Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Position

Team

Paul Skenes Note
	10. Paul Skenes SP Paul Skenes lived up to the hype in 2025, overpowering hitters with elite velocity and swing-and-miss stuff while maintaining strong run prevention in his first extended MLB action. Sure, his record was 10-10, and he probably could have been a 20-game winner on almost any other team. His 2026 projections remain aggressive on strikeouts and ratios, and he is expected to pitch almost 200 innings after throwing 187 in 2025. The year-over-year takeaway is how quickly his command stabilized, limiting walks more than expected for a power arm. Skenes profiles as a high-impact fantasy SP1 whose value is driven by dominance rather than volume alone. 6 weeks ago

Oneil Cruz Note
	96. Oneil Cruz CF Oneil Cruz followed up his 2024 breakout (21 HR, 22 SB, .773 OPS, 114 OPS+) with a steep regression in 2025, batting just .200 with an 87 OPS+ despite swiping a career-high 38 bases. The underlying power metrics remain loud — his 95.8 mph average exit velocity and 56.9% hard-hit rate were both elite and actually improved year over year — but a .262 BABIP and persistent 32.0% strikeout rate cratered his overall production. While his 11.8% walk rate was a career best, the contact issues and declining run production (RE24: -5.45) highlight the volatility in his profile. Looking ahead, Cruz's 2026 projections suggest a rebound toward his 2024 form, banking on normalization in batting average with continued 20/30 upside. If the BABIP corrects even partially, his rare combination of top-of-scale power and speed makes him a prime fantasy rebound candidate with high-variance upside — but managers must build around the batting average risk. 3 days ago

Bubba Chandler Note
	137. Bubba Chandler SP The Pirates faced criticism for keeping Bubba Chandler in Triple-A despite his dominant start (1.42 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 36:7 K:BB by May 1), but his command slipped over the next three months, as he logged a 1.75 WHIP and 85:46 K:BB in 74.2 innings with six outings of four-plus walks. Promoted in late August after preserving rookie eligibility, the 23-year-old righty looked like a potential frontline starter outside of one blowup against Milwaukee (nine earned runs in 2.2 innings); excluding that start, he posted a 1.57 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and 28:1 K:BB across 28.2 innings. Armed with a 99-mph fastball, 89-mph slider and a 92-mph changeup that generated a 39.6% whiff rate in the majors, Chandler combines premium velocity with a durable 6-foot-3 frame and three straight 110-plus inning seasons, giving him the upside to emerge as one of the game's top young starters if his command stabilizes. 3 days ago

Bryan Reynolds Note
	159. Bryan Reynolds LF,CF,RF After years of steady production, Bryan Reynolds showed real signs of decline. His strikeout rate climbed to 26.5% — a jump of roughly four percentage points — and he posted a career-worst .245/.318/.402 slash line. Playing in a Pittsburgh lineup that offers little support only adds to the downside. As he enters his age-31 season, fantasy managers should be prepared for increased inconsistency. Reynolds is still projected for around 20 home runs, but his run and RBI totals will suffer in a weak offense, and his batting average is more likely to settle near .250 than his career .271 mark. At this stage, he profiles better as an OF3 or OF4 rather than a reliable, every-week fantasy starter. 4 weeks ago

Brandon Lowe Note
	162. Brandon Lowe 2B Brandon Lowe rebounded in 2025, earning an All-Star nod while clubbing 31 home runs across 134 games, his highest total since 2021. His underlying metrics remained strong — a 91.1 mph average exit velocity and 46.7% hard-hit rate supported a healthy 5.6% HR rate — but a declining 6.9% walk rate and 26.9% strikeout rate capped his OBP at .307 despite a career-best .297 BABIP. The 2026 projections forecast another 30-homer campaign with a batting average in the .245-.255 range, reinforcing his profile as a power-first middle infielder with limited speed. Given his restored durability and steady batted-ball quality, Lowe profiles as a fantasy riser, particularly in formats that reward power from the second base slot, though his batting-average volatility keeps him just shy of elite-tier stability. 3 days ago

Dennis Santana Note
	210. Dennis Santana RP

Konnor Griffin Note
	241. Konnor Griffin SS,CF Konnor Griffin entered 2025 as one of the most highly regarded prospects in the lower minors and exceeded expectations after being widely considered the top prep position player in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound infielder combines elite speed and athleticism with impact power, slashing .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs, 65 steals, and a 21.7% strikeout rate across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A as a 19-year-old. His wRC+ improved at each level, finishing 75% above the Double-A average despite being the second-youngest hitter with 80 plate appearances, behind only Leo De Vries. Once questioned for his hit tool, Griffin now appears on track for a 2026 MLB debut, and a potential extension could accelerate his timeline. He offers defensive versatility but has primarily played shortstop. 3 days ago

Marcell Ozuna Note
	242. Marcell Ozuna Util Marcell Ozuna's 2025 campaign marked a steep regression from his elite 2023-2024 peak, as his slash line fell to .232/.355/.400 with 21 home runs across 592 plate appearances. While his 15.9% walk rate buoyed his OBP, his power indicators slipped considerably — including a drop to a .168 ISO, 3.5% HR rate, and a career-low 89.9 mph average exit velocity. After posting rOBA marks of .384 and .394 the previous two seasons, he dipped to .342 (118 Rbat+), signaling a clear step back from middle-of-the-order dominance. Now eligible only at DH with the Pirates, Ozuna's lack of positional flexibility further caps his fantasy utility. He profiles as a fantasy faller, with 2026 projections pointing toward solid but no-longer-elite power production more in line with a mid-tier corner bat than a foundational fantasy piece. 3 days ago

Mitch Keller Note
	270. Mitch Keller SP

Ryan O'Hearn Note
	305. Ryan O'Hearn 1B,LF,RF

Spencer Horwitz Note
	318. Spencer Horwitz 1B

Braxton Ashcraft Note
	328. Braxton Ashcraft SP,RP

Jake Mangum Note
	362. Jake Mangum LF,CF,RF

Jared Jones Note
	378. Jared Jones SP

Nick Gonzales Note
	420. Nick Gonzales 2B,SS

Jared Triolo Note
	429. Jared Triolo 1B,2B,3B,SS

Jhostynxon Garcia Note
	483. Jhostynxon Garcia CF,RF

Gregory Soto Note
	492. Gregory Soto RP

Joey Bart Note
	499. Joey Bart C

Carmen Mlodzinski Note
	564. Carmen Mlodzinski SP,RP

Hunter Barco Note
	604. Hunter Barco SP,RP

Henry Davis Note
	638. Henry Davis C

Isaac Mattson Note
	643. Isaac Mattson RP

Mason Montgomery Note
	671. Mason Montgomery RP

Justin Lawrence Note
	735. Justin Lawrence RP

Nick Yorke Note
	843. Nick Yorke 2B

Yohan Ramirez Note
	852. Yohan Ramirez RP

Evan Sisk Note
	869. Evan Sisk RP

Jose Urquidy Note
	901. Jose Urquidy RP

Endy Rodriguez Note
	981. Endy Rodriguez C,1B

Esmerlyn Valdez Note
	1030. Esmerlyn Valdez 1B,LF,RF

Kyle Nicolas Note
	1134. Kyle Nicolas RP

Thomas Harrington Note
	1155. Thomas Harrington SP,RP

Chris Devenski Note
	1302. Chris Devenski RP

Joe La Sorsa Note
	1305. Joe La Sorsa RP

Wilber Dotel Note
	1310. Wilber Dotel SP

Enmanuel Valdez Note
	1325. Enmanuel Valdez 1B

Brandan Bidois Note
	1332. Brandan Bidois RP

Jaden Woods Note
	1353. Jaden Woods RP

Noah Davis Note
	1392. Noah Davis RP

Mike Clevinger Note
	1393. Mike Clevinger RP

Ryan Harbin Note
	1425. Ryan Harbin RP

Cam Sanders Note
	1427. Cam Sanders RP

Rafael Flores Note
	1511. Rafael Flores C,1B

Alika Williams Note
	1520. Alika Williams 2B,SS

Billy Cook Note
	1563. Billy Cook CF

Ronny Simon Note
	1576. Ronny Simon 2B,LF

Dominic Fletcher Note
	1583. Dominic Fletcher CF,RF

Davis Wendzel Note
	1590. Davis Wendzel 3B