Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

There's no real debate at the top of 2026 fantasy drafts: In formats where he is considered one player, Shohei Ohtani remains the clear-cut 1.01 thanks to his unmatched two-way impact. Offensively, his 2026 projections again place him among the game's elite, with 45-plus home runs, triple-digit runs and RBI, and an on-base percentage north of .390 while continuing to anchor the Dodgers' lineup from the leadoff spot. The stolen base ceiling isn't what it was earlier in his career, but projected totals in the high teens still provide a valuable bonus atop his league-leading power and run production.

What truly separates Ohtani, however, is his return as a full-time starting pitcher. His 2026 projections peg him as a top-tier arm, capable of delivering ace-level strikeout totals, strong ratios, and double-digit wins in one of baseball's best team contexts. Even with some workload management baked in, Ohtani's ability to provide elite value on both sides of the ball gives fantasy managers a structural advantage no other player can match. As long as he's healthy, Ohtani isn't just the safest pick in fantasy baseball; he's still redefining what roster construction can look like.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto followed up his MLB debut with a strong 2025, flashing elite command and swing-and-miss ability even as his workload was managed. That, however, went out the window when he threw 37-1/3 postseason innings, bringing his total to 210 in 2025. His 2026 projections show maintained excellent ratios and strikeout efficiency. The year-over-year improvement in pitch efficiency suggests he can work deeper into games moving forward. The biggest knock against Yamamoto is that he pitches for the Dodgers, who have a deep enough staff to go with a six-man rotation or rest elite starters down the stretch (fantasy playoffs) if they wish. In any case, Yamamoto profiles as a high-end fantasy starter whose value is anchored in ratios.