Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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4.
Juan Soto
RF
Juan Soto's first season with the Mets produced 43 HR, 37 SB, and a .396 OBP, marking his highest fantasy ceiling since 2021. His 2026 projections dial back the steals (a common trait across projection systems) but still expect mid-30s HR, with a slight batting-average uptick. The plate discipline remains near flawless, and his run-production environment should stay strong. Soto enters 2026 as a high-floor, high-ceiling first-round hitter whose across-the-board contributions make him one of the safest early picks.
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24.
Francisco Lindor
SS
Francisco Lindor remained a Mr. Consistent in 2025, once again delivering strong power-speed production with elite durability at shortstop. His 2026 projections had shown minimal regression, closer to a 25/25 season, supported by premium lineup placement and consistent plate discipline. However, the hamate bone injury in Spring Training threatens his counting stat totals, particularly in the power category. He is still a top-tier shortstop, but comes with more risk now than in previous seasons.
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53.
Freddy Peralta
SP
Freddy Peralta followed up a solid 2024 with a true breakout in 2025, posting a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 17 wins over 176.2 innings while finishing top-five in Cy Young voting. His underlying profile supported the leap, as he cut opponents' OPS to .603, limited home runs (2.9 HR%), and maintained an elite strikeout rate (28.2%) with improved run prevention (154 ERA+). The walk rate remains slightly elevated, but his ability to suppress hard contact and miss bats at a high level keeps the ratios stable. With 2026 projections continuing to forecast strong strikeouts and the move to New York to play for the Mets, Peralta profiles as a dependable fantasy ace rather than a volatile upside arm.
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77.
Bo Bichette
SS
After spending the first seven years of his career in Toronto, Bo Bichette signed a 3-year, $126 million deal with the Mets. He will presumably bat behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, and he should pick up third base eligibility early in the 2026 season, making him much more attractive for fantasy managers. Bichette had a renaissance 2025 season, batting .311 after a miserable .225 in half a season before. He popped 18 home runs, drove in 94, and scored 78 runs. He continued his impressive HardHit rate at 48.8% and got on base at a .357 clip. While the Blue Jays' lineup was no slouch, batting behind Lindor and Soto should afford Bichette plenty of counting stat opportunities. A 20/80/80 season seems reasonable, but the boost to batting average is what makes him a valuable mid-round pick as your SS1.
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87.
Nolan McLean
SP
Nolan McLean's brief 2025 MLB sample showcased frontline skills beneath the surface, highlighted by a 30.3% strikeout rate, elite 60.2% ground-ball rate, and a microscopic 2.1% HR rate, all of which supported his strong ERA despite modest volume. His ability to suppress quality contact (89.5 mph average EV, .571 OPS against) paired with above-average command (8.5% BB%) suggests the performance wasn't fluky, even if some ERA regression is likely as innings scale. The 2026 projections point to a heavier workload with solid strikeout totals, making durability and role security the main remaining questions rather than skill. Given the bat-missing profile and batted-ball dominance, McLean profiles as a high-upside fantasy sleeper who can outperform his draft cost if he holds a regular rotation spot.
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113.
Devin Williams
RP
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131.
Luis Robert Jr.
CF
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181.
Marcus Semien
2B
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201.
Jorge Polanco
2B,DH
Jorge Polanco rebounded in 2025, posting a .265/.326/.495 line with 26 home runs and a 134 OPS+ across 138 games for Seattle. The underlying metrics support the bounce-back: his 89.9 mph average exit velocity and 45.8% hard-hit rate were both career-best marks, while his strikeout rate dropped to 15.6% after spiking to 29.2% in 2024. The result was a .348 rOBA and 134 Rbat+, well above league average and a clear return to middle-of-the-order production. 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 and prior volatility, but the improved contact quality and stabilized plate discipline from 2025 give him a higher floor than most mid-tier second basemen. Durability 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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219.
Francisco Alvarez
C
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232.
Mark Vientos
3B,DH
Mark Vientos failed to build on his 2024 breakout, with his 2025 season showing notable pullbacks in rOBA (.361 to .310), ISO (.249 to .179), and HR rate despite similar playing time. 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. In fantasy, Vientos profiles best as a CI option in deeper leagues where power is scarce, with limited upside unless the 2024 batted-ball profile returns.
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254.
Kodai Senga
SP
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263.
Brett Baty
2B,3B
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272.
Sean Manaea
SP
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273.
David Peterson
SP
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292.
Clay Holmes
SP
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339.
Carson Benge
CF
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360.
Jonah Tong
SP
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433.
Luke Weaver
RP
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513.
A.J. Minter
RP
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553.
Brooks Raley
RP
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591.
Christian Scott
SP
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642.
Ronny Mauricio
3B
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691.
Adbert Alzolay
RP
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693.
Tobias Myers
SP,RP
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702.
Luis Torrens
C
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733.
Austin Warren
RP
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739.
Huascar Brazoban
RP
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822.
Craig Kimbrel
RP
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860.
Dylan Ross
RP
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862.
Justin Hagenman
RP
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897.
Ryan Clifford
1B
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943.
Tyrone Taylor
CF
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1007.
Mike Tauchman
RF
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1028.
MJ Melendez
LF
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1032.
Nick Burdi
RP
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1066.
Jack Wenninger
SP
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1099.
Ryan Lambert
RP
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1103.
Bryan Hudson
RP
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1107.
Joey Gerber
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1138.
Jacob Reimer
3B
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1139.
Jonathan Pintaro
RP
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1141.
Vidal Brujan
3B
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1179.
Alex Carrillo
RP
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1203.
Kevin Herget
RP
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1219.
Tylor Megill
SP
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1270.
Carl Edwards Jr.
RP
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1296.
Jonathan Santucci
SP
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1313.
Nate Lavender
RP
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1331.
Will Watson
SP
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1428.
Brandon Waddell
RP
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1476.
Austin Barnes
C
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1480.
Ben Rortvedt
C
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1500.
Hayden Senger
C
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1541.
Ji Hwan Bae
CF
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1557.
Jared Young
DH
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1560.
Nick Morabito
CF
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1591.
Cristian Pache
CF
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1596.
Jose Rojas
3B
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