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Kipp's must-have fantasy baseball draft targets and studs for auction leagues in 2026. His favorite top-priced auction value picks that are worth the cost.
Auction drafts are a bit different than your typical snake draft, as I am sure you are well aware if you are reading this article. That being said, there is more freedom in the auction draft, as you are not beholden to the player drafting in front of or behind you; you get to choose the amount you are willing to spend.
Of course, it is often making the right decisions with the big names that set your roster apart, most notably, how much you are willing to spend on them or not spend. You don't want to spend all of your money on players not worth the cost or on too many sleeper-like players.
In this article, we will highlight players with average auction values above $20 (taken from NFBC drafts as of February 15) that should offer the most value. Be sure to check out more of RotoBaller's fantasy baseball auction draft articles as well.
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Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
$48 AAV (Average Auction Value)
The most obvious pick for the top-dollar player would likely be Shohei Ohtani, but since most leagues break him up into a pitcher and a hitter (two separate players), we are going to start this article with Aaron Judge, as his value at under $50 is pretty much undeniable.
Judge had another monster season in 2025, slashing .331/.457/.688, with 53 HRs, 114 RBI, 137 R, and even racked up 12 SBs. The stolen bases are worth noting, as they were the second-most in Judge's career and allowed him to get to double digits for the third time in his career. As expected, the power metrics were off the charts as well.
Overall, Judge ranked in the 92nd percentile in every power metric imaginable. Most notable were his hard-hit rate of 58.2% (99th percentile), 95.4 mph average exit velocity (100th percentile), .708 xSLG (100th percentile), and 24.7% barrel rate (100th percentile). He is truly a marvel, not only in raw stats but also in metrics.
He will also contribute strong on-base skills to your lineup, as noted by the 18.3% walk rate, which ranked him in the 100th percentile. He also has the benefit of playing in Yankee Stadium and frequently takes advantage of the short porch in right field. He has also put together double-digit stolen base seasons in three of the previous four years.
Quite frankly, I could not think of a better way to spend your draft allocation than Judge at a current AAV of $48,
Tarik Skubal, SP, Detroit Tigers
$41 AAV (Average Auction Value)
Tarik Skubal was mentioned in this article last season, and I like him even more heading into his final season under contract with the Detroit Tigers. He will be as motivated as ever this season and will likely set the market as the top starting pitcher in free agency next offseason.
He wrapped up 2025 with a sterling 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts across 195 1/3 innings pitched. It should come as no surprise that his pitching metrics were off the charts as well. Overall, he ranked in the 95th percentile with a 2.71 xERA. He also posted a superb 35.1% chase rate, which ranked him in the 97th percentile.
Skubal was also great at limiting hard contact, as noted by his 86.1 mph allowed average exit velocity, which ranked him in the 97th percentile. Lastly, he posted a 32.2% K rate and a 4.4% walk rate, both of which ranked him in the 94th percentile or higher.
Quite frankly, you will be hard-pressed to find a better starting pitcher on the market heading into 2026 than Skubal, and that is why I am more than alright with paying up for him in this spot. He will also square off against the AL Central regularly, and it is worth noting that each of the four teams he will face ranked 18th or worse in 2025 in terms of wRC+.
Paul Skenes, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
$39 AAV (Average Auction Value)
Paul Skenes is probably the second-best pitcher in the league heading into 2026, and you could even argue he is the best. He is coming off an NL Cy Young Award-winning season, which saw him rack up 216 strikeouts across 187 2/3 innings pitched while posting a ridiculous 1.97 ERA. He was absolutely outstanding.
His 2.65 xERA was good enough to place him in the 97th percentile, and he also limited hard contact with an average exit velocity allowed of just 87.6 mph. He, like Skubal, also posted a superb strikeout rate and a low walk rate. This is evidenced by his 29.5% K rate (89th percentile) and 5.7% walk rate (87th percentile).
While his metrics are not as sharp as Skubal's, his raw numbers, like ERA, were better. He should be in line for another terrific campaign in 2026 and is the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award once again.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays
$32 AAV (Average Auction Value)
Guerrero is going to take the cake as my favorite player in this article, as I think his current AAV of $33 is too low. He showed exactly what he was capable of last postseason, and I think that momentum carries over in the 2026 season.
He finished 2025 with a slash line of .292/.381/.467, with 23 HR, 84 RBI, 96 R, and even added six stolen bases. While the 23 home runs look relatively low, the power metrics suggest he just got a bit unlucky, and he has also hit 30 or more home runs in four of his first six full big league seasons.
Let's discuss the power metrics, as they were really good. Overall, he posted a hard-hit rate of 50.7%, which ranked him in the 90th percentile. He also posted a 92 mph average exit velocity, which was good enough to rank him in the 88th percentile. His bat speed remained strong as well, and he ranked in the 97th percentile here.
Honestly, there is not much to nitpick at when it comes to Guerrero's season aside from the 23 homers. He makes up for that in every metric out there aside from LA Sweet Spot, which is not worth mulling over. He should certainly outperform last season, and the fact that he has an AAV of just $32 is astonishing.
I will certainly be targeting him in drafts this spring and will not think twice about it.
Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners
$28 AAV (Average Auction Value)
I debated several players for this final spot, but ultimately decided on Cal Raleigh because he plays catcher, the most valuable position in fantasy baseball. If you spend up on Raleigh, you are set at the position, barring an injury, as he played in 159 games last season.
In 2025, he slashed .247/.359/.589 with a whopping 60 HRs, 125 RBI, 110 R, and 97 BB. He also racked up 14 SBs, which is worth noting. The 60 home runs were a bit surprising, but he had hit 30+ home runs in each of the previous two seasons before 2025. The metrics also jumped off the page.
He posted a hard-hit rate of 49.6%, ranking him in the 85th percentile. He also posted a .547 xSLG, which was good enough to rank him in the 96th percentile. Additionally, his barrel rate of 19.5% was good enough to rank him in the 99th percentile.
While I do not think he will repeat the 60-home-run mark, these metrics do suggest he will certainly hit 30 home runs and could very easily land in the mid-40s. At the catcher position, that is invaluable. The fact that his AAV is still just $28 is also rather surprising. Look to grab him in your drafts.
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