Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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1.
Cal Raleigh
SEA
Cal Raleigh had the year of his life in 2025, smacking 60 home runs while batting .247, far and away his best batting average ever. He drove in 125 and scored 110 times for a Seattle Mariners team that came very close to the World Series. Catcher is such a thin position that it is tempting to spend an early-round pick on Raleigh to be able to set-and-forget the position. His 2026 projections again place him among the position's home run leaders, with playing time security supporting strong counting stats, but we aren't going to see a repeat of his career year, and that is the current draft cost for the Big Dumper. Do you still want to spend a second-round pick on him if he's "only" getting you 40 homers with a .230 batting average? If so, he's easily the best catcher on the board. If not, wait three or four rounds to pick from the second tier.
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2.
William Contreras
MIL
William Contreras took a small step back in 2025, with his OPS dipping to .754 as his ISO fell to .140 despite continued growth in plate discipline (career-best 12.7% BB rate, sub-19% K rate). The underlying skills remain strong: his contact quality stayed well above league average (91.1 mph EV, 48.6% hard-hit), and his power downturn looks more variance-driven than structural after back-to-back elite seasons in 2023-24. The 2026 projections point to a rebound toward his established .360+ OBP profile with mid-20s homer upside, supported by premium volume at a scarce catcher position. Given his durability, lineup role, and stable skills, Contreras profiles as a high-floor catcher with bounce-back upside and remains one of the safest investments at the position.
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3.
Ben Rice
NYY
Ben Rice followed a rough 2024 debut with a legitimate breakout in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers and a 131 OPS+ across 138 games. The power spike was supported by improved contact quality and a manageable strikeout rate, turning him from replacement-level depth into a middle-of-the-order threat. Dual eligibility at catcher and first base quietly boosts his fantasy value, especially in formats where offensive production behind the plate is scarce. While his defensive profile may keep him rotating between DH and multiple positions, Rice's age-26 surge makes him an appealing upside target with room for further growth if the plate discipline gains hold.
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4.
Shea Langeliers
ATH
Shea Langeliers took a significant step forward in 2025, posting career-best marks across the board with a .277/.325/.536 slash, 31 homers, and sharp gains in contact quality. His strikeout rate dropped to 19.7% (down from 27.2% in 2024) while maintaining strong power indicators, including a .260 ISO and near-elite hard-hit rate for the position. The improved approach and BABIP rebound (.290) support much of the batting average growth, not just a fluky power spike. With 2026 projections reinforcing him as a 25-30 HR catcher with playable ratios, Langeliers has firmly elevated himself into the upper tier at a thin fantasy position.
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5.
Hunter Goodman
COL
Hunter Goodman broke out in 2025, turning everyday run at Coors into a 31-HR, 91-RBI campaign with a .278/.323/.520 slash and 120 OPS+. The skills growth backed it up: his rOBA jumped to .367 with a 124 Rbat+, while his average exit velocity (90.8 mph) and 47.3% hard-hit rate both cleared league norms. The strikeout rate remains elevated (26.3%) and his 5.7% walk rate caps the OBP ceiling, but a .243 ISO with consistent pull-side authority gives him bankable power in Colorado. For 2026, projections largely buy the power foundation while regressing the batting average closer to his career .248 mark, reflecting some BABIP normalization after last year's .331 clip. Qualifying at catcher enhances his fantasy utility, given the position's shallowness. Goodman profiles as a high-variance power bat whose home environment and batted-ball quality support another 25-30 homer season, but managers should price in batting average volatility rather than paying for a repeat of the .278 mark.
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6.
Salvador Perez
KC
Sal Perez remained remarkably durable in 2025 with 155 games played, but the underlying production continued to slide as his batting average fell to .236 and his OBP dipped below .290. While the raw power is still intact, 30 homers and 100 RBI, the overall offensive efficiency has flattened to league-average levels, limiting his advantage over younger catching options. His aggressive approach and declining contact quality leave little margin for error, especially as age-related regression becomes harder to ignore. Perez is still a volume-driven fantasy catcher with counting-stat value, but he now profiles best as a mid-tier option rather than a clear positional edge.
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7.
Agustin Ramirez
MIA
Agustín Ramírez took his lumps as a 23-year-old rookie in 2025, slashing .231/.287/.413 with 21 home runs and 16 steals across 136 games, good for a below-average 92 OPS+ and 89 Rbat+. The underlying data paints a more intriguing picture: a 90.8 mph average exit velocity and 47.2% hard-hit rate both comfortably exceeded league norms, while his .182 ISO suggests legitimate 25-homer upside if the batted-ball luck (.253 BABIP in 2025) normalizes. His aggressive approach (6.2% walk rate) caps his OBP floor, but a manageable 19.3% strikeout rate and strong 84.2% stolen-base success rate support continued category juice. With modest plate-discipline growth, the 2026 projections point toward improved run production and a step forward in overall efficiency, making Ramírez a clear fantasy sleeper entering his age-24 season. The power-speed blend is already bankable in standard formats, and any OBP rebound would push him into the top tier at his position.
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8.
Drake Baldwin
ATL
Drake Baldwin broke out in 2025, finishing with a .274/.341/.469 slash line, 19 home runs and an .810 OPS (126 OPS+) across 446 plate appearances, good for 3.3 WAR and a runner-up Rookie of the Year finish. His underlying profile supports the production: a .358 rOBA (130 Rbat+), 91.7 mph average exit velocity and 49.6% hard-hit rate all comfortably cleared league norms, while his 15.2% strikeout rate was elite for a power-hitting catcher. Baldwin's balanced batted-ball distribution (23.1% LD, 48.7% GB, 24.9% FB) and strong situational metrics (26.68 RE24) point to a polished, sustainable offensive skill set rather than a fluky debut. For fantasy purposes, Baldwin is a clear riser at a thin catcher position. Catchers who combine above-average power (4.3% HR rate, .195 ISO) with strong contact skills are rare, and his everyday role in Atlanta further boosts counting-stat reliability. If the 2026 projections maintain anything close to his rookie rate production over a fuller workload, Baldwin profiles as a top-tier fantasy catcher with a stable floor and legitimate 20-25 home run upside.
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9.
Will Smith
LAD
Will Smith rebounded in 2025 with one of the most efficient offensive seasons of his career, slashing .296/.404/.497 with a 152 OPS+ across 110 games. His underlying metrics fully supported the surge: a career-best 91.3 mph average exit velocity, 47.1% hard-hit rate, and .387 rOBA, while his walk rate jumped to 14.7% — well above league average and his career norm. The improved plate discipline helped offset a modest 20.4% strikeout rate, and his .345 BABIP wasn't entirely fluky given the quality of contact. Looking ahead to 2026, projections peg some batting average regression but maintain him as an elite offensive catcher thanks to stable power (mid-20s HR pace over a full season) and strong OBP skills in the middle of a loaded Dodgers lineup. His consistent fly-ball mix and above-average pull tendencies keep the power floor intact, while his role remains secure even with periodic DH days to preserve health. Smith should be drafted as a top-tier catcher in all formats, with OBP leagues especially benefiting from his elevated walk rate and run-production environment.
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10.
Yainer Diaz
HOU
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11.
Adley Rutschman
BAL
Adley Rutschman enters 2026 as a clear fantasy rebound candidate after a disappointing, injury-shortened 2025 season. His production dipped across the board (.220/.307/.366, 90 OPS+), driven in part by a career-low .240 BABIP and a sharp decline in run value (89 Rbat+), despite maintaining solid underlying quality of contact (89.4 mph EV, 38.6% HardHit). The erosion from his 2022-2023 peak — when he posted back-to-back seasons with a 127+ Rbat+ and elite OBP skills — raises some concern, but his plate discipline remains above league average and the power indicators weren't catastrophic. With 2026 projections forecasting a bounce-back toward his career norms, Rutschman profiles as a discounted catcher who could outperform his draft slot if the batted-ball luck normalizes.
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12.
Alejandro Kirk
TOR
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13.
Ivan Herrera
STL
Ivan Herrera followed up his 2024 breakout with another step forward in 2025, logging 452 plate appearances and posting a .284/.373/.464 line with 19 home runs and a 140 Rbat+. His gains were backed by skills growth: a career-best 18.6% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 91.2 mph average exit velocity, along with a jump to a .180 ISO. While his BABIP dipped to .315, his rOBA (.372) and hard-hit rate (48.2%) supported the production, reinforcing that the bat is driving the value rather than batted-ball luck. The 2026 projections maintain him as an above-average offensive catcher with mid-to-high teens power and strong on-base skills, though a full repeat of last year's efficiency likely regresses slightly. Even with modest pull and fly-ball rates, Herrera's improving contact quality and stable plate discipline give him one of the higher offensive floors at the position. He only had 14 appearances at catcher in 2025, so check your league's position eligibility or prepare to have him only as a DH for a while into 2026.
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14.
Gabriel Moreno
ARI
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15.
Kyle Teel
CWS
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16.
Francisco Alvarez
NYM
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17.
Samuel Basallo
BAL
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18.
J.T. Realmuto
PHI
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19.
Carter Jensen
KC
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20.
Austin Wells
NYY
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21.
Logan O'Hoppe
LAA
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22.
Ryan Jeffers
MIN
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23.
Dillon Dingler
DET
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24.
Tyler Stephenson
CIN
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25.
Carlos Narvaez
BOS
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26.
Bo Naylor
CLE
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27.
Moises Ballesteros
CHC
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28.
Sean Murphy
ATL
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29.
Edgar Quero
CWS
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30.
Freddy Fermin
SD
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31.
Keibert Ruiz
WSH
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32.
Carson Kelly
CHC
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33.
Patrick Bailey
SF
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34.
Danny Jansen
TEX
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35.
Victor Caratini
MIN
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36.
Miguel Amaya
CHC
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37.
Joey Bart
PIT
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38.
Dalton Rushing
LAD
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39.
Harry Ford
WSH
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40.
Jonah Heim
ATL
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41.
Kyle Higashioka
TEX
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42.
Pedro Pages
STL
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43.
Liam Hicks
MIA
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44.
Connor Wong
BOS
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45.
Henry Davis
PIT
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46.
Jimmy Crooks III
STL
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47.
Joe Mack
MIA
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48.
Adrian Del Castillo
ARI
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49.
Travis d'Arnaud
LAA
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50.
Luis Campusano
SD
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51.
Nick Fortes
TB
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52.
Mitch Garver
SEA
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53.
Gary Sanchez
MIL
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54.
Jose Trevino
CIN
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55.
Jeferson Quero
MIL
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56.
Luis Torrens
NYM
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57.
Braxton Fulford
COL
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58.
James McCann
ARI
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59.
Cooper Ingle
CLE
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60.
Ethan Salas
SD
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61.
Daniel Susac
SF
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62.
Rafael Flores
PIT
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63.
Endy Rodriguez
PIT
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64.
Hunter Feduccia
TB
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65.
Jake Rogers
DET
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66.
Yohel Pozo
STL
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67.
Jesus Rodriguez
SF
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68.
Austin Wynns
ATH
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69.
Josue Briceno
DET
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70.
J.C. Escarra
NYY
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71.
Christian Vazquez
FA
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72.
Drew Millas
WSH
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73.
Rafael Marchan
PHI
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74.
Reese McGuire
MIL
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75.
Elias Diaz
KC
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76.
Tyler Heineman
TOR
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77.
Tom Murphy
FA
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78.
Jacob Stallings
FA
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79.
Dominic Keegan
TB
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80.
Cesar Salazar
FA
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81.
Korey Lee
CWS
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82.
Eduardo Valencia
DET
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83.
Andrew Knizner
SEA
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84.
Riley Adams
WSH
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85.
Alfredo Duno
CIN
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86.
Mickey Gasper
BOS
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87.
Austin Hedges
CLE
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88.
Angel Genao
FA
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89.
Alex Jackson
MIN
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90.
Luke Maile
KC
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91.
Willie MacIver
TEX
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92.
Chadwick Tromp
ATL
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93.
Leonardo Bernal
STL
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94.
Austin Barnes
NYM
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95.
Ben Rortvedt
NYM
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96.
Drew Romo
CWS
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97.
Jorge Alfaro
KC
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98.
Sebastian Rivero
LAA
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99.
Sandy Leon
ATL
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100.
Blake Sabol
TB
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101.
Matt Thaiss
BOS
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102.
Sam Huff
BAL
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103.
Jose Herrera
TEX
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104.
Shane McGuire
ATH
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105.
Eric Haase
SF
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106.
Brett Sullivan
COL
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107.
Rodolfo Duran
SD
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108.
Tomas Nido
DET
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109.
Jhonny Pereda
SEA
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110.
Brandon Valenzuela
TOR
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111.
Eliezer Alfonzo
LAD
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112.
Jason Delay
BOS
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113.
Blake Hunt
SD
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114.
Hayden Senger
NYM
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115.
Collin Price
HOU
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116.
Maverick Handley
BAL
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117.
Matthew Wood
MIL
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118.
Nick Raposo
SEA
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119.
Dom Nunez
CLE
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120.
Garrett Stubbs
PHI
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