Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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25.
Kevin Gausman
Kevin Gausman followed up his 2024 dip with a strong rebound in 2025, logging 193 innings with a 3.59 ERA and an excellent 1.06 WHIP. While his strikeout rate (24.4% K%) remained solid, it was well below his 2022-23 peak, reinforcing the trend that his fantasy ceiling is no longer ace-level. Projections forecast dependable innings, solid ratios, and above-average command, but fewer strikeouts than elite fantasy starters. At age 35, Gausman is best suited as a high-floor SP3/4 rather than a staff anchor, with value tied heavily to workload stability and ratio support rather than upside.
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48.
Shota Imanaga
Shota Imanaga followed up a brilliant 2024 debut (2.91 ERA, 25.1% K rate, 4.0% BB rate) with a more volatile 2025 campaign, as his ERA climbed to 3.73 and his strikeout rate dipped to 20.6%. While he continued to limit walks at an elite clip (4.6% BB%) and suppress batting average (.218 BAA), a spike in home run rate (5.5% HR%) and hard-hit contact (43.9%) led to a sharp jump in FIP (4.86). Fantasy managers should view Imanaga as a mild faller entering 2026 drafts, though his strong command and projected workload stability keep him firmly in SP3 territory if the homer regression stabilizes.
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51.
Edward Cabrera
Edward Cabrera put together his most complete season in 2025, logging a career-high 137 2/3 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a career-best 8.3% walk rate. The improved command was the key development, as his strikeout rate (25.8%) remained comfortably above league average while his BB% dipped closer to MLB norms (8.4%). Projections suggest similar strikeout production with manageable walks, Cabrera profiles as a high-upside SP3 in fantasy with room for more if the control gains stick.
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53.
Cade Horton
Cade Horton broke through in 2025 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 118 innings, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 144 ERA+. His underlying profile was strong but not overpowering, as his 3.58 FIP and 7.4 K/9 suggest more command-and-contact management than bat-missing dominance. The 2026 projections push him closer to the mid-3.00s in ERA with a modest bump in workload, which frames Horton as a high-floor SP3/SP4. Without elite strikeout volume, his value will hinge on efficiency, wins, and ratio stability in a competitive Cubs rotation. Draft him as a steady innings stabilizer, but avoid paying for a repeat sub-2.75 ERA unless there's tangible growth in swing-and-miss.
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61.
Matthew Boyd
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80.
David Peterson
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87.
Clay Holmes
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117.
Justin Steele
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130.
Braxton Garrett
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154.
Ben Brown
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168.
Drew Pomeranz
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173.
Aaron Civale
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177.
Colin Rea
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190.
Javier Assad
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204.
Jordan Wicks
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262.
Vince Velasquez
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274.
Jaxon Wiggins
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411.
Doug Nikhazy
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