Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
|
1.
Shohei Ohtani
LAD
There's no real debate at the top of 2026 fantasy drafts: In formats where he is considered one player, Shohei Ohtani remains the clear-cut 1.01 thanks to his unmatched two-way impact. Offensively, his 2026 projections again place him among the game's elite, with 45-plus home runs, triple-digit runs and RBI, and an on-base percentage north of .390 while continuing to anchor the Dodgers' lineup from the leadoff spot. The stolen base ceiling isn't what it was earlier in his career, but projected totals in the high teens still provide a valuable bonus atop his league-leading power and run production.
What truly separates Ohtani, however, is his return as a full-time starting pitcher. His 2026 projections peg him as a top-tier arm, capable of delivering ace-level strikeout totals, strong ratios, and double-digit wins in one of baseball's best team contexts. Even with some workload management baked in, Ohtani's ability to provide elite value on both sides of the ball gives fantasy managers a structural advantage no other player can match. As long as he's healthy, Ohtani isn't just the safest pick in fantasy baseball; he's still redefining what roster construction can look like. |
|
2.
Aaron Judge
NYY
Aaron Judge followed up his MVP-caliber 2025 with another elite power profile, delivering 53 HR, 1.144 OPS, and a career-best 12 SB. His 2026 projections still anticipate slight regression & around 43 HR and a .285 AVG, but the underlying rates (elite barrel%, top-tier OBP stability) remain intact. Even with natural aging curves factored in, Judge projects as one of the safest four-category anchors in fantasy. He remains a first-round bat with minimal risk thanks to bankable power and sustainable plate discipline.
|
|
3.
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. The year-over-year stability in his batted-ball profile reinforces his high floor. Ramírez continues to profile as a safe first-round cornerstone, especially valuable in formats that reward category balance.
|
|
4.
Kyle Tucker
LAD
Kyle Tucker delivered another well-rounded fantasy season in 2025, pairing plus power with double-digit steals and elite run production. He also delivered another season of murky injuries that diminished his output. His 2026 projections remain remarkably stable, reflecting how consistent his plate discipline and contact quality have been year over year. While there's little growth left in the profile, there's also minimal downside other than the injury history. Tucker signed with the Dodgers, a landing spot that only helps his value, as his profile is that of a safe early-round outfielder who fits seamlessly into any roster build.
|
|
5.
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.
|
|
6.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
TOR
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rebounded nicely in 2025, hitting .292 with 23 HR, and his 2026 projections expect his power to climb back over 30 HR. His contact quality improved year over year, driven by more line-drive contact and a stabilizing strikeout rate. The projected power bounce is supported by underlying metrics, suggesting 2025 may have been closer to his floor than his median outcome. Vladdy profiles as a strong early-round value with legitimate top-five 1B upside if the HR surge materializes.
|
|
7.
Kyle Schwarber
PHI
Kyle Schwarber's 2025 profile remained extreme but effective, delivering elite home-run volume and run production while continuing to drag batting average, though not as much as in the past. He played in all 162 games, hit 56 home runs, drove in an MLB-leading 132, and scored 111 runs. His 2026 projections again place him among the league leaders in homers, with OBP formats propping up his overall value. Year over year, the power output has proven remarkably stable despite contact volatility. Schwarber remains a roster-construction play who fits best on teams built to absorb average risk in exchange for top-tier power.
|
|
8.
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.
|
|
9.
Yordan Alvarez
HOU
Yordan Alvarez is shaping up as one of the more polarizing draft-day decisions in 2026 fantasy leagues. After an injury-marred 2025 season burned managers who invested a first- or early second-round pick, Alvarez now projects as a rebound bat with elite per-game production when healthy. Projection systems still view him as a middle-of-the-order force capable of strong four-category output, supported by his consistently elite plate skills and long track record of hard contact. The main complication is positional flexibility: Alvarez is expected to qualify only at DH in most formats, effectively locking him into a UTIL role and increasing roster rigidity. That added risk will likely suppress his ADP, but entering his age-29 season, the underlying talent suggests a strong bounce-back is well within reach. If the discount reflects health concerns rather than skill erosion, Alvarez becomes a calculated upside play worth considering at the right price.
|
|
10.
Rafael Devers
SF
Rafael Devers forced his way out of Boston early in the year and landed in the less fantasy-friendly environment of San Francisco. His numbers held steady for the most part, producing 35 home runs, 99 runs, and 109 RBI, though his batting average was the lowest since 2018. His Barrel percentage jumped from 13% to 16%, and his HardHit rate leapt to 56.1%, both the highest of his career. Projections have him essentially continuing on with these numbers, and at a thinner 1B than expected, Devers is a sneaky pick currently going in the fifth round.
|
|
11.
James Wood
WSH
James Wood was on a legitimate MVP pace through the first half of the 2025 campaign before a sharp second-half regression cooled the hype. He hit .278 with 24 home runs, 12 steals, 59 runs scored, and 69 RBIs early on, but his production dipped significantly down the stretch. Over the remainder of the season, Wood slashed just .223 with seven homers, 28 runs, 25 RBIs, and three stolen bases while being caught three times.
Despite finishing with strong overall totals, the 22-year-old was a liability for fantasy managers late in the year and carried a hefty 32.1% strikeout rate. Still, durability and elite batted-ball metrics stand out: Wood appeared in 157 games, posted a 16.3% barrel rate, a massive 56.3% hard-hit rate, and an .825 OPS. The talent is undeniable, and the ceiling remains enormous—he's best viewed as an OF2 in drafts, with hopes that 2026 delivers the full breakout. |
|
12.
William Contreras
MIL
|
|
13.
Brent Rooker
ATH
Credit the Athletics (and Nick Kurtz) for giving fantasy managers a welcome stretch of "Brent Rooker the outfielder," which added some valuable roster flexibility. While Rooker couldn't quite replicate his breakout 2024 campaign, he still delivered strong power production in 2025. He finished with 30 home runs, 89 RBI, and 92 runs scored, posting a .262/.335/.479 slash line. His strikeout rate dipped to 22.2%, a change that may have slightly capped his power output, and it wouldn't be surprising to see that number drift back toward his career norm around 28%. Even so, Rooker benefits from hitter-friendly conditions in Sacramento and a spot in the heart of a lineup that ranked fourth in MLB with a .431 team slugging percentage. With that context, his counting stats should remain reliable, keeping Rooker firmly on the fantasy radar for 2026.
|
|
14.
Riley Greene
DET
Riley Greene built on his breakout 2024 with another strong campaign in 2025, though it came with some noticeable tradeoffs. Batting mostly in the cleanup spot, he launched 36 home runs and knocked in 111 runs while posting a team-best .806 OPS. That power surge represented a 33% jump in homers, but it was paired with a spike in strikeouts, as his K-rate climbed to 30.7%. At the same time, his walk rate dipped from 11% to 7%, which dragged down his overall slash line more than fantasy managers would have liked. The underlying power metrics remain excellent—Greene posted a 17.1% barrel rate and a 45.5% hard-hit rate—supporting the production. While he falls just short of true OF1 territory, he enters his age-25 season firmly near the top of the OF2 tier.
|
|
15.
Josh Naylor
SEA
Let's start with the important part: Josh Naylor will not steal 30 bases again in 2026. With a previous high of 10, the 30 was a gift to managers who drafted him and will most likely be the outlier of his career. Naylor did sacrifice power in his time between Arizona and Seattle, hitting only 20 home runs after smacking 31 the year before. The .295 average helped offset this to some degree, but as a career .269 hitter, this is also suspect to continue. Even though he will only be 29 this season, the return to Seattle limits the upside we can expect. He's more of an avoid, unless he falls in drafts.
|
|
16.
Vinnie Pasquantino
KC
Vinnie Pasquantino showed us the power we'd been hoping for in 2025, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 113. He barrels the ball well (10.8%), and he offers a decent batting average in the .265 range. Batting behind Bobby Witt Jr. and the seemingly ageless Sal Perez will never be a bad thing for counting stats. If you wait until the middle rounds, Pasquantino is in the last of the tier to be a true anchor at first base in 2026.
|
|
17.
George Springer
TOR
George Springer silenced skeptics in 2025 with his strongest campaign since 2019, turning in a monster season at age 35. He appeared in 140 games, launching 32 home runs while scoring 106 runs, driving in 84, and swiping 18 bases. His .309/.399/.560 slash line was the best of his career, and his 166 wRC+ ranked third across MLB. The obvious question is how to value Springer heading into his age-36 season in 2026. A repeat batting average is unlikely, as his .309 mark was fueled by a .340 BABIP—well above his career norm. Most projections pull his power back into the mid-20s for home runs, but the strength of the lineup around him should help preserve strong run and RBI totals, along with roughly 15 stolen bases. If Springer can once again stay on the field for around 140 games, he remains a valuable fantasy asset. While a full encore of 2025 shouldn't be expected, even modest regression still leaves him among the more reliable contributors.
|
|
18.
Seiya Suzuki
CHC
Seiya Suzuki delivered a wildly uneven 2025 campaign. He posted new career bests with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs, but the bulk of that damage came early, as 25 of those homers and 77 RBIs were recorded before the All-Star break. Like much of Chicago's lineup, Suzuki cooled off significantly in August, managing just one home run across 89 at-bats. The power surge came at a cost, as his batting average dipped to .245 after finishing above .280 in each of the previous two seasons. Entering his age-31 season and set to hit free agency in 2027, Suzuki could show a bit more urgency at the plate in 2026. Even without a major spike, fantasy managers can reasonably project something in the neighborhood of 25 homers, 75 runs, and 85 RBIs. He remains a steady draft option based on four years of reliable MLB production, with the upside of a potential contract-year push.
|
|
19.
Ben Rice
NYY
|
|
20.
Yandy Diaz
TB
Yandy Diaz made the most of the Rays' season at George Steinbrenner Field, cracking the 25-HR mark for the first time in his career while maintaining a .300 average. With the return to much less hitter-friendly Tropicana Field, fantasy managers should not expect another 25 homers, but 20 is within reason. Diaz is a middle-round pick best used to boost batting average, but there is more power to be had elsewhere at the position.
|
|
21.
Christian Yelich
MIL
|
|
22.
Jose Altuve
HOU
|
|
23.
Hunter Goodman
COL
|
|
24.
Salvador Perez
KC
|
|
25.
Ivan Herrera
STL
|
|
26.
Agustin Ramirez
MIA
|
|
27.
Bryan Reynolds
PIT
After years of steady production, Bryan Reynolds showed real signs of decline. His strikeout rate climbed to 26.5% — a jump of roughly four percentage points — and he posted a career-worst .245/.318/.402 slash line. Playing in a Pittsburgh lineup that offers little support only adds to the downside. As he enters his age-31 season, fantasy managers should be prepared for increased inconsistency. Reynolds is still projected for around 20 home runs, but his run and RBI totals will suffer in a weak offense, and his batting average is more likely to settle near .250 than his career .271 mark. At this stage, he profiles better as an OF3 or OF4 rather than a reliable, every-week fantasy starter.
|
|
28.
Alec Burleson
STL
Alec Burleson may not carry the same buzz as some other OF3 or OF4 options, but his profile is trending in the right direction as he enters his age-27 season. He took a noticeable step forward in 2024, appearing in 139 games while posting 18 home runs, 69 RBI, and 54 runs scored, along with a .290/.343/.459 slash line and an .802 OPS. His appeal is rooted in strong contact skills, evidenced by a modest 14.5% strikeout rate, paired with enough power to contribute in multiple categories. Locked into a prominent spot near the top of St. Louis' lineup, Burleson offers inexpensive batting-average stability and quiet upside for fantasy managers in 2026 drafts.
|
|
29.
Yainer Diaz
HOU
|
|
30.
Anthony Santander
TOR
|
|
31.
Mark Vientos
NYM
|
|
32.
Kyle Manzardo
CLE
|
|
33.
Mike Trout
LAA
|
|
34.
Jorge Polanco
NYM
|
|
35.
Marcell Ozuna
FA
|
|
36.
Kerry Carpenter
DET
|
|
37.
Luis Arraez
SF
|
|
38.
Colt Keith
DET
|
|
39.
Josh Bell
MIN
|
|
40.
Bryce Eldridge
SF
|
|
41.
Giancarlo Stanton
NYY
|
|
42.
Ryan O'Hearn
PIT
|
|
43.
Ryan Jeffers
MIN
|
|
|
44.
Moises Ballesteros
CHC
|
|
45.
Andrew Benintendi
CWS
|
|
46.
Edgar Quero
CWS
|
|
47.
Gavin Sheets
SD
|
|
48.
Jonathan India
KC
|
|
49.
Jorge Soler
LAA
|
|
50.
Trevor Larnach
MIN
|
|
51.
Nolan Gorman
STL
|
|
52.
Austin Hays
CWS
|
|
53.
Masataka Yoshida
BOS
|
|
54.
Pavin Smith
ARI
|
|
55.
George Valera
CLE
|
|
56.
Joc Pederson
TEX
|
|
57.
Miguel Andujar
SD
|
|
58.
Victor Caratini
MIN
|
|
59.
Starling Marte
FA
|
|
60.
Tyler Freeman
COL
|
|
61.
Gavin Lux
TB
|
|
62.
Kyle Higashioka
TEX
|
|
63.
Ryan Mountcastle
BAL
|
|
64.
Jonah Heim
FA
|
|
65.
Heriberto Hernandez
MIA
|
|
66.
Liam Hicks
MIA
|
|
67.
Jesse Winker
FA
|
|
68.
David Fry
CLE
|
|
69.
Luis Campusano
SD
|
|
70.
Adrian Del Castillo
ARI
|
|
71.
Mitch Garver
FA
|
|
72.
Yanquiel Fernandez
NYY
|
|
73.
Andrew McCutchen
FA
|
|
74.
Randal Grichuk
FA
|
|
75.
Wilmer Flores
FA
|
|
76.
Rob Refsnyder
SEA
|
|
77.
Justyn-Henry Malloy
TB
|
|
78.
Kyle Farmer
ATL
|
|
79.
Jahmai Jones
DET
|
|
80.
Kris Bryant
COL
|
|
81.
Eloy Jimenez
TOR
|
|
|
82.
Jared Young
NYM
|
|
83.
Nelson Velazquez
STL
|
|
|
84.
Eduardo Valencia
DET
|
|
85.
Garrett Stubbs
PHI
|
|
86.
Luken Baker
ARI
|
