Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 3)

April 12, 2026

Jarod's hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, and risers to watch for Week 3 of 2026. His list includes waiver wire outlooks and underachieving hitters.

Welcome back to my Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 3 of the 2026 MLB regular season. The focus of this article is to highlight players who could be on the verge of a breakout, citing current active hitting streaks along with recent leaders in batting average, isolated power (ISO), stolen bases, and more.

We're just two weeks into the season, so there can be anomalies due to the small sample size, but we'll take a look nonetheless to see if there are some worthwhile waiver pickups or DFS plays. This week, we'll check in on some hot names like Oneil Cruz, Jo Adell, and Sal Stewart.

Note that when we talk about availability or position eligibility here, we're referring to players' rostership in Yahoo! leagues. So, who should fantasy managers consider grabbing off the waiver wire after the second week of the season, or even plug into their DFS lineup in the coming week? Let's check it out below!

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Hit Streak Leaders

Data through 4/8

Oneil Cruz (eight games)

After batting a paltry .200 last season, Oneil Cruz has gotten off to a good start at the plate in 2026. He's now riding an eight-game hit streak, during which time he's gone 12-for-34 (.353), which includes all four of the home runs he's hit this season. The left-handed slugger also has a pair of doubles in there, 12 RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base.

Oneil Cruz lines a two-run shot to straightaway center 🚀 pic.twitter.com/p1NfbwJSrH

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

While all that is good, a 31.4 percent strikeout is almost identical to last year's number, and he's walked just twice in 51 plate appearances (3.9 percent). Also, while his barrel and hard-hit rates remain high, the 27-year-old's chase rate (32.8 percent), contact rate (57.8 percent), and swinging-strike rate (18.4 percent) are much worse than 2025's numbers.

There has always been potential with Cruz, but as it stands, this looks like a streak that doesn't have much legs to it. He could be a sell-high candidate; just make sure to account for the steals you'd be giving up (38 last year).

Jo Adell (five games)

Jo Adell's bat is heating up of late, as he's collected a hit in five straight games and multiple hits in three straight. The former first-rounder's first extra-base hit of the season, a home run, has come during this stretch, as did his only stolen base of the year.

The right-handed slugger blasted 37 home runs a season ago, but it came with a .236 batting average on the back of an elevated strikeout rate of 26.4 percent. Still, an xBA of .260 suggested the results should have been better. The strikeout rate has dropped to a better-than-average rate of 19.2 percent thus far in 2026, and if he can keep it up, the former top prospect could have a big season in store.

Notably for DFS players, his homer came off a left-handed pitcher, and last season he hit them much better than right-handers, recording a .393 wOBA and 154 wRC+ vs. LHP compared to a .319 wOBA and 103 wRC+ against RHP; something to keep in mind for future matchups.

Max Muncy (five games)

The Athletics' Max Muncy has had a solid start to the year, now riding a five-game hit streak and hitting safely in nine of 11 games. As it stands, the former first-round draft pick is hitting .302 with three doubles, a pair of home runs, five RBI, 10 runs scored, and one steal, good for a .369 wOBA and 137 wRC+.

Muncy Mash 👏 pic.twitter.com/oKighzfZlT

— Athletics (@Athletics) April 4, 2026

Like Cruz, Muncy's 34.1 percent strikeout rate is a bit concerning, particularly since it has come with just a 2.3 percent walk rate and 44.9 percent chase rate, but the right-handed hitter is rolling right now, so fantasy managers looking for a hot infield bat could give him a look. The 23-year-old is available in almost half of leagues, and eligibility at 2B, 3B, and SS makes him even more appealing.

Update: Muncy extended his streak to six games on Thursday 4/9, going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and a run scored

Highest Batting Average Last Seven Days

Data through 4/8, minimum 13 at-bats

Ildemaro Vargas (.538 BA)

Ildemaro Vargas is making the most of his playing time in the early going of 2026, and you may have noticed his name in the first table at the top of the page, as he's currently riding a six-game hit streak after collecting at least one hit in each game he's played this year.

The switch-hitter has shown a little pop, too, with one double, one triple, and one home run during this stretch. The Venezuelan has shown the ability to put the bat on the ball at a good rate during his career, with a career contact rate of 87.0 percent and a low strikeout rate of 11.1 percent. It helped produce a .270 batting average in limited action last season (38 games).

The injury to Carlos Santana (groin) could open some additional playing time at first, and while fantasy managers shouldn't bank on many home runs, the 34-year-old could provide a decent batting average with some RBIs while hitting sixth in the order. The veteran is eligible at both 1B and 2B, and could also gain 3B eligibility at some point with one start there so far this season. He's available in nearly every league.

Update: Vargas went 1-for-4 on Thursday with a walk, a double, and a run scored

Javier Baez (.462 BA)

After a slow start, Javier Baez has three multi-hit games in his last four, going 6-for-13 (.462) over that stretch with a pair of doubles. His bat may be waking up, similar to the way it did last year when he slashed .285/.323/.460 through the end of June and earned his third All-Star nomination.

The veteran cooled off in the second half, but if he goes on a similar run, the right-handed slugger could prove useful for fantasy. He's locked into the nine-hole, which isn't ideal, but if he keeps hitting, then he may ascend the order, which would increase his appeal. He's also eligible at 2B, 3B, SS, and OF, so the 33-year-old could plug plenty of holes for managers in need, and is available in most leagues.

Update: Baez went 2-for-4 on Thursday with a single and a double

Highest ISO Last Seven Days

Data through 4/8, minimum 13 at-bats

Jordan Walker (.480 ISO)

With five home runs in 12 games on the season, Jordan Walker has already almost eclipsed his total of six home runs in 111 games from 2025. Four of the five home runs have come in his last five games alone, during which time he's gone 8-for-21 (.381) with nine RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base.

Jordan Walker launches his 4th home run in his last 5 games! pic.twitter.com/iFIsELL7fG

— MLB (@MLB) April 8, 2026

The strikeout rate remains high at 28.6 percent, but he's also drawing walks at a career-high rate of 10.2 percent so far, and if he continues to hit for power, then the high strikeout rate can be tolerated. The 6-foot-6 slugger hit 20 home runs between Triple-A and the majors back in 2023, and is registering 99th-percentile bat speed this year, so the power is real, and the production should continue.

He likely won't hit .295 all season, but at just 23 years old, he may be starting to put it all together. The former first-round draft pick is available in over 35 percent of leagues.

Mickey Moniak (.429 ISO)

Mickey Moniak had a delayed start to the season due to a sprained finger suffered late in spring training, but has now collected at least one hit in each of the five games he's started (0-for-1 as a pinch hitter). The left-handed slugger is hitting .286 with three home runs in 21 at-bats, which comes on the heels of a career-best 24-homer season in 2025.

The former first-overall draft pick does most of his damage against right-handed pitching, producing a 119 wRC+ against RHP last year compared to a 54 wRC+ against LHP, so fantasy managers should be selective as to when to deploy him. For managers interested in his services, the 27-year-old is available in over 80 percent of leagues.

Update: Moniak went 0-for-3 on Thursday

Most Steals Last Seven Days

Data through 4/8

Nasim Nunez (four SBs)

Nasim Nunez appeared here last week and has since stolen four more bags, putting him in a tie for the major league lead with Bobby Witt Jr., with seven steals. The former second-round draft pick has 97th-percentile sprint speed and swiped 45 bags between Triple-A and the majors last year, so the speed is legit.

The problem is the hitting, as he's batting just .184 thus far and is walking at a less-than-average rate of 7.1 percent. Even with decent contact rates in 2024 and 2025, the switch-hitter produced just a .238 AVG with an xBA of .216, along with a wOBA of .302 and an xwOBA of .284, so there isn't a ton of hope it will get much better.

If you're a manager needing to make up ground in steals, Nunez could fit the bill; just know that it could come at the expense of batting average. The 25-year-old is still available in most leagues.

Sal Stewart (three SBs)

Sal Stewart showed well in 18 games with the big league club last season, producing five home runs and an .839 OPS. The power was expected after belting 20 home runs prior to his call-up, and the right-handed hitter is off to a hot start in 2026 as well, now batting .366 with three home runs and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven).

The surprising part is seeing him with three steals already. He's produced double-digit steals seasons in the minors, but with a 35th-percentile sprint speed, there weren't high expectations of having an impact in this category as a major leaguer. The 22-year-old can tentatively be considered a five-category producer, and even if the pace of steals drops from here, he's still going to be a four-category stalwart.

Sal Stewart CRUSHES his third home run of the season for Cincinnati 💣#Reds pic.twitter.com/Y8FWb0rGaW

— Milb Central (@milb_central) April 9, 2026

The odds-on favorite for NL Rookie of the Year at the moment is available in nearly 20 percent of leagues, but should be rostered everywhere until further notice. He could gain eligibility at 3B at some point this season as well.

Update: Stewart went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run on Thursday

xwOBA Underachievers April 2 - April 8

Michael Harris II (.247 vs. .376)

If Michael Harris II ever gets off to a hot start, he could be one of the top fantasy assets around, but this year is looking much like last year, unfortunately. Last season, the left-handed slugger hit .239 through the end of May before cratering in June with a .148 AVG. However, the former NL Rookie of the Year was one of the hottest hitters in baseball for the next two months and finished with a .249 AVG, 20 home runs, and 20 steals.

Despite hitting just .213 as of this writing, the former third-round draft pick owns career-bests in K%, chase rate, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate thus far, with an xBA of .294. His xwOBA is also 129 points higher than his wOBA, so perhaps he's on the verge of getting going. The 25-year-old could be a good buy-low candidate.

xwOBA Overachievers April 2 - April 8

Andy Pages (.490 vs. .350)

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