Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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36.
Pete Crow-Armstrong
CF
It's almost guaranteed that Pete Crow-Armstrong will be front and center in every "Potential Bust" or "Was it legit?" debate heading into 2026 drafts. To be clear, the 23-year-old delivered a monster stat line: 35 home runs, 95 RBIs, 91 runs scored and 35 stolen bases — production that firmly lands in OF1/OF2 territory. Had the season ended at the All-Star break, we'd likely be discussing whether he deserved first-round consideration. The problem is what followed. His second half unraveled, highlighted by an August stretch in which he logged 112 plate appearances but managed just one homer and five RBIs — a frustrating downturn for fantasy managers trying to make a playoff push. The most reasonable expectation for 2026 is something between his scorching first half and difficult second half. Projections peg him closer to a 20 HR, 75 RBI, 75 R, 30 SB profile — still a valuable fantasy contributor at the right draft price. The concern is cost. There will be managers willing to draft him as a budding MVP candidate. It's wiser to let someone else pay that premium and pivot to safer value elsewhere.
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81.
Seiya Suzuki
RF,DH
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.
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90.
Alex Bregman
3B
Alex Bregman only appeared in 114 games for the Red Sox last season, but he cashed in during free agency with a five-year deal with the Cubs. Aside from 2025 and an injury-plagued 2021 season, Bregman has been steady in games played, and he's been a solid contributor, with a career slash line of .272/.365/.481. He will be 32 this season, so we've probably seen the best of him, but third base is not a particularly deep position. Projections have him with a 20/80/80 season, which is totally fine if you decide to wait until the middle rounds to fill that roster spot. Don't reach for him because of his name, but he fits the bill of "you know what you're gonna get" in 2026 fantasy.
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97.
Nico Hoerner
2B
Nico Hoerner quietly delivered his best all-around season in 2025, pairing a career-high offensive impact (114 OPS+, 118 Rbat+) with elite contact skills and Gold Glove-caliber defense. His strikeout rate dipped to an excellent 7.6% while maintaining above-average run production and efficiency on the bases, reinforcing his high-floor fantasy profile. The 2026 projections largely stabilize his output rather than build in upside, but his strong plate skills and secure everyday role keep him valuable in batting average, runs, and steals. Entering a contract year, Hoerner has added motivation to sustain peak performance, even if his limited power caps category ceiling.
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99.
Michael Busch
1B
Michael Busch has rapidly developed into one of fantasy's most reliable power bats, following a strong 2024 with a full-blown breakout in 2025 that featured 34 homers, a .523 slugging percentage, and a 147 OPS+. The jump in production wasn't empty volume. His rOBA and run value both spiked, confirming real growth in impact contact rather than a fluky power surge. While the strikeout rate remains elevated, Busch offsets it with solid on-base skills and elite durability, logging 150+ games in back-to-back seasons. At age 28, he's firmly established as a high-end fantasy first baseman whose profile now supports both a strong floor and a stable power ceiling.
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150.
Ian Happ
LF
After posting offensive WAR totals in the 17 range for three straight seasons, Ian Happ took a noticeable step back in 2025, finishing at 9.1. The decline was driven primarily by a sharp drop in stolen bases, as he went from regularly reaching double digits to just six. Otherwise, his production was largely unchanged. Happ finished with 23 home runs, 87 runs scored, 79 RBIs, and a .243/.342/.420 slash line. That profile is a reasonable expectation again in 2026. He has appeared in at least 150 games in four consecutive seasons, and Chicago continues to rely on his steady presence in the lineup. With free agency looming in 2027, there's also a chance for a modest uptick in power. Happ profiles as a dependable OF3 option for fantasy managers in 2026.
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151.
Dansby Swanson
SS
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152.
Shota Imanaga
SP
Shota Imanaga followed up a brilliant 2024 debut (2.91 ERA, 25.1% K rate, 4.0% BB rate) with a more volatile 2025 campaign, as his ERA climbed to 3.73 and his strikeout rate dipped to 20.6%. While he continued to limit walks at an elite clip (4.6% BB%) and suppress batting average (.218 BAA), a spike in home run rate (5.5% HR%) and hard-hit contact (43.9%) led to a sharp jump in FIP (4.86). The batted-ball profile shift — fewer ground balls (29.1%) and more fly balls (39.7%) — suggests his margin for error narrowed considerably compared to 2024. Fantasy managers should view Imanaga as a mild faller entering 2026 drafts, though his strong command and projected workload stability keep him firmly in SP2 territory if the homer regression stabilizes.
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167.
Edward Cabrera
SP
Edward Cabrera put together his most complete season in 2025, logging a career-high 137.2 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a career-best 8.3% walk rate. The improved command was the key development, as his strikeout rate (25.8%) remained comfortably above league average while his BB% dipped closer to MLB norms (8.4%). Cabrera's 90.0 mph average exit velocity and 46.5% hard-hit rate show there's still some volatility, but his 3.83 FIP and 9.8 K/9 support the overall skills growth. If the 2026 projections hold around similar strikeout production with manageable walks, Cabrera profiles as a high-upside SP3 in fantasy with room for more if the control gains stick. The health and workload trend from 2025 is equally important after earlier durability concerns. He's best deployed as a strikeout-leaning arm in roto formats, but the narrowed walk rate gives him a higher weekly floor than in previous seasons.
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172.
Daniel Palencia
RP
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173.
Cade Horton
SP
Cade Horton broke through in 2025 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 118 innings, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 144 ERA+. His underlying profile was strong but not overpowering, as his 3.58 FIP and 7.4 K/9 suggest more command-and-contact management than bat-missing dominance. Horton limited damage effectively (0.8 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9), and his 3.05 RA9 backed up much of the run prevention, though some regression toward his estimators is reasonable entering 2026. If the 2026 projections push him closer to the mid-3.00s in ERA with a modest bump in workload, that frames Horton as a high-floor SP3/SP4 in fantasy rather than a true ace. Without elite strikeout volume, his value will hinge on efficiency, wins and ratio stability in a competitive Cubs rotation. Draft him as a steady innings stabilizer, but avoid paying for a repeat sub-2.75 ERA unless there's tangible growth in swing-and-miss.
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184.
Matthew Boyd
SP
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267.
Matt Shaw
3B
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316.
Jameson Taillon
SP
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367.
Moises Ballesteros
DH
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372.
Justin Steele
SP
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383.
Carson Kelly
C
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466.
Hunter Harvey
RP
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472.
Phil Maton
RP
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517.
Miguel Amaya
C
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520.
Ben Brown
SP,RP
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536.
Caleb Thielbar
RP
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585.
Colin Rea
SP
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644.
Hoby Milner
RP
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684.
Javier Assad
SP
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703.
Jacob Webb
RP
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720.
Porter Hodge
RP
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728.
Jaxon Wiggins
SP
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753.
Jordan Wicks
RP
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825.
Kevin Alcantara
CF
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857.
Tyler Austin
LF
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928.
Luke Little
RP
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975.
Ethan Roberts
RP
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980.
Trent Thornton
RP
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987.
Jonathon Long
1B
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1031.
Kyle Wright
SP
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1128.
Riley Martin
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1213.
James Triantos
2B,CF
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1262.
Gavin Hollowell
RP
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1319.
Collin Snider
RP
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1367.
Ryan Rolison
RP
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1368.
Corbin Martin
RP
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1391.
Jack Neely
RP
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1506.
Chas McCormick
LF,CF,RF
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1522.
Dylan Carlson
LF
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1548.
Scott Kingery
2B,CF
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1553.
Justin Dean
CF
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