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147.
Cooper Kinney
TB
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148.
Josh Rojas
KC
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149.
Jorbit Vivas
NYY
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150.
Aaron Schunk
ATL
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151.
Nate Furman
SF
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152.
Ben Cowles
TOR
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153.
Tsung-Che Cheng
BOS
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154.
Marco Luciano
NYY
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155.
Ryan Fitzgerald
LAD
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156.
Scott Kingery
CHC
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157.
Miles Mastrobuoni
SEA
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158.
Garrett Hampson
CIN
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159.
Jack Winkler
HOU
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160.
Samad Taylor
SD
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161.
Donovan Walton
LAA
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162.
Tyler Wade
TEX
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163.
Weston Wilson
BAL
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164.
Ronny Simon
PIT
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165.
Kevin Newman
KC
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166.
Jose Rojas
NYM
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