February 8, 2026

Varsho only played in 71 games last season due to injury, but his power numbers absolutely exploded in limited action. He slugged 20 home runs and had a .310 ISO in 271 PA. His career ISO is .203 and he'd only been above .200 once before last season. What led to such a surge? The biggest positive changes for Varsho were an improvement in barrel rate and average exit velocity. His barrel rate jumped to 15.9% compared to an 8.6% career mark, and his average exit velocity went from 86.1 mph in 2024 to 89.9 mph in 2025. Varsho is a big time flyball hitter, with a 23.5-degree average launch angle last season. That makes the improvements in barrel rate and exit velocity all the more effective, since he's elevating the ball so much. Even with these gains, it's hard to fully buy into Varsho's breakout. He had a 21.3% HR/FB ratio last season, 8% higher than his career average. He also struck out a career high 28.3% of the time, which will likely lead to streakiness going forward. It's also tough to believe he can sustain a 15.9% barrel rate over a full season since it's such a stark jump compared to previous years. It's really tough to believe he can sustain a .310 ISO all season, as that would make him one of the game's elite power hitters. The good thing is, Varsho doesn't have to fully repeat to have value at cost. He can be had around pick 200, and if he stays healthy and maintains some of these games he could threaten for 30 home runs. Throw in the possibility of double-digit steals, and he could wind up being a great value in 2026. That's only if everything goes right, but at this price it may be worth the risk.--Elliott Baas