Fantasy Baseball Breakouts and Resurgent Hitters - Are They For Real? (Week 15)

July 6, 2026

Frank analyzes five fantasy baseball breakouts and hitter resurgences in Week 15 of the 2026 season. These batters are off to hot starts, but are they real fantasy breakouts to stay?

Welcome back to the Week 15 edition of our Fantasy Baseball Breakouts and Resurgent Hitters. This is the column where we take a closer look at hitters who are bouncing back or breaking out. It's a good way to help stay ahead of the competition by continuing to bolster your fantasy baseball teams.

In this article, we're diving into five hitters who meet these criteria. Each of them has exceeded expectations or gotten back on track. Some of these are just in hot streaks, but that's still useful, since you can pick them up and ride the wave.

With that in mind, let's dive into Dominic Canzone, Garrett Mitchell, Kyle Stowers, Dansby Swanson, and Jake McCarthy. Some of these hitters are taking their games to the next level, others have gotten it going after slow starts, and a couple have returned to fantasy relevance after brief departures. Let's get right into it.

Dominic Canzone, OF, Seattle Mariners

Dominic Canzone showed some intriguing signs in limited action last season, when he slashed .300/.358/.481 with 11 home runs in 268 plate appearances. This included impressive batted ball metrics, as highlighted by a 14.5% barrel rate. However, he was mostly just viewed as a left-handed platoon bat who had some pop.

But this year, Canzone is starting to take his game to the next level, slashing .273/.349/.551 with 14 home runs in 232 plate appearances. He's been crushing the ball, featuring a 15.7% barrel rate. He's also hit lefties (189 wRC+) better than righties (150 wRC+) this year, which makes him even more intriguing. Perhaps this can lead to more playing time.

Dominic Canzone lifts one out!

It’s all @Mariners so far today 🔱 pic.twitter.com/19Fn4bHnWw

— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2026

In the last 30 days, Canzone has a 193 wRC+, which ranks third in MLB. He's now homered twice in his last four games, so he's absolutely locked in at the plate right now.

This hot streak has prompted the Mariners to make Canzone a fixture in the heart of the lineup, as he's mostly hit in the No. 3 or cleanup spot recently. That's great for his fantasy value, hitting in the heart of the order in a lineup that includes Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh.

Canzone looks well on his way to 25-30 home runs and solid counting stats, making him a waiver wire pickup with some staying power.

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Garrett Mitchell has long been a favorite of the fantasy community, especially after he hit eight homers with 11 steals in only 224 plate appearances back in 2024. But since then, he's dealt with injuries and contact issues. However, we're slowly starting to see him put it all together.

Mitchell is currently slashing .264/.358/.459 with eight homers and six steals in 280 plate appearances. While some contact issues remain, including a 33.6% strikeout rate, Mitchell helps mitigate that by hitting the ball extremely hard, putting up a 16% barrel rate.

I'd love to see how good Garrett Mitchell could be with even a 40-grade hit tool. Better batted ball angles would be great too. pic.twitter.com/e8WaVYeg3H

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 2, 2026

This is another hitter who has been red-hot at the plate of late. In the last 30 days, Mitchell has a 173 wRC+, which ranks 14th in MLB during this stretch.

If he's available on the waiver wire, make sure to pick him up, as the Brewers have eight games this week because of a doubleheader with the Cardinals. While Mitchell won't play all eight, there's a good chance that he'll play seven. With how well he's swinging the bat, he's a must-add in most formats.

You never know, maybe Mitchell will even be able to stick on your roster, as there's 20-20 upside in this profile.

Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins

Kyle Stowers already had his breakout season last year, when he slashed .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs in 457 plate appearances, including a 19% barrel rate. However, he got off to a slow start this season, largely due to injury.

But now, Stowers is back on track, bumping up his overall slash line to .247/.335/.470 with 11 home runs in 282 plate appearances. In the last 30 days, Stowers has a 172 wRC+, which ranks 15th in MLB. Stowers has also homered three times in his last two games.

Kyle Stowers has hit 3 homers in his last 2 games 🐠 pic.twitter.com/AQIvJhNSoH

— MLB (@MLB) July 5, 2026

If you were able to buy low on this slugger, give yourself a pat on the back, as he's likely to produce at a 30+ home run pace for the rest of the season. There's still time to try to get him at a discount since his overall numbers are underwhelming.

The Marlins lineup has been one of the most underrated in MLB this season, and Stowers is a big part of that. Expect him to be a fixture on your roster for the rest of the season.

Dansby Swanson, SS, Chicago Cubs

Dansby Swanson is coming off a 20-20 season, where he slashed .244/.300/.417 with 24 homers and 20 steals in 645 plate appearances. He's long been viewed as a high-floor bat with secure playing time.

But this season, Swanson got off to an abysmal start. His overall numbers still look underwhelming, including a .207/.295/.421 slash with 16 homers and 10 steals in 333 plate appearances.

Dansby Swanson has already hit two more home runs today.

His last 13 games versus his first 70 games is hilarious...

First 70 Games: 7 HR, 28 RBI
Last 13 Games: 8 HR, 25 RBIpic.twitter.com/28IZA7fyBx

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 1, 2026

However, the veteran shortstop has been absolutely mashing at the plate lately. In his last five games, he has five home runs, including three against the Padres on July 1. If we extend that to a larger sample, we see that Swanson has a 161 wRC+ in the last 30 days.

While Swanson is unlikely to take his game to the next level in his age-32 season, it's encouraging to see him get on a hot streak to bump up his overall numbers to a more respectable line. If you picked up Swanson after someone dropped him due to the slow start, you got yourself a rock-solid veteran to slot in at MI for the rest of the season.

Jake McCarthy, OF, Colorado Rockies

Jake McCarthy was once a coveted asset in fantasy baseball, particularly back in 2022, when he hit eight homers with 23 steals in only 354 plate appearances. After a couple of disappointing years, where he became more of a part-time player, McCarthy is now back in the circle of trust.

This is a hitter who is currently slashing .306/.343/.522 with nine homers and 14 steals in 277 plate appearances. He's a speedster showing improved power at Coors Field. What's not to like here?

Jake McCarthy had four hits and two home runs yesterday!

Last 16 games...

72 PA
.377 AVG
.403 OBP
.725 SLG
12 XBH
5 HR
3 SB

Dynasty stock 📈📈#Rockiespic.twitter.com/VzXkCCjwts

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 4, 2026

In the last 30 days, McCarthy has a 153 wRC+, which is tied for 27th in MLB. Simply put, he's been one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now.

I'm hopeful that this is more than just a hot streak. This can be a player who sticks on your roster all year long. The uptick in power with the existing speed, while playing in the most hitter-friendly environment in MLB, gives McCarthy a lot of upside. Make sure to hold onto him once he slows down, as this is the type of profile you want to bet on in fantasy baseball.

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