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Projections 2026 Preseason Outlooks Season To Date

League Type

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Available Players

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Batters

Pitchers

1.Aaron Judge

NYY (OF)

143

504

AVG

.312

RBI

113

117

Judge continues to cement himself as the best hitter in baseball, finishing the 2025 regular season with 53 homers, 114 RBI, 137 runs, 12 steals and a 1.145 OPS in 152 games. The outfielder was limited to designated-hitter duties for part of the second half due to a flexor strain, though the injury didn't affect his production at the plate and ultimately didn't require surgery. He led the league with a 204 wRC+, and he now owns three of the 15 occurrences of a player eclipsing a 200 wRC+ in a season since 1950. He's offered a bit more consistency on the basepaths with double-digit steals the past two seasons, which provides a boost to the one category in which he's not already an elite performer. Availability has been a concern for Judge in the past, but he's played in at least 148 games in four of the past five seasons and is a strong bet to continue his run as the top hitter in MLB during 2026.

2.Bobby Witt

KC (SS)

159

632

AVG

.302

RBI

107

Witt finished as the runner-up for AL MVP in 2024 but wasn't able to fully replicate those efforts last season, though he was still an elite producer with a .295/.351/.501 slash line in 157 games. He finished 2025 with 23 homers, 88 RBI and 99 runs, all of which were notable drops from the previous season, but he did improve his stolen-base total to 38 while being caught three fewer times. That overall production may be a more reasonable year-to-year expectation for Witt than his 169 wRC+ in 2024, though he can certainly still elevate that while entering his age-26 campaign. Even with that slightly lower production, Witt is arguably the top power/speed combo in the league and has all but cemented himself as MLB's premier shortstop heading into 2026, especially when factoring in his top-level defense.

3.Jose Ramirez

CLE (3B)

158

606

AVG

.282

RBI

103

Ramirez continues to be one of the most consistent elite producers in MLB, and he finished his age-32 campaign in 2025 with 30 home runs, 44 stolen bases, 85 RBI and 103 runs in 158 games. His batting average has sat between .279 and .283 (his 2025 mark) in each of the past four years, while his OPS has been north of .800 for 10 straight seasons. Ramirez's dependability extends to his availability, as he's missed 10 games or fewer in the last six regular seasons and in nine of the past 10 seasons. The veteran third baseman has shown no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by his career-high steals total in 2025. The only major limiting factor for Ramirez at this point is the lineup around him, since the Guardians scored the third-fewest runs in MLB last year and seem unlikely to significantly bolster their lineup this winter. Even with that consideration, Ramirez has been one of the most reliable top-end hitters in baseball for a while and will be near the top of draft boards again in 2026.

4.Julio Rodriguez

SEA (OF)

153

625

AVG

.270

RBI

Rodriguez has developed a reputation as a slow starter, though that should not be the prevailing narrative entering his age-25 season. The outfielder is already a three-time All-Star and the youngest player in MLB history with four 20-20 seasons, having reached those thresholds in each of his first four campaigns with Seattle. Twice has Rodriguez gone 30-30, including in 2025 as he once again surged over the final two months to help the Mariners secure the AL West. While overshadowed by teammate Cal Raleigh, Rodriguez was a top-10 fantasy earner on offense despite batting .207 through the end of April. The combination of power and speed makes Rodriguez an incredibly valuable asset in rotisserie leagues, and there is room to dream on upside with batting average after he finally made improvement with his strikeout rate last season, cutting it to a career-low 21.4%. Rodriguez has shown that the elite five-category production will be there at the end of the day, and the best may be yet to come.

5.Nick Kurtz

ATH (1B)

147

522

AVG

.280

RBI

104

Few had Kurtz on their redraft radar entering 2025, and even fewer had him as a potential Rookie of the Year. His odds were as long as +8000 for ROY, but Kurtz ended up winning the award as a unanimous selection in the AL after crushing 36 home runs in just 117 games with the Athletics, including four homers in a single game. Not only that, but he hit .290 despite a 30.9 K%, which speaks to just how hard he blistered the ball as a rookie. Largely because of the swing-and-miss, there was a 42-point gulf between his actual batting average and his Statcast xBA (.248). Indeed regression to his average seems inevitable, but Kurtz takes his walks and lights up the radar guns with stellar batted-ball numbers. Twenty-two of his 36 homers came at home in the team's temporary residence at Sutter Health Park, which was a top-five park for lefty power last season. The incredible campaign has pushed Kurtz to the very top of the first-base rankings for many entering 2026, although Vladimir Guerrero also has a case to be first off the board at the position.

6.Tarik Skubal

DET (P)

187.0

230

ERA

2.40

WHIP

0.901

Skubal has now logged more than 450 regular-season innings since putting his August 2022 Tommy John Surgery in the rearview mirror. Simply put, he has been a dominating force on the mound in that time, winning a Cy Young while leading all pitchers (min 450 IP) in ERA, strikeout rate, WHIP, K-BB percentage, opponents' batting average and kissing babies. His postseason efforts were just icing on the cake, even if Detroit could not muster enough offense in his support. He has garnered a win in nearly 50 percent of his starts and a quality start in 62 percent of his outings and has answered the durability concerns, which clouded his future as he came back from surgery in 2023. The only risk for Skubal now is, where does he go from here, literally and figuratively? Skubal is heading into the final year of his contract with Detroit, and the initial $100M contract extension offer was not well received according to the hot stove. There is a chance Skubal could be dealt away from Detroit, resulting in a different home park, but Skubal seems to be at his best against the best, as his 1.90 ERA against teams over .500 in 2025 would reinforce. Skubal has also pitched at an elite statistical level since returning from surgery, and the odds of him taking it to an even higher level are not a strong as the odds of him regressing a bit in 2026 under the spotlight of pending free agency and contract extension talks. Pitchers in the first round are risky, but nobody would blame you for pulling the trigger on Skubal.

7.Pete Alonso

BAL (1B)

160

605

AVG

.248

RBI

112

Alonso will begin a new chapter in 2026, having migrated south to Baltimore on a five-year, $155 million contract. Forced to settle for a one-year deal last winter amidst a bear market, Alonso went on to post an .871 OPS with 38 homers and an NL-leading 41 doubles across a career-high 709 plate appearances with the Mets in 2025. His 80 total extra-base hits ranked fifth in MLB, tied with Arizona's Corbin Carroll, and Alonso played in all 162 games for the second year in a row. He's proven to be an RBI machine, plating 463 runs over the past four regular seasons, one behind Aaron Judge for the major-league lead in that span. The Orioles made changes to the left-field wall at Camden Yards prior to 2025, and Alonso, now 31, should be in position to benefit while anchoring new manager Craig Albernaz's everyday lineup from the cleanup spot. Expect giveback with his batting average, but Alonso offers elite power and production that is bankable at first base.

8.Gunnar Henderson

BAL (SS)

155

590

AVG

.271

RBI

An intercostal strain, suffered during the Orioles' Feb. 27 Grapefruit League game, put Henderson on the injured list to begin the 2025 season. He returned in the first week of April, but it took a while before Henderson began to look like himself, as he limped out of the gates with a .228/.268/.413 line through the end of April. The 24-year-old was more comfortable by the summer months, batting well over .300 in June and July. His performance dipped again down the stretch, and in the end, Henderson's .787 OPS was down more than 100 points from the year prior (.893). This may present a buy-low opportunity in fantasy drafts, although early ADP suggests there will not be much of a discount. Henderson reached a career-high 30 steals in 35 attempts last season, continuing his run of good efficiency on the basepaths and presumably keeping the light green under new manager Craig Albernaz.

9.Cal Raleigh

SEA (C)

149

543

AVG

.234

RBI

100

There are not enough superlatives to accurately depict what Raleigh's 2025 season meant to the Seattle franchise, its fans and fantasy managers. He became just the fourth catcher to have as many as three seasons with 30 or more home runs and, in doing so, nearly hit as many home runs in 2025 as he had the previous two seasons combined. Raleigh joined the torpedo bat trend early, but that variable combined with some mechanical changes to his stance and swing helped him hit both flyballs and home runs at career-best rates. He had four different months of 10-plus home runs and had 38 before the break. If you choose to pick nits, Raleigh hit 42 points better on the road than he did at home and hit 30 points higher before the Home Run Derby *clearly* ruined his swing, as it has for so many others previously. All sarcasm aside, where do we go from here? He sustained a HR/FB rate of at least 22 percent each month of the season, but can we really project Raleigh to hit 50-plus homers in 2026? A three-year average would get us just over 40 homers, and we would have previously been giddy to get that many homers from a catcher. Yet, if Raleigh only hits 40 home runs in 2026, there will be complainers. He stays in the lineup every day with some rest at DH as well as an expressed desire to continue the one-knee approach to catching. He allowed zero passed balls in the regular season so he has earned that right. Even if Raleigh's production dropped by 50% percent in 2026, he will still out-earn nearly all catchers on the market.

10.Vladimir Guerrero

TOR (1B)

157

601

AVG

.295

RBI

After a spring full of contract rumors that saw Guerrero begin the campaign without a new deal, he agreed to a 14-year, $500 million extension with the Blue Jays in early April to cement his future in Toronto. The first baseman saw a dip in his power and run production in 2025, with his 23 homers and 84 RBI being his lowest full-season totals in those categories since his rookie campaign in 2019. His batted-ball figures dropped across the board, with a 12.2 percent barrel rate and 50.7 percent hard-hit rate being slightly below his career averages. Still, his 137 wRC+ ranked 13th in baseball and fourth among qualified first basemen, and he had elite plate discipline with a 12.1 percent walk rate and 13.8 percent strikeout rate. Guerrero will turn 27 years old in March and should be one of the first first basemen off fantasy draft boards again in 2026.

11.Josh Naylor

SEA (1B)

142

526

AVG

.279

RBI

Naylor showed last season that stolen bases are more about instincts and reading the opposing pitcher than anything else, swiping 30 bags in 32 attempts despite ranking near the very bottom of the sprint speed leaderboard. It was a surprising surge in the SB category to say the least for a first baseman that had never previously exceeded 10 steals in a season. Stolen bases aside, Naylor also smacked 20 homers in 147 regular-season games between Arizona and Seattle, hitting above .290 at both stops. The lefty slugger added three homers and a .967 OPS in the playoffs, recording four three-hit games between the ALDS and ALCS. Naylor quickly re-upped with the Mariners, inking a five-year deal to remain in Seattle. The home park is a big negative on paper, but Naylor is clearly comfortable there, and they let him run to his heart's content. At 28 years old, he has surpassed 90 RBI each of the last three years and remains in a great position to produce runs hitting behind the likes of Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh.

12.Brent Rooker

ATH (OF)

150

558

AVG

.269

RBI

Rooker has quickly established himself as one of the top power threats in the league since getting his first full-season look in the majors in 2023, with his 30 home runs last season being his third straight 30-homer campaign. He couldn't quite replicate the .293 average and .927 OPS he posted in 2024 but still finished 2025 with a .262/.335/.479 slash line, 89 RBI and 92 runs while playing in all 162 games. Rooker also cut down on some of the swing-and-miss in his stroke, with his 22.2 percent strikeout rate being an improvement of more than six points. His hard-hit rate dropped five points to 44.5 percent, but he still may have deserved some better results with a .275 xBA and .509 xSLG. Rooker may never fully get back to that level of 2024 production, but the reduced strikeout numbers indicate room for growth from the .814 OPS he posted in 2025. He began last season eligible only as a utility player, but Rooker will begin 2026 with outfield eligibility after making 27 appearances in the field.

13.Jazz Chisholm

NYY (2B)

137

496

AVG

.246

RBI

At age 27, Chisholm put together the best season of his career, crushing a career-high 31 homers while also swiping 31 bags to win the Silver Slugger at second base. He was one of a record seven 30-30 players in 2025, earning his second All-Star selection. His year ended on a low note, as he managed just a .598 OPS in the postseason while also making a crucial error against the Blue Jays in the ALDS. A career strikeout rate of 27.6 percent makes Chisholm something of a batting-average liability, though he has mostly thrived since leaving Miami, posting an .816 OPS with the Yankees compared to a .749 OPS during his time with the Marlins. The category impact has reached a new level in recent years, and the power and speed make it rather easy to overlook his flaws, especially with a lefty hitter in Yankee Stadium. Beware some peaks and valleys as well as a prior injury history. Regardless, in his current setup, Chisholm has a clear case as the No. 1 fantasy option at the keystone entering 2026.

14.George Springer

TOR (OF)

145

540

AVG

.267

RBI

Springer entered 2025 coming off the worst year of his career, so expectations for last season weren't particularly high as it appeared Father Time had already caught up with him. The outfielder instead clubbed 32 home runs and stole 18 bases with a career-best .309 average, with his 166 wRC+ also being a career high. The resurgence was no fluke either, as the quality of contact was strong (15.8 percent barrel rate and 46.7 percent hard-hit rate) and led to a .295 xBA and .563 xSLG, as he nearly doubled his launch angle to 17.3 degrees after struggling to get the ball in the air the previous few seasons. The underlying numbers indicate the performance is repeatable, but it's worth keeping in mind that Springer is entering his age-36 season. He's played at least 133 games in each of the past four seasons, and his increased usage at designated hitter (82 appearances in 2025) should help keep him in the lineup. Springer is coming off arguably the best season of his career and should be able to sustain strong numbers in 2026, but there's some inherent risk in his fantasy profile at this point of his career, particularly given the downward trend prior to last season.

15.Jarren Duran

BOS (OF)

145

558

AVG

.276

RBI

After posting an .832 OPS across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, Duran took a step back last season with a .256/.332/.442 slash line in 157 games. He finished 2024 with 21 homers and 34 stolen bases but saw that production drop to 16 long balls and 24 steals in 2025. Duran outperformed his underlying numbers in 2024, and his production last season better lined up with his batted-ball metrics (9.7 percent barrel rate and 46.8 percent hard-hit rate in 2025). The regression wasn't limited to his offense, as he also saw his DRS drop from plus-23 to plus-9 and his OAA go from plus-10 to minus-2. Even with that lesser production, Duran will enter 2026 as a 20-20 candidate and has a solid floor for run production after finishing with 84 RBI and 86 runs last year.

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Aaron Judge

NYY (OF)

143

504

AVG

.312

RBI

113

117

2.Bobby Witt

KC (SS)

159

632

AVG

.302

RBI

107

3.Jose Ramirez

CLE (3B)

158

606

AVG

.282

RBI

103

4.Julio Rodriguez

SEA (OF)

153

625

AVG

.270

RBI

5.Nick Kurtz

ATH (1B)

147

522

AVG

.280

RBI

104

6.Pete Alonso

BAL (1B)

160

605

AVG

.248

RBI

112

7.Gunnar Henderson

BAL (SS)

155

590

AVG

.271

RBI

8.Cal Raleigh

SEA (C)

149

543

AVG

.234

RBI

100

9.Vladimir Guerrero

TOR (1B)

157

601

AVG

.295

RBI

10.Josh Naylor

SEA (1B)

142

526

AVG

.279

RBI

11.Brent Rooker

ATH (OF)

150

558

AVG

.269

RBI

12.Jazz Chisholm

NYY (2B)

137

496

AVG

.246

RBI

13.George Springer

TOR (OF)

145

540

AVG

.267

RBI

14.Jarren Duran

BOS (OF)

145

558

AVG

.276

RBI

15.Randy Arozarena

SEA (OF)

156

577

AVG

.236

RBI

Arozarena was acquired by Seattle from Tampa Bay at the 2024 trade deadline, and he delivered a career-high 27 homers during his first full year with the Mariners. He also stole 31 bases -- his highest total since 2022 -- and tied a career high with 95 runs scored. The veteran outfielder finished 2024 with career worsts in average (.219) and slugging percentage (.388), but he rebounded with a .238/.334/.426 slash line in 2025, with that .760 OPS being just below his career mark of .777. Arozarena has five straight campaigns of 20-plus homers and 20-plus steals, and he has averaged 75 RBI and 87 runs per season during that stretch, and those numbers are a decent representation of what to expect from him in 2026.

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Tarik Skubal

DET (P)

187.0

230

ERA

2.40

WHIP

0.901

2.Garrett Crochet

BOS (P)

192.0

235

ERA

3.09

WHIP

1.099

After breaking out as a full-time starter with the White Sox in 2024, Crochet was traded to the Red Sox last winter and established himself as one of the best pitchers in MLB during 2025. He posted an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 46 walks across 205.1 innings while leading the league with 255 strikeouts. Despite setting a career-high workload by nearly 60 innings, the left-hander still averaged 97.6 mph on his fastball and maintained excellent control, with his 5.7 percent walk rate ranking 10th among qualified starters. Now entering his age-27 season and third year as a full-time starter, it's possible Crochet has yet to reach his ceiling. He's already a true ace with a high floor given his strikeout numbers, and he'll enter 2026 as one of the top candidates for the AL Cy Young Award.

3.Nathan Eovaldi

TEX (P)

OUT

170.0

165

ERA

2.85

WHIP

1.003

Until a late-August shoulder injury ended Eovaldi's season after 22 starts and 130 innings, the right-hander was a legit Cy Young candidate. He continued a late-career renaissance, finishing with an 11-3 record, a 1.73 ERA, a 26.0 strikeout percentage and career-low 4.2 walk rate. He relied more on a split-finger and cutter to produce what was the best season of his career. No longer the high-90s thrower of his youth, Eovaldi has become a better pitcher with age; since turning 30, Eovaldi sports a 3.42 ERA and 16.2 bWAR over six seasons (137 starts). Health is the key. In addition to the shoulder injury, Eovaldi underwent an offseason hernia procedure, but he's expected to be ready for spring training. A healthy Eovaldi will co-lead the team's rotation along with Jacob deGrom.

4.Max Fried

NYY (P)

172.2

168

ERA

2.92

WHIP

1.124

Someone forgot to tell Fried that free agents are supposed to struggle in their first season in a new market. Instead, Fried had the best full season of his career, setting career bests in innings pitched, wins, starts and strikeouts. Fried was the ace the Yankees needed with the offseason loss of Gerrit Cole, as Fried won 59 percent of his starts while his 20 quality starts were the third-highest total in the league. Fried tweaked his repertoire to take the cutter from his least-used pitch of 2024 to his favorite pitch in 2025. Fried is now throwing seven different pitch types to both rightes and lefties, making him incredibly tough to predict or square up as his .222 opponents' average and 14 homers on the season attest. The forearm neuritis that gave everyone a scare in 2024 is well in the rearview mirror, but blisters have occasionally popped up with him, which truly is the only risk with this lefty. He does not have the elite velocity of other aces, but few execute their craft as well as Fried did in 2025.

5.Bryan Woo

SEA (P)

164.2

162

ERA

3.22

WHIP

0.984

In a season that much of Seattle's elite rotation was banged up, Woo stayed mostly healthy in 2025 and made a career-high 30 regular-season starts while leading the team with 186.2 innings. He did miss the final week-plus of the regular season due to a pectoral strain but returned to the mound against the Blue Jays in the ALCS. Woo's 2.94 ERA and 0.93 WHIP were nearly identical from 2024, but he improved his strikeout rate nearly six points to 27.1 percent while maintaining a 4.9 percent walk rate, which ranked fourth among qualified starting pitchers. A 3.10 xERA and 3.33 xFIP indicate he may have gotten some fortunate results at times, but his numbers were good enough that even some regression isn't a major concern. He took advantage of having pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park as his home stadium with a 2.44 ERA, but he also pitched to a 3.40 ERA on the road. More durability was a welcome sight given Woo's health issues in the past, which combined with the improved strikeout numbers will significantly raise his fantasy profile for 2026.

6.Logan Gilbert

SEA (P)

179.1

206

ERA

3.42

WHIP

0.994

Gilbert led MLB with 208.2 innings during the 2024 campaign but was limited to 131 frames in 2025 due to a flexor strain, which sidelined him for all of May and half of June. The right-hander saw his WHIP rise from 0.89 in 2024 to 1.03 last season, but his ERA remained fairly steady at 3.44 while he improved his strikeout rate nearly five points to 32.3 percent. He lost a tick on his fastball (95.5 mph) but relied more on his slider, which he utilized at a career-high clip (35.3 percent) despite the fact opponents slugged .510 against the latter pitch. Gilbert also upped the usage of his splitter to 19.3 percent, which was his most dominant offering with a .119 opponent batting average and 50.4 percent whiff rate. Despite the time missed in 2025, durability isn't a major concern for Gilbert, as he topped 180 frames in each of the previous three seasons. Having pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park as a home stadium is certainly a plus, but he struggled on the road in 2025 with a 4.74 ERA. Gilbert isn't quite at the ace level of pitcher, but he is a solid bet to be a reliable top-end starter again in 2026.

7.Hunter Brown

HOU (P)

179.1

197

ERA

3.42

WHIP

1.184

Brown, a fifth-round pick out of Wayne State University in 2019, made tremendous strides over the past couple years after posting an ERA north of 5.00 as a rookie. His 2.43 ERA in 2025 was less than half that and more than a full run below his 2024 mark (3.49). On the strength of a six-pitch mix highlighted by the four-seamer, sinker and knuckle curve, Brown broke out for Houston last season to earn his first All-Star selection, finishing as a Cy Young finalist in the AL. He cleared 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career while holding opponents to a combined .201 batting average, a top-10 mark among qualified starters in MLB. Brown has learned to keep the ball in the park, he neutralizes hitters on both sides of the plate and seems likely to improve upon his career high of 12 wins from a season ago. Both the player and organization deserve credit for developing this arm into one that nearly reached the pinnacle of the profession in 2025, though it will be tough to maintain that level of success. The underlying numbers portend something closer to a low-3.00s ERA as opposed to mid-2.00s.

8.Ryan Pepiot

TB (P)

168.2

168

ERA

3.37

WHIP

1.058

Pepiot is a pitcher who follows a familiar Rays blueprint: fastballs up, change-ups down and mix in something to the sides. Pitchers who feature those two primary pitchers tend to be better against lefties than righties and also give up a fair share of home runs. Much like James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson before him, Pepiot was both. He held lefties to a .175 average, but allowed 26 home runs overall, 16 of which came against righties. The prevailing thought might be that Pepiot should do much better moving back into Tropicana Field because Steinbrenner Field was too punishing for him, yet those same managers would be surprised to learn Pepiot pitched to a 3.41 ERA at home and a 4.38 ERA on the road. Seventeen of the 26 homers did come during home starts, but he was otherwise already tougher to hit at home. His postbreak ERA was more than a run and a half higher than his prebreak ERA, due more to rotten batted ball luck than home runs. Pepiot's ability to reach another level hinges entirely on him finding a reliable third pitch. His slider shows promise of becoming that pitch.

9.Kevin Gausman

TOR (P)

187.0

192

ERA

3.55

WHIP

1.136

Gausman continues to be a workhorse for the Blue Jays and closed the 2025 regular season with a 3.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 189:50 K:BB across 193 innings. His 10-11 record was underwhelming, particularly given Toronto's first-place finish in the AL East, but he's made at least 31 starts in five straight seasons and has a 3.34 ERA and 1.15 WHIP during that span. The right-hander saw his strikeout rate rebound three points to 24.4 percent, though that's still a fair bit lower than the average strikeout rate from the best stretch of his career (29.8 percent from 2020-2023). Even with the slightly less dominant stuff, Gausman has been reliable at the top of Toronto's starting rotation the past two years, though Dylan Cease may take over the ace label after inking a $210 million contract. There is some risk of a fall-off as Gausman begins his age-35 season, but he's yet to show any true signs of regression and is entering a contract year, so he should be a strong investment for fantasy managers again in 2026.

10.Jacob deGrom

TEX (P)

137.0

162

ERA

2.68

WHIP

0.971

After being limited to just 10.2 innings across three abbreviated starts in his return from Tommy John surgery at the tail end of 2024, deGrom surprised many by taking the ball 30 times for the Rangers last season, totaling 172.2 frames. While he continued to pitch well by any standard with a 2.97 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, the swing-and-miss wasn't quite what deGrom displayed earlier in his career, as his strikeout rate fell to 27.7% (career 30.6%). A five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner, deGrom can be forgiven for no longer possessing the otherworldly dominance that once made him the No. 1 arm off the board in fantasy drafts. His velocity is down a couple ticks since his return from TJS, and it's possible 2025 ends up as an outlier from a workload standpoint. Prior to 2025, deGrom had not reached even 100 major-league innings in a season since 2019, and he turns 38 this summer. DeGrom showed in 2025 that he can still hang zeros with the best of them, but with the stuff diminished a bit, so too are the spoils of the rewards.

11.George Kirby

SEA (P)

172.2

171

ERA

3.75

WHIP

1.112

Kirby was one of the first big names to fall last spring, as it was revealed March 7 that he had been shut down from throwing due to right shoulder inflammation. The injury kept him out until late May, and Kirby didn't quite perform up to his usual standards following his return, posting a 4.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 126 regular-season innings (career 3.58 ERA, 1.11 WHIP). He added a 6.00 ERA over 18 postseason innings for Seattle. The right-hander maintained his usual velocity following his return and even posted a career-high strikeout rate of 26.1% last season. The estimators point to Kirby being largely the same pitcher even with some giveback in his walk rate from otherworldly to still great at 5.5%. Assuming a normal offseason, Kirby should not face any workload restrictions in 2026. The park is extremely favorable, which helps Kirby's case for SP2 consideration.

12.Joe Ryan

MIN (P)

157.0

180

ERA

3.76

WHIP

1.045

Ryan had the best season of his career as he avoided the injury issues that had derailed the second halves of his prior two years. Ryan had career bests with a 3.44 ERA, 125 ERA+ and 171 innings. Ryan doesn't have great velocity (93.6 average mph fastball) but has an extremely deceptive four-seam fastball that helped him generate an excellent 28.2 K% and 12.3% swinging-strike rate. He pairs that with excellent control (5.7% BB%) and four off-speed pitches that while below average, keep hitters off balance. As a flyball pitcher (36.7 GB%), he can be prone to the long ball, but has made strides the last two seasons with just a 1.37 HR/9 in 2025. He'll be counted on at the top of the rotation and has room for improvement if he can enhance his off-speed repertoire and stay healthy.

13.Noah Cameron

KC (P)

173.1

142

ERA

3.17

WHIP

1.113

14.Shane Bieber

TOR (P)

OUT

162.0

159

ERA

3.11

WHIP

1.111

Bieber didn't debut in 2025 until late August while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and he did so for the Blue Jays after being acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline. The right-hander pitched well in his seven regular-season starts with a 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 37:7 K:BB over 40.1 innings, and he fared similarly well during Toronto's World Series run with a 3.86 ERA over 18.2 postseason frames. The small sample size is worth keeping in mind, but he also had his best average fastball velocity (92.8 mph) since 2021. However, Bieber gave up quite a bit of hard contact, with a 48.2 percent hard-hit rate and 12.3 percent barrel rate being the worst of his career by significant margins. Bieber has a strong track record in the majors, and his performance in his first year back from major surgery is an encouraging sign he can pitch at that level going forward. There is still some risk for his first full season coming back from the injury, however.

15.Jeffrey Springs

ATH (P)

140.0

146

ERA

3.09

WHIP

1.093

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Cal Raleigh

SEA (C)

149

543

AVG

.234

RBI

100

2.Salvador Perez

KC (C)

148

564

AVG

.252

RBI

Perez signed a four-year deal prior to the 2022 season and has earned every bit of the money, making it an easy decision for Kansas City to exercise his club option for the 2026 season. Perez had an excellent 2025 season as a run producer, driving in 100 runs for the second consecutive season while hitting 30 homers for just the second time in his career. Perez's batting average took a tumble because he put more balls into play, and there are few batters in the league slower of foot than Perez. Kansas City has kept Perez fresher by limiting his time behind the plate to around 90 games a season in recent years, splitting the remaining games between first and DH. He is dual eligible in 2026, but his draft stock is fully driven by his catcher eligibility. Perez's volume will once again make him an above-average catcher, but the youth at the position is quickly passing him by. Slow and steady wins the race, and that is Perez in a nutshell.

3.Shea Langeliers

ATH (C)

140

502

AVG

.241

RBI

After being a low-average, high-power threat across his first two full MLB campaigns, Langeliers found more consistency in 2025 with a .277/.325/.536 slash line in 123 games. He missed some time in June due to an oblique injury but still set career highs with 31 home runs and seven steals, though it's also worth noting that he has yet to play 140 games in a season across his first three full years in MLB. Langeliers cut his strikeout rate almost eight points to 19.7 percent and increased his opposite field hit rate by nearly six points to 21.4 percent, which helps to explain the improved results despite his hard-hit rate (44.6 percent) remaining in line with the two prior seasons. Playing half his games at the Athletics' temporary home of Sutter Health Park in Sacramento is certainly an advantage, but Langeliers actually fared better on the road (.912 OPS) than at home (.817 OPS). He also improved his Fielding Run Value from minus-13 to minus-2, which is particularly notable given the defensive importance of his position. Langeliers' improvements appear sustainable, and his power production with the new higher average sets him up to be one of the top fantasy catchers in the league in 2026.

4.Yainer Diaz

HOU (C)

135

499

AVG

.273

RBI

Diaz added some power back last season, reaching 20 homers for the second time in his career, but it came at the expense of batting average. In fact, Diaz lost more than 40 points in BA as his flyball rate jumped from 26.3% to 35.1% and his BABIP fell from .338 to .277. Diaz has a unique hitting profile in that he often goes chasing after pitches, but he makes enough contact within the strike zone to maintain a relatively low strikeout rate. He also rarely takes walks as evidenced by a career 3.6 BB%, which dings him in OBP leagues. Diaz didn't set the world on fire last season, but he has proven plenty capable against big-league pitching since taking over as the Astros' primary catcher a few years ago. His .272 xBA from last season suggests there is a happy medium for the Houston backstop; improvement could push Diaz back into the upper tiers at the catcher position.

5.Ben Rice

NYY (C)

138

435

AVG

.225

RBI

The late great Steve Moyer would often throw out names in LABR with the label, "the sabermetric darling...." If Moyer was still with us today, he would no doubt slap that label on Ben Rice because the youngster absolutely earned it in 2025. Rice did not have enough plate appearances to qualify for leaderboards last season, but his barrel percentage and chase percentage along with an intriguing xwOBA were enough to get fantasy managers intrigued. That, and the news he may catch some games in 2026. Everything was a Ricearoni treat, as Rice not only raked, but he ended up catching enough to qualify for the position in 2026 and greatly raising his fantasy profile for this draft season. Rice, unsurprisingly, had his issues against fellow southpaws, hitting .208 with just seven of his 26 home runs against them, but his home/road home run splits were nearly dead even along with his batting average. His numbers really took off after the break, as Rice hit .281/.352/.542 in the 60 games leading into October. There are few players whose 2026 outlook has changed in the past year more than Rice's. As long as he continues to hit like this, the Yankees can live with the defensive issues.

6.Austin Wells

NYY (C)

121

380

AVG

.229

RBI

Wells took on slightly more playing time in 2025, earning that time with career highs in all run production categories with only a slight dip in batting average. Wells had six of his 21 homers off lefties and as dead even a split with his home vs. road splits as an odd-numbered total could be, with him hitting one more homer away from Yankee Stadium over the course of the season. The splits are further weird when you consider he hit 30 points higher (.240) against lefties than he did against righties (.210.) Wells remains a pull-centric hitter but has power to all fields as six of his 21 homers were to center or left field. Thirteen of his 21 homers were a result of his frequent fastball hunting, as he also hit .266 off fastballs and sub .190 against all other pitch types. That is an easy way to explain away the decline in walk rate, because Wells aggressively hunted fastballs as a change in approach following a more cautious 2024 season that saw him struggle against fastballs. His defense remains fantastic behind the plate, as he is one of the more elite framers in the league, which more than makes up for his slightly below average blocking and throwing abilities. If he could ever fully tap in to his home park advantage and get fully pull happy, there's a 30-homer season in this bat.

7.Ryan Jeffers

MIN (C)

121

391

AVG

.248

RBI

Jeffers had another solid season as Minnesota's primary catcher even with a decline in home runs. Jeffers hit just nine home runs but saw increases in his hard-hit, exit velocity and other advanced power metrics. His 7.0% HR/FB% also indicates he was a bit unlucky and could bounce back to 15-20 homers. His decline in power was offset by a career-best 10.8% walk rate. Jeffers struggles with his defense where he took a step back last season with -10 defensive runs saved, placing him 31st among qualified catchers. Still, his bat more than offsets his defense and he'll return as the primary catcher. The Twins had dogmatically split playing time between two catchers but Jeffers could see an uptick with the departure of Christian Vazquez.

8.Adley Rutschman

BAL (C)

124

460

AVG

.243

RBI

There were a lot of reasons why the Orioles' 2025 season went sideways, but Rutschman's continued regression was one of the big ones. He had trouble staying on the field, being limited to only 90 games because of injuries to both obliques. When in the lineup, Rutschman put up a career-low .673 OPS and wRC+ of 91, and he's managed a lowly .209/.294/.332 batting line dating back to July 2024. If you're looking for some positive news, it's that Rutschman was very good in the plate discipline department again, boasting an 11 percent walk rate and just a 15.6 percent strikeout rate. The 28-year-old's quality of contact was also not dissimilar from his career norms, though he's never been a standout in that area. You don't have to squint too hard to see bounce-back potential, but Rutschman's trajectory is worrisome.

9.Alejandro Kirk

TOR (C)

128

414

AVG

.256

RBI

Following a couple down years in 2023 and 2024 that saw him deliver a .685 OPS, Kirk got back on track last season with a career-high 15 home runs and a .282/.341/.421 slash line in 130 games. He had career bests in average exit velocity (91.1 mph) and hard-hit rate (50.8 percent), with a .283 xBA and .468 xSLG indicating that he may have deserved a bit more power production. The counting stats (76 RBI and 45 runs scored) leave a bit to be desired, particularly when considering the strength of the lineup around him, but he's never likely to be a notable run scorer given his abysmal speed. Kirk offers fantasy managers a high average with decent RBI numbers at a position without a lot of offensive depth. However, the fact he's never played more than 139 games in a season is an indication he won't quite have the volume of a true everyday catcher.

10.Logan O'Hoppe

LAA (C)

119

406

AVG

.229

RBI

O'Hoppe was on an upward trajectory after clubbing 20 homers with a .712 OPS during his first full season in 2024, but he failed to take a step forward last season. He still hit 19 home runs in 2025 despite totaling about 70 fewer plate appearances, but his .213/.258/.371 slash line was a major decrease across the board. Despite the decent power numbers, O'Hoppe didn't provide much run production with 43 RBI and 35 runs in 119 games, and a 30.8 percent strikeout rate was the worst of his professional career. The quality of contact was still strong with a 90.0-mph average exit velocity, 46.9 percent hard-hit rate and 13.3 percent barrel rate, though he also ranked in the fifth percentile in whiff rate (32.9 percent). Those contact numbers resulted in a .231 xBA and .416 xSLG, so there's a decent chance O'Hoppe will rebound if he puts up similar figures in 2026. However, the swing-and-miss in his stroke makes him vulnerable to volatility, so fantasy managers shouldn't bank on receiving consistent production beyond the homers.

11.Kyle Teel

CWS (C)

313

AVG

.252

RBI

After being acquired from the Red Sox as the centerpiece of the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to Boston, Teel spent the first two months of the 2025 season knocking around Triple-A pitching before getting the call to the big leagues. The 24-year-old looked at home right away and finished with a wRC+ of 125 while boasting a 12.5 percent walk rate and .375 on-base percentage. Fellow catcher Edgar Quero beat Teel to the majors and also played well, but Teel received priority treatment behind the plate and against right-handed pitching, setting Teel up to be the team's top catcher in 2026. Teel's 25.9 percent strikeout rate was a tad high, and the left-handed hitter had just a .546 OPS in limited chances versus southpaws. That said, while Teel's ceiling from a power perspective might not be super high, he should continue to get on base at a high clip, and he's also a better bet than most catchers to chip in with some stolen bases.

12.Samuel Basallo

BAL (C)

116

368

AVG

.217

RBI

Basallo lived up to the hype in his age-20 season, showcasing ungodly power (.319 ISO, .589 SLG) as the youngest player with 300-plus plate appearances at Triple-A en route to an Aug. 17 big-league debut -- four days after his 21st birthday. He debuted as the youngest catcher in the majors, where a .187 BABIP contributed to a .559 OPS in 118 plate appearances. His poor surface stats in a small sample have barely suppressed his fantasy market heading into 2026, as his youth and impressive track record in the minors are alluring for projection drafters and prospect chasers alike. Adley Rutschman's presence no longer seems like a complication, as Basallo figures to catch enough to retain catcher eligibility indefinitely while starting at designated hitter when Rutschman is behind the plate. Even in his artificially poor MLB debut, Basallo's 25.4 percent strikeout rate was perfectly fine. Baltimore's flurry of offseason moves likely means the lefty-hitting Basallo will sit against southpaws (.697 OPS against at Triple-A), at least early in the year.

13.Bo Naylor

CLE (C)

119

336

AVG

.217

RBI

14.Dillon Dingler

DET (C)

128

394

AVG

.231

RBI

After getting drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft, Dingler started to put things together at the MLB level for the first time last season. The 27-year-old catcher finished with a .278/.327/.425 slash line across 126 games, which was a stark improvement from the .167/.195/.310 line he posted in 27 games as a rookie in 2024. Dingler cut his strikeout rate by more than 10 percent and also benefited from some better luck, as his BABIP jumped from .245 to .345. As Dingler trended upward, he saw his role with the Tigers grow as well. The second-year backstop ceded only 49 games to Jake Rogers, with the latter clearly settling in as a backup after seeing a more even split of playing time earlier in the year. Dingler should be Detroit's clear No. 1 catcher to begin the 2026 campaign, and if he can build on a promising 2025, he's capable of taking another step forward as a fantasy asset.

15.Kyle Higashioka

TEX (C)

100

279

AVG

.233

RBI

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Nick Kurtz

ATH (1B)

147

522

AVG

.280

RBI

104

2.Pete Alonso

BAL (1B)

160

605

AVG

.248

RBI

112

3.Vladimir Guerrero

TOR (1B)

157

601

AVG

.295

RBI

4.Josh Naylor

SEA (1B)

142

526

AVG

.279

RBI

5.Yandy Diaz

TB (1B)

145

562

AVG

.301

RBI

Diaz is entering the final guaranteed year of his current contract, but as long as he continues to play as often as he has the past five seasons, his 2027 year automatically vests. Diaz, more than any other hitter, will miss Steinbrenner Field as the park seemingly was made for his inside-out approach. This was magnified in 2025, as 18 of his career-best 25 home runs came in Tampa, while the robust Cuban hit a healthy .307/.378/.533 in the temporary home. Diaz was no slouch on the road with a .293/.352/.428 line, but that came with just seven homers. Since 2021, Diaz has the fifth-best batting average of all qualified batters trailing only Luis Arrarez, Freddie Freeman, Aaron Judge, and Trea Turner. Diaz would be an RBI machine on a different team, but Tampa Bay hits him higher in the lineup because of his on-base skills, as he has the sixth-highest OBP of that aforementioned group. He retains first base eligibility for 2026, but this could be the last season of that, as the club has reduced his time in the field each of the past two seasons.

6.Christian Walker

HOU (1B)

132

494

AVG

.247

RBI

The Astros signed Walker last offseason in hopes that he could replace some of the offense they were going to lose with the departures of Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. The former Diamondback wound up having easily his worst season in four years from a rate stats perspective, finishing with just a .717 OPS. Walker was perfectly fine in fantasy, though, finishing as the No. 16 first baseman thanks mostly to 27 home runs and 88 RBI. The 35-year-old's chase rate was way up (28.1 percent) and so was his strikeout rate (career-high 27.7 percent), which could point to not meshing with a new hitting coach and/or trying to do too much after signing a big contract. Walker hit just .202/.279/.342 with eight home runs at home, which was odd since he's a flyball, pull-heavy hitter who had the Crawford Boxes to aim at. Some positive regression there is likely, and with Walker's quality of contact in 2025 looking typical, he could be a solid value in 2026 drafts.

7.Vinnie Pasquantino

KC (1B)

137

519

AVG

.256

RBI

The Pasquatch stepped up to fulfill the projections of our outlook for him last season. We said if he could stay healthy and hit behind Bobby Witt and Salvador Perez, he should be able to drive in 100 runs and put up 30 homers. He finished with 113 runs driven in and 32 homers and, more importantly, he avoided the injured list for the first time since 2022. He maximized his production against righties, hitting .281/.346/.511 with 26 of his 32 home runs against them, but had his worst season against lefties at the big league level. The challenge for Pasquantino was that 24 percent of his plate appearances came against fellow southpaws, so his .614 OPS against lefties limited his overall final numbers. His numbers against lefties have worsened each season he has been in the big leagues, so in order for Pasquantino to take that next step, he needs to stop that trend. If he can use 2026 to repeat his success against righties while stopping this backslide against lefties, 40 homers and 125 RBIs are within reach. He finished 2025 as the seventh-best fantasy first baseman, but top three is 2026 is within reach.

8.Spencer Torkelson

DET (1B)

145

535

AVG

.232

RBI

After his production cratered in 2024, Torkelson rebounded in a major way last season, jumping back over 30 homers with a career-best .789 OPS for the Tigers. He did not enjoy the same success in the postseason (.579 OPS). Still, it was an impressive response to a challenging season the year prior, with Torkelson showing improved patience albeit with a similar level of swing-and-miss. The strikeouts along with his extreme flyball tendencies (51.9 FB% last season) make him a liability in batting average, to the point where a return to the .240s seems unlikely. In addition to his inconsistency at the plate in recent years, Torkelson has largely struggled at first base. The pressure is still on for the 2020 No. 1 overall pick to show that he can make up for those defensive deficiencies.

9.Jake Burger

TEX (1B)

OUT

128

451

AVG

.242

RBI

The Rangers acquired Burger to replace Nathaniel Lowe at first base prior to the 2025 season as part of a roster shakeup to add more pop. Burger, the opposite of the patient Lowe, swung at everything (3.2 BB%) while tattooing the ball (48.5 hard-hit%), but he got off to a slow start and was eventually demoted to Triple-A in early May. The righty hitter returned to the majors then spent three separate stints on the injured list for separate reasons (oblique, quad, wrist). Burger isn't blessed with an athlete's body type, so one can see injuries piling up now that he's on the other side of 30. He underwent October surgery on the wrist with a two-month return timeline. The Rangers may consider additional roster moves, including the present configuration at corner infield. Burger, Joc Pederson and Josh Jung all underperformed in 2025. Burger still has good bat-to-ball skills and 30-homer power. Under team control for another three years, Burger is expected to return at a relatively cheap number and be used in rotation at 1B and DH.

10.Nolan Schanuel

LAA (1B)

140

507

AVG

.256

RBI

Schanuel has more value in OBP leagues than standard leagues because his plate discipline is truly his most redeeming value as things currently stand with his profile. His Loney/Kotchman-like approach at the plate leads to nice line drives to all fields with occassional pull power, but the current iteration of his swing is not one built to provide the power most fantasy managers desire from the first base position. Schanuel turned 24 in the offseason so there could certainly be more to come with him as he hits his peak production years. He has amasssed just over 1300 plate appearances before his 24th birthday and only Bobby Witt Jr and Masyn Wynn have more plate appearances than Schanuel does for all similar hitters. It might surprise you to learn that Schanuel and Wynn have the exact same home run total (26) in that time while Schanuel's line drive approach has led to a .259 career average. Something will need to change in Schanuel's approach to tap into more power and to move the needle on his fantasy viability while playing a position which demands more power.

11.Jonathan Aranda

TB (1B)

139

409

AVG

.249

RBI

Aranda was well into a breakout season until it was broken up on July 31 when he collided with the human statue that is Giancarlo Stanton on a tag play at first base due to an errant throw fracturing his wrist. Aranda did not return until the final weekend of the season and promptly homered in two of those three games to end the season. As it were, he finished the season where he had left off in 2024, and if you lump in that late 2024 work into what he did last season, you get a .306/.383/.492 triple-slash line with 19 homers, 69 runs and 69 RBI in 507 plate appearances. Simply put, Aranda can hit, especially righties, as he wore them out to a .329/.398/.531 tune last season with 10 of his 14 homers coming on the road. Aranda held his own against lefties, but does not hit with as much power there. He does not provide the home run numbers fantasy managers want from first base, but his strong average and solid contributions in run production help make him easier to roster. He should once again hit high in the Rays' lineup when a righty is on the mound.

12.Josh Bell

MIN (1B)

125

440

AVG

.243

RBI

13.Ryan Mountcastle

BAL (1B)

107

386

AVG

.254

RBI

Mountcastle had a fourth consecutive season of injury and disappointing producting since his breakout 2021 campaign this past season. Mountcastle did enjoy hitting at home again with the corrective measures to Camden Yards as all but one of his homers came at home. The problem was two fold: he hit just 7 homers on the season and he spent the entire of June, July, and the first week of August on the injured list with a severe hamstring strain. A .305/348/.463 triple-slash the first month of his return gave us false hope once Mountcastle finished September with a .190/.221/.302 line. Despite four seasons of injuries and disappointing production, Baltimore did tender Mountcastle a contract for 2026, but a starting role is far but guaranteed for him with Coby Mayo moving to first base and the catching duo of Rutschman and Basallo using the DH spot as days off from catching. Simply put, the talent around Mountcastle has improved while his production continues to decline. AL-Only leagues can consider him end game material for a potential rebound because his on-contact indicators remain strong even though they're fewer and further between than they were in 2021.

14.Lenyn Sosa

CWS (1B)

124

413

AVG

.242

RBI

Sosa broke through from a power perspective for the White Sox last season, cranking 22 home runs and driving in 75 runs while bouncing around the infield and in the designated hitter spot. He's a free swinger with a career 3.2 percent walk rate, but Sosa strikes out at right around the league average, and he's ranked in the 90th percentile or higher each of the last two seasons in Statcast's launch angle sweet spot rate. That allows Sosa to get the most out of his fairly limited profile, or at least it did this past season. There's clear downside with a hitter that's this uber aggressive, and it doesn't help that Sosa is a poor defender. However, the White Sox aren't really in a position to sit a guy that led them in home runs last season, so Sosa should have some leash on a regular role, whether it's at one position or moving around to multiple spots.

15.Kyle Manzardo

CLE (1B)

134

396

AVG

.232

RBI

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Jazz Chisholm

NYY (2B)

137

496

AVG

.246

RBI

2.Jose Altuve

HOU (2B)

OUT

133

525

AVG

.286

RBI

After playing second base almost exclusively since making his MLB debut in 2011, the Astros elected to test out Altuve in left field in 2025, though he ended up making just 47 appearances there compared to 66 at second base and 49 at designated hitter. The veteran's defense at the keystone has been subpar for years, and that continued in 2025 with minus-8 DRS while he also posted minus-10 DRS in the outfield. Father Time also appears to be catching up to Altuve at the plate, with his .265 average and .771 OPS being his worst marks since the shortened 2020 campaign. Still, he clubbed 26 homers and stole 10 bases, with that steals total being a sizable drop after he averaged 18 over the previous three years. Altuve should retain a regular spot in Houston's lineup to begin 2026, but his days with an elite average and being a 20-20 threat could be behind him as he enters his 16th season in the big leagues. He's again likely to be a solid contributor, but at this stage of his career the danger of a precipitous decline is inherent.

3.Brandon Lowe

TB (2B)

127

454

AVG

.244

RBI

Lowe had his best overall season in 2025 since that 2021 outlier season, but we should be more impressed with how he did it. Conventional wisdom would lead you to believe he loved his temporary home park and took full advantage of its dimensions, yet Lowe was a better hitter on the road, as he hit 35 points higher away from Tampa and had one more home run on the road in 62 games than he did at home in 72 games. Lowe still cannot hit lefties and is often benched for it, but hitting .280/.335/.538 with 26 homers against righties is what drove his overall value in 2025. Lowe has a $11.50 million club option this year, which is an easy pickup for the inconsistent offensive club, but this will also likely be the last season Lowe remains with the club because he will almost certainly be dealt somewhere by the deadline this season. The move back into Tropicana Field should not impact him as much as potential move away from it. Finally, his defense at second base may force a discussion about a position change with his next club.

4.Luke Keaschall

MIN (2B)

OUT

133

469

AVG

.258

RBI

Keaschall began last season as one of Minnesota's top prospects and exploded onto the scene when called up in April by hitting .368 with five stolen bases in his first seven games. He gave the Twins a needed jolt of energy on the basepaths and at the top of the order, but suffered a fractured right forearm after getting hit by a pitch and missed three months. He returned to hit .294 with a .795 OPS, four home runs and nine stolen bases in his next 42 games before missing the final week with a thumb injury. Keaschall has a superb eye at the plate with high walk rates (9.2%) and low strikeout rates (14%). What he lacked in power metrics (just a 27.3% hard-hit rate and below average exit velocity) he made up for in quality of contact with above-average Squared-Up and Sweet-Spot %, per Baseball Savant. He's unlikely to be a power hitter but could add double-digit homers as a result. He does have top-tier speed (85% percentile) and is aggressive on the basepaths which should result in high stolen base totals. His defense could be an issue as he graded poorly at second base which wasn't helped by him coming back from 2024 Tommy John surgery. He could be moved to the outfield this spring. He should be a fixture at the top of the lineup wherever he plays and could be an impact player based on his tantalizing debut, but needs to also show he can stay healthy.

5.Gleyber Torres

DET (2B)

141

527

AVG

.260

RBI

6.Jackson Holliday

BAL (2B)

151

531

AVG

.222

RBI

Holliday was greeted with a harsh introduction to the big leagues upon his arrival to Baltimore in 2024, but he made major strides in his sophomore season, finishing with 17 homers and 17 steals across 649 plate appearances. Perhaps most impressively, Holliday trimmed more than 11 percentage points off his strikeout rate, bringing it to 21.6% after he looked a bit overmatched as a rookie. He still has a ways to go given that he was still below league average by many statistical measures last season, but Holliday is just 22 years old, so he has time. The son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jackson embodies the word "pedigree." Another step forward could come quickly for the second baseman, and it could be a similar step forward to his last.

7.Jonathan India

KC (2B)

137

499

AVG

.240

RBI

8.Andres Gimenez

TOR (2B)

130

454

AVG

.233

RBI

Gimenez continued his fine work in the field, but unfortunately, also continued his regression at the plate with the bat. Gimenez saw his plate appearances drastically reduced with Toronto compared to the levels he enjoyed with Cleveland, and with good reason because Gimenez was a detriment to the lineup with the bat. His metrics are living in the bottom 25th percentile these days, but as long as a team is comfortable with him hitting ninth and doing his thing in the field and on the bases, it's fine. Gimenez is truly limited to mono league benches at this point because of his positional versatility in-season and his ability to steal some bases. Gimenez's batting average should improve this season because a .239 BABiP is tough to do in consecutive seasons, and a lot of thag came from the 55-point gap between his actual batting average on fastballs (.189) versus his expected average (.244) on those pitches. Batting average variance is the name of the game for players with lesser power who make a lot of contact such as Gimenez.

9.Romy Gonzalez

BOS (2B)

108

265

AVG

.245

RBI

Gonzalez's breakout 123 wRC+ was no fluke, backed by elite batted-ball data highlighted by a 99th percentile hard-hit rate. He crushed lefties to the tune of a .331/.378/.600 line, though he was still serviceable against right-handers, posting a .286/.318/.400 mark while stepping in for injured teammates at both first and second base. If he can rein in his 13th percentile chase rate, there may even be another level to his production. Regression is likely after last year's surge, but the drop-off shouldn't be steep. With eligibility at both middle and corner infield, Gonzalez profiles as a strong reserve option and a worthwhile active play whenever he's getting steady at-bats.

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Jose Ramirez

CLE (3B)

158

606

AVG

.282

RBI

103

2.Junior Caminero

TB (3B)

155

603

AVG

.245

RBI

Caminero had a solid showing as a rookie during the 2024 regular season with a .723 OPS in 43 games, but no one could predict him clubbing 45 homers in 2025 during his first full MLB campaign. The Rays temporary home park of George M. Steinbrenner Field was one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the league last season, which Caminero took advantage of with a .313/.358/.595 slash line compared to a .218/.266/.477 line on the road. The third baseman's power output was as even as possible, however, with 22 of his homers coming at home. The 22-year-old's power certainly didn't come out of nowhere given that he hit 32 long balls across three levels in 2023, so he should again be a quality source of homers in 2026. Beyond the power, Caminero's home/road splits from last year are worth keeping in mind for 2026 since the Rays are scheduled to return to Tropicana Field, which tied for the second most pitcher-friendly park factor in MLB from 2022 to 2024.

3.Maikel Garcia

KC (3B)

OUT

150

557

AVG

.264

RBI

Garcia stole 37 bases in 2024 but otherwise struggled offensively with a .613 OPS, so it was a major surprise to see him break out last season with a .286/.351/.449 slash line. He played in 160 regular-season games in 2025 and totaled 16 home runs, 23 steals, 74 RBI and 81 runs while improving his strikeout and walk rates to 12.4 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively. The breakout was likely driven by a higher launch angle (which he raised more than three degrees to 9.7) and better hard-hit rate (45.1 percent). The improved plate discipline and batted-ball numbers set Garcia up nicely to potentially repeat the production. He had positional eligibility at second and third base in 2024 but will likely have single-position eligibility at the hot corner to begin 2026 since he made just 17 appearances at shortstop and 11 at second base last year. If Garcia can maintain the better contact numbers and boost his steals closer to the 2024 figures, he could be in for an even more productive campaign in 2026.

4.Jordan Westburg

BAL (3B)

138

481

AVG

.252

RBI

The follow-up to Westburg's first All-Star season was derailed early on by a hamstring injury which cost him more than six weeks. He would go on to miss a month in the second half with a right ankle sprain. Around his trips to the injured list, Westburg slashed .265/.313/.457, numbers largely similar to the prior season. Surprisingly, he posted a lower HR/FB at home in 2025 after the changes to the left-field wall in Baltimore, though those changes figure to benefit the right-handed slugger in the long run. Now entering his age-27 campaign, Westburg has lost dual eligibility in leagues with a 20-game requirement, finishing with 17 appearances at second base last season compared to 52 at the hot corner. Still, he has appeal as a bounce-back candidate with enough contact and slugging to be worthwhile as a starting third baseman or corner bat in fantasy.

5.Isaac Paredes

HOU (3B)

OUT

129

459

AVG

.246

RBI

Paredes was traded from the Cubs to the Astros last winter and was limited to 102 games in 2025 due to a severe hamstring injury, with him playing hampered down the stretch as he somewhat surprisingly returned from the IL in mid-September for eight more games. Despite the limited action, Paredes still launched 20 home runs and had solid counting stats with 53 RBI and 53 runs to go along with a 254/.352/.458 slash line. GM Dana Brown indicated in November that Paredes should be 80-to-90 percent healthy at the start of spring training and could be ready for Opening Day, but the fact he's not expected to be fully recovered from the torn hamstring by February is a concern. The production for a mid-tier third baseman is certainly there as Paredes has a .783 OPS while averaging over 20 home runs per year since his first full season in 2022, but the hamstring recovery will likely cloud the situation through most of the offseason.

6.Carlos Correa

HOU (3B)

123

454

AVG

.271

RBI

Correa enjoyed a homecoming in 2025 as the Twins did him a solid and traded him back to Houston when they decided to start yet another rebuild in Minneapolis. Correa immediately improved his production with a return to Houston, which is nice since he is guaranteed at least three more seasons in Houston with his current contract and potentially more if he can remain healthy and vest future options in his deal. His last stolen base came in April of 2019, so safely ignore any projection which gives him even one stolen base, but he is otherwise a solid if not unspectacular four-category contributor in the other areas. The slow foot speed has not hurt him in the field as much as it dows on the bases beause he has not exceeded 70 runs scored in a season the past three seasons. Houston's dimensions can help Correa once again get to the 20 home run plateau and a healthy Yordan Alvarez can help create more RBI opportunities for Correa as well. 2021 homer and RBI totals are within reach here if all goes well with his body and Alvarez's foot this season.

7.Ryan McMahon

NYY (3B)

143

503

AVG

.229

RBI

McMahon has two more years on his deal with the Yankees unless he finishes in the top five this season in MVP voting. So, get used to McMahon in New York for the next two seasons after Colorado sent him to The Bronx in a deadline deal this past July. McMahon was not exactly hitting well in Colorado before the deal (.217/.314/.403) but he did worse with the Yankees (.208/.308/.333) when it was hoped the short porch in right would help offset the loss of Coors Field on McMahon. He did manage to hit 20+ homers for a sixth consecutive full season, but 16 of those came with the Rockies. McMahon's issues against lefties is something the non-contending Rockies could deal with but not something the Yankees will leave out in the lineup on a daily basis. Expect McMahon to lose some playing time in a platoon situation once the Yankees finalize their offseason roster. 20 homers and a .240 season in the bottom half of a healthy lineup should help McMahon compile some stats in 2026 but we'll eat our hats if he is an MVP candidate.

8.Royce Lewis

MIN (3B)

111

380

AVG

.245

RBI

Lewis was supposed to be Minnesota's next superstar if he could only stay healthy, but he surprisingly struggled at the plate last season which has clouded his status as a franchise cornerstone. Lewis was injured to begin the season for a second consecutive year. He missed over a month after straining his left hamstring in spring training. In 2024, he missed 58 games with a right quadriceps strain suffered on Opening Day. And he played just 70 games in his first two seasons due to a myriad of injuries, including two torn ACLs. When Lewis returned in May he struggled by hitting just .133/.207/.420 in 22 games that included an 0-for-32 slump. He then missed another two weeks with another left hamstring strain in June. He then had perhaps the healthiest stretch of his career, playing 64 games in the second half but hitting just .249/.284/.439. There were some positive signs as he started running again with 12 stolen bases and he hit 11 home runs. Still, he started slumping in the second half of 2024, hitting just .207 with six home runs and a .620 OPS over his final 56 games, and hasn't recovered. His defense at third base hasn't improved (-2 Defensive Runs Saved) which could put his spot in the lineup at risk. Lewis' struggles are thought to actually be more mental than physical which a decline in walk rate (career-low 6.2%) could be an indication. Perhaps a healthy offseason for once could get him back on track as he's still the same player who hit .303 with 27 home runs in his first 94 games.

9.Josh Jung

TEX (3B)

121

439

AVG

.251

RBI

The arrow pointed up for Jung in 2023, when the heralded rookie was a middle-of-the-order bat for the team that won the World Series. A two-year slide in production has followed, and injuries to his thumb and wrist may have played a role in a decline in bat speed (22nd percentile), barrel rate (42nd) and exit velocity (39th). And for whatever reason, Globe Life Field bucked an established trend and acted like a pitcher's park in 2025. In early July, when his OPS dropped to .648, Jung was briefly demoted to the minors for a "reset." He returned to the majors later in the month and initially had a productive 10-game stretch, but it didn't last, and he was benched for September stretches when the Rangers were angling for a playoff spot. Through all the volatility in 2025, Jung maintained elite hard-hit and sweet-spot rates. Jung still has power potential, but he needs to smooth out the peaks and valleys which are atypical for those considered to be elite hitters.

10.Colt Keith

DET (3B)

142

449

AVG

.254

RBI

Keith held his own in 2025 as a second-year player while learning a new position on the fly. The 24-year-old came up in 2024 mostly playing second base for the Tigers, and he was expected to shift over to first last year. However, Spencer Torkelson reemerged at that position, so Detroit moved Keith over to third to keep his bat in the lineup. Keith played the hot corner in the minors, but it was still impressive for the youngster to get reacclimated quickly in the majors while continuing to produce at the plate. He slashed .256/.333/.413 and chipped in 13 home runs, which matched his total from his rookie campaign. Keith has done most of his damage against righties at the MLB level, and his next area for development could be to hit a bit better against southpaws. The infielder is a former top prospect and possesses plenty of talent, and now that he's getting a chance to see regular playing time, Keith is starting to emerge as a strong fantasy performer with plenty of room for growth.

11.Ernie Clement

TOR (3B)

131

367

AVG

.281

RBI

Clement is a throwback to the era of utility infielders who could also hit and play anywhere on the infield. In 15-game leagues, Clement qualifies at all four spots in the infield while standard 20-game leagues just get third, short and second. Clement shed the utility part of his label by playing in 157 games and showing he could be an asset in the Toronto lineup scoring runs and hitting for average with some of the best contact in baseball. Only Arraez, Hoerner, and Kwan have better contact rates than Clement since the start of the 2024 season (min 1000 PA.) Clement, however is a two-category fantasy asset with his average and his runs as long as he stays near the top of the lineup. His defense will likely keep him in the everyday lineup somewhere, but if Toronto does any upgrades to the roster, Clement's spot in the lineup could be pushed to the bottom which then turns him into a one-category producer.

12.Josh Smith

TEX (3B)

112

347

AVG

.236

RBI

Could this be the year the Rangers find a permanent home for Smith? He's operated as a super-utility player since arriving to the majors in 2022, but the trade of second baseman Marcus Semien opens a spot. Primarily a third baseman and shortstop, Smith has expanded his portfolio to include outfield, first base and second base (eight games). His value to the team spiked the last two years, when he appeared in 293 games with a .716 OPS, 23 steals and 23 home runs. He's also fallen off in the second half of those two seasons. It's fair to wonder if he's suited to an everyday role. Rangers general manager Chris Young referred to second base as an open competition and said Smith was the most established of the internal options that includes Ezequiel Duran, Cody Freeman, Sam Haggerty and Michael Helmen.

13.Marcelo Mayer

BOS (3B)

121

314

AVG

.232

RBI

Despite enjoying a strong spring training, Mayer opened the season with Triple-A Worcester, in part to get reps all around the infield. He was called up to make his major league debut in late May, playing third base while Alex Bregman was on the injured list. Mayer served as the left-handed part of a platoon, shifting to second base when Bregman returned in early July. He struggled to adapt to major league pitching, fanning at an elevated 30.1 percent clip while walking just 5.9 percent of the time before being sidelined by a wrist injury that ultimately ended his season. Despite these challenges, Mayer remains a significant part of the Red Sox plans, with the ability to play shortstop, second base, and third base. He could break camp as a starter or super-utility player, or even be assigned to Triple-A to demonstrate his readiness after recovering from wrist surgery.

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Bobby Witt

KC (SS)

159

632

AVG

.302

RBI

107

2.Gunnar Henderson

BAL (SS)

155

590

AVG

.271

RBI

3.Zach Neto

LAA (SS)

OUT

153

553

AVG

.246

RBI

Neto's 2025 was bookended by IL stints; his season debut was delayed until mid-April due to his recovery from right shoulder surgery, and he missed the final few weeks with a left hand strain. In between, the shortstop hit 26 homers and stole 26 bags in 128 games as one of the few bright spots for the last-place Angels. His 26.9 K% and 6.0 BB% last season show that his plate skills still need refinement, but Neto has proven that he can make up for it with a lot of loud contact. In fact, Neto ranked in the top 10 percent of the league last season by Statcast's xwOBA on Contact, and in the top 15 percent of the league in terms of barrel rate and xSLG. Entering his age-25 season, Neto could stand to improve his efficiency on the basepaths, as he's been caught stealing 20 times in 81 career attempts. He's not a true burner by sprint speed, and new manager Kurt Suzuki could tweak the lineup to prioritize OBP in the leadoff spot, potentially limiting Neto's chances to run. That being said, the Angels aren't going to pump the brakes completely on one of their most exciting young talents, a certainty which keeps 30-30 on the table.

4.Jeremy Pena

HOU (SS)

149

579

AVG

.282

RBI

Pena's 2024 and 2025 seasons look somewhat similar in the counting categories until you realize he nearly equaled or bested most of them in more than 100 fewer plate appearances. Pena was limited to 125 games due to a fractured rib and a left oblique strain later in the season. Pena was pacing to a career season at the plate across the board, but fantasy managers likely were most surprised by the nearly 40-point improvement in his batting average after witnessing him average .261 over the previous three seasons. Pena continues to be a high-contact hitter but accepted a few more walks when he was not crushing fastballs. Pena hit half his home runs off fastballs along with having a .350 average (.323 xBA) against fastballs, but that success came at the peril of him hitting .182 while swinging and missing at nearly 50 percent of the off-speed pitches he saw. A fully healthy Pena has 30-30 potential with his home park, his pull tendencies and road games in Sacramento on the schedule in 2026. He's a five-category producer who, so far, does not carry the price tag associated with such players.

5.Corey Seager

TEX (SS)

OUT

128

485

AVG

.278

RBI

We should look at all Rangers under the lens of the team's two different hitting coordinators. The Rangers dismissed hitting coordinator Donnie Ecker in early May, as the team got off to a horrendous start offensively despite Ecker's success with the roster in previous seasons. Seager was hitting .291/.344/.453 at the time of the dismissal, but had just four homers and six extra base hits. Seager went onto hit .265/.381/.497 under Bret Boone's tutelage, with 17 homers before an appendectomy ended his 2025 season. The abbrevated season due to the surgery ended a three-year run of 30-plus homers for Seager, which was truly the only consistent part of his outputs. His runs and RBIs were left to the whims of his supporting cast in Texas, while his batting average has seen 82 points of variance over the past four seasons. The return to 30 homers in a full season should not be a surprise, but where his run production and batting average goes in 2026 is anyone's guess, because he has been all over the place in recent seasons.

6.Trevor Story

BOS (SS)

147

525

AVG

.240

RBI

Three years after signing a six-year deal with Boston in 2022, Story finally made good on the contract. A season's worth of good health led to 25 home runs, 96 RBI and a career-high 31 steals. It wasn't a promising start, as the shortstop was batting .214 on June 6 and was in danger of losing his spot in the everyday lineup. From that point on, however, Story logged a slash line of .294/.337/.503 over his final 96 games. The 33-year-old decided against opting out of his deal and will remain with Boston for the final two years. His return provides stability to an evolving infield situation. Story himself could move positions, as he experienced a drop defensively (minus-9 Outs Above Average) and made a slew of throwing errors late in the season. The Red Sox could improve their infield defense by inserting Marcelo Mayer at short, while maintaining Story's productive bat at 2B. However, they decide to address the defense, Story should maintain an everyday presence in the middle of the order.

7.Colson Montgomery

CWS (SS)

123

419

AVG

.236

RBI

8.Anthony Volpe

NYY (SS)

OUT

129

470

AVG

.221

RBI

There is a scene in The Wedding Singer where Adam Sandler infamously states, "Things that could have been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!" That is likely the reaction many fantasy managers had when they learned Volpe needed offseason labrum surgery on his nonthrowing arm after he initially sustained the injury on May 3. Volpe had five homers with a .239/.333/.453 triple-slash line prior to the injury with a 11.1 percent walk rate and a 25.9 percent strikeout rate. He finished the season with 14 home runs and 14 steals, but that triple-slash line fell to .204/.253/.374, as he utilized several cortisone shots to get through the season. A right-handed hitter with left shoulder troubles is problematic because the issue impacts the hitter's ability to get full extension on his swing. Before you are too quick to write off his 2025 ills to that injury, remember he already has nearly 1,900 plate appearances in the majors and has a .222/.283/.379 line to show for it, striking out in one of every four plate appearances. Volpe could come at a discount now that Yankee fans are likely disgusted with him, but do not get too aggressive in giving this guy another chance right away, as he is still coming off invasive shoulder surgery.

9.Jose Caballero

NYY (SS)

135

348

AVG

.230

RBI

Caballero, despite spending his time with two organizations and not receiving consisent playing time, led the American League in steals for a second consecutive season. The last American Leaguer to do that was Whit Merrifiled in 2017-2018 while the National League last saw that happen with Dee Strange-Gordon in 2014-2015. Caballero's main goal when he comes up to the plate is to get on base and do what he enjoys most, and he set a career-high with a 12.7% walk rate in his pursuit to defend his stolen base title. He was 49 of 60 in his attemptes and has now attempted 60 steals in each of the past two seasons successfully converting 78% of those attempts. The rest of his offensive game is lacking as he makes poor contact overall and has a career batting average of .228 in over 1100 career plate appearances. The Yankees are likely to keep Caballero around for his versatility as he did everything but catch and play first base in 2025. He is fantasy eligible at four positions, but this one-category flexibility requires a specific build to offset the lack of production from Caballero in four offensive categories. After all, despite 49 steals, Caballero scored just 52 runs.

10.J.P. Crawford

SEA (SS)

137

504

AVG

.244

RBI

Crawford quantitied his way to a successful rebound season in Seattle after a dreadful 2024 season. While Crawford did not excel in any one category, he was serviceable in all five standard categories and even more serviceable in OBP leagues with his ever-patient approach at the plate. He is an intriguing player to watch hit as he employs an all-fields approach to hitting yet still possesses enough power to turn and burn on a pitch to his liking. He was much better against righties in 2025 (.279/.361/.382) after a terrible .173/.282/.282 line in 2024 which helps explain the resurgence in batting average. Crawford is entering the final year of his current deal with Seattle, so he has the extra motivation to prove that his resurgence at the plate was real as he looks to secure a new deal while continuing to play shortstop on a daily basis as long as his body allows him to do so.

11.Jacob Wilson

ATH (SS)

145

500

AVG

.264

RBI

Wilson was looking like a fantasy league winner after slashing .339/.380/.473 with nine home runs, 40 RBI and 42 runs scored through the first three months of the 2025 season. The unexpected power didn't stick, though, and he also missed time with a fractured forearm, hitting .257/.307/.389 with four long balls across his final 44 games of the season. Wilson is basically the right-handed version of Luis Arraez. He offers very little power and speed, but the 24-year-old is built to hit for average, sporting a strikeout rate in the 100th percentile and squared-up rate in the 97th percentile in 2025. Wilson could also be a non-zero in the home run department again simply due to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, where he slashed .328/.385/.489 with seven homers last season.

12.Chase Meidroth

CWS (SS)

139

505

AVG

.251

RBI

13.Javier Baez

DET (SS)

125

412

AVG

.228

RBI

While his final numbers won't jump off the page, Baez did at least rebound some after a particularly ugly 2024 campaign. The veteran finished 2025 with a .257/.282/.392 slash line across 126 games, up significantly from the .184/.221/.294 line he posted a year earlier. Baez also popped 12 home runs, which was his first time in double figures since he hit 17 homers in his first season with the Tigers back in 2022. The 32-year-old even made his first All-Star team since 2019, as he was buoyed by a strong start to the year before cooling down in the second half. Notably, Baez also saw his first action in center field at the MLB level, and he saw time at second base, third base and shortstop as well. The added versatility gives him a slight boost heading into 2026, and Baez showed some flashes last season that reminded fantasy managers of what he was as a younger player. However, Baez is heading toward the twilight of his career, and there are plenty of options on the board who offer more upside.

14.Zach McKinstry

DET (SS)

137

392

AVG

.237

RBI

McKinstry enjoyed something of a breakout campaign in 2025, his sixth season at the MLB level. The veteran utility player appeared in 144 games and set career highs with 12 home runs, 19 stolen bases, 49 RBI and 68 runs scored. He also set a new career best with a .771 OPS, which was a good jump up from his .681 career mark. McKinstry enjoyed a degree of good luck with a .314 BABIP, which was up from .265 in 2024, though he also managed to increase his walk rate to a career best 9.2 percent while maintaining a strikeout rate right around 21 percent for the third straight year. The 30-year-old's greatest asset, at least in a real-world sense, is his ability to play all over the field. That does give McKinstry some added fantasy utility, though in past seasons he didn't hit enough to warrant much consideration despite the positional versatility. It's possible he regresses some in 2026, though if McKinstry keeps his OPS north of .700 and delivers double figures in homers and steals, he should maintain some value.

15.Brooks Lee

MIN (SS)

120

398

AVG

.231

RBI

Lee alternated between second base, third base and shortstop last season, but he's set to take over as the everyday shortstop for the Twins after the trade of Carlos Correa. He was underwhelming at the plate last year in his sophomore season with a .655 OPS, though he did hit 16 home runs. He has a good eye at the plate and makes excellent contact (just a 17.5% K%) but struggled to generate power in the majors with a 28.0% hard hit rate. He hit just .236 which is surprisingly low given his high contact rate (81.1%) and 75th percentile in Square-up%, per Baseball Savant. It's not clear if he'll have the glove to stick at shortstop as he was -8 in Defensive Runs Saved and was in the 15th percentile in Range (outs above average). Lee does have a high pedigree as the No. 8 overall pick in 2022 and hit .299 with a .923 OPS at Triple-A over the previous two seasons. His upside may be as a better real life player than in fantasy given his lack of power or steals.

The rest of our Fantasy Baseball Outlooks & Rankings are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

1.Aaron Judge

NYY (OF)

143

504

AVG

.312

RBI

113

117

2.Julio Rodriguez

SEA (OF)

153

625

AVG

.270

RBI

3.Brent Rooker

ATH (OF)

150

558

AVG

.269

RBI

4.George Springer

TOR (OF)

145

540

AVG

.267

RBI

5.Jarren Duran

BOS (OF)

145

558

AVG

.276

RBI

6.Randy Arozarena

SEA (OF)

156

577

AVG

.236

RBI

7.Riley Greene

DET (OF)

146

551

AVG

.265

RBI

Greene's OPS in 2025 dropped over 20 points to .806, but that was largely due to a career-low 7.1 percent walk rate while he set career highs in home runs (34), doubles (31), RBI (111), runs scored (84) and slugging percentage (.493). In addition to the walk rate, the outfielder's strikeout rate spiked to 30.4 percent as he took a more aggressive approach with a 52.6 percent swing rate (up from 44.1 percent in 2024). Despite the more aggressive approach, Greene's .258 batting average dropped minimally while he improved his barrel rate to 17.1 percent, though he also saw his average exit velocity decrease from 91.1 mph to 89.9. Greene doesn't provide much upside on the basepaths with just 14 steals since debuting in 2022, but he's established a strong floor as a run producer with a solid average.

8.Wyatt Langford

TEX (OF)

141

517

AVG

.246

RBI

Despite making three separate trips to the injured list due to oblique issues, Langford recorded his first career 20-20 season in 2025. The fourth overall pick in 2023, Langford famously reached the majors after just 44 games in the minor leagues. He has more than held his own since being thrown into the deep end, grading out as 15 percent better than league average by wRC+ through two MLB campaigns. Langford's strikeout rate shot up nearly six percentage points last season, which cost him 12 points of batting average. The recurrence of the left oblique strain at the end of the season was troubling, and durability is becoming a concern after the outfielder also missed time with a hamstring injury as a rookie. Entering his age-24 season, Langford is done learning on the job and must now prove that he can stay on the field and anchor the Texas lineup.

9.Taylor Ward

BAL (OF)

142

526

AVG

.240

RBI

Ward has dealt with injury problems in his career but has now turned in back-to-back healthy seasons. He easily set new career highs in home runs (36), RBI (103) and runs (86) in 2025, leading to a top-20 finish among fantasy outfielders after he was top-40 fantasy outfielder in 2024. Ward did have a career-high 26.4 percent strikeout rate last season, and that, combined with being an extreme flyball hitter, means he's likely to continue to be a batting average liability. The 32-year-old was traded from Anaheim to Baltimore in November, a move which comes with an upgrade to his supporting cast. The team change comes with a slight ballpark downgrade, however; Camden Yards was still worse for right-handed power in 2025 after the changes to the left-field wall.

10.Byron Buxton

MIN (OF)

120

430

AVG

.251

RBI

Buxton is coming off the best season of his career as he finally stayed healthy, playing more than 125 games for the first time in eight years. He hit 35 home runs with 24 stolen bases with career highs in runs (97) and RBI (83). Buxton began 2025 fresh off a rare offseason without any surgeries or rehabilitations. After three years of knee issues, the Twins felt so confident of his health he was stealing bases in spring training - even third base which he was rarely allowed to before. Buxton didn't face any limitations as the season began playing center field regularly and being aggressive on the basepaths for the first time in years. He continued to show plus power with an .878 OPS and strong underlying metrics. He was in the 96th percentile in hard-hit rate and 92nd for exit velocity, according to Baseball Savant. His defense has declined slightly in center field to where he's just well above average ( 81st percentile in Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant), even though he retains elite speed (100th percentile). His strikeout rate increased slightly to 27.3% but is at a level that hasn't been too problematic for his power profile in the past. Given his injury history it's hard to bank on Buxton playing as many games again, but it's possible he's over his chronic knee issues and found a way to stay in the lineup just enough to be a major asset to fantasy teams. He again has a rare offseason with no health concerns.

11.Steven Kwan

CLE (OF)

145

581

AVG

.277

RBI

After clubbing 14 homers with a career-best .133 ISO over 122 games in 2024, Kwan returned to a more expected ISO of .102 in 2025, which is the exact figure he's posted in three of his four MLB campaigns. The drop in homers (he hit 11 last season) isn't altogether surprising given the outfielder's track record of limited power, but it was still a bit disappointing to see his slugging percentage drop more than 50 points to .374. Kwan's walk rate also dipped to 8.1 percent, resulting in a career-low .330 OBP, though he still posted a strong average by hitting .272 with 21 steals, 81 runs and 56 RBI. He's established himself as a reliable leadoff option for the Guardians and continues to showcase excellent plate discipline (55:60 BB:K in 2025) and provides fantasy value in average, runs and stolen bases. However, Kwan's ceiling is a bit limited since he isn't likely to hit much more than 10 homers and has never reached 60 RBI in a season.

12.Luis Robert

CWS (OF)

125

450

AVG

.233

RBI

Robert was limited to 110 games last season due to hamstring issues, adding yet another injury-tarnished campaign to his ledger. He finished with a disappointing .223/.297/.364 slash line but still provided solid fantasy production with 14 homers, 33 stolen bases, 53 RBI and 52 runs scored while posting a career-best 9.5 percent walk rate. Robert was particularly productive during the second half with an .808 OPS, which may have swayed the White Sox to exercise his $20 million club option for 2026. A strong start to the 2026 season is likely to make Robert a hot candidate to be traded once again, as Chicago has been unwilling to sell low on him the past couple years. The 110 games played last season is the second-highest total of the outfielder's career, so he certainly shouldn't be expected to provide a ton of volume. That being said, Robert has decent power and good speed (28 homers and 56 steals across the past two seasons), so there's still some fantasy upside if he's able to play around his average workload, which comes out to 113 contests over the last four years.

13.Roman Anthony

BOS (OF)

142

503

AVG

.262

RBI

Widely considered the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball at the time of his June 9 call-up, Anthony proved to be a revelation for Boston before an oblique strain cut the party short in September. Anthony quickly entered elite company, becoming just the second Red Sox player in history to record 20-plus extra-base hits and 25-plus walks in their first 52 career games, joining Ted Williams. Overall, Anthony slashed .292/.396/.463 with eight homers and four steals across his first 303 big-league plate appearances. The expectation is that Anthony will have a normal offseason, which sets him up to be a full go at the start of spring training. Already christened as the future of the organization with an eight-year, $130 million contract, Anthony will face a lot of pressure to produce, but he looks every bit up to the task entering his age-22 campaign. The outfielder has room for improvement with his strikeout rate (27.7% last season), but even so, Anthony is in position bat in the top third of the order in 2026.

14.Kerry Carpenter

DET (OF)

138

436

AVG

.257

RBI

Carpenter remained a solid fantasy contributor in 2025, though his limitations against left-handed pitching continue to cap his overall value. The outfielder posted an .812 OPS with 23 home runs in 373 at-bats against righties last year compared to a .638 OPS and three long balls in only 60 at-bats versus southpaws. Since 2023, he's sporting an .868 OPS against righties and only a .607 OPS against lefties. Carpenter also doesn't offer much beyond his power, as he stole just a single base in 2025 and he has only seven across four MLB seasons. Carpenter is certainly a talented player, and he should once again occupy a prime lineup spot for the Tigers in 2026, but he will likely ride the bench frequently against same-handed pitching. Fantasy managers should target the 28-year-old for homers, though there are other outfielders with more even left/right splits who probably have higher ceilings.

15.Chandler Simpson

TB (OF)

119

435

AVG

.280

RBI

All the projection systems absolutely nailed Simpson's 2025 home run total, so kudos on that! Simpson was twice promoted to the big league club and was as fast as advertised, successfully stealing 44 bases in 56 attempts when he managed to get on base. Pitchers had absolutely no fear of challenging him with fastballs, because they knew he could not hit home runs, so pitchers did not care Simpson hit .310 off fastballs or even .326 off breaking pitches. Since he saw so many strikes, he rarely walked, so he had to earn his way on base with either very soft contact to holes in the defense or solid line drives. Simpson's limitations leave him in the nine-hole of the lineup, and his defensive struggles put his playing time at risk. As it were, the Rays just had one of the worst single-season home run totals for outfielders in recent memory, so it is unclear how the likes of Simpson, Jonny Deluca, Jake Mangum, and Kameron Misner all co-exist moving forward. This could be another version of Esteury Ruiz if the defense does not improve.

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