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Kipp's shortstop (SS) fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, value picks for 2026 drafts. His undervalued targets include Colson Montgomery, Jacob Wilson, and more.
Shortstop has been one of the best positions for top-end fantasy talent in recent years, and that isn't going to change in 2026. There are currently six shortstops going in the top 31 picks according to the most recent NFBC ADP (as of drafts from February 15), which means the high-end talent is going at a premium.
That being said, there are a number of fantasy baseball sleepers at the shortstop position for managers to look at in the later rounds of drafts. After all, it is not how you start your draft, but how you draft in the later rounds that ultimately determines your fantasy baseball fate in any given season.
The following shortstops make for excellent middle-to-late round selections in your drafts and have the potential to break out in 2026.
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Jacob Wilson, Athletics
ADP: 175
Jacob Wilson had a solid 2025 campaign in which he was a nominee for American League Rookie of the Year and finished the season with a slash line of .311/.355/.444, with 13 HRs, 63 RBI, 62 R, and five SBs. He performed so well that the Athletics gave him a seven-year, $70 million deal back in January.
Based on his age and the metrics he posted last season, he should be able to perform the role of your everyday shortstop at an ADP of around 170. When we look into the metrics, the first thing that jumps out is his ridiculous 7.5% K rate, which ranked him at the top of the league in 2025. This is extremely impressive for a rookie and foreshadows a bright future for getting on base, especially when combined with additional metrics.
Most notably, his .277 xBA, which ranked him in the 90th percentile. He also put the ball in play with good form, as evidenced by his 37.5% square-up rate, which ranks him in the 97th percentile. It should also be noted that he did not swing and miss much, as his whiff rate was just 9.6%, and ranked him in the 99th percentile.
Is Wilson ever going to mash 30 home runs and drive in 100 RBI? Probably not, but he doesn't have to be that guy to succeed on your roster. He has an innate bat-to-ball tool that will serve him very well in this Athletics lineup, as well as fantasy lineups alike. The A's are still playing in Sacramento this season, which we know was a hitters' haven last season, so he will find success there again, more than likely.
His current ADP of 175 is the perfect spot to snag him, if not a bit sooner, if you decide to wait on the shortstop position, or miss out on one of the top-tier players. He is primed to take another step forward in his second full season in the big leagues.
Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins
ADP: 216
Otto Lopez will be entering his third season with the Marlins and has been a rather solid force in their lineup. This was especially noted last season when he slashed .246/.305/.368, with 15 HRs, 77 RBI, 66 R, and 15 SBs. While the 15 home runs were nice, I would not rely heavily on these moving forward, as the power metrics were just not present enough to back such a thesis.
That being said, there is plenty to like about his ability to get on base and produce runs and stolen bases, along with OBP and AVG. Overall, he posted a strikeout of just 13.8%, which ranked him in the 90th percentile. Additionally, his whiff rate was just 18.9%, ranking him in the 81st percentile.
These metrics were directly correlated with his .330 xwOBA and .269 xBA, both of which ranked him well into the top half of the league, with the latter placing him in the 80th percentile. Lopez also registered a sprint speed of 24.8 ft/sec, which ranked in the 87th percentile and leaves room for his stolen-base totals to continue growing in 2026.
Overall, Lopez makes for a great selection at his current ADP of 216, as long as you are satisfied with a solid on-base player who can provide a firm amount of stolen bases. He will not be a huge power threat; to be clear, however, it is not out of the realm of possibility for him to hit 10 or so home runs this season.
While I would not expect a repeat of his power production, he has the skill set to improve in batting average and speed, making him a strong target with upside at this cost.
Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates
ADP: 161
Konnor Griffin is the true wildcard of this bunch, as we do not have any MLB data to look at, as he has yet to make his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. What we do know is that Griffin is the Pirates' top prospect and is currently competing for the Opening Day shortstop position against the likes of Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo.
His chances of breaking camp with the role are rather strong as well.
In the minors, Griffin played a total of 122 games across three levels last season, encompassing 563 PA. He managed to slash .333/.414/.527, with 21 HRs, 94 RBI, 117 R, and 65 SBs. These stats show precisely why he is the top prospect in the Pirates' system. His power and speed combination, along with his ability to get on base, are what set him apart heading into 2026.
It is becoming increasingly common for rookies to come into the big leagues and perform at a high level. Just look at Wilson above, who had no issues posting an OBP north of .350 in his first full season of action. Sure, he had 103 PA in 2024, but that was not all that meaningful in the grand scheme of things.
His ceiling is even higher than that of Wilson due to his ability to hit for power, and he could easily become a must-start player due to his elite power and speed combination. Even though his ADP continues to rise, he will certainly be on my radar come draft night, given his immense five-category upside.
Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox
ADP: 222
We have yet another young star in this article with Colson Montgomery. Montgomery will be venturing into his second season with the Chicago White Sox. In 2025, across 255 at-bats, he managed to slash .239/.311/.529 with 21 HRs, 55 RBI, 43 R, and 25 BB. The counting stats are quite impressive when you consider he put them up with just 255 at-bats.
Despite being a rookie, Montgomery also put up some pretty solid metrics, and one that impresses me the most is his 37.6% hard-hit rate, which would have ranked him in the top 18% of the league had he qualified. Additionally, he posted a superb 8.8% Barrels/PA mark, which would have ranked in the top 9% of the league. His .290 ISO is also worthy of noting, as well as his .361 wOBA, both of which would have placed him in the top 15% of the league.
There are a few areas where Montgomery will need to improve in 2026, with plate discipline as the main focus. It is not uncommon for a rookie to come in and have some struggles in this area, and that is noted by his 29.2% K rate and 31.5% whiff rate. Additionally, he chased pitches out of the zone at a clip of 30.5%.
That said, he still posted a respectable 8.8% walk rate. This leads me to believe we will see some positive gains for Montgomery in 2026. While I do not love the fact that he is in the middle of the Chicago White Sox lineup, I do believe this offense will be much improved behind the force of some of their younger bats, Montgomery included in that mix.
He currently has an ADP of 222 and is well worth the selection at this cost, given his upside to hit 25+ HRs with solid counting stats.
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