Projecting Rest of Season Top 10 Hitters in 2026 Fantasy Baseball

May 25, 2026

Jarod Rupp projects which 10 hitters will finish the season in the top 10 for the 2026 fantasy baseball season as we head into Week 9 of MLB action.

We're nearly two months into the baseball season, and as usual, there are superstars off to slow starts, superstars off to terrific starts, rookies who are surprisingly productive, highly regarded prospects falling flat, post-hype players finally breaking out, and players getting injured, leaving us with a current top 10 that could look very different by season's end.

Some of these players are clearly overachieving and due for a pullback, while others have the offensive chops to keep it going for the rest of the year. There are others lurking outside the top 10 who are currently underachieving, but who are ready to make a push toward the top.

So, who is falling? Who is rising? Read on, and I'll outline the case for or against each player inside the top 10 while providing you with some players who are about to get on a roll to bounce them from their position atop the fantasy hill.

Current Top 10 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball

Here are the top 10 most valuable hitters in 5x5 roto leagues right now, according to Yahoo's player rankings. All stats and standings were current through Thursday, May 21.

Oneil Cruz occupies the top spot for fantasy at the moment, seemingly reaching the full offensive potential that the multi-talented player has to offer. The 6-foot-7 slugger packs plenty of punch in his 6-foot-7 frame, consistently recording some of the highest exit velocities (EV) in the game as he finished 99th percentile in average EV in 2024, 100th percentile in 2025, and currently sits as the average EV leader again in 2026.

He's also had the ability to steal bases, swiping a career high of 38 a season ago, and is on pace to best that number this year (~42 assuming 560 PA). The surprise this season, though, is the batting average.

The left-handed slugger hit a respectable .259 in 2024, but that number fell to a dismal .200 in 2025 with an expected batting average (xBA) of .218. Perhaps the only way to go was up, but at .257, it's a significant improvement over last season. The question is: can he keep it up? Well, read on.

CJ Abrams is the first player on this list who came to the Nationals from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade back in 2022, so that trade is seemingly working out for D.C., as Soto has obviously moved on from San Diego, and Washington has uber-productive pieces in their starting lineup. Abrams is a former sixth-overall draft pick, so he came with some lofty expectations, and appears to finally be living up to them in full.

Drake Baldwin won Rookie of the Year in 2025 and is following that up with an impressive encore that is on pace to dwarf last year's breakout. The left-handed slugger is besting all comers, mashing lefties and righties with equal disregard for their abilities. In fact, his 202 wRC+ against LHP is better than his 133 wRC+ against RHP and ranks sixth-best in the league (min. 50 PA).

You gotta love the Drake!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/FbA89wVY6B

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 15, 2026

Remember when Jordan Walker began his major league career with a 12-game hit streak that culminated with a .276 average and 16 home runs in 117 games back in 2023?

You might not remember, because the last two seasons have been forgettable, producing a .211 average with 11 home runs in 162 games. But the 6-foot-6 slugger was younger then (still only 23), and maybe he's finally developing into the hitter we imagined.

Elly De La Cruz has shown plenty of pop and speed over the last two seasons, along with strong run-scoring ability and solid RBI production, but a spot near the top can be attributed to a .290 average. The switch-hitter has improved considerably this season from the right side of the plate, something that dogged him the last couple of seasons.

We all know what Matt Olson is capable of, with a 54-homer campaign under his belt back in 2023 and finishing fourth in NL MVP voting, and he's having a similar campaign in 2026.

However, back in 2023, the three-time All-Star was hitting just .243 through May 20, so this could be an absolutely monster year for Olson as he's currently batting .274 (although he's one of the few leaders that will not reach double-digit steals).

Launch mode 🚀#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/teqO6k5ntJ

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 10, 2026

James Wood is the other piece of the Soto trade that is on this list for the Nats. He finished as the 48th overall player for fantasy in his sophomore season last year, amassing a .256-31-94-87-15 stat line with a .353 wOBA and 127 wRC+. This season's .393 wOBA and 152 wRC+ are showing that he's got another gear to kick it into.

Although some of my forecasts in my Early Bold Predictions article from wayyy back in November don't look so good in hindsight, the very first one I discussed there was the case for Ben Rice as a top-10 first baseman and, due to catcher eligibility, a top-3 backstop for fantasy. The 27-year-old looks like he'll meet those expectations with ease (with only Olson and Baldwin ahead of him at those positions).

Aaron Judge is doing Judge things again in 2026, with 16 homers, 30 RBI, 40 runs scored, and five steals. If not for an uncharacteristic .250 batting average, he would be closer to the top of the ranks.

Sal Stewart got hot at Double-A in 2025 and hasn't slowed down, hitting .306 there, then .315 at Triple-A, then mashed five home runs in only 18 games once he got promoted to the majors.

This season, the former 32nd-overall draft pick is hitting .265, has already belted 12 home runs, and is showing a surprising ability to steal bases. The 6-foot-1 slugger never accumulated more than 17 in a minor league season, but already has 10 in 2026.

Sal Stewart MASHES a second-deck homer 😮

It's his 4th hit of the game! pic.twitter.com/WPkSvx6Lm7

— MLB (@MLB) May 20, 2026

Projected Top 10 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball

When we factor in the remaining schedule and adjust for some expected regression, we end up with this list - my prediction for which batters finish as the top 10 hitters by the end of the season.

Olson currently sits as the No. 6 batter for fantasy, but what could make him move all the way up and claim the top spot by the end of the year, especially without the benefit of stolen bases adding to his stat line? Well, as you'll see, I don't have confidence in some of the players ahead of him to keep up their pace for the rest of the year, so they'll naturally fall out of contention for the top spot.

But Olson's consistency is what will allow him to naturally rise, surpassing the others ahead of him. That alone won't get him there, but when you figure that he'll play 162 games after doing so for FOUR consecutive seasons prior to this year (nearly five with 156 games played in '21), and given the pace he's on, the top spot could be well within reach.

The 32-year-old is pacing for an MVP-worthy .280-45-137-120-2 season, and if you think he's due for a slowdown, his strikeout rate of 24.2 is exactly on par with his average over the last four seasons (24.3 percent), and the left-handed hitter's swinging-strike rate of 9.3 percent is the best of his career. The 6-foot-3 slugger owns a 16.3 percent barrel rate, the best since his 54-homer campaign in 2023 (16.4 percent).

The Braves are averaging the second-most runs per game this season, and doing so mostly without the usual contributions from Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley. While the loss of Baldwin hurts, it will presumably be short-term. When Acuna and Riley's bats come around, the offensive potential will increase, giving Olson the firepower needed to claim the top spot.

Judge is experiencing a month-over-month increase in strikeout rate of 5.2 percent, up to 32.6 percent so far in May, but so long as he's not hiding an injury, the three-time MVP should right the ship and make a move higher than his current spot at No. 8, finishing with around 45 homers, 100 RBI, 110 runs scored, and double-digit steals.

EDLC's step forward this season looks real after making some mechanical adjustments to his swing, increasing his wRC+ against left-handers from 64 in the three seasons prior to 2026 all the way up to 154 this year.

If that does indeed prove out, the increased batting average along with 20-plus home runs, 30 steals, and close to 100 RBI and runs scored should be enough to keep him in the top five, with my prediction being No. 3 overall.

5 straight multi-hit games for Elly De La Cruz ⚡ pic.twitter.com/1ts7uP7PtE

— MLB (@MLB) May 14, 2026

Kyle Schwarber finished as the sixth overall hitter last year after a .240-56-132-111-10 campaign, and the left-handed slugger has gone nuclear over the last 10 games, hitting .302 with nine home runs over that span, now with 20 HR on the year and on pace for 65!

The powerful left-handed hitter is seeing a significant spike in strikeout rate this month (40.5 percent K% in May), but expect the veteran to get that under control.

While he may not end up with 65 home runs, a final stat line similar to last year should be in the offing, and I predict that'll get the 33-year-old to No. 4 overall.

Bobby Witt Jr. is quietly plugging away with his usual five-category production, with peripheral stats like K%, contact rate, chase rate, and barrel rate all in line with career numbers.

Hard-hit rate has seen a notable year-over-year jump from 48.5 percent to 54.0 percent, and by all accounts, the two-time All-Star should finish with robust totals across the board. The fantasy stud will finish fifth overall after those ahead of him tail off.

Shohei Ohtani got off to an uncharacteristically slow start this season, hitting just .240 over his first 190 plate appearances, but the four-time MVP has caught fire as of late, going 10-for-19 (.526) with three homers, a triple, and one home run over his last five games.

The five-time All-Star currently ranks as the 29th best hitter for fantasy, but if anyone can overcome that deficit to finish in the top 10, it is him. Expect the 31-year-old to generate bountiful totals again in 2026 on his way to a sixth-overall finish.

Jose Ramirez is as steady as they come, so assume his .235 batting average will not last for the balance of the season. His xBA stands at a whopping 52 points higher at .287.

Many peripheral stats are nearly identical year-over-year (over-year-over-year-over-year), but he's hitting the ball harder than ever with a 42.9 percent hard-hit rate, and the seven-time All-Star is walking more than he's striking out (37:32 BB:K), so he's seeing the ball just fine.

With his ability to steal bases, already with 20 this season, the 33-year-old switch-hitter's arrow is pointing up, getting him all the way to No. 7 by season's end.

Wood is one of the few who remain in the top 10, and this is despite a high strikeout rate (30.0 percent) and low contact rate (69.6 percent). Average EV, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate are the absolute highest in baseball, and although his big power comes with big swing-and-miss, just ask Schwarber how much that matters when it comes to production.

Not to mention, the 23-year-old is walking at a 16.9 percent rate (96th percentile), so he'll get on base even if the bat goes through a cold spell.

You might not believe it, but the Nationals lead the entire league in runs scored per game (5.58), so this offense is quietly good for fantasy, and with the ability to add double-digit steals, the 6-foot-6 slugger finishes eighth overall in 2026.

One other player who is going to climb out from an early-season "hole" will be Corbin Carroll, who currently sits at 30th overall. However, the former first-rounder is starting to round into form, going 15-for-41 (.366) over his last 12 games, with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and two steals over that stretch, pushing his season-long slash line to .285/.395/.563.

The hot streak has corresponded with a month-over-month improvement in K% by 12.7 percent, from 27.6 percent to 14.9 percent. Look for the 25-year-old to put up top-10-worthy counting stats by the end of the year, thanks this time to a more respectable batting average than last year (.259).

Juan Soto is the latest superstar to ignite, riding a seven-game hit streak during which time he's gone 12-for-28 (.429) with five home runs, nine RBI, 10 runs scored, and three steals over that stretch.

His 38 steals a season ago helped push him to No. 3 overall for fantasy, but it looks like he'll fall well short of that number this year. Still, with enough category juice elsewhere, the four-time All-Star finds a way to finish in the top 10.

Fallers

Cruz has a strikeout rate that is as high as it has ever been (35.1 percent), and it was already not good coming into the year, and he's still chasing pitches at a high rate, so his stay atop the leaderboard feels tenuous. The 27-year-old will still hit 20-plus homers and steal 30-plus bases, making him plenty valuable, but a cooldown is coming (if not already here).

Walker's fall doesn't seem like it will be as precipitous as Cruz's, but enough to bounce him from the top 10. I still think he finishes with 25 home runs and 15 steals with 90ish RBI and runs scored, but there's no way he bats close to .300 all season. Think more like .265.

Baldwin gets bounced simply due to injury. He's currently on the injured list with a Grade 1 oblique strain, but although it is considered minor, these are tricky injuries that can flare up again. Hopefully, it doesn't, as he's been fantastic and showed no signs of slowing down, but time missed will cause him to finish lower.

As I mentioned above, we saw a good season coming from Rice, but this good? The left-handed hitter's walk rate dipped significantly month-over-month, so he's not getting on base as much, although power metrics still look superb. His xwOBA trendline over his last 100 at-bats is headed south, though, and it'll be enough to kick him out of the top 10.

Abrams' walk rate has jumped despite no change in chase rate, leaving this author to believe his .391 OBP is headed downward. Combined with the fact that his contact rate and swinging-strike rate are at the worst of his career, the production will slow. It could still be a career year for the 25-year-old, but a top 10 finish? Nope.

Stewart is looking like a five-category producer who could finish in the top 10, but I think he slows just enough where he'll find himself on the outside looking in. The stolen bases are great, but with 30th percentile sprint speed, I don't think he'll reach 30 stolen bases, which is what the 22-year-old is currently on pace for.

Yordan Alvarez currently sits just outside the top 10 after a strong start to the season (.303-15-31-30-1), but he doesn't make the top 10 cut due to durability concerns. Julio Rodriguez always seems to amass a stat line worthy of a top 10 finish, but he currently sits at 56th overall, and that's a lot of ground to make up, so he probably finishes top 20, but not top 10.

Honorable Mentions

These guys could find themselves in the top 10 should some of the other players falter or get injured:

Nick Kurtz (.278-8-36-34-6) - Kurtz got off to a slow start in the batting average department, hitting just .245 in April, but is up to .329 in May. Expect a solid average at the end of the year, and we all know that he could go on a home run barrage for the ages, which will pull his final stat line close to the top 10.

Shea Langeliers (.322-12-27-34-0) - In his first full season, Langeliers hit .205, then upped it to .224 the following year, then upped it again last year to .277, and it looks like he'll outdo even that number in 2026. He also set a career high with 31 home runs last year, and is on pace to hit that mark again. If he can sustain the high average, it'll be enough to keep him close to the top 10.

Shea keepin' it 💯 pic.twitter.com/6Xl3tiZCKr

— Athletics (@Athletics) May 13, 2026

Brice Turang (.291-7-29-39-9) - Turang amassed a .288-18-81-97-24 stat line last year that settled him into the 22nd spot for batters last season. He's on pace to surpass 20 home runs this year and could come close to 30 steals, and those increases will be enough to get him into the top 15, and if he surprises with additional power or speed, the top 10 could be within reach.

Andy Pages (.288-10-42-27-6) - Pages is proving last year's breakout was for real, and he just looks like a consistent producer that is hitting in a dangerous lineup. His 42 RBI lead the league (tied with Olson, Abrams, and Liam Hicks), and with the ability to produce across all categories, it's not unreasonable to think a top-10 finish can be had. He currently sits as the 11th-best hitter for fantasy, so why not?

Dark Horse

Konnor Griffin (.278-3-20-25-11) - it didn't look so great for the highly touted prospect after hitting just .231 in April, but he still managed to steal seven bases that month. He's added another four in May, but the average is all the way up to .338 this month, and he's looking like he'll be just fine against major league pitching. If the power output picks up, look out, the sky's the limit here.

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