Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Position

Team

Cade Smith Note
	27. Cade Smith RP Cade Smith has quickly emerged as one of baseball's most dominant late-inning arms, following a stellar 2024 rookie campaign (1.91 ERA, 35.6% K rate) with another strong season in 2025 while taking on significant closing duties. His elite bat-missing ability has remained consistent across both seasons, posting a 35.1% strikeout rate over his first 149 MLB innings with excellent control (6.1% BB%). While his ERA rose to 2.93 in 2025 as his fly-ball rate and HR% ticked up slightly, the underlying profile still supports high-end relief production. The 2026 projections forecast roughly 30 saves, 91 strikeouts, and a 3.05 ERA across 71 innings, indicating Smith should operate as Cleveland's primary closer. With elite strikeout upside and a firm grip on the ninth inning, he profiles as a fantasy riser and a top-tier closer target in 2026 drafts. 12 hours ago

Tanner Bibee Note
	57. Tanner Bibee SP Tanner Bibee took a noticeable step back in 2025, posting a 4.24 ERA and 4.34 FIP across a career-high 182.1 innings after delivering sub-3.50 ERAs in each of his first two seasons. The biggest red flag was a sharp dip in strikeout rate (21.3% K%) paired with a career-worst 3.5% HR rate, as his four-seam/slider combo generated fewer whiffs and more damaging contact despite a heavier ground-ball lean (44.6% GB%). While his walk rate remained solid and his BABIP (.283) suggests little bad luck, the decline in swing-and-miss ability and negative WPA underscore the regression. With 2026 projections forecasting stabilization rather than a full rebound, Bibee profiles as a mild fantasy faller entering draft season — more SP3 than frontline anchor unless the strikeout rate bounces back. 5 days ago

Gavin Williams Note
	58. Gavin Williams SP Gavin Williams re-established himself as a high-upside rotation anchor in 2025, posting a 3.06 ERA and 3.8 WAR across 167.2 innings after a rocky, injury-affected 2024 campaign. His strikeout rate ticked up to 24.6%, and he held opponents to a .211 average with a well-above-average 137 ERA+, but persistent control issues (11.8% BB rate, 4.5 BB/9) continue to inflate his WHIP (1.270) and FIP (4.39). The improved ground-ball rate (45.6%) and suppressed .254 BABIP helped drive the ERA rebound, though the elevated hard-hit rate (44.4%) suggests some volatility remains. If his 2026 projections forecast even modest gains in command, Williams profiles as a fantasy riser with SP2 upside; however, without tangible walk-rate improvement, he remains a ratio-risk arm despite the strikeout ceiling. 5 days ago

Parker Messick Note
	117. Parker Messick SP

Joey Cantillo Note
	118. Joey Cantillo SP,RP

Slade Cecconi Note
	167. Slade Cecconi SP

Hunter Gaddis Note
	204. Hunter Gaddis RP

Shawn Armstrong Note
	224. Shawn Armstrong RP

Erik Sabrowski Note
	328. Erik Sabrowski RP

Matt Festa Note
	341. Matt Festa RP

Colin Holderman Note
	374. Colin Holderman RP

Tim Herrin Note
	378. Tim Herrin RP

Daniel Espino Note
	487. Daniel Espino SP

Andrew Walters Note
	556. Andrew Walters RP

Connor Brogdon Note
	589. Connor Brogdon RP

Peyton Pallette Note
	622. Peyton Pallette RP

Franco Aleman Note
	635. Franco Aleman RP

Pedro Avila Note
	654. Pedro Avila RP

Trevor Stephan Note
	659. Trevor Stephan RP

Carlos Hernandez Note
	716. Carlos Hernandez RP

Kolby Allard Note
	718. Kolby Allard SP,RP

Austin Peterson Note
	721. Austin Peterson SP

Codi Heuer Note
	723. Codi Heuer RP

Doug Nikhazy Note
	833. Doug Nikhazy SP,RP

Ben Lively Note
	845. Ben Lively SP

Jake Miller Note
	888. Jake Miller SP