Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Sleepers - Closers and Relief Pitchers to Target in Drafts (2026)

February 20, 2026

Which bullpen arms should you target in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts? Frank Ammirante of RotoBaller analyzes eight sleeper relief pitchers that you need to draft this season.

We're now in the thick of fantasy baseball draft season, so it's time to start your engines! One of the best ways to build a strong roster is to find sleepers that provide significant profit relative to their draft cost.

On this page, we're going to focus on relief pitchers. Whether you're in a FAAB league where you can chase saves or a draft-and-hold with no pickups, finding a good reliever can be difficult. That's where we're here to help. We're trying to find the next Daniel Palencia. That is, a reliever off the radar who becomes an effective closer.

Keep reading to find eight of my favorite relief pitcher sleepers, each of which is available outside pick-300 in NFBC leagues (since January 24th). These are long-shot picks who can either help your ratios or become closers. Make sure to also bookmark our fantasy baseball closer depth charts to stay on top of saves, holds, and more.

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Grant Taylor, Chicago White Sox

NFBC ADP: 341.44

Grant Taylor's projections pop off the screen, especially OOPSY:

92 IP, 4 W, 5 SV
30.2 K%, 9.7 BB%
2.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP

I have a feeling that he's going to have fantasy value, even as a non-closer RP.

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) February 11, 2026

Grant Taylor is projected to be an elite pitcher for the White Sox. The team plans to use him as a bulk reliever this season. They signed Seranthony Dominguez to a two-year deal to be the closer, but that doesn't mean that you should avoid Taylor.

With Taylor's elite stuff, he can be a major asset to your ratios, perhaps even racking up a few wins and saves. There's also the chance that Dominguez struggles and Taylor takes over the role. The worst-case scenario is that he is a high-end ratio booster; the best-case scenario is that he is a high-end closer.

Taylor could become the next Mason Miller, an intriguing pitching prospect with elite stuff who finds a home as a high-leverage reliever.

Justin Sterner, Athletics

NFBC ADP: 439.06

The A's have a wide-open competition at closer right now between Justin Sterner, Hogan Harris, and Mark Leiter Jr. I'm putting all of my chips on Sterner here.

The 29-year-old had a 109 Stuff+ last year, which was much better than both Harris (96 Stuff+) and Leiter Jr. (88 Stuff+). That one factor gives Sterner the edge in this closer competition. While Sterner's ADP has crept up lately (the 439.06 is skewed by earlier drafts), he's still worth taking in the top-300.

Matt Svanson, St. Louis Cardinals

NFBC ADP: 446.94

Matt Svanson is an interesting late-round target for saves because he put up a 3.10 SIERA and 29.1% strikeout rate in 60 1/3 innings last season. As a 27-year-old righty with a 110 Stuff+, Svanson has the goods to become a viable closer.

Currently, the Cardinals have Riley O'Brien penciled in for the ninth. But O'Brien had a 3.82 SIERA with a 22.6% strikeout rate in 48 innings. With that said, he does have a 113 Stuff+, so there's a good chance that he'll open the year as the closer.

However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't take a shot on Svanson. This could be a fluid situation all year, so keep a close eye on it if you're in FAAB leagues. Those of you in draft-and-hold would be wise to snatch Svanson.

Drey Jameson, Arizona Diamondbacks

NFBC ADP: 563.06

Another saves spec for you:

Drey Jameson

Came back from injury hitting 99 MPH for the D-Backs.

The backend of that bullpen is extremely weak with A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez injured.

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) January 23, 2026

Drey Jameson has the prospect pedigree as a former starter who has shifted to the bullpen. He's got the stuff to become an intriguing high-leverage reliever, along with the opportunity to secure the closer role.

With A.J. Puk (elbow) and Justin Martinez (elbow) injured and set to miss most of the first half of the season, the ninth is wide open. Even though the Diamondbacks signed Paul Sewald and traded for Kade Strowd, I'm sticking with Jameson as my top late-round target here.

In an offseason interview with a Diamondbacks podcast, Jameson spoke about how becoming the closer is his goal. The 28-year-old is worth a look in the later rounds of draft-and-holds.

Mason Montgomery, Pittsburgh Pirates

NFBC ADP: 643.67

Another saves spec for you:

Mason Montgomery

30.1 K% in 46 IP last season.

98+ MPH velocity.

Three pitches with 120+ Stuff+, per Fangraphs

Profiles way better as a closer than Danny Santana (22.2 K% last year).

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) January 25, 2026

Mason Montgomery has absolutely electric stuff that could make him an elite closer. While most teams prefer to make right-handers their closers, the Pirates already have two other lefties in their bullpen in Gregory Soto and Evan Sisk.

While Dennis Santana did a decent job in the role last year, he put up a below-average 22.2% strikeout rate, which is not what you want out of your closer.

You'll have to be patient if you draft Montgomery in a 50-round draft-and-hold, but the upside is there for him to become a high-end closer. What's great here is that even if Montgomery doesn't earn the role, he can still help your ratios.

Connor Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

NFBC ADP: 656.89

Connor Phillips is similar to Jameson, a starting pitcher prospect who can make a shift to the bullpen. The Reds currently have a crowded rotation with Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, and Brady Singer, so Phillips will be a reliever.

What I like about Phillips is that he put up a 32.7% strikeout rate with a 117 Stuff+ last season. That's exactly the type of numbers that you want to see out of a closer. Yes, Emilio Pagan performed well last year, but he's a 34-year-old who has been inconsistent at times. Phillips is a late-round dart throw in case Pagan struggles.

Cole Winn, Texas Rangers

NFBC ADP: 710.22

Here's a super deep sleeper RP to become a closer:

Cole Winn.

The Rangers stated back in October that the closer role was between Winn, Robert Garcia, and Jacob Latz.

They later announced that Latz would be stretched out as an SP.

Winn (96.2 MPH fastball) vs Garcia (94.4 MPH)

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) January 18, 2026

The Rangers have publicly stated that their closer role is between Robert Garcia and Chris Martin, but those are two underwhelming options. Garcia had a 103 Stuff+ last season, while Martin is 39 years old with 16 career saves under his belt.

While Winn had underwhelming numbers last year, including an 11.1 K-BB%, you have to like the 107 Stuff+. As a reliever who sits at 96.2 MPH on his fastball, Winn profiles better as a closer.

This is another former starter who has shifted to the bullpen, just like Jameson and Phillips. Winn has been one of my favorite save specs throughout draft-and-hold season. If he can win the job, it's a great team context with a wild-card caliber Rangers team.

Ryan Zeferjahn, Los Angeles Angels

NFBC ADP: 748.11

Here we have the biggest dart throw of anyone on this list, but it's a play on a reliever with good stuff in a wide-open bullpen. Ryan Zeferjahn put up a 28.4% strikeout rate and 121 Stuff+ last season, which is extremely impressive.

The problem is that the Angels have signed Kirby Yates and Jordan Romano, each of whom has closing experience. Plus, there's a chance that Ben Joyce and Robert Stephenson will return from injury sooner rather than later.

With that said, Zeferjahn can be had in the 50th round of a draft-and-hold. With the Stuff+ that he's shown, I'd be willing to take a shot.

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