Finding sleepers is the key to winning most fantasy leagues. The real question, however, is understanding that a sleeper in one person’s league is different from a sleeper in a different league. This article attempts to run the gamut by giving out players who should be taken anywhere from Round 7 to 29 in most fantasy baseball leagues. These are the players you can target in your 2026 fantasy baseball drafts in the American League.
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AL East:
Feb 28, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA. Baltimore Orioles infielder Coby Mayo (16) hits a sacrifice RBI during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Baltimore Orioles: Coby Mayo IF
With Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday both injured, the time is now for Mayo to step up and show that he can handle major league pitching consistently.
Boston Red Sox: Caleb Durbin, 3B
Durbin is like a poor man’s Mikael Garcia, but the best part is that Durbin will likely go 5-8 rounds after Garcia has been drafted.
New York Yankees: Ryan Weathers SP
Weathers has all the talent in the world, but he cannot seem to stay healthy. With Cole and Rodon both starting the year on the IL, New York is going to need to rely on Weathers. Great late-round pick.
Tampa Bay Rays: Griffin Jax, RP
He’s one of the top relievers in all of baseball (he’s on Team USA’s roster in the WBC), but he’s always been behind someone else for saves. Now in Tampa, Jax should have the job all to himself and is going in Rounds 9-11.
Toronto Blue Jays: Kazuma Okamoto, 3B
It might take him a little while to adjust to MLB pitching, but when he does, a 20/80 season is definitely in his sights.
AL Central
Mar 3, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA. Cleveland Guardians Kyle Manzardo (9) runs the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Cleveland Guardians: Kyle Manzardo, 1B
He’s got a ton of power and will play mostly against RHP. He has a shot at hitting 25-30 HRs and can be taken in the later rounds of drafts.
Chicago White Sox: Munetaka Murakami, 1B
Naysayers will talk about his striking out a ton, but he has huge power, which should translate to MLB without question. He should hit 30+ HRs in the middle of a revamped White Sox lineup.
Detroit Tigers: Will Vest, RP
Vest is a deep sleeper who might go undrafted in many leagues due to the fact that he is not beginning the year as a closer. Detroit’s current closer, Kenley Jansen, is 38 and not a sure thing anymore. Vest is waiting in the wings and could be a lights-out reliever in the second half of the season.
Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone, OF
He might be the Royals version of Murakami, just at a different position. With his power, 25-30 HRs feels like a lock. If he hits .220, he’s Joey Gallo revisited; if he hits .250, he’s a potential steal of the draft.
Minnesota Twins: Luke Keaschall, 2B
Keaschall was just showing fantasy managers how good his skills were when he got injured last season. With a full year, he should go 15/30 and score a lot of runs at the top of Minnesota’s lineup.
AL West:
Sep 17, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Athletics relief pitcher Justin Sterner (60) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
A’s: Justin Sterner, RP
There is a logjam right now at the backend of the A’s bullpen, but Sterner has the best arm and is going in Round 25 or later in most drafts. Patience will be the key here as he could easily start the season as a late-inning guy before being anointed closer.
Houston Astros: Tatsuya Imai
Japanese pitchers often have funky deliveries, which take major league hitters a few times to get used to. It was that way with Shota Imanaga, and it easily could work out the same for Imai. He’s a great choice in Round 9 as a SP3.
Los Angeles Angels: Grayson Rodriguez, SP
He has all the talent in the world, but he’s another player who hasn’t thrown a ton of innings yet for one reason or another. Los Angeles gave up Taylor Ward to get him, and that should tell you how much they like his upside.
Seattle Mariners: Dominic Canzone, OF
The knock on Canzone is that he can only hit RHP, but the Mariners like him. He might start to get a chance to hit against LHP as well. If that happens, he could hit .275 with 18-22 HRs and become one of the top late-round values in the draft.
Texas Rangers: Jake Burger, 1B
There is something referred to as “flop lag” where a player who was projected to perform well flops and then does significantly better the following season. Burger might be the poster child for flop lag in 2026. After hitting 34 HRs in 2023 and 29 HRs in 2024, Burger only hit 16 in 2025. If he can regain his form, he could be a great power source in the mid to late rounds of drafts.
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