Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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7.
Tarik Skubal
SP
Tarik Skubal dominated in 2025, posting ace-level ratios while maintaining elite strikeout and walk rates across a full workload (195 IP). His 2026 projections remain optimistic, forecasting another sub-3 ERA with a strong WHIP and strikeout volume. The sustainability is supported by stable velocity, plus command, and one of the league's best swinging-strike profiles. Skubal enters 2026 as a true fantasy ace and a reliable anchor for managers prioritizing pitching early.
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54.
Riley Greene
LF,DH
Riley Greene built on his breakout 2024 with another strong campaign in 2025, though it came with some noticeable tradeoffs. Batting mostly in the cleanup spot, he launched 36 home runs and knocked in 111 runs while posting a team-best .806 OPS. That power surge represented a 33% jump in homers, but it was paired with a spike in strikeouts, as his K-rate climbed to 30.7%. At the same time, his walk rate dipped from 11% to 7%, which dragged down his overall slash line more than fantasy managers would have liked. The underlying power metrics remain excellent—Greene posted a 17.1% barrel rate and a 45.5% hard-hit rate—supporting the production. While he falls just short of true OF1 territory, he enters his age-25 season firmly near the top of the OF2 tier.
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71.
Framber Valdez
SP
After a long offseason of speculation, Framber Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, immediately making that team the runaway favorites in the AL Central. Valdez struggled a little in 2025, ending with a 3.66 ERA, the highest in his career as a starter. Most of this was due to the wheels coming off in the second half of the season, when he accumulated a 5.20 ERA, and opponents began hitting the ball much harder off him. However, he will reunite with AJ Hinch in Detroit, and he struck out 187 batters in 192 innings. Comerica Park should help keep him in games, and Valdez remains a quality start machine. Not a bad SP2 to have, for Detroit or a fantasy team.
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157.
Spencer Torkelson
1B
Spencer Torkelson rebounded strongly in 2025, posting a career-best .240/.333/.456 slash with 31 homers and a 117 OPS+, reestablishing himself as a middle-of-the-order power bat after a disappointing, injury-shortened 2024. The plate discipline gains were real, as his walk rate climbed and his overall offensive value (rOBA and Rbat+) returned to comfortably above league average. FantasyPros 2026 projections build on that bounce-back, forecasting another 30-homer season with solid run production thanks to his locked-in everyday role at first base/DH. While batting average volatility remains part of his profile due to strikeouts, Torkelson's age-26 power prime makes him a stable corner-infield target with upside rather than the risky asset he appeared to be a year ago.
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167.
Jack Flaherty
SP
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188.
Gleyber Torres
2B
Gleyber Torres reestablished himself as a reliable fantasy middle infielder in 2025 after a down 2024, showing improved plate discipline (career-best walk rate) and a rebound in overall run production following his move to Detroit. While the power remains well below his 2018-19 peak, his 2025 advanced profile points to solid contact quality and a more patient approach that supports a stable AVG/OBP floor. The 2026 projections reflect a continuation of that skill set rather than a return to 30+ homer upside, making him more valuable in OBP formats than standard roto leagues. With minimal speed and capped power, Torres profiles as a low-ceiling but steady fantasy contributor, best viewed as a post-hype sleeper for managers seeking middle-infield stability rather than upside.
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198.
Kenley Jansen
RP
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202.
Kerry Carpenter
LF,RF,DH
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248.
Casey Mize
SP
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272.
Kevin McGonigle
SS
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289.
Dillon Dingler
C
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293.
Colt Keith
2B,3B,DH
Colt Keith took a meaningful step forward in 2025, improving his rOBA from .308 to .326 and his Rbat+ from 95 to 107 while boosting his walk rate from 6.5% to 10.3%. The power growth was supported by real skill gains, as his ISO jumped from .120 to .157 with a spike in hard-hit rate (35.3% to 43.7%) and average exit velocity (87.8 mph to 90.0 mph), even as his strikeout rate ticked up slightly. His more balanced batted-ball profile (lower GB%, higher FB%) suggests the 2025 power gains are sustainable rather than fluky. With 2026 projections building on that improved plate discipline and batted-ball authority, Keith profiles as a fantasy riser, especially in OBP formats. While he's unlikely to contribute much in steals, a potential jump into the 18-22 HR range with solid run production at second base gives him stable middle-infield value with room for another step forward entering his age-24 season.
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332.
Will Vest
RP
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375.
Troy Melton
RP
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377.
Kyle Finnegan
RP
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398.
Parker Meadows
CF
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413.
Zach McKinstry
3B,SS,RF
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456.
Wenceel Perez
CF,RF
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468.
Javier Baez
3B,SS,CF
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490.
Tyler Holton
SP,RP
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543.
Max Clark
CF,DH
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555.
Justin Verlander
SP
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574.
Drew Anderson
SP
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593.
Brant Hurter
RP
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693.
Matt Vierling
CF
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724.
Sawyer Gipson-Long
SP
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750.
Brenan Hanifee
RP
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867.
Keider Montero
SP,RP
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877.
Max Anderson
2B,3B
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888.
Josue Briceno
C,1B,DH
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908.
Dylan Smith
SP
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934.
Jahmai Jones
RF,DH
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955.
Jake Rogers
C
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996.
Sean Guenther
RP
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1022.
Trey Sweeney
SS
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1063.
Hao-Yu Lee
2B,3B
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1130.
Ty Madden
SP
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1145.
Eduardo Valencia
C,1B,DH
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1169.
Konnor Pilkington
RP
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1171.
Jackson Jobe
SP
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1186.
Beau Brieske
RP
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1198.
Trei Cruz
3B,SS,CF
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1200.
Drew Sommers
RP
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1217.
Bailey Horn
RP
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1219.
Dugan Darnell
RP
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1282.
Andrew Sears
SP
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1285.
Jace Jung
3B
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1292.
Scott Effross
RP
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1334.
Tanner Rainey
RP
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1490.
Tomas Nido
C
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1525.
Austin Slater
LF,RF
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