9 League-Winning Fantasy Baseball Hitters: Kipp Heisterman's High-Upside Draft Targets

March 18, 2026

Kipp's 9 league-winning hitters, fantasy baseball breakouts, values, studs to provide massive return on value in 2026 including Riley Greene, Colson Montgomery, more.

We are putting together a very fun series of articles here at RotoBaller where our writers list their league-winning draft selections. Our guy Frank Ammirante has already written 10 league-winning hitters and 10 league-winning pitchers articles, and I am here to follow up with another hitters piece.

This article will focus on high-end talent and value picks that will help you win your league. Some are more obvious than others, but I anticipate each of these players to contribute significantly to your roster in hopes of chasing down that fantasy championship trophy.

With that in mind, let's dive into my nine league-winning hitters. We'll use NFBC ADP since February 16 for our reference point.

Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners

NFBC ADP: 17

This article is going to have a mix of studs and value selections, so it only makes sense to start at the top with Raleigh. Raleigh makes for such a great selection because he plays at one of the most difficult positions to get production from in fantasy, and he plays almost every game.

Last season, he played in 159 games and mashed his way to 60 HR and 125 RBI. While I do not think the 60-homer mark is likely to be repeated, the metrics suggest he will likely hit at least 40, and he has hit 30+ in three straight seasons now.

Overall, he ranked in the 85th percentile or better in xwOBA, xSLG, barrel rate, hard hit rate, bat speed, and walk rate. He will be a stalwart in your lineup this season, so be sure to grab him at his current ADP of 17 as he should greatly outperform that cost.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays

NFBC ADP: 18

Guerrero is another player who ranks at the top of the draft board; however, his ADP is still not where it should be overall. I had the eighth pick in my high-stakes league draft and was aiming for him, but was unable to draft him as he went seventh overall, yet his ADP is still hovering around 19.

Guerrero had an unreal postseason run in 2025 and also finished the 2025 regular season campaign with some fantastic metrics. He ranked in the 85th percentile or better in pretty much every category imaginable. What is most surprising is that he posted a .506 xSLG and a 50.7% hard-hit rate, yet hit just 23 HRs.

I fully expect the counting stats to pick up in 2026, and he should almost certainly smash 30 or more home runs as he did back in 2024. He should be a first-round pick in most leagues.

Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves

NFBC ADP: 46

Matt Olson is another first baseman high on my list this season, and unfortunately, I just missed out on him as well in my high-stakes league. He is still 31 years old and in his prime, as evidenced by slashing .272/.366/.484 with 27 HRs last season and posting very strong metrics.

He ranked in the 85th percentile or better in several power categories, but most notably ranked in the 95th percentile in both hard hit rate (53.3%) and average exit velocity (93.3 mph). And while you may look at Olson and think his bat is slowing down, that is not the case, as he still ranked in the 76th percentile last season in terms of bat speed.

The Braves' lineup should be strong with the return of Ronald Acuna Jr. for what hopefully amounts to a full season of action, and I think Olson will put up big numbers once again in 2026, helping lead your team from the first base position.

Riley Greene, OF, Detroit Tigers

NFBC ADP: 73

Riley Greene can be a frustrating fantasy player to roster, as the power is undeniable; however, the 0-for-4 games with three strikeouts can be a bit tiring. That being said, I think there is a chance he can cut down on the strikeouts this season, and even if not, you are going to get a ton of production overall.

In 2025, he posted a .258/.313/.493 slash line, with 36 HRs and 111 RBI. He did this by posting an elite 17.1% barrel rate, which ranked him in the 95th percentile. He also showed tremendous bat speed, ranking in the 92nd percentile. Now, if he can just trim that 30.7% K rate slightly, I think he can be a monstrous producer for your fantasy team in 2026.

To be clear, I am not suggesting he trim it that much. If he can get down to around 25-27%, that would do wonders for his overall line, and I think it is more than within reason.

Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels

NFBC ADP: 120

I think Jo Adell is my favorite player on this entire list. He has been a highly touted prospect throughout his journey, only to disappoint multiple times until last season, when he finally performed as expected. I think the talent continues to shine through in 2026, and with his current ADP, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better value selection.

In 2025, Adell ranked in the 85th percentile or better in terms of xwOBA, xSLG, exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and bat speed. All of that equated to him mashing 37 home runs and driving in 98 runs. I would be more skeptical if I could, but the raw power was backed by the metrics.

While he will likely still rack up the strikeouts, he should more than make up for them with the counting stats. He will be on every team I draft if I get the chance.

Willson Contreras, 1B, Boston Red Sox

NFBC ADP: 167

I honestly did not know Contreras was going to make this piece until I took a deeper look into him and saw what could be a massive ADP steal. In 2025, he slashed .257/.344/.447 with 20 HRs and 80 RBI, but the underlying metrics were very solid.

Overall, he ranked in the 85th percentile or better in terms of xwOBA (.358), barrel rate (13.9%), and bat speed (76.0 mph). He also posted very respectable numbers in hard hit rate (49%) and xSLG (.488). The move from Busch Stadium to Fenway Park should also help him immensely.

Looking at his spray chart, I can see we could hear a lot of banging off the Green Monster come mid-summer. His ADP of 167 is also very affordable and makes him an easy target later in drafts as a high-end corner infielder.

Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays

NFBC ADP: 186

Jonathan Aranda burst on the scene last season with his .314/.393/.489 slash line. He also hit 14 HRs, 59 RBI, scored 56 R, and posted 41 BB. He put up stats in a number of categories, but I think we could see some continued growth all around based on his metrics.

He ranked in the 90th percentile or better in terms of xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, hard hit rate, and LA Sweet-Spot. He should definitely improve the counting stats in 2026 based on these metrics. While the Rays will be returning to Tropicana Field this season, his underlying metrics suggest he should remain a high-end contributor.

Aranda is another value pick, as his current ADP of 186 is more than reasonable for what you can expect from him in your lineup heading into 2026.

Addison Barger, 3B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays

NFBC ADP: 185

Addison Barger is the second Toronto Blue Jay to find himself on this list, and he has a tremendously valuable ADP at close to 190. Barger had a huge postseason in 2025 and is looking to keep the momentum going heading into the 2026 campaign, and I think he can.

In 2025, Barger slashed .243/.301/.454, with 21 HRs, 74 RBI, and 61 R. It was a solid season for Barger, who was playing in just his first full season in the big leagues. Given the fact that he ranked in the 85th percentile or better in bat speed, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity, we can reasonably expect the power to continue and even pick up.

He was also reasonably patient for an inexperienced player, with a K rate below 25%. It is likely he continues his progression in 2026, and I do not think 25-30 home runs is out of the question. He is also eligible at third base and outfield, so his versatility will help you out immensely, especially in deeper formats.

Colson Montgomery, 3B/SS, Chicago White Sox

NFBC ADP: 223

Colson Montgomery will be entering his first full season in the big leagues, and if his 284 plate appearances from 2025 are any indication of the type of player he will be, he could be in store for a monster 2026 campaign.

Last season, he smacked 21 HRs, 55 RBI, and 25 BB across just 284 plate appearances. It was a spectacular start for the youngster. While he did not qualify based on Statcast metrics, he posted a superb 14.5% barrel rate, .501 xSLG, .341 xwOBA, and 77 mph bat speed.

He currently has an ADP of 223, which is insane, and I personally took him at pick 152, as I wanted to be sure he was on my roster. As you can see, he has a wide range of outcomes in draft, ranging from 37 to 328, which obviously encompasses dynasty drafts. He could certainly be a league-winner this season and beyond.

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