Post-Hype Home Run Hitters - Fantasy Baseball Breakouts for 2026

March 12, 2026

Jamie's post-hype fantasy baseball home run sleepers for 2026 - power hitters primed for breakout fantasy baseball seasons. Draft these HR sleepers for upside.

Once the shine has faded, baseball players get cast aside by fantasy managers far too easily and quickly. One down season, or a year of not fulfilling unrealistic expectations, can see fantasy managers turn their attention to another new and shiny object.

It's those players who have been ignored in drafts so far that we're focusing on here. Specifically, those who have power and can help with home runs. If your team looks like it's lacking a bit of pop as you head into the later rounds of your draft, these five players could help rectify that.

ADP (Average Draft Position) is taken from NFBC (National Fantasy Baseball Championship) since the start of February. Don't forget to download our free mobile app with alerts and to follow the RotoBaller team on X for all your offseason news and articles.

Jac Caglianone, OF, Kansas City Royals

ADP: 204.7

It might be tough stating that Caglianone is a post-hype sleeper. But considering how highly touted he was when drafted by the Royals and how high we see some rookies drafted in fantasy every year, Caglianone seems like a forgotten child—lost in the commotion—shunned by the fantasy community.

In truth, this is probably the highest Caglianone's ADP will ever be. Despite only being drafted in 2024, the Royals promoted Caglianone last year. His first taste of Major League Baseball was forgettable. In 62 games, Caglianone hit .157/.237/.295, with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs, and one stolen base.

His expected numbers suggest that Caglianone was better than that. He had a .237 xBA (expected batting average) and a .431 xSLG (expected slugging percentage). Neither of them is elite by any means, but both would have been impressive rookie numbers for someone so green.

We should also remember what Caglianone's scouting report was like. On the 20-80 scouting grade, his power potential was generally graded 70-80. Meaning his power potential was well above average and potentially elite. The power potential certainly hasn't diminished.

If that wasn't enough to get excited about, let's not forget that the Royals are bringing in and lowering their outfield walls for 2026. The graphic below from MLB.com shows the extent of the changes. Something sure to help Caglianone and his teammates improve their offensive numbers this year.

There are more than enough reasons to believe Caglianone can kick on and have a really impressive season in 2026. Last year, Nick Kurtz justifiably took all the headlines from the 2024 draft class. Don't be surprised if it's Caglianone who is making headlines of his own in 2026.

Jake Burger, 1B, Texas Rangers

ADP: 253.45

Burger's first season in Texas couldn't have gone much worse. After hitting 63 homers with a .250/.305/.488 slash line over the two previous seasons (with the White Sox and Marlins), 2025 was a massive letdown. In 103 games, Burger hit .236/.269/.419 with 16 home runs, 53 RBI, 43 runs, and one stolen base.

On May 1, Burger was sporting a .190/.231/.330 slash line, which saw him get demoted to the minors. Burger returned to the majors within a couple of weeks but dealt with various injuries throughout the season. Burger had three separate IL (Injured List) stints.

Despite the health problems, Burger improved as the season went on. We can see from the graph below how all three facets of his slash line crept up throughout the year.

The end-of-season slump can be attributed to Burger's wrist injury. Something he ultimately had surgery on this offseason. Burger was fully cleared to resume baseball activities and has been featured in the Rangers' early spring training games. There shouldn't be much concern about lingering issues.

After returning to the Rangers following his May demotion, Burger hit .254/.284/.453 with 13 homers in 73 games. They're similar to the numbers he put up in the two years before joining Texas. While Burger's home ballpark isn't ideal, he should still be able to put up the power numbers in 2026 that we expected last year.

Mark Vientos, 3B, New York Mets

ADP: 364.52

While Caglianone might be too inexperienced to be considered a post-hype sleeper, Vientos certainly is one. After teasing us with his power in 2023 as a rookie, Vientos had a standout 2024 season. That year, Vientos hit 27 homers in 111 games with a .266/.322/.516 slash line.

It's little wonder why Vientos had an ADP of ~95 last year. He failed to deliver for fantasy managers. In 2025, Vientos hit .233/.289/.413 with  17 home runs, 61 RBI, 44 runs, and one stolen base (121 games). He ended the season without a starting role for the Mets.

It's not like Vientos stopped making good contact with the baseball. He also made more contact than before, lowering his 29.7% K% in 2024 to a 24.8% K% in 2025. We can see from his Statcast Profile that Vientos still hit the ball hard in 2025.

Vientos enters 2026 without a clear role. Brett Baty's 2025 performances saw him overtake Vientos in the pecking order. In the offseason, the Mets acquired Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, and Marcus Semien as they sought to rebuild their infield, pushing Vientos to the outside.

It seems like Vientos will be starting the year on the short side of a platoon as the Mets' DH (Designated Hitter), although a trade is still a possibility. If he performs as he did in 2024, it won't be long until Vientos is a regular in a lineup. It's not like he can't hit right-handed pitching (RHP) either.

Vientos has a career .230/.292/.427 slash line against RHP, with a 100 wRC+. Not much worse than his 110 wRC+ and .258/.299/.461 slash line against LHP. It wouldn't take much for Vientos to get a run in the lineup, and he's still got plenty of power to help our fantasy teams when he does.

Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

ADP: 350.98

By now, most fantasy managers will be sick and tired of hearing about a "Jordan Walker breakout incoming". I am too. However, that doesn't mean you should ignore the news and just completely discard something that may turn out to be relevant. I'm talking about Walker's offseason activity.

After the 2025 season ended, in which Walker hit a disappointing .215/.278/.306 (111 games), he set out to improve his hitting. That resulted in a trip to Driveline. For those of you who don't know, Driveline has been credited with helping many players improve their swing and production.

Sprint speeds nice. Trotting around the bases? Even better 😎 Jordan Walker getting after it early this offseason alongside @AndrewAydt pic.twitter.com/4JagfJR2mE

— Driveline Baseball (@DrivelineBB) October 9, 2025

One recent standout case is that of J.P. Crawford. Having never hit double-digit home runs in a season before, Crawford visited Driveline after the 2022 season. In 2023, he hit 19 homers and had a career-best .266/.380/.438 slash line. He also hit fewer groundballs than ever before.

Entering 2023, Crawford had a career 44.3% GB% (ground-ball rate). In 2023, Crawford had a 39.1% GB%. The reason that's important is due to Walker's propensity to hit groundballs. Walker had a 47.9% GB% last year, the same as his career mark.

As someone who had a 50% hard-hit rate last year and a 99th-percentile bat speed, hitting ground balls is going to be even more disappointing than usual. Even if Driveline helps Walker elevate the ball just a fraction more, we could finally see the breakout we've been waiting for.

This is someone who hit 16 home runs in 117 games as a rookie in 2023. His work with Driveline might come to nothing. But it will only cost you a last-round pick to find out if it has worked. If it did, Walker could end up being the 30-homer hitter many dreamed he'd be after his rookie season.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

ADP: 716.43

Encarnacion-Strand is very much a deep league or NL-only league pick. Like Walker, he teased his power potential in 2023, hitting 13 homers in 63 games as a rookie. Like Walker, he's not come close to replicating those numbers since.

Encarnacion-Strand has managed only 65 games over the last two seasons and hit just .199/.227/.337 in that time. Partly down to injuries, and partly down to poor performances. The outcome is that Encarnacion-Strand currently doesn't have a role to start 2026.

He's not been helped by a hamstring issue that's delayed his participation in spring training games. With the emergence of Sal Stewart and the acquisition of Eugenio Suarez, Encarnacion-Strand's chances of making the Opening Day roster seem bleak, but not impossible.

It will probably take an injury or two for Encarnacion-Strand to make the 26-man roster. He does have two minor-league options, after all, but let's say he performs well in camp. He hits for power, and Reds' coaches remember what he did in 2023.

And let's say the Reds do experience an injury or two. Just like that, everyone will start boarding the Encarnacion-Strand hype train once again. Wouldn't it be better if you used your last pick of the draft to take Encarnacion-Strand and drove the hype train, rather than boarding it late?

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