Fantasy Baseball Post-Hype Sleepers: Infield Breakout Candidates for 2026

February 24, 2026

Frank's post-hype fantasy baseball sleepers - breakout candidates for 2026 drafts. His fantasy baseball hitter breakouts with upside to target at a discount.

Targeting post-hype sleepers is one of the best ways to find upside in the later rounds of fantasy baseball drafts. Everyone is enamored with the "shiny new toy," so going after those who have lost their luster makes a ton of sense when looking for value.

Just look at Jo Adell last year. He was a top prospect for years, but finally delivered when everyone abandoned him. The same can happen to any player with a similar prospect pedigree. If the price is right, you should always take a chance.

On this page, I'm going to highlight six post-hype sleepers on the infield for you. There will be three middle infielders and three corner fielders, each with ADPs outside the top-200 in NFBC leagues since January 24. So, without further ado, find out why Matt McLain, Kyle Manzardo, Colt Keith, Marcelo Mayer, Jordan Lawlar, and Nolan Gorman are my favorite post-hype sleeper infielders.

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Matt McLain, 2B, Cincinnati Reds

NFBC ADP: 216.89

There was a report that Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain added over 12 pounds during the offseason. McLain had a more patient approach in swing and chase rates compared to the league averages.

McLain had 9 barrels in August to September (12% barrel%) after 7 in May through… pic.twitter.com/lfQJbs1Hv3

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) January 17, 2026

Matt McLain burst onto the scene back in 2023, slashing .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 403 plate appearances in his age-23 season. That led to a lot of hype heading into the 2024 season.

However, after missing all of 2024 with a shoulder injury, McLain was highly disappointing last year, putting up a .220/.300/.343 slash with 15 homers and 18 steals in 577 plate appearances. This has led fantasy baseball players to drop McLain outside of the top-200 ADP.

But what if last year's struggles were largely due to an adjustment after such a long lay-off? This is still a 26-year-old hitting in one of baseball's best environments. If you wait on second base, swinging for the fences on McLain's upside makes a lot of sense. Just make sure to prioritize batting average early, as McLain is projected to be a drain on that category.

Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians

NFBC ADP: 231.11

Only 5 players under 25 posted an ISO over .220 in 2025:

Corbin Carroll
Junior Caminero
Riley Greene
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Kyle Manzardo

Get on the Manzardo bandwagon before it’s too late!
pic.twitter.com/ZTBC9ygwe2

— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) February 5, 2026

Kyle Manzardo was once considered a top prospect with the Rays. After being traded to the Guardians for Aaron Civale, Manzardo has been a solid platoon bat in Cleveland. But he showed signs of growth last season, hitting 27 homers in 531 plate appearances.

More importantly, Manzardo bumped up to an 83 wRC+ vs lefties, compared to 60 wRC+ in 2024. With the Guardians desperately needing a slugger in the middle of their lineup, there's an outside chance that Manzardo can earn more plate appearances against southpaws.

With an uptick in volume, that would put Manzardo in a strong position to eclipse 30 home runs for the first time in his career. Fantasy baseball players aren't really prioritizing Manzardo due to the platoon risk, but you can capitalize on this opportunity with a potential post-hype value. He's going to be hitting in the heart of the order, so the counting stats should be there.

Colt Keith, 2B/3B, Detroit Tigers

NFBC ADP: 317.17

Colt Keith's 8.4% uptick in Hard-Hit% was the 10th highest increase among qualified hitters from '24 to '25. His Chase% was 3.2% below the MLB average of 28.4%, he makes plenty of IZ contact, & he showed a more lofty batted ball profile. Looking forward to his '26 + some changes: pic.twitter.com/UZeiptlXln

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) February 16, 2026

Colt Keith has been rather underwhelming as a big-leaguer, featuring a .256/.333/.413 slash with 13 homers and one steal in 468 plate appearances. However, you have to like that he has a 10.3% walk rate and a 21.3% strikeout rate, showing maturity in his plate discipline.

We also saw Keith hit the ball harder in his second season last year, bumping up his barrel rate from 5.6% to 9.2%. Remember, Keith is still only entering his age-24 season. It wasn't long ago that he hit 27 homers across all minor league levels as a 21-year-old, back in 2023.

The problem is that Keith can't hit lefties (13 wRC+ last year), so he's in a platoon. But as a bench piece who is eligible at MI and CI, it's good depth for your roster in deeper leagues. It's also easy to play matchups, where you just fire him up vs right-handers.

Marcelo Mayer, 3B, Boston Red Sox

NFBC ADP: 355.50

Make that 3 straight days of Marcelo Mayer at 2B and Caleb Durbin at 3B.

🎥: @NDiamondMedia pic.twitter.com/QJWqwnm7gP

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) February 16, 2026

Marcelo Mayer was considered among the best prospects in baseball, but he's been overshadowed by teammate Roman Anthony. It also didn't help that Mayer slashed only .228/.272/.402 with four homers in 136 plate appearances last year.

However, the Red Sox clearly have plans for Mayer, as he's either going to play second base or third base this year, with Caleb Durbin taking the other spot. If Mayer adds second base eligibility, that would give him even more value.

This is a 20-20 threat at a position where you don't often find stolen bases, making him especially valuable in deeper formats. With the Red Sox giving Mayer a chance at an everyday role, it's worth a look to take a shot on him.

Jordan Lawlar, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

NFBC ADP: 374.00

Jordan Lawlar Could Earn Everyday Playing Time Early in 2026 https://t.co/WcmkNDGX2x

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) February 14, 2026

Jordan Lawlar feels like he's been a top prospect for like five years now. He's consistently torn it up in the minors, but hasn't put it together at the major league level.

For example, last year, Lawlar put up a 129 wRC+ with 11 homers and 20 steals in 300 plate appearances in Triple-A. However, he was limited to a .182/.257/.288 slash in 74 plate appearances in the big leagues. Perhaps with more consistent playing time, Lawlar can find his footing in the pros.

What you have to like about Lawlar this year is that he's shifting to the outfield, which is wide open for the Diamondbacks. Alek Thomas has been underwhelming at the plate, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) is out until the All-Star Break, and Corbin Carroll (hand) is banged up. This is an opportunity for Lawlar to finally show what he can do. You have to like the speed he can provide at third base, and he will also gain outfield eligibility, further increasing his upside in deep formats.

Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B, St. Louis Cardinals

NFBC ADP: 405.28

JJ Wetherholt is at Second Base, Nolan Gorman Getting Reps at Third https://t.co/4urUrUVShC

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) February 15, 2026

Nolan Gorman has terrific power, but he's struggled against lefties throughout his career. We got a glimpse of what Gorman can do back in 2023, when he slashed .236/.328/.478 with 27 homers and seven steals in only 464 plate appearances in his age-23 season.

The good news is that Gorman has shown improvements vs southpaws, as highlighted by a 106 wRC+ against them last year. With Nolan Arenado dealt to the Diamondbacks, Gorman will have a chance at everyday playing time at third base.

The Cardinals have embraced the youth movement, so it's in their best interest to let Gorman have consistent at-bats. There's 30+ home run power in his profile, but you'll just have to deal with his batting average drain. Still only 25 years old, Gorman is exactly the post-hype sleeper to take a shot on. If you want late power, this is the ideal pick.

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