Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

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.

Cody Bellinger silenced doubts during his stint in New York, showing that his resurgence in Chicago was no fluke. He finished the season with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, 89 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases, while posting a strong .272/.334/.480 slash line. His batted-ball quality also trended in the right direction, as his HardHit rate climbed by five percentage points to 37.9%.
As he enters his age-30 campaign, his return to the Bronx is a boon to his fantasy value. A baseline projection in the range of 25 home runs with roughly 80 runs and 80 RBIs is a fair starting point. While his recent production has been far more stable, the downturns from 2021 and 2022 still loom as a reminder of his volatility. Fantasy managers should value the upside—but avoid paying a premium on draft day.