How To Win The First Three Rounds - Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategies and Players To Target (2026)

We are in the best time of the year for fantasy baseball players; yes, it is draft season. Some sites allow us now to draft year-round, but many of us wait until February to delve into those first drafts. And that time is here. In the first three rounds of your draft, you are looking […]

Exit Velocity Standouts (EV50) - Power Hitters On The Rise for Fantasy Baseball (2026)

We have so many advanced stats available on Baseball Savant, allowing us to dive deeper beyond average exit velocity. We're using Exit Velocity 50 (EV50), which Baseball Savant defines as the average of the hardest 50 percent of a player's batted balls, giving us a somewhat reliable metric for averaging exit velocity on flyballs and line […]

Rafael Devers Being Shut Down for 2-4 Days With Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) is being withheld from all activity for the next two to four days due to left-hamstring tightness, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. The Giants scratched Devers from the Cactus League game on Friday, and now they will hold him out for […]

Alec Burleson Carries a Safe Production Floor Heading into 2026

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Alec Burleson had a rock-solid season in 2025, hitting .290/.343/.459 with 18 home runs, 69 RBI, 54 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 546 plate appearances. The 27-year-old upped his barrel rate from 6.5% in 2024 to 9.8% in 2025 while still limiting his swing-and-miss and posting a 14.5% […]

Tyler Soderstrom Off to Strong Start This Spring

Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's Cactus League win over the Texas Rangers, and he's gone 3-for-7 with two RBI, two runs, a walk, and a strikeout in his three spring games. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is part of the A's exciting mix of young […]

Rafael Devers Scratched With Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) was scratched from Friday's Cactus League game against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a tight left hamstring, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. For now, Devers will be considered day-to-day until we know more about the severity of his injury. If […]

Later-Round First Base Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers, Values: Cheap Hitters With Upside

Spring training is in full swing, and we are getting close to some of the biggest draft weekends for the 2026 fantasy baseball season. At RotoBaller, we already released our middle-round draft values and targets series, and today we're back with our later-round fantasy baseball draft sleepers series to help crush your upcoming fantasy drafts. […]

Samuel Basallo Not Expected to Undergo Further Testing

Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (abdomen) is not expected to undergo further testing. The top prospect was removed from Thursday's game with an abdominal injury, but it appears the move was precautionary. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status over the next few days, but Basallo looks to have avoided a serious injury. […]

Charlie Condon Enjoying Hot Start to Spring Games

Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon has been among the top hitters throughout the opening week of spring training games. The former third overall selection from the 2024 MLB Draft has gone 6-for-10 with two home runs and a 2:2 K:BB. The 22-year-old is in the mix to claim the starting first base job, […]

A's Offer Long-Term Extension to Nick Kurtz

The Athletics have made a long-term extension offer to American League Rookie of the Year first baseman Nick Kurtz, two sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post. There's no word on whether the two sides will actually get something done this spring, but the team has done pre-arbitration extensions with outfielder Lawrence Butler, […]

7 Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions - Eric Cross' 2026 Picks

One of my favorite articles to write every pre-season is my bold predictions article here on RotoBaller. Why? Well, a bold predictions article can be both fun and informative. Many of these won't come true, but they're bold predictions for a reason. But at the same time, while the chances are slim, there's an element […]

5 Infield Breakout Candidates for Fantasy Baseball (2026)

One of the most important parts of preseason strategy is identifying breakout candidates at each position who vastly outperform their draft day cost. It’s easy to lock in an elite player in the early rounds or take a chance on some lottery tickets in the last handful of rounds, but identifying the values in the […]

2026 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft - RotoBaller Staff's Favorite Picks and Roster Strategies

Hey RotoBallers! Fantasy baseball season is in full swing (pun intended), and it's time to begin enacting our offseason research into mock drafts. Mock drafts are the perfect way for you to simulate a real-draft experience and get a feel of which players will be available for you at your respective picks. This is now […]

Fantasy Baseball Post-Hype Sleepers: Infield Breakout Candidates for 2026

Targeting post-hype sleepers is one of the best ways to find upside in the later rounds of fantasy baseball drafts. Everyone is enamored with the "shiny new toy," so going after those who have lost their luster makes a ton of sense when looking for value. Just look at Jo Adell last year. He was […]

Triston Casas Thinks he Could be Ready by Opening Day

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee) is holding out hope that he'll be ready to play by Opening Day in late March, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "I still have a couple benchmarks like sliding and running bases that I haven't tackled yet that I want to feel perfectly comfortable going into […]

Ryan O'Hearn Could See a Career High in Plate Appearances in 2026

Across 544 plate appearances split between the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres in 2025, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn posted a .281/.366/.437 slash line with 17 home runs, 63 RBI, 67 runs scored, and three stolen bases. O'Hearn's solid season landed him a two-year deal with the Pirates, where he could lock down […]

Romy Gonzalez Not Expected to be Ready for Opening Day

Boston Red Sox infielder/outfielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) does not see himself being ready for Opening Day, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Gonzalez expressed that his ramp-up would be "too quick" if he tried to be ready for Opening Day. Last season, Gonzalez appeared in a career-high 96 games at the MLB level and looked […]

Jonathon Long Takes Swings on Tuesday, Progressing Through Injury

Chicago Cubs first base prospect Jonathon Long (elbow) took some swings on Tuesday, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Long suffered this injury during a spring training contest over the week but appears to be progressing rather well. Cubs manager Craig Counsell also noted that is "soreness is dissipating." Montemurro also noted that […]

Blaine Crim Suffers Oblique Strain

Colorado Rockies first baseman Blaine Crim (oblique) left Monday's Cactus League game with an oblique strain, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. It's unclear how serious Crim's oblique injury is, but it definitely won't help his cause in the competition at first base this spring. The 28-year-old made his major-league debut last year with the […]

Top 75 First Base Fantasy Baseball Rankings: February Updates

All teams have reported to spring training, and actual baseball is being played. Baseball is officially back! Opening Day is right around the corner, giving fantasy managers a brief period to draft their teams. At Rotoballer, we continue our positional rankings series with our updated 2026 fantasy baseball first base rankings and tiers for roto […]

Moises Ballesteros Officially Reports to Camp

Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros officially reported to camp on Sunday. The young backstop had his start to the 2026 campaign delayed by visa issues, but was finally able to join the Cubs. The 22-year-old is expected to immediately begin the season in a lead role on the offense, likely serving as the primary […]

Guardians Sign Rhys Hoskins to Minor-League Deal

The Cleveland Guardians have signed free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. Hoskins is coming off a down year in 2025, which likely impacted his free agent value. Last season, Hoskins slashed .237/.332/.416 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI across 90 games with the Milwaukee Brewers. […]

Christopher Morel is Getting Comfortable at First Base

Miami Marlins infielder Christopher Morel is feeling more comfortable at first base, according to Christina De Nicola. Morel got his first taste at first base during Saturday's Grapefruit League contest against the New York Mets. He received praise from manager Clayton McCullough following Saturday's win. Morel signed a one-year deal with the Marlins during the […]

5 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Risers, Sleepers: Breakout Rookies for 2026

Every season, managers look to find league-winning prospects in the final rounds of their draft. Last season, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz took the crown, as he finished as a top-15 hitter in all formats. In this piece, we will spotlight five high-upside prospects who could make a major impact in the majors this season. […]

Every MLB Team's Greatest Defensive Player of All Time

Many of the sport's greatest players are credited with their ability to make an impact on the defensive side of the game. And today's we're here to talk about the best defensive players of all time, for each MLB team. While some MLB teams have very clear choices, others do not have the same illustrious […]

MLB Rookies Who Surged In September - 2026 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, Draft Values

Last year's rookie class was a strong one. There were several rookies who came in and made an immediate impact on fantasy teams. Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony, Drake Baldwin, and Cade Horton were all solid fantasy options as rookies in 2025, and some were even league winners. Even players like Noah Cameron, Jack […]

Jonathon Long Exits With Left-Elbow Sprain

Chicago Cubs first baseman Jonathon Long (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's Cactus League matchup versus the Texas Rangers. Long suffered a left elbow sprain while attempting to make a catch at first base. The timetable for his injury is unknown right now, but Long is expected to miss some time. […]

Can Andrew Vaughn Repeat 2025 Breakout Success?

Once a former top prospect with the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn was demoted to Triple-A while still with the White Sox organization in the middle of 2025. A mid-season trade to Milwaukee provided the 27-year-old with a second chance, and he took advantage of the opportunity. Across 254 plate appearances […]

Can Yandy Diaz Repeat 2025 Power Surge?

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman/designated hitter Yandy Diaz had an excellent season in 2025, hitting .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 651 plate appearances. Diaz has established himself as one of fantasy baseball's best sources of batting average, particularly relative to his position. He's hit .291 […]

Sal Stewart Playing Second Base in First Spring Training Outing

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is playing second base and batting cleanup in the team's first Spring Training matchup of 2026 on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians. Stewart, who made his Major League debut as a 21-year-old in 2025, played both corner infield spots in his first stint with the Reds. However, it appears as […]