February 18, 2026

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter has showcased impressive power through his first three-plus MLB seasons, and he'll look to continue that trend in 2026. The biggest concern for Carpenter at this point in his career is the injury risk, as he played 130 games last year -- and even that mark was a career high. If he can stay healthy, though, he has 30-plus-homer potential with an everyday spot in the Tigers' lineup. Other factors to consider with Carpenter include handedness splits and his K/BB ratio. He had an OPS of .812 against righties last year, but just .638 against lefties. Additionally, only three of his 26 home runs came against southpaws. Furthermore, he shaved his strikeout rate down to a career-best 22.8%, but he also dropped his walk rate to a career-worst 3.9%. His 5.85 K/BB ratio was the worst mark of his career, and while a discipline drop-off is expected when a player improves their power numbers, fantasy managers would like to see him at least walk a little more. Carpenter isn't one of the flashiest names among power hitters, but he's still an impact power bat against right-handed pitching with tremendous upside if he can stay healthy. He's somewhat of a value pick at the moment, ranking #57 among RotoBaller's outfielders for 2026 with an ADP of 217.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller