Sport: MLB

It’s all about the offense. Well, in fantasy baseball, we aren’t breaking any news here, but it goes beyond that. Obviously, teams aren’t looking for stone-handed butchers to play first base, but it’s all about what players can do with that bat. That’s how you get attention, playing time, and rise through the ranks.

What?! Your fantasy baseball league wasn’t hosted on Fantrax last season? Preposterous! Check out what the Fantrax MLB Commissioner has to offer and we think you’ll be singing a different tune for the 2026 MLB season.

Generally, we don’t see many true prospects at the first base position. There’s often some area of concern. Strikeouts are one of the major culprits that limit optimism, at least initially. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking to the future at the first base position in dynasty baseball leagues. And it doesn’t mean there aren’t options to consider, either.

Now, let’s take a look at some dynasty first base targets for 2026 fantasy baseball.

Dynasty First Base Targets
Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds

At this point, it’s still unknown whether or not Sal Stewart will begin the season with an everyday role, but the trade of Gavin Lux sure makes it look like he will. However, in dynasty leagues, does that even matter? In fact, it might work to our advantage if he didn’t have a full-time job locked up when looking at his current value.

Ultimately, it’s the talent that wins out. And with Stewart, there’s a lot to like. In 18 games last season, we got a sneak peek at what to expect. Stewart hit .255 with five home runs and eight RBI, but the problem is that he struck out 25.9% of the time. We should qualify it as being a small sample size, but hitting major league pitching is more difficult than hitting minor league pitching.

As we look towards 2026, though, there is upside with those numbers. Prior to his promotion, Stewart only struck out 15.6% of the time in the minor leagues. The good news is that it’s in line with what we have seen from him throughout his professional career.

Prior to his promotion, Stewart played in 118 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year. All he did was find success as Stewart hit .309 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI. The rare and valuable piece was that Stewart also stole 17 bases.

In his brief time with the Reds, Stewart showed off a .291 ISO, 17.5% barrel rate, and 52.5% hard hit rate. When coupled with a .291 xBA, it was a successful debut. Now, target him in dynasty leagues before he takes the next step.

Jonathan Aranda, Tampa Bay Rays

If it wasn’t for a broken wrist that essentially ended his 2025 season, I’m not sure we would be talking about Jonathan Aranda here. The good news is that not only did Aranda return for three games at the end of the season, but he hit two home runs and drove in five runs.

Prior to the injury, Aranda hit .316 with his .409 BABIP causing some concern. However, if you dig deeper, there’s a lot to like within Aranada’s skill set, and his .294 xBA also provides comfort.

Last year, thanks to damages related to a hurricane, the Rays played their home games in a very favorable hitting environment. As they return to Tropicana Field this season, it could be a cause for concern, as Aranda did hit .345 at home last year. However, I’m not sure anyone would object to his .290 batting average on the road.

More importantly, though, Aranda hit 10 home runs on the road compared to just four at home last season. His RBI, 29 at home and 30 on the road, were essentially even, while the batted ball profile is favorable. And that’s what draws our attention from a dynasty perspective.

Aranda had a .489 slugging percentage last year, and his .506 xSLG allows us to buy in. The first baseman also hit his prime with a 12.8% barrel rate, 54.1% hard hit rate, and a career-high 14.1 degree average launch angle. Only 11.7% of Aranda’s contact was considered soft, as he also finished with a 25.9% line drive rate.

While the power won’t be overwhelming, Aranda is a legitimate dynasty target.

Jake Burger, Texas Rangers

While we are programmed to target younger players in dynasty leagues, it’s all about production from players of any age. In the case of Jake Burger, it’s not too late to find some dynasty value. The best part about it is that it comes at minimal cost.

Despite coming off a rough year, Burger is still going to be batting in the middle of the order for the Texas Rangers. It was a tough season, to say the least, for Burger in 2025. He spent some time in the minor leagues, and health was an issue as well. That obviously drove his struggles, but there’s still some optimism to be found from a dynasty perspective.

In 103 games, Burger hit .236 with 16 home runs and 53 RBI. A .250 xBA provides some optimism, but it goes beyond that. Burger’s power metrics were still on display with a 13.9% barrel rate and 48.5% hard hit rate. There’s also upside when you compare Burger’s .419 slugging percentage to his .469 xSLG.

Granted, he should play more games in 2026, but the production should follow and make him a dynasty target. Quite simply, Burger’s a better player than he showed last year, and he has the metrics to back that up.

Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!