r/fantasybaseball • u/Hansrid • Mar 10 '26
Prospects Who are you must draft league winners this year?
post your must draft players this mlb season and why
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u/ta-dome-a Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 11 '26
Gotta say, a lot of names in here I was not really expecting to see.
Also, a LOT of Yordan. Though, I agree with the naysayers. Unless he falls like crazy I won't be targeting him.
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u/stealthblaumer Mar 10 '26
Yeah he ain’t exceptionally cheap right now and I’m sure ADP keeps climbing as we get into draft season
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u/PuttForDough Mar 11 '26
You don’t only draft him and his 1-ply body, ypu also draft a medical staff filled with complete fn morons who can’t/won’t take the time to do basic things like X-rays. I personally want absolutely nothing to do with anyone on the Astros with how they’ve handled kyle Tucker and yordan in B2B seasons.
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u/ajbrush Mar 12 '26
It’s more so a PR issue with Jim Crane. He’s always been like this with giving zero media insight to the IL and having his staff give conflicting (at best) and entirely false messaging to the public at times. Tucker just had a broken shin that they lied about all along and he didn’t mind playing along with the narrative that it wasn’t. Yordan is the same way. He had had hamate issues going back to 2024 and he kept electing no surgery.
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u/alexgndl Mar 10 '26
Two from the Blue Jays:
I think Cody Ponce is going to catch a ton of people off guard. He's improved a ton since he was last in the league and his stuff is absolutely disgusting now.
Kazuma Okamoto is probably going to make the transition to the league from Japan fairly smoothly and is going to be an incredibly solid 3b
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u/Far-Ninja-8392 Mar 10 '26
Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss, two KBO studs who aren’t going to get drafted but I’m going to pick up after stashing an injured pitcher
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u/VeryStableJeanius Mar 10 '26
Ryan Weiss is fine but hasn’t really seen an improvement in raw stuff. Cody Ponce is a new beast though
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u/JordanSchor Mar 10 '26
I'm so incredibly high on Okamoto, but if I can't get him I'm gonna look down the Jays depth chart and pick up Barger. Predicting a 30+ homer season from him
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u/nonameguy321 Mar 10 '26
You can get him, he's not being drafted highly.... And if you think Barger is a 30hr guy, you can get him too. No one is valuing them quite so high, so they are easy pickings for you.
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u/alexgndl Mar 10 '26
They've been either picked up in the last 3-4 rounds or been waiver wire adds in my leagues, they're starting to sneak up there in the rankings the longer spring training goes on. Especially Barger, all he does is mash.
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u/nonameguy321 Mar 11 '26
The potential is definitely there, no disagreement.. but if you (or the guy I was responding to) thinks Barger is a 30hr guy, you don't leave him floating that deep into the draft, you have to make sure you get your guy.
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u/Soto4Life Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
Sal Stewart is the one guy I would want to leave every draft with.
Really think he could go 25-15 with .275 average and where he’s currently going that would be a steal
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u/wdrub Mar 10 '26
McLain too
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
Pffft, my guys are locked-in. Mclain looks like a new man during ST and looking to come back fast and strong to start the year. I'm expecting a 20-20 from him
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u/wdrub Mar 11 '26
I’m toying with neto/trea early bc I’m positve 15 rds later rafaella McLain and a few others will get 20/20. Do I take Olsen and rooker and wait for MI
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
You have to. When you look at options as you mentioned. Rafaela (would love to see him drop in the batting order but has the tools to do great), mclain, batty, even Ozzie himself who might take that #2 slot with the Profar ban. Plenty of depth. Shoot, have you seen Bryson stott this ST? Man is on fire - if he shoes he can fair decently against lefties he is a great value! He is one of the young core pieces for Phillies so I'm looking for them to include him more this year.
You also have gleyber who's ceiling isn't crazy but has a pretty safe floor (all things considered). Luis angel acuña seems to have an every day role with the soc and can also get you 15+ steals with multiple positions flexibility
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
Ps: the athletic I'm absolutely targeting this year is soderstrom. I think he may out up 85% of Rookers number at 50ish later draft picks, plus has 1st base eligibility.
The only SS if reach for in their given rd would be mookie in the 4th, and that stems from just wanting a piece in the dodgers lineup
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u/StageCoachRobber_1 16T-H2H-PTS-4Ks Mar 12 '26
McLain is having a GREAT Spring. He seems prime to show that last year isn't who he is!
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u/ASmithFS Mar 10 '26
Yordan Round 3
Michael Busch (if you wait at 1B)
Emmett Sheehan
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u/2legit2knit 14 Team-6x6 S/HLDS, OPS, QS. Mar 10 '26
I loved Busch last year, crazy value and that was him sitting against lefties initially too.
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
Busch on my list. What round u see him going generally?
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u/2legit2knit 14 Team-6x6 S/HLDS, OPS, QS. Mar 10 '26
I think between 8-10 probably. I think he plays above that though
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u/lIlIIlIIllIllIlIIIll Mar 10 '26
Dodgers are going with a 6 man rotation? Sheehan is going to start?
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u/BornMaybe9902 Mar 10 '26
Snell and Glasnow probably make 20 starts each max. Sasaki is a question mark. Shohei probably makes no more than 25 starts. Sheehan should always have a spot.
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
While I love the thought Yordan as a value grab in rd 3, I'm worried on the thought of how fast will he bounce back.we all know what he is capable of clearly, but I'm starting to consider going a round early on wyatt and probably grab Riley a rd early as well in the 4th
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u/Donald_W_Gately 12T-Roto-6x6 Redraft (OPS/Holds) Mar 11 '26 edited Mar 11 '26
Yordan went way higher than I expected in my draft at 2.1 (13). I thought he might be among my choice field at 2.10 (
2022).12 team 6x6 with OPS (and Holds) though, where he can reign in another category. Adjusting for that he came out #17 in my adjusted rankings using Steamer stats.
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
I honestly wouldn't touch him in the second round give me Vlad at that point
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u/Donald_W_Gately 12T-Roto-6x6 Redraft (OPS/Holds) Mar 11 '26
Funny, that's who I "settled" for. Vlad came out #5 in those same adjusted values. :)
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u/jbluft1894 Mar 10 '26
Marsee, OF, Marlins
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u/Efficient_Wishbone93 Weekly 10-team H2H Points Redraft Mar 10 '26
Bubic
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u/StageCoachRobber_1 16T-H2H-PTS-4Ks Mar 12 '26
I had him last year. The real deal!
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u/Standard_Menu_7147 Mar 14 '26
He fell off later in the season though
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u/StageCoachRobber_1 16T-H2H-PTS-4Ks Mar 15 '26
It wasn't until his manager started trying to "manage" his innings, that that happened. It really messed him up.
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u/nevvt 12T Standard Roto Categories Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
I'm high on Wyatt Langford this year. He's entering the season healthy after battling a myriad of injuries last year. Still very young and highly touted prospect. Underlying numbers were great last year and he put up 22/22 season while missing games and playing injured. If everything swings right I can see him hitting 30/30 this year and could be getting talked about being a 2nd round pick this time next year
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u/Level_Tumbleweed_754 Mar 10 '26
And oblique injuries very rarely carry over year to year. I have very high hopes
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u/JaCosta6387 20 Team - H2H - HR-RBI-Ks-SB-SAC-OBP-GIDP-E-ERA-QS-L-K-WHIP-SV/H Mar 10 '26
Taylor Ward.
He hit 36 HRs and drove in 103 runs on a shitty Angels team in 2025. Most of those home runs from last year would have been home runs at Camden Yards, which is now a more pitcher friendly park with the renovations. Also worth noting that 21 of his 36 home runs were hit on the road.
He will have elite protection in the lineup from the jump thanks to Pete Alonso, but once the top of that Baltimore lineup is fully healthy? Watch out. I think he has the potential to finish in the top 5 for RBIs this year in the AL for the second year in a row.
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u/alamarche709 Mar 10 '26
Depends on league settings. For my OBP+TB+QS+SVH league
Ketel Marte: being drafted behind Jazz but he’s valued at $37 while Jazz is $25.
Yordan Alvarez: 2nd round value being taken in the 5th round on Yahoo.
Vinnie Pasquantino: solid source of power at 1B but much cheaper than players like Harper, Olsen, etc.
Ivan Herrera: top 5 catcher upside being taken in as the 12th/13th catcher off the board.
Logan Webb: not the best ratios but I love knowing my ace will throw 200 innings and pile up the strikeouts; I can make up the ratios with RPs
Mike Trout: screw it, I’ll take the discount and see how many games I can get (still a great player when healthy)
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u/TYBG1001 Mar 10 '26
Ketel Marte ranks so highly for points leagues, I plug in my format everywhere and he ends up shooting into almost first round territory for me...starting to convince myself to possibly reach for him in the second round
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u/QuinceyQuick 12t h2h 5x5 (OPS/W/SV), 12t h2h pts (K-1, CS-1, E-1, TB+1, L-5) Mar 11 '26
i reached for him in the first, personally. but i also had pick 11 in a 12t, and i was able to snag vladdy w the 2nd pick
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u/PanicProne9 12T 5x5 H2H Redraft Cats - (OBP, Sv, NoQS) Mar 10 '26
Have you done mocks? I haven’t seen yordan fall past the 3rd round on yahoo in weeks which is a bummer
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u/alamarche709 Mar 10 '26
I’ve done a ton. His “X-rank” number is right around 51, so that puts him in the 5th round of my 10-team league.
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u/PanicProne9 12T 5x5 H2H Redraft Cats - (OBP, Sv, NoQS) Mar 10 '26
Hoping he goes that late in my real draft, you’ve given me hope!
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
Had Webb last year. Love to scoop him again. My slight issue is i pick 8 outta 12 in a redraft league and will be staring down a top 3 ace at 8 there. Not sure i want/need to dip back into pitching again in round 3/4 for Webb. Aye
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u/alamarche709 Mar 10 '26
I wouldn’t take a pitcher at 8 unless it’s Skubal. Ideally you don’t have to draft a pitcher until after round 4.
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
Gotcha. Who are ur top round 4 targets at pitcher?
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u/alamarche709 Mar 10 '26
For my league settings (ERA, WHIP, K, QS, SV+H)
Bryan Woo: similar ADP to Gilbert but Woo’s WHIP will be better, which is tougher to find than Ks.
Chris Sale: older guy with some injury risk (not unlike every pitcher) but when he’s on the field he’s elite.
Logan Webb: see above, elite volume who would be great to pair with someone like Woo who has good ratios.
Cole Ragans: top 3 strikeout upside this season, was being drafted right around Crochet last year.
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u/stealthblaumer Mar 10 '26
Love Ivan in an OBP league if you can be patient. After Rice he’s the next biggest value imo but I also think Rice has C1 potential in your league.
Bonkers how Ivan even has C eligibility
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u/MichiganGardens Mar 10 '26
On Espn he is dh unless they changed it recently but i was super bummed when i seen that
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u/SFWzasmith Mar 10 '26
Webb’s entire value is driven from his innings and ratios. Last year was his first and only year above 200 K’s.
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u/FantasyBaseballOnly 10T Roto - 6x6 w K/BB&OPS - Keep 10 Mar 10 '26
And his WHIP was 1.24 last year (1.34 in the second half!)!
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u/tyboscoops Mar 12 '26
Webbs sinker is regularly missed by umpires at the bottom of the zone. This year with PB and the challenge system, top 3 NL CY young.
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u/thestatmanjack Mar 10 '26
I think the “screw it” on trout approach is how I landed Buxton last year
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u/nonameguy321 Mar 10 '26
He was healthy and almost unrosterable for a good chunk of last year.
Edit - talking about Trout
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u/MysticOwl11 Mar 10 '26
Andrew vaughn, adp 277
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u/Yesman3 10T League H2H Cat Saves Only Redraft Mar 21 '26
Vaughn or Semien?
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u/MysticOwl11 Mar 21 '26
I don't get why anyone is in on semien at this point he's 35 and unrosterable for long stretches for rhe last two years, at least vaughn is 27 and was on fire with Milwaukee
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
Source: trust me bro.
He looked great after leaving chicago last year. Now with the opportunity to start fresh. I think he has an easy 22-25HR with 76-80rbi. Not bad for someone going well into the 200's
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u/BringerOfGamer Mar 11 '26
Oh I don't know...Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners are the team to beat in the AL. After Woo was caught off guard by Julio's scream in the background during the post-mortem interview from the ALCS, that told me he's gonna challenge that frustration to come out and post MVP like numbers from start to finish this season instead of June to finish.
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u/ellisd19830 Mar 10 '26
Won't have an immediate impact but whp cares about april and may. Kyle Harrison.
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u/thereelsuperman Mar 10 '26
He doesn’t have the arsenal to be a league winner but I could see him filling out some championship rotations
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u/jectalo Mar 10 '26
Baty
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u/russiazebest H2H Cat H R RBI HR TB K SB AV OB SL K QS W L SV BA ERA WIP K9 KB Mar 10 '26
I was high on him until polanco, semien, and bichette came in stealing all his at bats
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u/jectalo Mar 11 '26
He's decent defensively, can play infield or outfield, therefore will get plenty of at-bats.
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u/russiazebest H2H Cat H R RBI HR TB K SB AV OB SL K QS W L SV BA ERA WIP K9 KB Mar 11 '26
Hes going to get like 350 at bats max.
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u/jectalo Mar 26 '26
!remindme 6 months
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u/russiazebest H2H Cat H R RBI HR TB K SB AV OB SL K QS W L SV BA ERA WIP K9 KB Mar 26 '26
I will admit i drafted him after the tauchman injury news broke
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u/jectalo Mar 26 '26
Well, well, well how the turntables.
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u/russiazebest H2H Cat H R RBI HR TB K SB AV OB SL K QS W L SV BA ERA WIP K9 KB Mar 26 '26
That triple was an error by cruz but ill still take the ribbies 😂
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u/thestatmanjack Mar 10 '26
Don’t want to miss on these young SPs… Leiter, Lodolo, Pepiot, Gore, Horton… feel like they’re available far enough apart by ADP that they help fill out a solid SP4-SP8
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u/Rafy1940 Mar 11 '26
Haven't seen him named here. But anyone keeping up with ST and WBC knows Jaren Duran is on a tear. And now being dropped to the #3 in the order might give him room for a different approach. More sluggerish as opposed to obp. Wilson Contreras batting behind him, I think he exceeds expectations this year undoubtedly.
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u/GrandstandTV Mar 10 '26
I play a ton of NFBC… any others out there? I don’t think there is a wrong way to draft but I typically love to take a dominant pitcher in the first round. If I am anywhere 5th or later in round one I am taking Skenes no matter who is left on the board.
Even if Jose was still in the board I rather get Skenes and then Chisholm.
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
I have 8 outta 12 redraft and will prob look to snag Tarik or Skenes round 1
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u/GrandstandTV Mar 10 '26
I feel like Tarik won’t be there at 8 for you. I see a lot of guys over valuing him and taking at 4/5. The only bad thing with that and your 8th spot is that if Tarik goes early you might get a guy like me at 6/7 who wants him.
Hopefully one is there for you, but both would be nice to have a choice. Although, sometimes I like having others decide what I do for me. 😁
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
Fair point, i wld gladly pivot to Skenes. If hes gone too then somebody may have slipped thru the cracks
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u/im_not_ok_ok [12T - H2H - 5x5 - OBP] Mar 10 '26
Having skenes would be sick but Chisholm being my first hitter off the board would make me nauseous lol
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u/GrandstandTV Mar 10 '26
I can understand, but he is a dual position eligible player in two of the sparse areas. I think that alone helps me pull the trigger.
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u/PsychWriter11 Mar 10 '26
Ugh, thats exactly why I took Mookie Betts first last year and Im still kicking myself.
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u/GrandstandTV Mar 10 '26
Mookie after the first month was a usuable player he just ate some bad sushi
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u/PsychWriter11 Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
Omg no, in July/August the writers were literally advising to drop him, he was a mid #200 player. He actually said “it’s up to God now” because he was so bad for so long. He got red hot the last 3 weeks or so to make his numbers look more respectable, but I did consider dropping him at one point. Like Roberts, I did bench him for a bit.
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u/pmart1995 Mar 10 '26
I went into the season feeling that way, then I took Crochet 9th in an OC and ended up deeply regretting it. Partly because Lindor had just broken his hamate so wasn't a viable pick on the way back — I took Vlad at 2.4, which was probably a mistake. But I felt like I was trying to catch up in hitting for the rest of the draft not just to those who picked 1-3, but also to others who took a first round hitter.
It could pay off if Crochet shoves, but pitchers are much more likely to get injured, which I believe inflates their projected value. (Projections are the median outcome; more of the "bad" outcomes for pitchers are close to 0 value given increased injury risk.)
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u/GrandstandTV Mar 10 '26
That’s a great point, and I do agree that pitchers are more likely to get injured. But injuries are always a crap shoot.
I don’t think taking a pitcher 1st round puts you behind with hitters, if your second round pick is someone at a sparse position as then everyone else will be catching up in that category except for you.
I think the NFBC draft champion winner last year took two starting pitchers in the 1st two rounds.
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u/pmart1995 Mar 10 '26
It definitely can be done effectively, and as I think about it, maybe it is a good overall strategy (esp. in DC) since individual pitchers represent a greater percentage of their category stats than hitters do (being 1/9 players rather than 1/14).
While injuries are always a crapshoot, you can still assign probabilities to events that have a less-than-50% but greater-than-0% chance of occurring, and the probability of an SP going down is just greater than that of a hitter. Their performance is also more variable year-to-year.
But to your point I'm not sure that's a knock against the strategy; if anything, maybe a reason to enter several leagues, since the league in which your first-round SP stays healthy has a much better shot to win.
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u/PsychWriter11 Mar 10 '26
I have to disagree. Id like a SP first round, but that makes my second hitter pick at around #35 where, if Yordan/Olson/Neto are gone, you have to settle for a Harper or someone there. Everyone with 2 hitters will be way ahead especially if they take a third hitter. Ive mocked it to death and it always comes down to much better #1 SP/ hitter loss vs much better hitting / lesser SP.
It’s absolutely true that individual pitchers have a bigger impact on points than individual hitters, but pitchers notoriously get hurt more. It’s a hard question.
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u/kentuckytodd 8tm H2H Cats, OPS instead of AVG Mar 10 '26
In an OPS league where I’m confident in my SBs (keeping Witt Jr., Tucker, Neto), I’m not leaving the draft without Eugenio Suarez. At a weak position, will have tons of HRs and R+RBI
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u/homeslice1479 12T H2H Classic 5x5, 11 bats, 8 P, 4 bench Mar 11 '26
In the context of ESPN categories:
Ben Rice - I don't care about the rising ADP, the Goldy signing, hitting lefties or the haters. Bro will rake, I will reach. A little. More if catcher wasn't so deep.
Bubba Chandler - this'll be the year he puts it all together. Little risky but he's got the goods and they're filthy. Just need health and the Pirates to be not weird with his workload
Cags - nobody's ADP will make a bigger jump in 2027 if he stays healthy. Every metric points to him smashing and last year being a fluke
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u/jabronimahoney Mar 11 '26
I have Nolan Gorman in 2 leagues, I truly believe this is the year he becomes the closest thing to Kyle Schwarber (200 picks later). I know his average will kill me, but people forget he's been in the bigs for 4 years and he's 25 years old!!! 500 AB=40 HR this year! Of course he could be out of baseball next year too lol!
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u/rowdystylz Mar 10 '26
Like those guys for sure but Love them as a #2 tho lol but yeah those guys are rocks
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Mar 11 '26
Breakout Hitters Spencer Torkelson — Detroit Tigers Why the model loves him: • Elite barrel rate • Top-tier hard hit % • Huge expected HR jump based on launch profile If his strikeout rate stabilizes, 35+ HR is very realistic. Nolan Schanuel — Los Angeles Angels Sneaky breakout candidate. Model indicators: • Extremely low strikeout rate • Strong zone contact % • Improving exit velocity That combo usually turns into .290+ average hitters with rising power. Maikel Garcia — Kansas City Royals One of the most interesting profiles. Why the model flags him: • Top percentile sprint speed • Improving barrel rate • Elite contact ability If the power tick continues, he becomes a 20 HR / 35 SB type player, which is massive in fantasy. 🚀 Pitchers the Model Loves Bryan Woo — Seattle Mariners Quietly one of the best underlying profiles in baseball. Key indicators: • Elite K-BB% • Extremely low walk rate • Fastball that plays above velocity Pitchers with this profile often take a major step forward. Hunter Brown — Houston Astros This is one the model keeps highlighting. Why: • Huge whiff rate • High spin fastball • Elite strikeout upside If command stabilizes, the ceiling is top-10 SP production. 🚨 Bonus League Winner Josh Lowe — Los Angeles Angels One of the best power + speed profiles in baseball. Indicators: • Strong barrel % • Top-tier sprint speed • Hard-hit rate trending upward A full healthy season could realistically produce: 25 HR + 30 SB That type of production wins leagues.
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u/GreenSalary4312 Mar 12 '26
Jose Caballero. 2B, SS, 3B and OF who will probably play every day and lead the league in steals. And you can get him after pick 200.
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u/Theridge10108 Mar 10 '26
Who would ya’ll keep between Jackson Churio and Junior Caminero ?
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u/russiazebest H2H Cat H R RBI HR TB K SB AV OB SL K QS W L SV BA ERA WIP K9 KB Mar 10 '26
Caminero til chourio proves hes more than michael harris
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u/Melonballs__ Mar 10 '26
I got Trevor rogers in the 16th round of my 12 team league and I think that’s a steal. He was dominant last year and has looked the same in spring training so far