Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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2.
Aaron Judge
LF,CF,RF
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.
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22.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
2B,3B
Jazz Chisholm's 2025 season was a reminder of both his upside and volatility, as power-speed contributions were once again offset by durability concerns and streaky efficiency. His 2026 projections bake in similar power and speed totals with right around 600 plate appearances, reflecting ongoing availability risk. When on the field, his per-game fantasy production remains strong, particularly in steals. Chisholm is best approached as a ceiling play rather than a foundational early-round option, but qualifying at third base does bump him up a few spots on draft boards.
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48.
Max Fried
SP
After eight years in Atlanta, Max Fried arrived in New York and did what the Yankees were hoping he would do. In 195 1/3 innings pitched, Fried ended with a 2.86 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while striking out 189 batters, the most in any season of his career. While his xERA was higher at 3.40, his FIP (3.07) and xFIP (3.41) suggest the 32-year-old has plenty left in the tank in 2026. Of his 32 starts, 20 of them qualified as quality, making him more valuable in leagues with that category.
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62.
Cody Bellinger
LF,CF,RF
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. |
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77.
Ben Rice
C,1B
Ben Rice followed a rough 2024 debut with a legitimate breakout in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers and a 131 OPS+ across 138 games. The power spike was supported by improved contact quality and a manageable strikeout rate, turning him from replacement-level depth into a middle-of-the-order threat. Dual eligibility at catcher and first base quietly boosts his fantasy value, especially in formats where offensive production behind the plate is scarce. While his defensive profile may keep him rotating between DH and multiple positions, Rice's age-26 surge makes him an appealing upside target with room for further growth if the plate discipline gains hold.
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105.
David Bednar
RP
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131.
Cam Schlittler
SP
Cam Schlitter emerged as a high-upside arm for the Yankees in 2025, posting a 2.96 ERA across 14 starts with a 27.6% strikeout rate that comfortably outpaced the league average (22.2%). His .217 batting average against and .646 OPS allowed highlight how difficult he was to square up, and a modest 2.6% HR rate helped suppress damage despite a below-average 36.4% ground-ball rate. The 3.74 FIP and 10.2% walk rate suggest there's still refinement needed with command, but the 10.4 K/9 and 89.0 mph average exit velocity allowed point to sustainable swing-and-miss ability. Looking ahead to 2026, projections build on that strong rookie foundation, forecasting a larger workload with mid-3.00s ratios and above-average strikeout totals over a full season. If he maintains the strikeout gains while trimming the walks closer to league average, Schlitter has SP3 upside with room for more in favorable matchups. He's a strong target in the middle rounds of drafts, particularly for managers prioritizing strikeouts and upside over pure ratio safety.
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163.
Carlos Rodon
SP
Carlos Rodon delivered one of the most complete seasons of his career in 2025, posting a 3.09 ERA across 195.1 innings with a 1.05 WHIP and 203 strikeouts, earning Cy Young consideration. The underlying profile supports the rebound: opponents hit just .188 against him with a career-best .230 BABIP, while his ground-ball rate (43.1%) ticked back up and hard-hit rate dipped below league average. His strikeout rate (25.7%) wasn't quite at his 2021-2022 peak, but improved run prevention and workload stability made him a high-end fantasy anchor. The 2026 projections expect some ERA regression closer to his FIP (3.78 in 2025) and normalized BABIP, but still forecast a durable SP2 with strong win equity in New York. He is currently recovering from an elbow procedure and is projected to begin his season in late April/early May.
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219.
Gerrit Cole
SP
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222.
Trent Grisham
CF
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260.
Ryan Weathers
SP
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276.
Jasson Dominguez
LF,CF
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279.
Jose Caballero
2B,3B,SS,LF,RF
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294.
Will Warren
SP
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298.
Giancarlo Stanton
LF,RF
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316.
Anthony Volpe
SS
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329.
Austin Wells
C
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402.
Luis Gil
SP
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414.
Ryan McMahon
3B
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441.
Paul Goldschmidt
1B
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443.
Camilo Doval
RP
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521.
Fernando Cruz
RP
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545.
Elmer Rodriguez
SP
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664.
Spencer Jones
CF
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680.
Brent Headrick
RP
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719.
Ryan Yarbrough
SP,RP
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747.
Clarke Schmidt
SP
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771.
Amed Rosario
2B,3B
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865.
Tim Hill
RP
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893.
Paul Blackburn
SP,RP
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909.
Yanquiel Fernandez
RF
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949.
Carlos Lagrange
SP
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999.
Brendan Beck
SP
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1038.
Yerry De los Santos
RP
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1056.
Paul DeJong
2B,3B,SS
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1060.
Max Schuemann
2B,3B,SS,OF
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1082.
Osvaldo Bido
SP,RP
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1085.
Kervin Castro
RP
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1089.
Seth Brown
1B,LF,CF,RF
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1165.
Randal Grichuk
LF,RF
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1259.
Oswaldo Cabrera
3B
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1271.
Dom Hamel
SP,RP
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1274.
Rafael Montero
RP
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1311.
Dylan Coleman
RP
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1313.
Ben Hess
SP
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1326.
Angel Chivilli
RP
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1342.
Cade Winquest
SP
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1445.
J.C. Escarra
C
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1516.
Jorbit Vivas
2B,3B
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1527.
Marco Luciano
2B,SS
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