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,CF,RF,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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69.
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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156.
Spencer Torkelson
1B
Spencer Torkelson rebounded strongly in 2025, posting a career-best .240/.333/.456 slash with 31 homers and a 117 OPS+. The plate discipline gains were real, as his walk rate climbed and his overall offensive value 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. 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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169.
Jack Flaherty
SP
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188.
Kenley Jansen
RP
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198.
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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205.
Kerry Carpenter
LF,RF,DH
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250.
Casey Mize
SP
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255.
Kevin McGonigle
SS
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285.
Dillon Dingler
C
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301.
Colt Keith
1B,2B,3B,DH
Colt Keith took a meaningful step forward in 2025. 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). 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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350.
Will Vest
RP
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377.
Kyle Finnegan
RP
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396.
Parker Meadows
CF
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405.
Zach McKinstry
3B,SS,LF,RF
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415.
Wenceel Perez
CF,RF
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467.
Tyler Holton
SP,RP
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502.
Troy Melton
SP,RP
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511.
Javier Baez
2B,3B,SS,CF
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530.
Max Clark
CF
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540.
Justin Verlander
SP
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548.
Drew Anderson
RP
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575.
Brant Hurter
SP,RP
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690.
Sawyer Gipson-Long
SP,RP
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735.
Brenan Hanifee
RP
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884.
Matt Vierling
LF,CF
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921.
Keider Montero
SP,RP
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933.
Dylan Smith
RP
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990.
Sean Guenther
RP
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1049.
Bailey Horn
RP
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1053.
Konnor Pilkington
RP
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1072.
Ty Madden
RP
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1079.
Drew Sommers
RP
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1081.
Beau Brieske
RP
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1089.
Dugan Darnell
RP
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1095.
Jackson Jobe
SP,RP
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1111.
Tyler Mattison
RP
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1131.
Andrew Sears
SP
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1141.
Scott Effross
RP
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1177.
Jake Rogers
C
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1200.
Tanner Rainey
RP
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1243.
Enmanuel De Jesus
SP,RP
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1340.
Jahmai Jones
LF,CF,RF,DH
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1376.
Tomas Nido
C
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1411.
Austin Slater
LF,CF,RF
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1433.
Trey Sweeney
SS
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1439.
Jace Jung
3B
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1505.
Hao-Yu Lee
2B,3B
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1513.
Max Anderson
2B,3B
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1533.
Trei Cruz
SS,LF,CF
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1535.
Eduardo Valencia
C,1B,DH
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