Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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8.
Julio Rodriguez
CF,DH
Julio Rodriguez posted a strong but slightly underwhelming 2025 relative to his sky-high expectations, as his power output plateaued despite excellent durability and counting stats. The 2026 projections forecast a modest power rebound into the low-30s with continued double-digit steals. His underlying contact metrics remain strong, but launch-angle inconsistency has capped his home-run ceiling year over year. Rodríguez remains a foundational fantasy outfielder, though he now projects closer to the back half of the first round than the very top.
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19.
Cal Raleigh
C,DH
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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36.
Logan Gilbert
SP
When in doubt, draft Mariners pitchers. Logan Gilbert continued his ace-like ways in 2025, increasing his strikeout rate to 32.3% and striking out 173 in 131 innings. He ended the year with a 3.44 ERA, but his xERA was 3.06, so there is some correction expected in 2026. However, Gilbert's WHIP was a pristine 1.03, and if he can stay healthy enough to get near 30 starts, fantasy managers can write his name in ink as an SP1.
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40.
Bryan Woo
SP
Bryan Woo successfully made "the leap" in 2025, starting 30 games, throwing 186 2/3 innings with a 2.94 ERA and microscopic 0.93 WHIP. He gave up more home runs than we'd like, but his 5.5 K/BB ratio and 27.1% strikeout rate will definitely help us cope on that front. Woo ranked fifth in MLB in swinging strike rate above average with his fastball at 7.4%, only 0.1% behind Tarik Skubal. Woo is only 26 and well on his way to being the ace of any fantasy baseball staff.
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54.
Josh Naylor
1B,DH
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.
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55.
George Kirby
SP
George Kirby's 2025 surface stats regressed (4.21 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) as his pristine control wavered, highlighted by a career-high 5.5% walk rate and elevated hard-hit contact. The encouraging sign was a spike in strikeouts (26.1% K rate, 9.8 K/9), which kept his underlying indicators intact. His FIP was notably lower than his ERA, and his four-year track record of elite command and durability suggests the 2025 dip was more noise than skill erosion. Based on the 2026 projections and his underlying profile, Kirby profiles as a rebound SP2 whose draft cost should reflect last year's disappointment rather than his true talent.
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69.
Andres Munoz
RP
Andres Muñoz fully cemented himself as an elite fantasy closer in 2025, pairing a 1.73 ERA with 38 saves and maintaining his trademark swing-and-miss profile (32.7% K rate) despite occasional control volatility. Muñoz is a top-tier saves anchor with strong strikeout totals and elite run prevention, even if WHIP remains merely good rather than pristine due to walks. Entering his age-27 season with stable ninth-inning command in Seattle, Muñoz profiles as one of the safest high-end relievers in fantasy drafts.
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78.
Randy Arozarena
LF
Randy Arozarena delivered one of his strongest fantasy campaigns in 2025, stuffing the stat sheet with 27 home runs, 95 runs scored, 76 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. Both the power and speed marks represented new career highs for the 30-year-old outfielder. While batting average will likely always be a mild drag on his profile, the underlying quality of contact remained excellent, highlighted by a .798 OPS, an 11.5% barrel rate, and a 50.6% hard-hit rate. He also remained a savvy and efficient threat on the bases, getting caught just six times. With a lineup that still offers plenty of run-producing potential, Arozarena profiles as a dependable OF2 option for 2026 fantasy drafts.
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125.
Taylor Ward
LF,RF,DH
Once again, Taylor Ward delivered a season that was as maddening as it was productive for fantasy managers. He set career highs across the board, launching 36 home runs with 86 runs scored and 103 RBIs, while adding his usual handful of steals (four). The downside was a rough .228 batting average, a reminder of Ward's well-documented inconsistency. His month-to-month splits tell the story: he caught fire in May with a .255 average and 10 homers, only to cool off in June, hitting .204 with four long balls. There are reasons for optimism heading into 2026, including a contract-year motivation, an upgraded offensive environment after his move to Baltimore, and back-to-back healthy seasons. A 30-homer campaign with roughly 75-80 runs is within reach, but expecting another 100-RBI season is likely a stretch. If you roster Ward, prepare for volatility—smooth rides have never really been part of the package.
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233.
Brendan Donovan
2B,3B
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236.
Seranthony Dominguez
RP
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254.
Bryce Miller
SP
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332.
Dominic Canzone
RF,DH
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373.
J.P. Crawford
3B,SS
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405.
Cole Young
2B
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428.
Victor Robles
LF,CF,RF
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447.
Matt Brash
RP
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459.
Colt Emerson
3B,SS
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470.
Jose A. Ferrer
RP
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484.
Emerson Hancock
SP
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492.
Gabe Speier
RP
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555.
Luke Raley
1B,CF,RF,DH
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568.
Eduard Bazardo
RP
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665.
Hoby Milner
RP
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762.
Kade Anderson
SP
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776.
Cooper Criswell
RP
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846.
Carlos Vargas
RP
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856.
Nolan Jones
CF,RF
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886.
Ryan Sloan
SP
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991.
Leo Rivas
2B,3B,SS
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1026.
Ryan Bliss
2B
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1027.
Josh Simpson
RP
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1064.
Robinson Ortiz
SP
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1109.
Domingo Gonzalez
RP
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1135.
Cole Wilcox
RP
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1158.
Dane Dunning
RP
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1169.
Scott Effross
RP
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1224.
Troy Taylor
RP
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1235.
Ryan Loutos
RP
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1240.
Jhonathan Diaz
RP
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1391.
Andy Ibanez
2B,3B
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1415.
Willie MacIver
C
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1420.
Jhonny Pereda
C
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1488.
Stuart Fairchild
CF,RF
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1529.
Miles Mastrobuoni
3B,OF
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1540.
Weston Wilson
3B,LF,RF
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1553.
Connor Joe
RF
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1559.
Michael Arroyo
2B
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1574.
Brennen Davis
LF
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1602.
Patrick Wisdom
1B,3B
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