Sport: MLB

The regular season is inching towards us, which means fantasy baseball drafts are ramping up. To win your league, managers need to find those few must-draft players who provide value at a high level all season long.

With all the research tools available, like our Fantrax Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit, finding these players can be a daunting task. Luckily, I’m here to help you out. Here are five players I feel are must-draft contenders to help you win your league.

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2026 Fantasy Baseball: 5 Must-Draft Players
Jacob Misiorowski – SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Jacob Misiorowski was explosive in his brief MLB first-half debut last season. He threw 25.2 innings over June and July, posting a 2.81 ERA, striking out 33 batters, and holding batters to a .138 batting average.

However, the second half was a completely different story. He posted a 5.36 ERA and allowed a .257 batting average off of him in 40.1 innings. Despite the late-season struggles, the rookie fireballer posted a 30.9 strikeout percentage and a 3.46 FIP.

Misiorowski got back on the right track during the postseason, where he threw seven innings against the Chicago Cubs, earned two wins, and allowed only 1 earned run. Then he followed those innings with a stellar NLCS appearance that included five innings of one earned-run ball and nine strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Brewers’ righty has the potential to reach 200 strikeouts in his first full season. He is currently being drafted around Nick Lodolo and Nathan Eovaldi at ADP 123, but Misiorowski offers much higher upside than these two players and can give fantasy managers the production that’ll help carry them to a championship win.

Jarren Duran – OF, Boston Red Sox

Jarren Duran took a step back after his 2024 All-Star breakout season. His home runs dropped to 16, and his batting average dropped to .256. He was still able to produce a 111 wRC+ and 24 stolen bases. Duran drew a career high in walk percentage (8.6 percent), but his strikeout percentage slightly rose to 24.3 percent.

Along with the setback came a struggle against left-handed pitchers. He’s had a slight platoon role over his career, but Duran went from hitting .255 versus southpaws in 2024 to .211 in ’25. These struggles have seen the left-handed hitter drop to 61st ADP after going as high as an early second-round pick the year before.

However, this spring, Duran has hit six home runs over a four-game span. He’s hit three with the Red Sox before the World Baseball Classic and three with Team Mexico; four of these homers have come against southpaws, which is a welcoming sign.

The game of baseball is about making adjustments, and I’m chalking last season’s setbacks to pitchers making adjustments. It’s apparent that Duran and the Red Sox have focused this offseason on refining his approach, and we’re already seeing the payoff. Look for him to return as a 20/20 candidate who could get close to the 30/30 mark if the power surge continues through the season.

Sal Stewart – 1B, Cincinnati Reds

If you’ve followed my content, then you know I’m really high on Sal Stewart. The addition of Eugenio Suárez has complicated things, as he has pushed Stewart out of the DH role. The rookie should still start at first base over Spencer Steer, but keep an eye on this situation when the season starts.

In four minor-league seasons, Stewart has shown power while also hitting for average. Last season, over 494 plate appearances between Double- and Triple-A, he had a .305 batting average and a .907 OPS.

He received a September call-up last season, where he hit five home runs over 58 plate appearances. Among players with 25 MLB plate appearances, Stewart ranked fourth behind Oneil Cruz, Carter Jensen, and Aaron Judge in average exit velocity (95.4 mph). So he has a massive power bat that should be on full display in his full rookie season.

Stewart even stole more than 10 bases in every minor league season except the first, when he only played in eight games in Rookie ball after being drafted in 2022. During Spring Training this season, he has stolen four bases in 36 plate appearances. I’m expecting around 15 steals to be a max for Stewart, but if he can be a surprise 20/20 candidate at the first base position, then fantasy managers will be drooling all season watching the rookie produce across the board.

Hunter Goodman – C, Colorado Rockies

In Hunter Goodman’s first full season at the MLB level, he emerged as a top catcher with his power, which, when hitting in Coors Field, is a helpful contributor. He hit 31 homers and drove in 91 runs, while slashing .278/.323/.520. This success has Goodman ranked in the top five at the catcher position for the preseason, which means you’d need to be comfortable taking a backstop around the sixth or seventh round, depending on your league size.

The catcher position looks fairly weak this season in the long-ball department, so it may be beneficial to grab a player with the upside of hitting 35-40 home runs. Surely the Rockies will improve this season; it’s hard to be worse than a 43-119 record, so Goodman could have more opportunities to post more runs and RBIs.

Yordan Alvarez – OF, Houston Astros

Yordan Alvarez looked to be a franchise player after four straight seasons hitting 30 or more home runs. However, injuries derailed the superstar’s 2025 season. He only played in 48 games, but even when he was on the field, he didn’t look like the three-time All-Star from 2022-’24. Alvarez is mainly looking to fill the DH role this season, which may help him stay healthy.

He’s outfield eligible still, but the former first-round pick in fantasy drafts is falling into the late second-to-third rounds due to the injury concerns. Alvarez is a massive high-risk pick, but if the switch to a primary DH role helps him stay healthy, then this is a pick that’ll help fantasy managers win their leagues. If the injury concern forces him to drop even further in your drafts, then he’s a worthy steal at that rate.

For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.

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