Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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1.
Jose Ramirez
CLE
Jose Ramírez remained one of fantasy's most reliable five-category contributors in 2025, once again clearing 30 HR while adding strong run production and double-digit steals. His 2026 projections show only mild age-related regression, with power and speed both expected to remain intact thanks to elite contact quality and plate discipline. Ramírez continues to profile as a safe first-round cornerstone and chronically underrated.
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2.
Junior Caminero
TB
Junior Caminero's first full MLB season in 2025 delivered flashes of elite raw power but came with expected growing pains in plate discipline. He hit 45 home runs, drove in 110, and scored 93 times. His barrel rate was a fantastic 14% with a 51.4% hard-hit rate. The power is very real. However, in 2026, the Rays shift out of the minor league park they played in and back to one of the worst hitting parks in the majors. His 2026 projections anticipate a small reduction in home runs because of this park switch; however, they also suggest improvement in his ratios as his approach matures in his age-22 season. The underlying exit velocity and hard-hit gains year over year support the power breakout narrative. Caminero profiles as a high-upside player at a weak position whose fantasy value rises quickly if the strikeout rate continues to normalize.
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3.
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 injury concerns and streaky efficiency. His 2026 projections bake in similar power and speed totals with right around 600 plate appearances. 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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4.
Manny Machado
SD
There is consistent, and then there is Manny Machado. In his age-32 season, Machado played in 159 games, hitting 27 home runs, scoring 91 times, driving in 95, and had a slash line of .275/.335/.460. (His slash line in 2024 was .275/.325/.472.) His home run total was the lowest since 2014 (ignoring 2020), but he actually barreled the ball (12.9%) and had his highest HardHit rate (51.5%) since 2021. The Padres lineup is aging, but Machado is still projected to bat behind Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, which should lead to plenty of counting stats. Depending on how you feel about Junior Caminero, Machado is either the second or third-best third baseman in 2026 fantasy baseball and a solid early-round pick.
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5.
Austin Riley
ATL
If you're looking for candidates for Comeback Player of the Year, Austin Riley should probably be on it. Riley's age-28 season was cut short by an abdominal injury that cost him almost one-third of the season, sapped his power, and caused his strikeout rate to jump to 28.6%. It was his second injury-shortened year in a row, but the underlying metrics suggest the bounceback is coming. Riley still had an elite 15.2% barrel rate and 50.2% HardHit rate, and his xSLG was 30 points higher than actual. Assuming he is able to return to the player he was from 2021-2023, expect another 30 home runs and 90 runs/RBIs. He should be the fourth third baseman off the board, and you can get him much later than the other three, making him a borderline early-round sleeper candidate.
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6.
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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7.
Eugenio Suarez
CIN
Eugenio Suarez enjoyed a dramatic power resurgence in 2025, crushing 49 home runs with 118 RBI across 159 games while rebounding from a down 2023 season. Although the batting average remained volatile (.228 overall), his .526 slugging percentage and top-tier barrel production reaffirmed his value as a category-altering power bat. The strikeout rate is still elevated, keeping his floor low in average-based formats, but the run production and durability help offset the risk. The move to Cincinnati boosts his value compared to having re-signed in Seattle, simply from a ballpark perspective. Entering his age-34 season, Suarez profiles as a high-variance corner infielder whose fantasy value hinges on elite power holding steady despite age-related decline concerns.
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8.
Alex Bregman
CHC
Alex Bregman only appeared in 114 games for the Red Sox last season, but he cashed in during free agency with a five-year deal with the Cubs. Aside from 2025 and an injury-plagued 2021 season, Bregman has been steady in games played, and he's been a solid contributor, with a career slash line of .272/.365/.481. He will be 32 this season, so we've probably seen the best of him, but third base is not a particularly deep position. Projections have him with a 20/80/80 season, which is totally fine if you decide to wait until the middle rounds to fill that roster spot. Don't reach for him because of his name, but he fits the bill of "you know what you're gonna get" in 2026 fantasy.
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9.
Matt Chapman
SF
Matt Chapman followed up his excellent 2024 with a solid but slightly muted 2025, as the power dipped to 21 home runs and the batting average slid to .231 despite a strong .340 OBP. Plate discipline remained a plus, and the underlying power was still present, but reduced games played and fewer counting stats capped his fantasy ceiling compared to the prior year. Third base remains a thinner position, which helps preserve his value even as the speed contribution continues to fade in his early 30s. Heading into 2026, Chapman profiles as a steady but unspectacular corner infielder, reliable for power and OBP formats, but unlikely to return to peak-level fantasy production.
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10.
Noelvi Marte
CIN
Noelvi Marte showed some growth in 2025, rebounding from a rough 2024 to post a .263/.300/.448 line with 14 homers and double-digit steals in just 90 games. Versatility across third base and the outfield should help him maintain regular playing time, even if his glove remains a work in progress. FantasyPros 2026 projections reflect a young hitter still trending upward, making Marte an appealing upside play in deeper formats.
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11.
Addison Barger
TOR
Addison Barger took a significant step forward in 2025, improving across the board with a .243/.301/.454 slash, 21 homers, and a league-average 105 OPS+ after struggling mightily as a rookie. The power growth was especially encouraging. While his strikeout rate remains elevated, everyday playing time and defensive versatility at third base and the corner outfield helped solidify his role. Projections reflect cautious optimism, positioning Barger as a late-round sleeper with legitimate 20-plus homer upside if the plate discipline continues to stabilize.
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12.
Royce Lewis
MIN
Royce Lewis's elite upside remains undeniable, but his 2025 season underscored the growing gap between talent and fantasy reliability, as he posted a .237/.283/.388 line with diminished power and run production over 106 games. While his athleticism still shows up with occasional steals and defensive flexibility, the overall offensive profile has slipped closer to below league average. FantasyPros 2026 projections remain cautiously optimistic, but until Lewis can stay on the field and sustain his early-career power, he profiles as a high-variance pick whose draft cost may outweigh the floor in standard formats.
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13.
Kazuma Okamoto
TOR
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14.
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. 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, but the improved contact quality and stabilized plate discipline from 2025 give him a higher floor than most mid-tier second basemen. Health 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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15.
Munetaka Murakami
CWS
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16.
Isaac Paredes
HOU
Isaac Paredes followed up his 2023 breakout with another strong season in 2025, slashing .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs and a 123 OPS+ in his first year with Houston. While the raw power dipped slightly from its peak, his elite plate discipline and pull-side power remained intact, keeping his rOBA and Rbat+ well above league average. The move to a strong lineup context helped stabilize his counting stats, reinforcing his profile as a reliable corner-infield bat rather than a fluky breakout. FantasyPros 2026 projections continue to view Paredes as a high-floor option with 25-homer upside, making him a steady fantasy contributor even if he no longer carries surprise-star appeal.
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17.
Max Muncy
LAD
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18.
Caleb Durbin
BOS
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19.
Alec Bohm
PHI
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20.
Colson Montgomery
CWS
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21.
JJ Wetherholt
STL
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22.
Carlos Correa
HOU
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23.
Jose Caballero
NYY
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24.
Miguel Vargas
CWS
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25.
Brett Baty
NYM
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26.
Matt Shaw
CHC
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27.
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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28.
Colt Keith
DET
Colt Keith took a meaningful step forward in 2025. 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). 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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29.
Mark Vientos
NYM
Mark Vientos failed to build on his 2024 breakout, with his 2025 season showing notable pullbacks. The plate skills did improve slightly (career-best strikeout rate to 24.8%), but the quality-of-contact gains from 2024 didn't hold, leaving him closer to league average overall production. The 2026 projections still lean on his raw power and everyday role potential, but expect more of a low-OBP, mid-20s HR corner bat rather than a true middle-of-the-order force.
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30.
Willi Castro
COL
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31.
Ernie Clement
TOR
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32.
Jordan Lawlar
ARI
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33.
Brooks Lee
MIN
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34.
Tommy Edman
LAD
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35.
Josh Jung
TEX
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36.
Nolan Arenado
ARI
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37.
Marcelo Mayer
BOS
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38.
Chase Meidroth
CWS
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39.
Jonathan India
KC
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40.
Josh Smith
TEX
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41.
Zach McKinstry
DET
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42.
Ryan McMahon
NYY
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43.
Connor Norby
MIA
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44.
Luis Rengifo
MIL
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45.
Nolan Gorman
STL
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46.
Brady House
WSH
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47.
Jared Triolo
PIT
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48.
Ke'Bryan Hayes
CIN
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49.
Miguel Andujar
SD
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50.
Max Muncy
ATH
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51.
Javier Baez
DET
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52.
Blaze Alexander
BAL
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53.
Gavin Lux
TB
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54.
Mauricio Dubon
ATL
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55.
Yoan Moncada
LAA
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56.
Ronny Mauricio
NYM
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57.
Brooks Baldwin
CWS
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58.
Kyle Karros
COL
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59.
Thomas Saggese
STL
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60.
Sung-Mun Song
SD
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61.
Casey Schmitt
SF
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62.
Javier Sanoja
MIA
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63.
Josh Rojas
KC
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64.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
CIN
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65.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa
BOS
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66.
Edmundo Sosa
PHI
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67.
Ben Williamson
TB
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68.
Graham Pauley
MIA
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69.
Miguel Rojas
LAD
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70.
Amed Rosario
NYY
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71.
Jeimer Candelario
LAA
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72.
Alex Freeland
LAD
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73.
Dylan Moore
PHI
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74.
Andruw Monasterio
BOS
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75.
Jeremiah Jackson
BAL
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76.
Ramon Urias
STL
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77.
Daniel Schneemann
CLE
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78.
Ezequiel Duran
TEX
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79.
Oswald Peraza
LAA
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80.
Otto Kemp
PHI
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81.
Jesus Made
MIL
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82.
Santiago Espinal
LAD
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83.
Curtis Mead
WSH
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84.
Max Anderson
DET
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85.
Darell Hernaiz
ATH
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86.
Sam Antonacci
CWS
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87.
Jose Tena
WSH
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88.
Enrique Hernandez
LAD
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89.
Andy Ibanez
ATH
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90.
Will Wagner
SD
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91.
Sebastian Walcott
TEX
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92.
Jose Iglesias
FA
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93.
Jon Berti
FA
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94.
Andrew Fischer
MIL
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95.
Orlando Arcia
MIN
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96.
Nick Loftin
KC
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97.
George Lombard
NYY
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98.
Oswaldo Cabrera
NYY
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99.
Justin Turner
FA
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100.
Christian Koss
SF
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101.
Hao-Yu Lee
DET
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102.
Brett Harris
ATH
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103.
Jorbit Vivas
WSH
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104.
Max Schuemann
NYY
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105.
Nate Eaton
BOS
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106.
Deyvison De Los Santos
MIA
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107.
DJ LeMahieu
FA
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108.
Shay Whitcomb
HOU
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109.
Kyle Farmer
ATL
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110.
Gio Urshela
FA
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111.
LuJames Groover
ARI
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112.
Jace Jung
DET
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113.
Nacho Alvarez Jr.
ATL
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114.
Maximo Acosta
MIA
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115.
Luis Urias
ARI
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116.
Jacob Reimer
NYM
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117.
Jose Miranda
SD
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118.
Paul DeJong
NYY
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119.
Orelvis Martinez
FA
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120.
Tanner Murray
CWS
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121.
Yohandy Morales
WSH
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122.
Nick Madrigal
LAA
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123.
Vidal Brujan
NYM
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124.
Brock Wilken
MIL
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125.
Abraham Toro
KC
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126.
Miles Mastrobuoni
SEA
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127.
A.J. Vukovich
ARI
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128.
Denzer Guzman
LAA
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129.
Cesar Prieto
STL
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130.
Bryan Ramos
BAL
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131.
Kevin Newman
KC
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132.
Nicky Lopez
COL
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133.
Luis Vazquez
BAL
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134.
Blaze Jordan
STL
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135.
Jonah Bride
TEX
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136.
Vimael Machin
COL
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137.
Ben Cowles
CHC
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138.
Trey Lipscomb
WSH
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139.
Anthony Seigler
BOS
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140.
Aaron Schunk
ATL
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141.
Josh Kasevich
TOR
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142.
Tsung-Che Cheng
BOS
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143.
Davis Wendzel
PIT
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144.
Emmanuel Rivera
FA
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145.
Vinny Capra
BOS
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146.
Oliver Dunn
CWS
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147.
Sergio Alcantara
PHI
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148.
Patrick Wisdom
SEA
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149.
Tristin English
ATL
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150.
Grae Kessinger
NYM
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151.
Jack Winkler
HOU
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152.
Cooper Kinney
TB
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153.
Jose Rojas
NYM
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154.
Carlos Vargas
FA
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155.
Ryan Johnson
FA
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