RADIO
Mike Carter looks at five hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers off to hot starts in 2026. Are Jac Caglianone, Jung Hoo Lee, Braden Montgomery, Jordan Lawlar, and Dominic Canzone for real?
Through the early going of a fantasy baseball season, we are forced to reckon with tough decisions. Do we decide to stick with a player, or jettison them to the waiver wire and try to find a better replacement? It is hard to know when to do that each time. We can find breakout hitters on the waiver wire.
That is the nexus of this article. In this piece, we will look at five hitters who have been hitting well and could emerge as must-start players right now. This week, we feature a couple of younger players we have been waiting on to deliver results, yet they are still under the radar.
The following hitters are rostered in some leagues, and every week, we will give you two or three guys who are rostered less than 20% of the time in Yahoo leagues who could help your teams. Let's dive in! Any feedback will be welcome on this new piece from @rotoballermlb.
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Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals, 1B/OF
61% rostered
I will admit it: I was lukewarm on rostering Caglianone in most of my leagues this year. And initially, that looked smart; now, I am not so sure I read the tea leaves on him very well. He is hitting a robust .422 in June, with three home runs, nine RBI, two stolen bases, and 11 runs scored.
He's slightly cut his strikeout percentage to 26% this month so far, which you can live with if you get the power payout. With the hamate bone injury to first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, it looks like Caglianone will get most of the first base at-bats, with Lane Thomas getting the right field spot.
Look below at what Caglianone has done after a slow start to the season. Hard contact is what you are looking for, and Caglianone has that in abundance. The results should continue after a tough May. The fact that he is available in many leagues (only rostered in 61% of Yahoo leagues) should interest you.
Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants, OF
48% rostered
Lee is just absolutely pounding the baseball. Below I listed his monthly splits, hitting .312 and then .313 in April and May was terrific for anyone in need of batting average help. He has also scored double-digit runs in three consecutive months now.
But the June numbers are like a video game: a .431 average, three stolen bases (all in the last 10 days), and 11 runs scored in only half a month. Lee has two four-hit games and five two-hit games in 14 games in June.
Lee had the reputation for being a high-average hitter in Japan, and he is living up to that reputation in San Francisco. He is not going to hit more than eight to 10 home runs, but Lee feels like a good bet to stay over .300 for the season (he is at .331 now), and could steal 10-12 bags and score 90 runs.
Braden Montgomery, Chicago White Sox, OF
38% rostered
As most of you know, I am a die-hard White Sox fan. Times have been tough for my beloved team, but the promotion of Montgomery signals that the rebuild and rebirth are in full swing. The key component of the Garrett Crochet trade last year, Montgomery hit a walk-off home run in his major league debut off ace closer Raisel Iglesias.
Now, he looks like he is primed to be the starting right fielder. His power is legitimate. Montgomery started the year in Double-A, quickly moved to Triple-A in May, spent a month there, and is now on the major league roster.
Over those two stops, Montgomery hit .314 with 10 home runs, 41 RBI, five stolen bases, and 52 runs scored in 258 plate appearances. He generates power and speed with his profile. His 14.3% barrel rate and 57.1% hard-hit percentage portend the power management expects from him.
Having been juggling outfielders all year, the White Sox appear to have settled on an all-rookie outfield mix this month. Montgomery was not called up to sit and should get most of the at-bats available in right field. As a switch-hitter, he should not have to platoon at all.
Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B/OF
11% rostered
Lawlar is back from his wrist injury and looks like he will get the bulk of his reps in center field. He has started four games there since his return last Friday. Lawlar started the season looking like he was ready to take a big step forward. I am willing to risk that he is turning the corner.
Lawlar is hitting .296 with a home run, four RBI, four stolen bases, and four runs in 33 plate appearances. He has two hits and three of his stolen bases since he returned, and at only 11% rostered, Lawlar provides help at both third base and outfield that can help you out.
His high prospect pedigree, coupled with the fact that he started hot, could mean that Lawlar is finally meeting that high expectation mark at the ripe old age of 23. He is a first-round pick who might be hitting his stride, and playing time should be ample in Arizona.
Dominic Canzone, Seattle Mariners, OF
11% rostered
I wonder if many fantasy players realize that Canzone is no longer in a platoon role in Seattle. Fantasy managers worry about players being in platoons as it impacts the number of at-bats they can get in weekly leagues.
Canzone is splitting his time between right field and designated hitter. He is currently hitting .286 with 10 home runs, one off his career high, and 29 RBI, a stolen base, and 25 runs scored. It looks like he is a fixture in this lineup right now, and he should be rostered more.
Check out his Statcast below. His xBA is .297, and most of his metrics are above the 90th percentile. With offensive production in demand in Seattle, look for Canzone to stay in the lineup as a consistent starter. With so much need for outfield help in our leagues, Canzone is rosterable now.
He is hitting .405 in June with three homers, six RBI, and seven runs scored in 40 plate appearances. I do not think the returns of Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford will cut into his playing time. If you need outfield help, Canzone is hot and could stay that way throughout the season.
My best advice is not to be afraid to churn the bottom parts of your roster for guys like these, listed here, who can help now and into the future. Message me @mdrc0508 on X if you have questions or if I can help in any way. Remember that fantasy baseball is supposed to be fun above all else, so have fun with your teams!
Next week, we will return with another edition highlighting more breakout hitters.
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