Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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17.
Nick Kurtz
1B
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.
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28.
Brent Rooker
LF,RF,DH
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.
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48.
Shea Langeliers
C
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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57.
Tyler Soderstrom
1B,LF
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.
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85.
Lawrence Butler
CF,RF
Lawrence Butler followed his 2024 breakout with a more volatile 2025 campaign, posting a .234/.306/.404 line with 21 homers and 22 steals across 630 PA while his strikeout rate climbed to 28.4%. The underlying power remained solid (90.0 mph average exit velocity, 44.4% hard-hit rate), but a drop in ISO (.228
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88.
Jacob Wilson
SS
Jacob Wilson took a major step forward in 2025, finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. His elite 7.5% strikeout rate and 84.1 mph average exit velocity underscore his contact-over-power profile, but a 52.4% ground-ball rate and modest 2.5% HR rate cap the overall ceiling. The 2026 projection (.296/.350/.435, 12 HR, 5 SB in 472 PA) reflects some batting average regression from a .317 BABIP, though his bat-to-ball skills should keep him a category stabilizer. Wilson is more of a high-floor MI option than a true breakout candidate, but if fantasy managers load up on power early, that almost-.300 batting average would be a welcome addition.
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175.
Jeff McNeil
2B,LF,CF,RF
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253.
Max Muncy
2B,3B,SS
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256.
Denzel Clarke
CF
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350.
Colby Thomas
LF,CF,RF
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356.
Zack Gelof
2B
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384.
Leo De Vries
SS
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404.
Austin Wynns
C
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438.
Darell Hernaiz
2B,3B,SS
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449.
Andy Ibanez
2B,3B
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451.
Henry Bolte
RF
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496.
Carlos Cortes
LF,RF
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539.
Brian Serven
C
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546.
Shane McGuire
C
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561.
Chad Wallach
C
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585.
Brett Harris
3B
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591.
Junior Perez
LF,CF,RF
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637.
Joey Meneses
1B
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