It can be helpful to get an early sense of where the experts stand in terms of initial fantasy baseball draft rankings. We’ll have you covered as we approach the spring and new season, but for now let’s take a look at 2026 fantasy baseball rankings.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Rankings
RK
PLAYER NAME
TEAM
POS
BEST
WORST
AVG.
STD.DEV
ECR VS. ADP
1
Shohei Ohtani
LAD
DH1
1
2
1.1
0.2
0
2
Aaron Judge
NYY
OF1
1
3
1.8
0.4
0
3
Bobby Witt Jr.
KC
SS1
3
5
3.2
0.4
1
4
Juan Soto
NYM
OF2
3
6
4.1
0.7
1
5
Jose Ramirez
CLE
3B1
4
10
5.7
1.3
1
6
Ronald Acuna Jr.
ATL
OF3
4
12
6.9
1.7
2
7
Tarik Skubal
DET
SP1
2
22
8.6
2.7
0
8
Elly De La Cruz
CIN
SS2
5
14.0
9.3
1.9
1.0
9
Julio Rodriguez
SEA
OF4
5
22.0
9.3
1.8
3.0
10
Paul Skenes
PIT
SP2
5
20.0
11.0
2.0
1.0
11
Kyle Tucker
LAD
OF5
6
20.0
11.4
3.2
4.0
12
Fernando Tatis Jr.
SD
OF6
7
17.0
12.4
2.4
2.0
13
Garrett Crochet
BOS
SP3
7
23.0
12.9
3.4
0.0
14
Gunnar Henderson
BAL
SS3
9
18.0
13.3
1.4
4.0
15
Junior Caminero
TB
3B2
10
42.0
16.4
4.7
2.0
16
Corbin Carroll
ARI
OF7
5
37.0
17.1
7.8
-6.0
17
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
TOR
1B1
12
24.0
17.6
2.3
4.0
18
Nick Kurtz
ATH
1B2
15
26.0
18.4
1.9
1.0
19
Cal Raleigh
SEA
C1
11
25.0
18.7
2.3
-3.0
20
Jackson Chourio
MIL
OF8
10
47.0
19.4
3.8
3.0
21
Kyle Schwarber
PHI
DH2
15
30.0
20.7
2.3
1.0
22
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
NYY
2B1
15
36.0
22.1
3.9
2.0
23
Pete Alonso
BAL
1B3
21
33.0
24.6
2.4
3.0
24
Trea Turner
PHI
SS4
15
79.0
26.8
6.8
4.0
25
Francisco Lindor
NYM
SS5
16
41.0
26.8
7.8
-5.0
26
Ketel Marte
ARI
2B2
19
40.0
27.4
4.3
1.0
27
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
LAD
SP4
21
39.0
29.3
4.5
-2.0
28
Cristopher Sanchez
PHI
SP5
23
41.0
30.3
3.7
1.0
29
Yordan Alvarez
HOU
OF9
12
49.0
30.9
6.4
4.0
30
Zach Neto
LAA
SS6
16
66.0
34.1
9.3
5.0
31
Pete Crow-Armstrong
CHC
OF10
19
111.0
34.2
10.6
-1.0
32
Manny Machado
SD
3B3
21
51.0
34.6
4.4
-1.0
33
James Wood
WSH
OF11
20
67.0
35.4
7.7
-1.0
34
Matt Olson
ATL
1B4
18
61.0
35.6
8.0
7.0
35
Bryce Harper
PHI
1B5
23
51.0
36.3
7.6
2.0
36
Hunter Brown
HOU
SP6
25
53.0
37.2
4.4
-2.0
37
Chris Sale
ATL
SP7
28
52.0
37.8
4.3
2.0
38
Rafael Devers
SF
1B6
27
65.0
38.5
8.4
2.0
39
Logan Gilbert
SEA
SP8
31
71.0
39.3
8.8
-1.0
40
Mookie Betts
LAD
SS7
26
64.0
41.6
8.4
8.0
41
Bryan Woo
SEA
SP9
17
69.0
42.0
5.5
-5.0
42
Brent Rooker
ATH
OF12
27
137.0
42.5
11.0
5.0
43
Jacob deGrom
TEX
SP10
36
72.0
44.0
3.8
8.0
44
Hunter Greene
CIN
SP11
38
57.0
46.3
4.4
2.0
45
Cole Ragans
KC
SP12
31
63.0
46.7
7.2
10.0
46
Logan Webb
SF
SP13
33
73.0
47.4
10.0
3.0
47
Max Fried
NYY
SP14
40
74.0
48.9
6.5
-3.0
48
Wyatt Langford
TEX
OF13
29
89.0
50.6
9.2
2.0
49
Roman Anthony
BOS
OF14
28
100.0
53.6
9.0
3.0
50
Freddie Freeman
LAD
1B7
17
94.0
54.4
13.6
3.0
51
Austin Riley
ATL
3B4
35
78.0
57.7
9.6
12.0
52
Joe Ryan
MIN
SP15
51
83.0
58.8
4.9
15.0
53
Edwin Diaz
LAD
RP1
27
213.0
58.9
18.7
-10.0
54
Riley Greene
DET
OF15
33
164.0
59.6
11.2
7.0
55
Mason Miller
SD
RP2
28
251.0
59.7
20.0
-13.0
56
Freddy Peralta
NYM
SP16
41
87.0
60.1
11.0
3.0
57
Josh Naylor
SEA
1B8
40
169.0
60.1
12.1
0.0
58
George Kirby
SEA
SP17
41
81.0
60.2
4.3
12.0
59
Brice Turang
MIL
2B3
32
162.0
60.8
15.8
-14.0
60
Jackson Merrill
SD
CF1
47
92.0
61.6
11.5
5.0
61
William Contreras
MIL
C2
45
81.0
62.6
9.0
-3.0
62
CJ Abrams
WSH
SS8
41
104.0
62.7
8.8
7.0
63
Cody Bellinger
NYY
OF16
46
160.0
62.8
10.5
-7.0
64
Jarren Duran
BOS
OF17
33
90.0
62.9
11.5
4.0
65
Dylan Cease
TOR
SP18
52
107.0
68.1
12.0
8.0
66
Jesus Luzardo
PHI
SP19
61
105.0
69.5
6.6
10.0
67
Andres Munoz
SEA
RP3
34
206.0
71.4
19.0
-13.0
68
Jhoan Duran
PHI
RP4
35
248.0
71.8
19.6
-8.0
69
Shea Langeliers
ATH
C3
51
147.0
73.1
13.9
2.0
70
Vinnie Pasquantino
KC
1B9
43
165.0
74.2
9.8
14.0
71
Kyle Bradish
BAL
SP20
50
142.0
74.7
8.3
9.0
72
Geraldo Perdomo
ARI
SS9
40
161.0
75.5
13.7
-10.0
73
Corey Seager
TEX
SS10
49
173.0
76.4
12.8
17.0
74
Framber Valdez
DET
SP21
54
99.0
76.9
9.1
4.0
75
Maikel Garcia
KC
2B4
65
167.0
78.6
11.2
-3.0
What is Fantasy Baseball?
Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.
Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success
1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring
Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.
2. Drafting Your Team Wisely
A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:
Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.
3. In-Season Management
Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio