Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Freddy Peralta followed up a solid 2024 with a true breakout in 2025, posting a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 17 wins over 176.2 innings while finishing top-five in Cy Young voting. His underlying profile supported the leap, as he cut opponents' OPS to .603, limited home runs (2.9 HR%), and maintained an elite strikeout rate (28.2%) with improved run prevention (154 ERA+). The walk rate remains slightly elevated, but his ability to suppress hard contact and miss bats at a high level keeps the ratios stable. With 2026 projections continuing to forecast strong strikeouts and the move to New York to play for the Mets, Peralta profiles as a dependable fantasy ace rather than a volatile upside arm.

Nolan McLean's brief 2025 MLB sample showcased frontline skills beneath the surface, highlighted by a 30.3% strikeout rate, elite 60.2% ground-ball rate, and a microscopic 2.1% HR rate, all of which supported his strong ERA despite modest volume. His ability to suppress quality contact (89.5 mph average EV, .571 OPS against) paired with above-average command (8.5% BB%) suggests the performance wasn't fluky, even if some ERA regression is likely as innings scale. The 2026 projections point to a heavier workload with solid strikeout totals, making durability and role security the main remaining questions rather than skill. Given the bat-missing profile and batted-ball dominance, McLean profiles as a high-upside fantasy sleeper who can outperform his draft cost if he holds a regular rotation spot.