Preseason Prep – March 4, 2026
Spencer Strider, SP, Braves
After a rough 2025 where Spencer Strider posted a 4.45 and 1.40 WHIP after returning from an elbow injury, his 2026 spring training was going to be one of the most important ones to watch. Strider excelled earlier in his career due to his outlier fastball that used to average over 98 mph. That number fell all the way to 95.5 mph last year, and many were hoping to see a velocity increase this spring. That’s not the case so far, as the flamethrower came out tossing a measly 93.1 mph in his first preseason start. Strider himself wasn’t concerned, saying he is taking things slow to build everything back up, but it’s hard to believe he will reach 98 again if his starting point is 93. It’s possible, and he does deserve some leeway after being the most dominant pitcher in baseball a few years ago, but he’ll need to show that he is still effective with less velocity.
Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies
Kyle Schwarber enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025, slashing .240/.365/.563 with 111 runs, 56 home runs, 132 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He hit the ball as hard and walked as much as almost everyone else in baseball, posting a 100th percentile 59.6% hard-hit rate and a 97th percentile 14.9% walk rate. He is the definition of an elite hitter, and the ten steals were even a nice bonus on top of that. He will only be eligible at DH in most leagues, which can be restricting, but the good news is that fact is suppressing his ADP to outside of the top 20. The slugger re-signed with the Phillies this offseason and should be set for another monstrous season. If you play in a points league or a league that rewards OBP, he becomes even more valuable.
Gunnar Henderson, SS, Orioles
Gunnar Henderson disappointed in 2025, slashing .247/.349/.438 with 85 runs, 17 home runs, 68 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. Of course, that isn’t a bad season by any means, but he had much higher expectations after hitting 37 home runs in 2024. His xSLG dropped to .425 along with a 8.5% barrel rate that ranked in the bottom half of the league. The good news is that there is a completely understandable explanation, that Henderson was playing through a shoulder impingement for three-quarters of the year that impacted his swing plane. That completely lines up with the data that shows he still had the makings of an elite hitter, but had a launch angle sweet spot rate of 29.9%, which ranked in the bottom 10 percent of the league. Now completely healed, the shortstop could return to topping 30 home runs and cement himself as an early first-rounder for 2027.
Trea Turner, SS, Phillies
There were questions about how much Trea Turner would continue to run as he got older after he only swiped 19 bases in 2024, but he bounced back in a big way with 36 steals in 2025. That went along with a .304 batting average, 94 runs, 15 home runs, and 69 RBI in 141 games. While the power is diminishing compared to what he produced in his prime, he is still one of the best bets in baseball for runs, average, and steals. His 30.3 ft/sec sprint speed ranked in the 100th percentile, helping him coast home whenever Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper drive him in. The lack of power keeps him out of the running to be a first-rounder or even early second-rounder, but he is a great pick towards the back half of the second or early third. That’s especially true if you land Ohtani or Judge with your first pick, as their home run output perfectly complements Trea’s speed.
Shea Langeliers, C, Athletics
Shea Langeliers had a breakout 2025, slashing .277/.325/.536 with 73 runs, 31 home runs, and 72 RBI in 123 games, cementing himself as the second-best power-hitting catcher behind Cal Raleigh. His second half was even more impressive on its own, as he transformed into one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball with a .328 batting average and 19 home runs in 57 games. It’s hard not to like Langeliers, considering the A’s are returning to their temporary home in Sacramento, which is one of the most hitter-friendly places in the league. The ball flies out of the former minor-league ballpark, and Langeliers is set to contribute a lot of those. Heading into last season, he and Raleigh were viewed as very similar players. I’m not saying you should expect him to hit 60 home runs, but he may finish with much closer production to Raleigh than you might think.
Josh Naylor, 1B, Mariners
Josh Naylor had one of the most bizarre seasons of anyone last year. It was mostly what we’ve come to expect, as he posted an excellent .295 average, 20 home runs, and 92 RBI. He won’t be one of the top sluggers at the position, but he’s always shown a knack for producing a high average and driving in a ton of runs. What was strange, and what completely changed his fantasy profile, is the fact that he stole 30 bases. Yes, you read that right. Naylor and his 24.4 feet per second sprint speed, which ranks in the bottom three percent of the league, was one of the most prolific base stealers in baseball. It would be shocking if he does it again in 2026, but he did return to the Mariners this offseason, who really let him run loose on the basepaths. While it’s not wise to expect 30, I don’t think it’s smart to project just a few, either. He did steal 10 bases in 2023, so he clearly has shown some desire in the past to run. He slots in as a solid first base option after the elites are off the board.
Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays
Junior Caminero had one of the biggest breakouts of 2025, slashing .264/.311/.535 with 93 runs, 45 home runs, and 110 RBI in 154 games. He turned his elite raw power (100th percentile bat speed) into true superstar production, posting a .501 xSLG (91st percentile), 92.4 mph average exit velocity (92nd), and 51.4% hard-hit rate (92nd). However, there are some slight concerns for 2026. Caminero posted extreme home-road splits, with a .313 batting average at home, but only a .218 batting average on the road. While that usually may not feel like a concern, considering he is staying on the same team, the Rays are actually moving parks this offseason. They are heading back to Tropicana after a year-long stint at the New York Yankees’ spring training ballpark, which happens to have the exact dimensions of Yankee Stadium. The park downgrade should take at least a few homers away from Caminero, but he hits most of them far enough to get out of any stadium. At only 22-years-old, he is a great pick in the second round for fantasy.
Kyle Tucker, OF, Dodgers
Kyle Tucker signed a massive 4-year, $240 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason, bringing one of the best hitters in baseball to the best team in baseball. He battled some injuries in 2025, but ended with a .266/.377/.464 slash line with 22 home runs and 25 steals for the Cubs in 136 games. Due to dealing with multiple injuries over the past couple of years, he seems to be undervalued in fantasy baseball with an ADP outside of the top 12. However, he is still one of the game’s best power/speed threats, and now he’s going to rack up plenty of counting stats in one of the best lineups in the sport. If Tucker stays healthy, a 35 home run, 25 stolen base season with 100+ each of runs and RBI is not out of the question, and that would make him a potential top-five overall player for fantasy.
Jurickson Profar, OF, Braves
Welp, scratch Jurickson Profar off of your cheat sheets. The 33-year-old, who had a late career unexpected breakout, was just suspended for PEDs for the second time, which certainly explains the unexpected breakout. After receiving an 80-game suspension last year, he decided to double down this offseason and was just handed a 162-game suspension for the same offence. He is expected to appeal the ruling, but chances are that the appeal will be denied, and we’ll next see him in 2027. If you play in a dynasty league that happens to have a spot to stash suspended players, then go for it, but there’s no need to worry about hanging onto him otherwise.
George Springer, OF, Blue Jays
George Springer had a career resurgence in 2025, slashing .309/.399/.560 with 106 runs, 32 home runs, 84 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. It was the first time we’ve seen this version of Springer since the juiced-ball era in 2019, when he hit 39 home runs with a .292 average. He truly was one of the best hitters in baseball in 2025, posting a .404 xwOBA (99th percentile), 16.1% barrel rate (94th), 41.2% sweet-spot rate (96th), and 20.4% chase rate (94th). The big, polarizing question is, can he do it again in 2026? The first step to do that will be to stay healthy, as he was known as one of the most injury-prone players in the past and now will be 36-years-old. It’s hard to imagine he will continue as one of the best hitters in baseball, but that still leaves plenty of leeway to draft him, as his ADP currently ranks 22nd among outfielders. This makes Springer the perfect fit if you are feeling like you have a pretty safe and steady team entering the middle rounds, as the injury risk is definitely worth taking on for the potential elite production.
Edwin Diaz, RP, Dodgers
Edwin Diaz signed with the Dodgers this offseason on a 3-year, $69 million contract. The rich get richer, as one of the best closers in baseball now joins the best team in baseball, making him a slam-dunk pick for fantasy. He posted a 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts and 28 saves in 66.1 innings for the Mets in 2025, and there won’t be any shortage of save chances for 2026, either. His 38% strkeour tate, 41.5% whiff rate, and .170 xBA all ranked in the 99th percentile, making him and Mason Miller the clear 1A and 1B choices at the top of the relief pitcher rankings.
Cade Smith, RP, Guardians
Cade Smith had long been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, but he just never got the chance to be a closer. Thanks to Emmanuel Clase’s affinity for illegal gambling, the job is all Smith’s for 2026, and there is no looking back. He posted a 2.93 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 104 strikeouts and 19 walks in 73.2 innings in 2025, and his underlying metrics look even better. He posted a 2.51 xERA (98th percentile), 34.7% strikeout rate (97th percentile), and 4.0% barrel rate (97th percentile). He is locked in as the Guardian’s closer, which makes him a clear-cut top-five reliever for fantasy. With how good he is, there’s nothing stopping him from finishing as the RP 1 if the Guardians find themselves in a lot of save situations.
Framber Valdez, SP, Tigers
Framber Valdez was primarily the same pitcher he’s always been in 2025, with a slight downtick in results. He posted a 3.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 187 strikeouts and 68 walks in 192 innings pitched. Nothing about his underlying metrics stands out as excellent, and his 46.3% hard-hit rate (9th percentile) is pretty bad, but those are consistent with what they’ve been for the entirety of Valdez’s career. The hard-hit rate is offset by an excellent 59.4% groundball rate (97th percentile) that limits the damage done. It could have been risky to draft Valdez this year, depending on his new home, but luckily, his three-year $115 million contract with the Tigers places him in an even better home ballpark than before. The lack of elite strikeout upside and high WHIP keeps him out of the fantasy ace discussion, but he makes for a solid pick anywhere between SP 15 and SP 25.
Freddy Peralta, SP, Mets
Freddy Peralta enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 204 strikeouts and 66 walks in 176.2 innings for the Brewers. He’ll look to carry that momentum into 2026 after being traded to the New York Mets this offseason. He posted an excellent 34.5% hard hit rate (90th percentile) and 28.2% strikeout rate (84th percentile), but he did walk 9.1% of batters, which has been a weakness throughout his career. The walks typically lead to a WHIP that runs on the high side, but that wasn’t the case in 2025. I do think some natural regression is due for the WHIP as a whole, as Peralta wasn’t an incredibly different pitcher than he has been in the past. However, the strikeout upside still makes him a great pick as a top-20 starting pitcher for fantasy, and he’ll have plenty of chances to rack up wins on the Mets.
Cristopher Sanchez, SP, Phillies
Cristopher Sanchez was one of the most popular breakout picks among the fantasy community last year at this time, and he still managed to blow all expectations for him out of the water. He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 212 strikeouts, and 44 walks in 202 innings for the Phillies. He was everything you could hope for out of an ace, as he pitched deep into starts, struck out a ton of hitters, and limited baserunners. He posted a 58.5% ground ball rate, which ranked in the 96th percentile, making Sanchez one of the very rare pitchers who excel in both inducing ground balls and striking hitters out. That makes it extremely difficult for the opposing offense to put together rallies, and there’s no reason to doubt Sanchez’s ability to repeat in 2026. The left’s changeup is especially nasty, with a .170 batting average against and a 45.1% whiff rate. Once the big three of Skubal, Crochet, and Skenes are off the board, Sanchez is one of the safest starting pitchers you can draft.