Underdog Fantasy Baseball Sleepers for Best Ball Drafts (2026)

January 18, 2026

Andy's top fantasy baseball sleepers for 2026 Underdog best ball drafts. His favorite must-have draft sleepers include Jo Adell, Chris Sale, Isaac Paredes, more.

Our attention is turning more and more to fantasy baseball -- and while it may be a bit too early for your standard leagues to begin drafting, best ball contests have continued to grow in popularity and typically take place over the coming weeks. Today, I'll be taking a look at some of my favorite Underdog fantasy baseball draft sleepers for their 2026 best ball contests.

In these fantasy baseball best ball contests, managers simply need to draft and let their players do the rest of the work. There are no drop adds, roster configurations, or trades. The system will automatically place your top players in your starting lineup and replace any injured players with options from your bench.

Given that managers may need to take a closer look to find upside options in these types of leagues, let's analyze several sleepers based on current Underdog ADP that can be applied across all of their current best-ball competitions.

Underdog Fantasy Baseball Scoring and Rules

Before diving into the fun part, we first must take a look at Underdog's current scoring and roster requirements. While each competition may differ (especially on a different platform) and have a few slight changes in scoring, for the purpose of this article, we will use the requirements and scoring from "The Dinger" competition, which is currently live on their website.

Roster Requirement

Hitter Scoring

Pitcher Scoring

As seen above, this competition features a "points" scoring rather than a typical category scoring you would likely find in your standard season-long formats. Additionally, there are no specific infield opponents; instead, Underdog categorizes all infielders as "IF." As a result, this pushes "most" catchers down the draft board, as managers do not necessarily need one on their roster.

Another important note regarding the hitter scoring is the lack of punishment for strikeouts. Typically, points leagues have a negative result when a hitter strikes out. However, in Underdog, you will not be punished by taking a high-power, high-strikeout hitter like Eugenio Suarez.

In terms of pitching, strikeouts are the go-to stat to chase. A single strikeout will net you the same amount of points as a full inning pitched. If a pitcher can strike out at least six batters in a start, they will have a higher upside than a typically high-volume arm with a lower strikeout percentage would in a typical points league.

Also, quality starts earning five fantasy points is worth noting. Those high-inning pitchers could tally almost 40+ points in a given start with a win, more than six innings pitched, a quality start, and a handful of punchouts.

Additionally, relief pitchers have no value in this scoring. Seeing that even a mid-tier starting pitcher can pick up nearly 20+ points in each start, while a relief pitcher will not even be rewarded for a save, there is no reason to select any during your draft.

With a clearer understanding of what type of players we should be targeting, let's take a look at several sleepers at each position based on current ADP.

The ADP referenced from Underdog is updated as of January 13.

Underdog Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Pitchers (P)

Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

Underdog ADP - 71.3 (P13)

Calling the 13th pitcher off a board a sleeper may be a bit dramatic, but Sale is a screaming value at his current price. The 2024 Cy Young winner is going after pitchers like Spencer Strider, Cole Ragans, and Dylan Cease, who have a much wider range of outcomes heading into the new season.

While Sale had a somewhat injury-riddled season in 2025, as he missed nearly 2.5 months due to a rib fracture, when on the bump, Sale was just as dominant as he was in his Cy Young campaign. Through 125 2/3 innings last summer, the southpaw racked up strikeouts at an elite 32.4% clip (95th percentile) while boasting a 2.58 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP.

Over his last 36 1/3 innings of the season following his return from injury, Sale looked even more dominant, holding a 2.73 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, with a 51:6 K:BB. The 36-year-old has legit top-5 upside at the position and is being drafted at a major discount. Given the elite strikeout upside Sale has and the ability to take on a high workload, managers should feel confident selecting him on draft day at his 71.3 ADP.

Don't let this freak rib fracture frighten you from a legit SP1 season. Steamer projects Sale to finish the season with the ninth-most strikeouts and a solid 3.19 ERA.

Framber Valdez, Free Agent

Underdog ADP - 95.3 (P23)

Valdez is another veteran pitcher who is being heavily discounted in drafts. While he may not possess the strikeout upside as Sale does, he can take on a massive workload, giving him not only a safe floor but high upside, given the boost that quality stats and innings pitched earn in this format.

The current free agent has logged at least 176 innings in each of his four seasons and has even hit the 190.0 innings mark in three of his last four. In 2025, Valdez logged 192.0 innings to the tune of a 3.66 ERA and a 1.244 WHIP. In the first half, Valdez was on pace to hold a dominant 2.75 ERA, but stumbled in the second half, posting a much higher 5.20 ERA.

Since 2022, the southpaw has posted a 3.21 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, further showing his consistency.

The 32-year-old is not the flashy pick, but his workload will make him a steal at his current ADP. Steamer projects Valdez to earn 19 quality starts in 2026 (tied for the most in the sport) and log 190 2/3 innings, the ninth-most in the majors. His workload alone will bring him into the top 15 at the position.

Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers

Underdog ADP - 163.2 (P50)

Rounding out the pitchers will be another "boring" veteran. Eovaldi was a legit AL Cy Young candidate before being shut down with a right rotator cuff strain in August. In the offseason, he also underwent sports hernia surgery but is expected to be a full-go for spring training. While his age (35) and lengthy injury history have turned managers away, when on the mound, Eovaldi produced at an SP1 level.

In 2025, Eovaldi's resurgence was built on a repertoire tweak. Instead of throwing his fastball up 35.0%+ of the time, he instead turned to his split-finger when he threw 31.4% of the time and lowered his four-seamer usage to 22.5%.

His split-finger was nothing short of dominant, generating a .264 xwOBA with a 36.0% whiff rate.

He saw his K% jump nearly three points (23.9% - 26.0%) compared to 2024 and posted an elite 3.02 xERA, the best mark of his career. Eovaldi is being selected after pitchers with serious concerns, both in regard to workload and durability, like Tyler Glasnow, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Gerrit Cole.

Other Underdog Sleepers:

• Kevin Gausman, TOR (P32)
• Matthew Boyd, CHC (P64)

Underdog Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Infielders (IF)

Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros

Underdog ADP - 179.8 (IF58)

Isaac Paredes was looking quite comfortable in Houston, hitting for a .259/.359/.470 line with 15 doubles and 19 home runs across his first 94 games with the Astors. Unfortunately, Paredes suffered a right hamstring strain that kept him off the IL until late September.

On a 162-game pace, Paredes would have hit 26 doubles with 33 long balls. His pull-heavy swing is built for Daikin Park, as 11 of his 20 home runs occurred in Houston.

While playing time could be in danger at the moment (which is likely causing his significant discount), managers should jump at his current price. Even if his playing time is somewhat limited, he will likely find himself in your starting lineup during extended homestands, which makes him a top target for best ball.

If he becomes an everyday player, a 30-HR campaign is not out of the question.

Isaac Paredes to the Crawford Boxes 🚀 pic.twitter.com/lguLgitVtM

— MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2025

Corey Seager, Texas Rangers

Underdog ADP - 73.0 (IF23)

Following a trend from our pitchers section, there may not be a bigger example of the "injury discount" than Corey Seager. Seager has played in fewer than 125 games in each of his last three seasons and has only played in more than 150 games twice in his entire 11-year MLB career.

However, when on the field, Seager is an MVP-caliber hitter. Last season, Seager posted a .271/.373/.487 line with 19 doubles and 21 home runs across 102 games. However, under the hood, the two-time World Series MVP generated a 98th percentile xwOBA (.400), 98th percentile xSLG (.569), and a 95th percentile hard-hit rate (53.6%).

The BAT X projects the Ranger to finish the 2026 season with the seventh-highest OPS among all hitters. On Underdog, he is currently being drafted after players such as Geraldo Perdomo (.718 OPS per The Bat X) and Zach Neto (.764 OPS per The Bat X), who carry much less power upside.

We are targeting power upside in this scoring format, and in those middle rounds, Seager should be the preferred target over those similarly priced infielders.

Ryan O'Hearn, Pittsburgh Pirates

Underdog ADP - 239.2 (IF101)

We will round out the infield section with a deep sleeper. O'Hearn is picking just above pick No. 250 and is likely one of the last players you select. In the offseason, O'Hearn inked a two-year $29 million contract with the Pirates and is expected to be an everyday player in the Steel City.

Despite being a left-handed hitter, O'Hearn actually hit southpaws better than right-handers, generating a .832 OPS last season, compared to the .795 OPS against right-handers. Overall, he hit 17 HRs with 21 doubles and a .281/.366/.437 line across 144 games.

Under the hood, he generated a strong 3.43 xwOBA and an 85th percentile LA Sweet-Spot%. He will be playing home games at PNC Park, which ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of Park Factor for left-handed hitters (100 score), but it is significantly higher than the 24th-worst Petco Park (in San Diego), where he spent 50 of his games last summer. He hit just four home runs across 50 games with the Padres.

With an everyday role in a better environment, O'Hearn carries 20+ HR upside at a great price.

Other Underdog Sleepers:

• Shea Langeliers, ATH (IF38)
• Jonathan Aranda, TB (IF212)
• Jake Burger, TEX (IF92)

Underdog Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Outfielders (OF)

Trent Grisham, New York Yankees

Underdog ADP - 133.8 (OF54)

Trent Grisham enjoyed a career season in the Bronx last summer. The outfielder launched a career-best 34 home runs with the Yankees and held a .235/.348/.464 line. While his left-handed wing is practically built for Yankee Stadium, the center fielder actually hit more home runs on the road (21) than at home (13).

Under the hood, he generated a .370 xwOBA with a 14.2% barrel rate, suggesting his power surge is legit and was not merely dependent on his home venue, like the previously mentioned Paredes.

With the Yankees not expected to re-sign Cody Bellinger, Grisham appears ticketed for a significant role once again in 2026 and will very likely have a spot in the outfield on a daily basis.

The 29-year-old is expected to enjoy another power surge in 2026 as he is projected to hit 27 home runs, according to The Bat X, placing him tied for the 21st-most among outfielders. If he can improve his productivity at home, this total can easily hit the 30-mark once again, given his left-handed swing.

He is being selected after his teammate Jasson Dominguez, who possesses significantly less power upside.

Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels

Underdog ADP - 90.2 (OF42)

The former top prospect finally lived up to his pre-MLB projections. After several years of looking like a bust, Adell silenced his critics, hitting a career-high 37 home runs with 5 stolen bases and a .236/.293/.485 line. While his 26.4% K% punishes him in most points leagues, on Underdog, he will not be penalized for it, making him an even better selection on this platform.

His metrics back up his post-hype breakout, as he posted a 90th-percentile xwOBA and a 96th-percentile barrel rate. He also generated a remarkable 97th percentile xSLG and a 99th percentile bat speed, suggesting his raw power is immense.

However, Underdog drafters are not buying the Year 6 breakout as he is being selected after players such as Michael Harris II, Oneil Cruz, and Lawrence Butler, who do not have 30-HR seasons in their outcomes. The Bat X projects Adell to hit 33 HRs in 2026, the sixth-most among all outfielders.

In this scoring format, Adell is significantly mispriced and one of the best values on current ADP.

Anthony Santander, Toronto Blue Jays

Underdog ADP - 83.6 (OF41)

The final outfielder is going just after Adell. Santander had a miserable debut season in Toronto, playing in only 54 games due to a severe left shoulder injury. However, in the previous season, Santander launched an eye-catching 44 home runs with the Orioles and was a legitimate top-15 outfielder in fantasy.

Fast-forward to 2026, and Santander carries a massive discount. From 2021 through 20224, Santander hit at least 21 home runs in each season with the Orioles, and in those early seasons, he lay in the "old" Camden Yards, which was significantly more pitcher-friendly than hitter-friendly.

From 2022 through 2024, Santander generated a barrel rate of at least 10.2% in each season and averaged a stellar .334 xwOBA.

The Bat X projects Santander to enjoy a massive bounce-back season, hitting 26 long balls, the 24th-most at the outfield position. As noted previously, his high strikeout rate will not hurt him in this format. We are simply chasing power and extra-base hits, as those provide the most fantasy points. Santander fits that bill and should also rack up consistent stats batting alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer.

Bet on the power upside and select a hitter with 30+ HR potential who is going outside of the top 40 at his position.

Other Underdog Sleepers:

• Giancarlo Stanton, NYY (OF68)
• Dylan Beavers, BAL (OF83)

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