RADIO
Nick Mariano's 2026 fantasy baseball draft sleepers list for hitters and pitchers. His top fantasy baseball value picks, underrated players to outperform ADPs.
This premium article is part of our 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit and a free sample of the expert analysis loaded up in RotoBaller's Draft Kit. Enjoy this premium article for free for a limited time. All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard.
Little else has changed over the years in the fantasy space, like the word "sleeper," so I believe that everyone should define it as they go. Fantasy baseball sleepers may have been complete unknowns back in the day, but now we're just rolling with underrated players who are poised to crush their draft cost.
As a result, you will find youngsters and veterans alike, though it does skew young. With those guys, the helium tends to bring the ADPs up as they get a chance to showcase their talent, and the chance of them breaking camp as a starter gets more and more real.
This column originally utilized consensus ADP from ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, RTS, and NFBC, but now that drafts are rolling in, we'll stick to a blend of recent Yahoo and NFBC data to capture recent trends. These are players who deserve more love as the 2026 season approaches, giving us cheap avenues to upside for our fantasy teams.
Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers - Hitters
Catchers: Carter Jensen (ADP: 271)
Fresh off his 22nd birthday, Jensen hit the ground running in the majors after an impressive show between Double- and Triple-A. The backstop’s plate discipline is his foundation, with the last couple of years yielding more power on those good swing decisions.
He hit 20 homers with 10 steals and a .290 average over 492 PAs on the farm before a brief 60 at-bat sample in the bigs gave us a .300 average with six doubles, three home runs, and a crisp 9:12 BB:K to chew on. He may not become a star out of the chute, but few can supply five-category juice at catcher.
If he’s mired in a platoon at the designated hitter and can’t convincingly outproduce someone like Nick Loftin, then we’re likely not interested anyway. But few catchers have the toolbox to help you at average with a little speed to boot. And the man doesn't rely on cheapies, either.
Carter Jensen hit this baseball 482 feet 😳 pic.twitter.com/CE151rFkIk
— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2025
First Base: Sal Stewart (ADP: 204)
Stewart’s 18-game MLB sample provided a gigantic double-edged sword to behold. He blasted five homers for a 29.4% HR/FB rate, but the .293 on-base percentage, zero steal attempts, and 26% strikeout rate may scare off those who only glance at the sticker stats.
But there’s plenty of reason to believe that his power flash is real, that the speed will come, and a long history of plus plate discipline across the minors to give OBP enjoyers hope. He started his age-21 season at Double-A, producing a .306/.377/.473 triple slash over 80 games (10 HR, 13 SB) before catching fire at Triple-A (.315/.394/.629, 10 HR, 4 SB in only 38 contests).
He posted strikeout rates just under 16% at each stop, which is where he’s lived since being drafted in 2022. With Great American Ball Park in his sails, Stewart’s power should only grow, and more chances on the basepaths will get him his bearings on reading MLB pitchers.
The Eugenio Suarez signing will choke off most DH reps, but Stewart could own first base if Spencer Steer continues to scuffle. Those who don’t believe in Matt McLain can also further hedge that position by taking Stewart.
