Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Risers - Young Stars Who Can Become Top Players At Their Positions

July 15, 2026

Andy's dynasty fantasy baseball breakouts, risers and studs. Target these rising young stars in dynasty fantasy baseball leagues before their value skyrockets. Meet the future elite players at each position.

The first half of the fantasy season is in the books. Over the opening months, managers have seen many high-end prospects earn the call and make a massive impact. While we have not seen the performances we saw from James Wood, Junior Caminero, and Nick Kurtz last season, several prospects have begun to show flashes.

In this piece, we will highlight some of the top call-ups from the first half and determine whether they can claim the No. 1 spot at their position in dynasty fantasy baseball.

For reference, we will be looking at Eric Cross' recent dynasty rankings. Additionally, be sure to use discount code SMITH for 50% off any Premium Packages and gain access to our Team Sync platform with customized lineup tools, projections and more based on your league settings.

Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles

Current Rank: C3

Current C1: Drake Baldwin

With Drake Baldwin nearly running away with the C1 title after his impressive first half, former top-ranked prospect Samuel Basallo has begun to fall slightly under the radar, especially when looking at the long-term C1 for dynasty purposes. Basallo progressed through the Orioles system at an impressive rate and made his MLB debut late in the 2025 season.

During his first cup of coffee with the Orioles, the 21-year-old showed some growing pains, posting .169/.229/.330 line with four home runs and a .599 OPS over a short 31-game stint. In this look, the backstop posted a 25.6% K%, but showed some raw potential, as evidenced by his 43.0% hard-hit rate and 112.1 mph max exit velocity.

His underwhelming debut lowered his price in redraft leagues and may have potentially opened a spot buy-low window in dynasty leagues. However, that window appears to be closing quickly as the former highly regarded prospect is beginning to take the next step.

Through 83 games this season, Basallo has posted a .248/.309/.464 line with a .773 OPS. He has gone deep 16 times and added nine doubles. While his hefty 31.1% whiff rate and 25.6% K% do lower his floor, he has the raw talent to claim that top spot.

In fact, over his last 16 games before the All-Star break, Basallo launched six home runs and posted an .847 OPS.

Under the hood, the catcher has posted elite metrics, especially in power, suggesting he could continue this trajectory in the second half. Basallo sits with a .482 xSLG (85th percentile), an 84th-percentile average exit velocity, an 84th-percentile barrel rate, and a 76th-percentile hard-hit rate.

Much of his positive regression should come at the hands of fastballs, as Basallo has generated an eye-catching .524 xSLG against this pitch type, but sits with a much lower .480 SLG on the surface.

While Basallo may not have the high batting average of the incumbent No. 1 catcher (Baldwin), his elite raw power could set him up for multiple 35+ home run seasons in his MLB career.

Samuel Basallo 2026 first half HRs - (16) pic.twitter.com/eeLwWsDpSv

— Os Home Runs (@OsHRVideos) July 13, 2026

Konnor Griffin, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates

Current Rank: SS3

Current SS1: Bobby Witt Jr.

Konnor Griffin was a borderline top-10 dynasty asset before he got the call, even though he plays at the deepest position in fantasy baseball. While he was unable to break camp with the MLB roster, it did not take long for the Pirates to promote him to a top-ranked prospect in the game.

Griffin needed just five games at Triple-A before moving up to the Steel City. While Griffin is currently on the injured list (for the second time this season) due to a torn tendon in his finger, the upside he flashed during his first stint in the majors was borderline elite.

Through 59 games, the 20-year-old posted a .276/.332/.404 line with five home runs and an eye-catching 20 stolen bases. The key underlying metric to note was his 89th percentile bat speed.

Despite being only 20 years old and his raw power potentially not fully realized, Griffin was making hard contact with the ball. His 113.2 mph max exit velocity ranked him in the top 10% of the sport. While his overall 37.0% hard-hit rate was not remarkable, the raw production is there and could have been the catalyst for a major second-half breakout.

The 20-year-old also ranked in the 99th percentile in sprint speed, which allowed him to swipe 20 bags over 59 games. On a 162-game pace, Griffin could have stolen 55 bags in his debut campaign.

While the power has yet to fully translate, Griffin hit 21 home runs in his first MiLB season back in 2025 over a 122-game stint (in which he also swiped 65 bags).

Even though Griffin faces a tough task in surpassing both Elly De La Cruz and Bobby Witt Jr. in the SS rankings, he has the talent to do so. If Griffin had stayed healthy, he could have made a strong case to be near 2027 as the No. 2 SS and potentially even sit just behind Witt in the rankings.

The former top-ranked prospect has 25/60 upside and should sit within the top 5 of most dynasty rankings at the start of the 2027 season.

Kevin McGonigle, 3B/SS, Detroit Tigers

Current Rank: 3B2

Current 3B1: Junior Caminero

While McGonigle is eligible at both SS and 3B on most platforms, for the sake of this piece, we will treat him as a primary third baseman. McGonigle saw his fantasy stock soar in spring training when he held a .250/.411/.477 line, which earned him a spot on the Opening Day roster.

McGonigle has since held an everyday role in the starting lineup, appearing in 93 contests. Over his first stretch in the majors, the former top-ranked prospect has posted a .283/.392/.420 line with a solid .812 OPS. McGonigle has hit 18 doubles, eight home runs and swiped 11 bags.

The most notable component in his profile is his on-base skills. His current .392 OBP places him fifth in the National League, which is quite impressive for a 21-year-old. He has also struck out at a low 13.6% rate and has drawn walks at a higher 14.5% rate (94th percentile).

These marks are sustainable, as evidenced by his 99th-percentile chase% (18.0%) and 91st-percentile whiff rate (15.9%).

While this makes him an immensely valuable asset in dynasty points leagues, his long-term profile may not push him into the No. 1 spot at his position. Unfortunately, McGonigle will be lined up against one of the game's top sluggers in Junior Caminero, who is a threat to hit 40 home runs for likely the next decade, a feat McGonigle will not match.

However, the Tigers infielder should continue to chip in solid power and speed totals, likely pushing for a 20/20 finish for most of his prime.

Those in points leagues could see an outcome where McGonigle's is nearly just as valuable as Caminero, especially if your format punishes strikeouts with a -1 score. Despite this, even if McGonigle remains the clear No. 2 option at the hot corner, his long-term value should not be diminished. He is currently the No. 18 player in Eric Cross' rankings and has a path to entering the top 15.

JJ Wetherholt, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals

Current Rank: 2B3

Current 2B1: Fernando Tatis Jr.

The final hitter we will spotlight in this piece is St. Louis' JJ Wetherholt. Wetherholt also broke camp with the MLB roster like McGonigle. Through his first 90 games in the majors, the former seventh-round pick has posted a .259/.356/.399-line with 10 doubles, 13 home runs, and nine stolen bases.

While his slash line may not blow you away, his underlying metrics suggest he could take an impressive step forward down the stretch.

Currently, Wetherholt is sitting at a .261 xBA and a .435 xSLG, both well above his surface marks, especially in slugging. He has also generated a high-end 45.5% hard-hit rate, 37.0% LA Sweet-Spot%, and a 29.8% Squashed-Up%, all of which place him well above the average marks.

Back in 2025, his first full season in the minor leagues, Wetherholt posted a .510 SLG with a dominant .931 OPS, suggesting he possesses the raw power; it just has yet to translate to the major leagues.

While he is impacting the ball hard, he needs to improve his Pull IR% to truly emerge as a legitimate power hitter at the keystone. Currently, his 15.2% Pull AIR% places him just below the average marks, which has significantly hindered his home-run output. If Wetherholt can optimize his swing, his home run total should soar down the stretch.

On Cross' rankings, he sits No. 33 at the position, behind the underwhelming Tatis Jr. and the power/speed threat Brice Turang. While Tatis could be on his way down, Turang continues to showcase a very favorable fantasy profile.

Like McGongile, Wetherholt's impressive eye at the dish (15.7% K%, 9.8% BB%) raises his floor; he needs to raise his power totals to truly compete for the top spot at the position. Expect him to continue to climb from his current No. 31 spot on Cross' rankings.

JJ Wetherholt leadoff homer! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/0eLUDyZAxj

— MLB (@MLB) April 30, 2026

Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Current Rank: SP2

Current SP1: Paul Skenes (not including Shohei Ohtani)

While these hitters have taken a massive step forward and put themselves on the high end of dynasty managers' radar, there may not be a player whose stock has risen more than Jacob Misiorowski's. Misiorowski made his MLB debut in 2025, and while he showed elite talent at times, the growing pains were apparent.

Across his first 66 MLB frames, Misiorowski posted a 4.36 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP. He struck out an impressive 87 hitters over this stretch, but also carried a hefty 11.0% walk rate, which inflated his WHIP.

While there were concerns about a potential innings limit heading into 2026, his raw upside was unmatched. Despite his struggles last summer, Misiorowski's four-seamer generated an eye-catching 32.5% whiff rate with a .298 xwOBA, which set the stage well for a sophomore breakout.

So far, Misiorowski has lived up to his lofty expectations. Across 18 starts (111 innings), the 24-year-old is the clear favorite for the NL Cy Young, posting a 1.62 ERA and a sharp 0.76 WHIP. During this stretch, Misiorowski has racked up 167 punchouts (39.6% K%, 99th percentile) while allowing walks at a low rate of 6.4%, placing him in the 81st percentile.

When looking at his pitch usage over his first two seasons, the only noticeable change has been the further reliance on his fastball, which has been the catalyst for his breakout. As shown in the visual below, he has thrown his four-seamer 63.1% of the time this season, a stark jump from the 55.2% rate he held back in 2025.

Even while deployed at a higher rate, his four-seamer has remained among the best pitches in the game. So far, his four-seamer (which has averaged 100.5 mph) has generated a 41.0% whiff rate with an even better .228 xwOBA.

He has also added a cutter (his No. 2 pitch), which has generated a strong .255 xwOBA with a 20.7% whiff rate. His secondaries (his curveball and slider) have both generated whiff rates above 31.0% and xwOBAs below .240.

His pace is quite unusual, as evidenced in his overall 2.05 xERA and .171 xBA, both of which place him in the 99th percentile.

The major question is if he will surpass Paul Skenes as the overall dynasty SP1. While Skenes has shown he can be the SP1 over multiple MLB seasons, Misiorowski has yet to demonstrate it. His raw talent per inning has clearly surpassed Skenes', but the workload remains a potential roadblock.

For now, his strikeout upside and gradually improving command have put him just above Skenes entering the second half. If he can maintain this pace, he should be the clear SP1 ahead of the 2027 season across all dynasty formats.

More Fantasy Baseball Advice