Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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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.
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88.
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. 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. 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 upside, but managers must build around the batting average risk.
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148.
Bubba Chandler
SP
The Pirates faced criticism for keeping Bubba Chandler in Triple-A in 2025, but he was promoted in late August. The 23-year-old righty looked like a potential frontline starter He demonstrated his readiness with a 99-mph fastball, 89-mph slider and a 92-mph changeup that generated a 39.6% whiff rate in the majors. Chandler is going to cost you on draft day, as he is one of the darlings of the fantasy baseball world. But if he delivers what is expected, it will be worth paying up in drafts.
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164.
Bryan Reynolds
LF,CF,RF,DH
After years of steady production, Bryan Reynolds showed real signs of decline. His strikeout rate climbed to 26.5% and he posted a career-worst .245/.318/.402 slash line. 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.
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167.
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, but a declining 6.9% walk rate and 26.9% strikeout rate capped his OBP at .307 despite a career-best .297 BABIP. 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.
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212.
Dennis Santana
RP
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219.
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.
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245.
Marcell Ozuna
DH
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. Now eligible only at DH with the Pirates, Ozuna's lack of positional flexibility further caps his fantasy utility. Projections pointing toward solid but no-longer-elite power production more in line with a mid-tier corner bat than a foundational fantasy piece.
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273.
Braxton Ashcraft
SP,RP
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279.
Mitch Keller
SP
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290.
Ryan O'Hearn
1B,LF,RF,DH
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376.
Spencer Horwitz
1B
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420.
Jake Mangum
LF,CF,RF
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434.
Jared Triolo
1B,2B,3B,SS
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454.
Nick Gonzales
2B,3B,SS
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456.
Gregory Soto
RP
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478.
Carmen Mlodzinski
SP,RP
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480.
Jared Jones
SP
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484.
Jared Jones
1B
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488.
Hunter Barco
SP,RP
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636.
Joey Bart
C
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648.
Jhostynxon Garcia
CF,RF
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663.
Henry Davis
C
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686.
Mason Montgomery
RP
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690.
Isaac Mattson
RP
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701.
Justin Lawrence
RP
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736.
Jose Urquidy
RP
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813.
Yohan Ramirez
RP
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918.
Endy Rodriguez
C,1B
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946.
Nick Yorke
2B,3B
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956.
Evan Sisk
RP
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1189.
Wilber Dotel
SP
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1207.
Chris Devenski
RP
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1265.
Brandan Bidois
RP
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1268.
Thomas Harrington
SP,RP
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1272.
Joe La Sorsa
RP
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1280.
Michael Darrell-Hicks
RP
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1310.
Jaden Woods
RP
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1331.
Mike Clevinger
RP
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1344.
Sean Sullivan
SP
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1361.
Ryan Harbin
RP
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1362.
Cam Sanders
RP
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1482.
Billy Cook
CF
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1484.
Rafael Flores
C,1B
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1489.
Tyler Callihan
2B,LF
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1507.
Esmerlyn Valdez
1B,LF,RF
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1508.
Enmanuel Valdez
1B
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1554.
Dominic Fletcher
CF,RF
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1562.
Ronny Simon
2B,LF
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1585.
Alika Williams
2B,SS
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1589.
Davis Wendzel
3B
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