Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
|
21.
Kyle Schwarber
LF
Kyle Schwarber's 2025 profile remained extreme but effective, delivering elite home-run volume and run production while continuing to drag batting average, though not as much as in the past. He played in all 162 games, hit 56 home runs, drove in an MLB-leading 132, and scored 111 runs. His 2026 projections again place him among the league leaders in homers, with OBP formats propping up his overall value. Year over year, the power output has proven remarkably stable despite contact volatility. Schwarber remains a roster-construction play who fits best on teams built to absorb average risk in exchange for top-tier power.
|
|
25.
Trea Turner
SS
Trea Turner's age-32 season was a clear bounce-back, as he hit .304/.355/.457 with 36 stolen bases and a top-five MVP finish, reaffirming that his elite speed remains fully intact. While the power dipped to 15 homers, his improved on-base skills and renewed aggressiveness on the bases helped offset the decline and restored his five-category profile. Defensive metrics also stabilized after a rough 2023-24 stretch, supporting everyday shortstop volume and lineup security. As long as the speed holds near the top of the league, Turner remains a high-floor fantasy anchor with upside tied to any rebound in home-run output.
|
|
29.
Cristopher Sanchez
SP
Cristopher Sanchez finished second for the Cy Young Award in 2025, and without a historic season from Paul Skenes, he would have been an easy choice. Sanchez threw 202 innings with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. His K-rate jumped to 26.3%, and his walk rate remained microscopic at 5.5%. He also had a 176 ERA+, good for fifth in the majors. If you don't want to pay the massive cost for one of the Big 3 pitchers, Sanchez is about as great of a "consolation prize" as there is in starting pitching in 2026.
|
|
33.
Bryce Harper
1B
Bryce Harper remained an elite middle-of-the-order force in 2025, pairing strong on-base skills with premium power despite minor durability interruptions. His 2026 projections continue to support top-tier production, with stable home run output and run production driven by an excellent walk rate and hard-contact profile. While his speed contribution has tapered off, Harper's efficiency as a run producer remains intact thanks to consistent barrel rates and a favorable lineup context in Philadelphia. Fantasy managers should view him as a high-floor early-round anchor whose value is safest in OBP formats but still strong in standard leagues, especially if his health cooperates.
|
|
66.
Jesus Luzardo
SP
In his first season in Philadelphia, Jesus Luzardo threw 183 2/3 innings, struck out 216 batters, and ended with a 3.92 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. His xERA was 3.34, and his FIP was an impressive 2.90. Lizardo's strikeout rate of 28.5% was in line with his two best seasons in Miami in 2022 and 2023, and even though we don't chase wins, his 15-7 record was a nice addition in fantasy. He cut his HR/9 to 0.78, the lowest of his career as a starter. Heading into his age-28 season, Luzardo profiles as a solid SP2 in fantasy.
|
|
74.
Jhoan Duran
RP
Jhoan Duran rebounded strongly in 2025, posting a 2.06 ERA across 70 innings with elite run suppression indicators, including a career-low 1.0% HR rate and a .564 OPS allowed, signaling a return to dominance after a shaky 2024. While his strikeout rate (27.9%) was down from his 2022-23 peak, improved command and consistently heavy ground-ball rates helped stabilize his ratios and WHIP. The 2026 projections continue to view him as a high-end closer with strong save totals and excellent ERA/WHIP support, even if the gaudy K/9 ceiling doesn't fully return. Given his age, power arsenal, and restored efficiency, Duran profiles as a reliable top-tier fantasy closer rather than the volatile arm he briefly appeared to be in 2024.
|
|
127.
Zack Wheeler
SP
Zack Wheeler followed up his dominant 2024 with an even sharper skill set in 2025, posting a career-best 11.73 K/9 and 33.3% strikeout rate alongside a stellar 27.7% K-BB%. His 2.71 ERA was supported by a 2.48 xERA, though a spike to 1.14 HR/9 and a lofty 82.4% strand rate suggest some regression baked into that surface line. The question for Wheeler is how he will recover from the thoracic outlet surgery he underwent last season. Recovery is listed as 6 to 8 months, so the chances of him being ready for Opening Day are slim to none, but the latest report is that it "shouldn't be too long" after that. All of this makes him a high-risk, high-reward pitcher capable of being the SP1 he's been, but fantasy managers should count on some regression based on the injury and the fact that he will be 36 this season.
|
|
183.
Aaron Nola
SP
|
|
202.
Bryson Stott
2B,SS
Bryson Stott took a step forward in 2025, rebounding from a down 2024 campaign to post a .257/.328/.391 line with 13 homers and 24 steals over 147 games. His underlying profile supports the modest bounce-back: a career-best 9.6% walk rate and improved .324 rOBA (95 Rbat+) were driven more by plate discipline than impact, as his 86.9 mph average exit velocity and 29.5% hard-hit rate remained well below league average. The shift toward more fly balls (29.2% FB rate, 0.68 GB/FB) helped stabilize his power output, but his .134 ISO still caps the ceiling. With 2026 projections forecasting another 20-plus steal season with double-digit homers and steady ratios, Stott profiles as a stable middle-infield contributor rather than a breakout bat.
|
|
224.
Adolis Garcia
RF
|
|
234.
Alec Bohm
1B,3B
|
|
265.
J.T. Realmuto
C
|
|
298.
Justin Crawford
OF
|
|
332.
Brandon Marsh
LF,CF
|
|
340.
Andrew Painter
SP
|
|
476.
Brad Keller
RP
|
|
481.
Orion Kerkering
RP
|
|
487.
Aidan Miller
SS
|
|
496.
Jose Alvarado
RP
|
|
599.
Tanner Banks
RP
|
|
670.
Edmundo Sosa
2B,3B,SS
|
|
722.
Jonathan Bowlan
RP
|
|
738.
Otto Kemp
1B,3B,LF
|
|
1013.
Rafael Marchan
C
|
|
1016.
Tim Mayza
RP
|
|
1037.
Taijuan Walker
SP,RP
|
|
1047.
Lou Trivino
RP
|
|
1055.
Max Lazar
RP
|
|
1056.
Zach McCambley
RP
|
|
1116.
Johan Rojas
CF
|
|
1125.
Gabriel Rincones
LF,RF
|
|
1210.
Alan Rangel
SP,RP
|
|
1218.
Kyle Backhus
RP
|
|
1227.
Chase Shugart
RP
|
|
1234.
Bryan De La Cruz
LF,RF
|
|
1238.
Nolan Hoffman
SP,RP
|
|
1249.
Daniel Robert
RP
|
|
1264.
Tucker Davidson
RP
|
|
1346.
Gage Wood
SP
|
|
1362.
Genesis Cabrera
RP
|
|
1388.
Zach Pop
RP
|
|
1403.
Yoniel Curet
SP
|
|
1408.
Seth Johnson
SP,RP
|
|
1417.
Bryse Wilson
SP,RP
|
|
1418.
Jean Cabrera
SP
|
|
1523.
Liover Peguero
1B,2B,SS
|
|
1580.
Pedro Leon
RF
|
|
1582.
Garrett Stubbs
C
|