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RotoBaller's 12 league-winning hitters, fantasy baseball breakouts, values, studs to provide massive return on value in 2026 including Luke Keaschall, Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, and more.
With Opening Day just days away, it's time to identify some league-winning hitters. Some of these hitters are significantly underpriced in current ADP or are poised for a breakout campaign.
In this piece, we will spotlight 12 of our RotoBaller Fantasy Baseball Staff's league-winning hitters, including Francisco Alvarez, Cam Smith, Luke Keaschall, and more.
Be sure to follow RotoBallerMLB on X for the latest content and our award-winning player news desk for breaking injury and lineup updates over the course of the season. Let's dive in!
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Francisco Alvarez, C, New York Mets
NFBC ADP: 156
Alvarez only held a .256/.339/.447 triple slash with 11 HRs in 76 games last year, but savvy drafters will look beyond the baseball card. He made a splash with 25 HRs in 123 games as a 21-year-old back in ‘23, but has largely disappointed since (and he only hit .209 then).
Mix in a midseason “get-right” Triple-A assignment, as well as a pair of injuries (torn thumb ligament, fractured pinky), and you’ve got a recipe to be overlooked. The good news is that we’ve got encouraging data to go off of, marked approach changes, and improved health for 2026.
Francisco Alvarez has lost about eight or 10 pounds by focusing on his nutrition, he said. He worked with director of hitting Jeff Albert in the offseason and will be keeping the batting stance he re-adopted after returning from his demotion to Triple-A last year.
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) February 13, 2026
Much of his woes were rooted in being late on fastballs. This was addressed by having him open up his stance with a different “ready” position for the bat/his hands. Even with a pair of hand issues, he showed out over his last 41 contests.
The result was a .276/.360/.561 slash line, with the whiff rate against fastballs halved while his slugging percentage doubled. That’s the kind of trend-swap we’re interested in seeing! I’m happy to wait on him as a late catcher in 1C 12-team formats, or take him as No. 1 in 2C leagues.
- Written by Nick Mariano
Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays
NFBC ADP: 186
Jonathan Aranda burst on the scene last season with his .314/.393/.489 slash line. He also hit 14 HRs, 59 RBI, scored 56 R, and posted 41 BB. He put up stats in a number of categories, but I think we could see some continued growth all around based on his metrics.
He ranked in the 90th percentile or better in terms of xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, hard hit rate, and LA Sweet-Spot. He should definitely improve the counting stats in 2026 based on these metrics. While the Rays will be returning to Tropicana Field this season, his underlying metrics suggest he should remain a high-end contributor.
Aranda is another value pick, as his current ADP of 186 is more than reasonable for what you can expect from him in your lineup heading into 2026.
- Written by Kipp Heisterman
Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins
NFBC ADP: 124
Stowers surprised many in 2025, not only claiming a full-time role in Miami but also emerging as one of the game's top power hitters. Over a career-high 117 games, Stowers launched 25 home runs while holding a .288/.3368/.544 line.
However, similar to Perdomo, the fantasy community does not appear to be "all-in" on this post-hype breakout, as evidenced by his ADP, going off the board as the No. 28 outfielder.
Despite skepticism, Stowers posted elite metrics suggesting this production is sustainable, and he could be a legit 30+ HR option in 2026. He posted a .375 xwOBA (94th percentile), .537 xSLG (95th percentile), and an incredible 19.0% barrel rate (98th percentile). The 28-year-old also raised his pull AIR% to 23.7%, compared to the miniscule 10.1% he held back in 2024.
Fantasy managers are targeting outfielders like Michael Harris II and Oneil Cruz ahead of Stowers. The form Orioles prospect has high-end OF2 upside but can be had as a borderline OF3 price tag.
KYLE STOWERS GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/m7LQMUV4JF
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 2, 2025
- Written by Andy Smith
Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals
NFBC ADP: 170
Caglianone was a powerhouse at Florida, but had pro-ball adjustments to make at High-A (.690 OPS, 2 HRs in 126 PAs/29 games) during his first taste of post-college life. Of course, then went nuclear with a .982 OPS and 15 HRs in 50 games between Double and Triple-A last year before getting called up. This included six round-trippers in his final 10 Triple-A tilts.
But while fellow rookie Nick Kurtz was able to keep the party going in the majors, Caglianone swung into a horrid .157/.237/.295 slash line (.172 BABIP), but it would’ve been less dramatic if the .237 xBA and .431 xSLG came to the surface.
Please note that a hamstring strain in late July did break things up. It also gave the organization a chance to reset at Triple-A, where he hit .385 with five HRs and five doubles in 16 games. So the overall MLB experience we saw was a disjointed 62-game roller coaster.
Even so, we did get a 12% barrel rate and 90th percentile maximum exit velocity (114.1 mph). He has blown past this in 2026, posting a whopping 120.2 mph exit velo this spring before joining Team Italy.
Of 348 batters with at least 200 PAs, Caglianone held a top 50 EV50 rate (102.9 mph), the seventh-fastest bat speed (77.4), and had the largest negative gap between his BA - xBA (80 points) and SLG - xSLG (136).
And while Kauffman Stadium’s wall adjustments may not be as drastic as Camden’s “Walltimore” phase, it should reward the massive power profile with a couple more dingers. It’s moot if the poor 29.7% launch angle sweet spot rate and 4.1 degree average launch angle return, but he’s far too young with a Kurtzian ceiling to relent now.
- Written by Nick Mariano
Colson Montgomery, 3B/SS, Chicago White Sox
NFBC ADP: 223
Colson Montgomery will be entering his first full season in the big leagues, and if his 284 plate appearances from 2025 are any indication of the type of player he will be, he could be in store for a monster 2026 campaign.
Last season, he smacked 21 HRs, 55 RBI, and 25 BB across just 284 plate appearances. It was a spectacular start for the youngster. While he did not qualify based on Statcast metrics, he posted a superb 14.5% barrel rate, .501 xSLG, .341 xwOBA, and 77 mph bat speed.
He currently has an ADP of 223, which is insane, and I personally took him at pick 152, as I wanted to be sure he was on my roster. As you can see, he has a wide range of outcomes in draft, ranging from 37 to 328, which obviously encompasses dynasty drafts. He could certainly be a league-winner this season and beyond.
- Written by Kipp Heisterman
Michael Busch, 1B, Chicago Cubs
NFBC ADP: 105
Michael Busch was the most prominent post-hype breakout last season. In his first season in a near full-time role, Busch smashed all expectations. launching 34 home runs with a .261/.343/.523 line serving as the everyday first baseman in Chicago. However, despite appearing in 155 games, his 592 plate appearances placed him 15th at the position, which slightly limited his upside.
This offseason, Cubs manager Craig Counsell expressed that Busch is no longer expected to be platooned and is slated to be a lineup regular, even when going against the game's top southpaws.
In 2025, Busch took a major step forward, posting a career-high 22.2% Pull AIR% with a 17.1% barrel rate and an 111.9 mph max exit velocity, all of which set career highs.
Despite his elite power, he tallied only 90 RBI (ninth-most at the position) and scored 78 runs (11th-most at the position), which hindered his overall fantasy output. With him now slated to play against lefties, Busch should see an uptick in countings but may see his batting average take a slight dip.
Even with a slight regression in his batting average, he is being drafted as the No. 13 overall 1B in NFBC drafts, making him a low-end starting 1B/high-end corner infielder. The 28-year-old has the skill set to hit 40 home runs while tallying 100+ RBI/runs while batting in one of the game's most potent lineups. Draft him with confidence.
Michael Busch launches his 27th home run of the season with Anthony Rizzo in the bleachers 🚀 pic.twitter.com/vyVrCtZKlk
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 13, 2025
- Written by Andy Smith
Luke Keaschall, 2B, Minnesota Twins
NFBC ADP: 106
A second-round pick of Minnesota’s in the 2023 Draft, Keaschall hit .303 with a .903 OPS over 102 minor-league games in 2024. This included 15 HRs and 23 SBs across Single and Double-A, as the contact and speed tools do outpace the power.
Keaschall’s MLB career was off to the races with five stolen bases, three doubles, and a 2:5 K:BB before fracturing his arm after being hit by a pitch. It was a lengthy rehab process, and then the bat returned, but the speed didn’t seem to follow.
His 23 August contests saw the plate discipline (10:14 BB:K) and extra-base hits (four homers, six doubles) show up, but he only had three swipes. September saw him go 6-of-7 on steal attempts, though the discipline and power dissipated before he tore his left thumb’s UCL on a slide.
And now with 13 spring games in his pocket, the youngster is 14-for-38 (.368) with a 1.058 OPS, a homer, two triples, four doubles, and two steals. He turns 24 in August and will look to level up that 12/40 HR/SB pace from last year’s small sample! Our legendary Eric gets it:
Bold Prediction...
Luke Keaschall goes 90/18/80/35/.300 and finishes as a Top-2 second baseman for fantasy.pic.twitter.com/oM7rkOJLAo
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) March 16, 2026
Max Muncy, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
NFBC ADP: 230
Maybe it is Muncy’s age, but I can’t wrap my head around how an everyday element for a top-tier offense is going so low. Is it the injury perception from the last two years? Because that bone bruise from getting slid into sure falls into the “freak chance” category.
Perhaps the anchoring effect cognitive bias has a stranglehold on you? After all, Muncy did have a horrid start to 2025. But he is also one of the few players we can look at with a clear “A/B test” for before/after correction of astigmatism in his right eye.
Before: 28 games, 0 HRs, 14:34 BB:K, .180 AVG, .531 OPS, 89 mph average exit velo.
After: 72 games, 19 HRs, 50:49 BB:K, .268 AVG, .969 OPS, 92 mph AEV.
That’s right! In about half of a season’s worth of games, Muncy was on pace for about 40 HRs with well over 200 R+RBI alongside that .268/.406/.563 slash line. All of this led me to one of my bold predictions, being that Muncy outperforms Junior Caminero.
I know, they’re meant to be a bit outlandish, eh? We all know that Caminero is entering his prime window with mind-bending power at his fingertips. But even just comparing last year’s breakout of his to Muncy’s “I can see!” period is enlightening.
From April 30 on (Goggle Day Zero), Muncy’s 14.5% Barrel/Batted Ball Event rate was right there with Caminero’s 14.8% clip. But due to walks, Caminero has an 11% Brl/PA mark to Muncy’s 9.2% rate.
- Written by Nick Mariano
Isaac Paredes, 3B, Houston Astros
NFBC ADP: 219
Isaac Paredes has seen his ADP decline due to the crowded Houston infield. Currently, the Astros have five capable infielders to cover four positions (Christian Walker, Paredes, Carlos Correa, Jeremy Pena, and Jose Altuve), which complicates playing time. Additionally, Alvarez is listed as the primary DH, which further prevents one of them from seeing everyday at-bats.
For good reason, Paredes is now being drafted outside of the top-200 and has fallen into the corner infield range and out of the top-12 3B range. However, with Pena slated to miss time due to a fractured finger early in the season, Paredes could return to an everyday role much sooner than expected.
During his first stint in Houston last summer, Paredes looked the part, hitting for a .254/.352/.458 line and 20 long balls. At Daikin Park, the pull-heavy batter posted a much higher .835 OPS compared to the .783 OPS on the road.
With Pena expected to miss the start of the season, Parades should face little trouble earning everyday at-bats in the short term. However, in order to keep that role, he will need to enjoy a hot start, and managers looking to acquire a legit top-10 3B can do so at a cheap discount.
Additionally, given Walker's inconsistent hitting last season and Correa's extensive injury history, managers should not be overly concerned with Paredes' at-bats. If he continues the same trajectory he was on last season before suffering the hamstring injury, he will not come out of this lineup.
At a shallow position like third base, Paredes carries prime sleeper value, with the potential to hit 25+ HRs while totaling strong counting stats and a .250 AVG.
Isaac Paredes is one of the best values if you choose to wait at third base@TheReal_NFC ADP since 2/26 - 221.5 (16 3B)
— Andy Smith (@A_Smith_FS) March 8, 2026
- Written by Andy Smith
Brenton Doyle, OF, Colorado Rockies
NFBC ADP: 164
Doyle made massive strides in 2024, going from a modest power-speed threat with horrible plate discipline to a five-tool stud in center field. At 26 years old, Doyle turned 603 PAs into 23 HRs, 30 SBs, and a .260/.317/.446 triple slash. The 35% strikeout rate fell to 25.4% as the zone-contact rate jumped from 79.8% to 87%.
As a result, Doyle’s consensus ADP wound up near pick 70 going into 2025 drafts. While he started by going 17-for-53 (.321) with three homers, 19 R+RBI, and a steal in 12 games, the emerging OF would then have a year to forget.
Not only did he suffer a hamstring injury, but soon thereafter, his family went through a miscarriage. The next two months yielded only two homers, a .469 OPS, and poor defense. I don’t want to speculate much about timelines for recovery from something mental and traumatic like that, but late June did supply a marked change.
Throughout the struggles at the dish, Colorado’s hitting coaches were telling Doyle not to change anything and keep pushing. But before June 26’s game against the Dodgers, they came together and changed where Doyle’s back foot was oriented on the swing.
The final 71 games saw him hit .275 with 10 HRs and 10 SBs. We’ve seen Coors mirages before (Michael Toglia?). I’m giving the man grace and rooting for a rebound with an offseason to recover.
- Written by Nick Mariano
Daylen Lile, OF, Washington Nationals
NFBC ADP: 204
The 23-year-old did not generate much hype ahead of his MLB promotion, but was one of the game's top hitters over the final month. In 92 ABs in September, Lile held an incredible .391/.440/.772 line with six home runs and a stolen base. Overall, over his first 91 MLB contests, Lile posted a .299/.347/.498 line with nine home runs and eight stolen bases.
While the sample size was small and his team's context will significantly hinder his counting stats, Lile should still be your reader as a high-end No. 4 OF. In his first taste of the majors, Lile looked quite comfortable, generating .302 xBA (100th percentile) with a 44.2% LA sweet-spot, which also placed him in the 100th percentile.
He also generated an above-average 20.1% Pull AIR%. This means that the young outfielder is not only lifting the ball at a high rate, but he is also pulling the ball at an ideal angle that is suitable for home runs.
The 23-year-old also placed in the 92nd percentile in sprint speed. Finding an outfielder that could hit .300 while pushing for 20/20 upside past pick 200 is not easy, and Lile fits that bill. He is a multi-category booster. He is currently being selected as the No. 49 OF in NFBC drafts, after players with major questions like Chandler Simpson, Mike Trout, and Jose Caballero.
Daylen Lile delivered an 11th-inning go-ahead inside-the-park home run, the ninth such homer in Washington Nationals history (since 2005) and the first ever hit in extra innings.
WOW! pic.twitter.com/mkerRXBfSf
— TheNatsReport 🇺🇸 ⚾ (@TheNatsReport) September 20, 2025
- Written by Andy Smith
Cam Smith, OF, Houston Astros
NFBC ADP: 320
This is for that one guy on Twitter who said my Smith hype was all wishcasting, because apparently I have to reiterate some data and points for folks in the back! Imagine thinking we can write off or define a top prospect who became an everyday MLB player after just 32 professional games?
Amongst other tools flashed, Smith had a 95th-percentile sprint speed and a 99th-percentile 28.6% line-drive rate in the first half. My theory is that never having played a full 162-game slate anywhere, let alone with MLB-caliber rigors, caught up to his endurance in the second half.
The bat-to-ball skills are promising, and we’ll hope for increased conditioning going into Year 2. Comparing swing metrics from the first and second halves, you’ll see that Smith’s fast-swing rate fell by four percentage points. Other key metrics that fell by 2-6 points were the Ideal Attack Angle rate and Blast Contact rate. Blasts are squared-up swings that meet a speed threshold.
And a fast, potent swing is not Smith’s problem. That 74.5 mph bat speed on competitive swings in the first half snuck into the top 25, tied with guys like Bobby Witt Jr. and Elly De La Cruz. Not too shabby! With refinement, his attack angle will improve and create far more barrels with that underlying talent.
The same goes for his speed ceiling after just eight steals. However, he was only caught once, which should earn the green light. Of 271 players with 100 or more opportunities, Smith’s 29.3 ft/sec sprint speed ranked 14th.
With both latent power and speed potential to tap into, on top of being a highly-touted prospect and not a guy with 100 different hurdles to jump through to get playing time and attention, Smith should be on all radars at such a late pick. He defines low-risk, high-reward.
There are three players with a sprint speed and bat speed both in the 90th percentile or higher this season.
Julio Rodriguez
Oneil Cruz
Cam Smith 👀— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) June 3, 2025
- Written by Nick Mariano
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