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Andersen analyzes top fantasy baseball prospects risers, fallers, sleepers and busts for 2026. His MLB rookies report for Week 1 and recently promoted prospects.
Welcome to Week 1 and the first installment of RotoBaller's Fantasy Baseball Rookie Report for the 2026 MLB season, looking at prospect risers and fallers.
To kick things off, we'll take a closer look at Chase DeLauter, Kevin McGonigle, Carson Benge, and JJ Wetherholt. Each is a top talent in their team's farm system who has already debuted early this season.
We’ll dive into their early performances, analyze what’s working (and what’s not), and offer insights on what fantasy managers can expect as the 2026 season gets underway.
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JJ Wetherholt, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals
Wetherholt made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster out of camp and was in the starting lineup for the team's season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit leadoff and played second base against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen.
Track Record:
Wetherholt was the Cardinals' first-round pick back in 2024, fetching an enormous signing bonus of $6.9 million after an incredible stint at West Virginia University. He split last season between Double-A and Triple-A, logging 17 home runs and 23 stolen bases. At the Triple-A level, he posted a .978 OPS with 156 wRC+.
The talented middle infield prospect wasted no time making an impact on Opening Day. He went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, which broke a scoreless tie in the third inning. He also drove in a run on a sacrifice fly as part of the Cardinals' eight-run sixth inning.
Wetherholt's home run went 425 feet, making it the second-longest hit of the game. It left the bat at 101.7 mph, making it just 0.4 mph faster than his sacrifice fly.
Outlook:
We saw Wetherholt display solid power in the minors, but it's still reassuring to see him do it against a higher caliber of pitching in the majors. Plus, he did it so quickly, going yard in his second MLB at-bat.
Most of Wetherholt's fantasy-related metrics from the minors in 2025 were very good, including his home run total, his stolen base total, his 14.5% walk rate, and his 14.7% strikeout rate. His blend of power, speed, and discipline should translate to continued success in the majors.
Plus, his role as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter gives him additional at-bats and the potential for more production in fantasy baseball.
He leaves the yard in his Major League debut! pic.twitter.com/4NNDZYirt6
— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026
Chase DeLauter, OF, Cleveland Guardians
DeLauter earned a spot on the Guardians' Opening Day roster and has now been the starting right fielder in each of the first two games. He finds himself second in the lineup, and he has wasted no time leaving a great impression at the plate.
Track Record:
DeLauter was the Guardians' first-round pick out of James Madison in 2022. He signed for $3.75 million and turned heads right away, posting 160 wRC+ in his first minor league season. Outside of eight complex games, he spent 2025 at Triple-A and slashed .278/.383/.476 with seven home runs, a 15.8% walk rate, a 15.8% strikeout rate, and 130 wRC+.
The 24-year-old posted a 1.373 OPS with three home runs and 250 wRC+ in spring training, essentially guaranteeing he'd have a roster spot. The production didn't stop when he started to face a higher caliber of pitching in the regular season, though.
DeLauter went 3-for-5 with two homers and a single in the Guardians' Opening Day win, and he went 1-for-4 with another solo homer in Friday's loss. He is now 4-for-9 with three solo home runs, which leads the league.
His second home run on Opening Day was particularly beautiful. It left the bat at 111.1 mph and traveled 422 feet, making it a home run in all 30 MLB ballparks.
Outlook:
This power surge is somewhat uncharacteristic for DeLauter, who averaged one home run every 25.2 at-bats in the minors and never hit more than eight in a single season. He's already at three, and while a pace of 1.5 home runs per game is not sustainable, it could still indicate that he's due for a power breakout this year.
Of course, there could also be a bit of luck in play, so managers should expect that the power will calm down a little going forward. He may end up closer to his 3.4% home run rate from the minors.
With that being said, the power outburst is still encouraging, and DeLauter has already solidified himself as the Guardians' starting right fielder and primary No. 2 hitter.
This premium spot in the lineup will maximize his at-bats while also creating opportunities for runs and RBI. That bodes well for his fantasy outlook. He currently ranks #58 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
An easy 111 MPH. DeLauter is going to do a lot of damage on mistakes on the inner half. https://t.co/yJhP9WTUOl pic.twitter.com/PywAT5WdOo
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) March 27, 2026
Kevin McGonigle, 3B, Detroit Tigers
McGonigle was the 37th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He came up through the minors as a shortstop, playing 70 games there in 2025, but has opened the 2026 season at the hot corner for the major league club.
Track Record:
McGonigle has never played at Triple-A, and he has just 46 games' worth of experience at Double-A from the 2025 season. He posted 162 wRC+ with 12 home runs there, showcasing power and discipline. The strong minor league season earned him at-bats in spring training, where he posted an .888 OPS with a pair of home runs and ultimately made the team.
The infield prospect's discipline and power stats in the minors were certainly encouraging, but still, it was tough to predict whether he'd have a seamless transition to facing MLB-caliber pitching come Opening Day.
Any concerns about his ability to handle a higher tier of pitching went out the window when McGonigle went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI on Opening Day. He followed that performance with a 1-for-3 showing, two RBI, and one walk on Friday.
McGonigle has handled the fastball particularly well, resulting in a 57.1% in-zone swing rate and 1.126 xSLG on the pitch so far in 2026, albeit over a small, two-game sample size.
Outlook:
So far, McGonigle's swing decisions have been good, reinforcing what we saw from him in Double-A, where he walked at a 16.0% clip. He also continues to be an intriguing power threat, but more so with extra-base hits than home runs. His two-double showing on Opening Day isn't necessarily surprising to those who followed him in the minors.
Despite never playing above Double-A before this season, McGonigle has quickly shown that he can damage MLB pitching. He's a major extra-base threat with a little bit of baserunning upside (22 steals in 2024). His discipline numbers were consistently impressive in the minors, and they remain impressive through eight at-bats.
McGonigle is penciled into third base for now, but he ranks as the #18 shortstop in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings. He has been batting sixth, giving him RBI potential behind a talented core of Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson.
Kevin McGonigle's full 10 pitch at bat resulting in a go-ahead 2 RBI single.
I can't get over it. pic.twitter.com/KHe0AGQ8OQ
— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) March 28, 2026
Carson Benge, OF, New York Mets
Benge was the Mets' first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He was selected 19th overall and signed for just shy of $4 million. He has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fantasy relevance, jumping from High-A at the start of the 2025 season to Triple-A at the end of the 2025 season — and now, to the majors.
Track Record:
Benge had a mere .583 OPS with an 18.4% strikeout rate and 53 wRC+ at the Triple-A level last year. However, he turned things around in spring training, slashing .366/.435/.439 with five RBI and 140 wRC+ in the Grapefruit League. This strong showing was enough to overcome last year's Triple-A stats and earn Benge a spot in the show.
The 23-year-old hit eighth and played right field on Opening Day against the Pirates. What initially appeared to be a tough matchup against Paul Skenes turned into a bullpen game as the reigning Cy Young award winner was chased from the game in the first inning.
Benge ultimately went 1-for-3 with a solo homer — the first of his career. He also walked twice, struck out twice, and scored two runs. His home run was the third-hardest-hit ball of the game, registering an exit velocity of 105.3 mph.
Outlook:
Benge's MLB debut went about as well as you can ask for. He showed a mix of power and discipline while hitting out of the eighth spot. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, hitting eighth isn't nearly as conducive to racking up at-bats and RBI as, say, hitting in the top three.
Additionally, despite his big Opening Day, Benge is still a candidate to platoon going forward. There's a strong chance that he'll ride the bench against left-handed pitching.
Given Benge's spot near the bottom of the order and the potential for him to sit out some of the Mets' games, fantasy managers should temper expectations slightly. It's a promising start, but it might create more buzz in dynasty leagues than redraft formats, at least for now.
For what it's worth, Benge currently ranks #71 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
Carson Benge is the 5th-youngest (8th overall) @Mets player to homer in his MLB debut:
Lenny Dykstra, 22-082 (1985)
Brett Baty, 22-277 (2022)
Dave Schneck, 23-026 (1972)
Mike Fitzgerald, 23-062 (1983)
Carson Benge, 23-065 (2026) pic.twitter.com/sACNtyXSz4— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 26, 2026
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