Jonathan Aranda 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Decent but Limited Bat Available in the Later Rounds
Jonathan Aranda enjoyed a breakout 2025, slashing .316/.393/.489 with 14 homers in 422 PAs. Those numbers were largely predicated on a .409 BABIP backed by an unsustainable 25.9 LD% (20.6 career), so fantasy managers shouldn't expect a repeat. Aranda doesn't have an MLB-level steal and is unlikely to slug 20+ homers, limiting his fantasy juice. The Rays aggressively platooned Aranda last year, limiting him to 98 PAs against southpaws. He didn't fare too badly in that sample (.274/.378/.345 with a homer), but Tampa Bay is notorious for lineup optimizations and might limit Aranda's exposure to lefties again. The Rays also return to Tropicana Field this season, a stadium that has historically skewed pitcher-friendly after spending 2025 in a minor league park. He lost eligibility after not appearing in a single game at 2B in 2025. On the bright side, Aranda projects in the middle of Tampa Bay's order and should improve on last season's 25.4 K% given his 29.7 percent chase rate and 11 SwStr%. Aranda is best seen as a volume play with platoon risk who should help with average, runs, and RBI, making his 182.36 ADP fair value.
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