Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Garrett Crochet built on his breakout 2025 by sustaining elite strikeout rates and improved efficiency, alleviating many durability concerns that followed him earlier in his career. His 2026 projections continue to reflect frontline stuff, with strong K totals and solid ratios over a full starter's workload. The key development was improved pitch mix consistency, allowing him to turn lineups over more reliably. Crochet is a premium fantasy arm whose upside justifies an aggressive draft slot and should easily be one of the first three pitchers off the board.

Sonny Gray was one of the only bright spots in the Cardinals' 2025 season. He started 32 games, threw 180 2/3 innings, and struck out 201 batters. His ERA was inflated at 4.28 with an expected of 3.90, but his FIP (3.39) suggests both of these numbers are high, and his xFIP is even lower at 3.06. Gray turns 36 this year, and projections have him profiled as more of an SP3 or SP4. Still, the move to Boston should give him more win equity, and he is worth consideration in the middle rounds.

Ranger Suárez quietly delivered his best all-around season in 2025, pairing a 3.20 ERA with career-best walk suppression (5.8 BB%) while holding hitters to a sub-.680 OPS for the second straight year. His strikeout rate (23.2%) remained stable, but the real growth came from improved command and softer contact, as his HardHit rate dipped to a career low despite a slight drop in ground-ball rate. The 2026 projections largely bank on more of the same: mid-3.00s ratios, solid volume, and strong WHIP support driven by control rather than overpowering stuff. While he lacks true ace-level strikeout upside, Suárez's durability, efficiency, and run-prevention profile make him a high-floor SP2 who continues to outperform his draft-day perception in fantasy formats.