Top 50 FYPD Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: First-Year Player Drafts (2026)

January 22, 2026

Eric Cross' top 50 fantasy baseball prospect rankings for 2026 first-year player drafts (FYPD). MLB prospect rankings for fantasy baseball dynasty leagues.

For those of you who play in fantasy baseball dynasty leagues, there truly is no offseason. There are always ways to improve your roster throughout the winter months, and one of the biggest parts of any dynasty league offseason is your league's first-year player draft (FYPD).

It's hard not to be excited about a new crop of exciting young MLB prospects entering the player pool, some of which you'll be able to add to your team. An FYPD draft is also a nice way to break up the offseason as we wait for spring training to begin.

Below you'll find my Top 50 FYPD rankings for fantasy baseball, which include players selected in the 2025 MLB draft, J15 international signings, and some of the veteran international free agent signings as well. In general, this class is deep but lacks star power compared to recent FYPD classes. If you have a top pick, trading down to acquire more picks isn't a bad idea.

• Fantasy baseball draft kit
• Fantasy baseball rankings
• Team Sync platform and Draft Assistant
• Fantasy baseball mock draft simulator
• Fantasy baseball draft cheat sheets
• Fantasy baseball closer depth charts
• Fantasy baseball prospects

1. Tatsuya Imai, Houston Astros (SP)

After digging into Tatsuya Imai more and talking to people who followed his career in Japan more closely, I've come away highly impressed with the new Houston right-hander. The 27-year-old has four straight seasons with an ERA below 2.50, including a 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 178/45 K/BB ratio in 163.2 innings for the Seibu Lions last season. Over the last three seasons, Imai has also dropped his walk rate from 11.3% to 9.8% to 7.0%, which is highly encouraging.

Imai will generally sit in the mid-90s and can ramp it up to 98-99 at times on the four-seamer. He'll also mix in a plus slider in the mid to upper-80s, and an above-average splitter with plenty of run and depth. He also mixed in the occasional curveball last season as well. The ability to miss bats at an above-average clip is evident, and his improved control gives me further optimism.

I'm not sure he's the next Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but I've been told he's "somewhere in between Yamamoto and Kodai Senga" in terms of upside potential. That's still really exciting.

2. Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners (SP)

Kade Anderson took a massive step forward in 2025 and became one of the best pitchers in the country. While pitching for LSU in the always-tough SEC, Anderson posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 7.3% walk rate, and a 37.4% strikeout rate across 19 starts and 119 innings. A 6'2 left-hander, Anderson will sit in the low to mid-90s with his fastball and has shown a great feel for spin with two above-average to plus breaking balls in his mid-80s slider and upper-70s curveball.

His changeup is behind the fastball and breakers, but is a serviceable fourth offering.

Kade Anderson, 95mph Fastball & 83mph Breaking Ball, Overlay pic.twitter.com/LiFuFPvTXm

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 15, 2025

Anderson does a great job in limiting walks and commanding his arsenal, but he's also experienced a bit of a home run problem, allowing 16 in 119 innings this spring. Long-term, Anderson projects as a high-floor SP2 type who could be one of the first from this draft class to reach the Major Leagues.

3. JoJo Parker, Toronto Blue Jays (SS)

Per usual, this year's draft class is full of exciting prep shortstops, and Joseph "Jojo" Parker is one of the best of them. At 6'2, Parker has a strong and projectable frame, and has already shown an exciting blend of bat speed and natural strength. He's able to tap into that power without sacrificing contact as well, and Parker projects as a hitter who could wind up as a 55-hit, 60-power bat down the road.

On top of his intrigue with the bat, Parker is an above-average runner presently, but it wouldn't shock me to see him tick down to 50-grade if he adds bulk over the next year or two. But still, a 55-hit, 60-power, 50-speed hitter at either shortstop or third base is an exciting outcome and is the reason why I have Parker so highly ranked in these FYPD rankings.

4. Eli Willits, Washington Nationals (SS)

Eli Willits is the other player I've strongly considered for the 1.1 in 2025 FYPDs, and he's a safer prospect than Ethan Holliday. Willits is a 6'1 switch-hitting shortstop from the state of Oklahoma who brings a well-rounded skill set to the table. The power isn't top-end like with Holliday, but Willits is a better pure hitter who makes plenty of contact from both sides of the plate while showing an advanced approach well beyond his years.

Willits also brings plus speed and plenty of athleticism to the table, which should help keep him at the shortstop position long-term. But the real X-Factor here is how much power Willits will provide moving forward. He's far from a slap hitter, but his power is more geared toward line drives and doubles than over-the-fence shots.

As of now, I project him as more of a 15-homer guy, but it's not a stretch to see him get up over 20 homers annually if he adds some strength to his frame or loft to his swing moving forward.

5. Seth Hernandez, Pittsburgh Pirates (SP)

It's not very often that you'll see me rank a high school arm this highly, but this is no ordinary high school arm. A 6'4 right-hander out of the state of California, Hernandez combines a big and projectable frame with elite stuff and advanced feel for his age. He's already sitting in the mid-90s and can touch 99-100 while also featuring two solid breaking balls and arguably the best changeup in the entire draft class. That changeup is in the low-80s with plenty of velocity separation, depth, and fade.

On top of all of that, Hernandez has shown a great feel and command for his arsenal and could wind up as a 55-grade or 60-grade command and control arm. There are a lot of intriguing arms in this draft class, but none can match the upside of Hernandez, who could become an ace at the highest level down the road.

6. Ethan Conrad, Chicago Cubs (OF)

You're probably not going to see many others have Ethan Conrad in the top 10, but he's my favorite collegiate bat this year. Conrad was limited to just 21 games for Wake Forest this season, but was highly impressive in those 21 games, slashing .372/.495/.744 with eight doubles, seven home runs, four steals, and more walks (18) than strikeouts (14). Durability is a concern, but Conrad has shown plus or better raw power, a great approach at the plate, and solid contact skills. He's also an above-average runner with plenty of athleticism for his size.

The shoulder injury and overall durability are concerns, but the all-around offensive talent here is exciting. If he can stay healthy, Conrad could quickly become one of the best outfield prospects in the game, and one who could move quickly through the minors.

7. Ike Irish, Baltimore Orioles (C/1B/OF)

Entering the 2025 collegiate season, I didn't envision ranking Ike Irish as a top-10 player for FYPD, simply because I rarely do so for catchers in general. However, Irish made 45 starts in the outfield this spring compared to only 12 at catcher, and I'm banking on him winding up as an outfielder long-term instead of behind the plate. But Baltimore added another positional wrinkle by playing him at first base after the draft as well.

Irish had a phenomenal final season at Auburn, slashing .364/.469/.710 with 13 doubles, 19 home runs, 11 steals (1 CS), and nearly as many walks (33) as strikeouts (37). While he's probably not going to be more than a 5-10 steal contributor, few bats in the 2025 draft class can match Irish's blend of contact, approach, and power, which could lead to a higher AVG/OBP with 25 home runs annually down the road.

8. Andrew Fischer, Milwaukee Brewers (3B)

Andrew Fischer is definitely one of my favorite collegiate bats in the entire 2025 MLB draft. After a solid first two collegiate seasons, Fischer broke out in his one season at the University of Tennessee, slashing .341/.497/.760 with 16 doubles, 25 home runs, and more walks (63) than strikeouts (42) in 292 plate appearances. In 87 plate appearances after the draft, Fischer slashed .311/.402/.446 with seven extra-base hits.

Andrew Fischer wallops his first pro homer for the High-A @TimberRattlers 🎆

After leading the SEC with 25 roundtrippers this spring for @Vol_Baseball, the @Brewers' 2025 first-rounder is hitting .318 with an .832 OPS: pic.twitter.com/134NQSjVb8

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 28, 2025

Fischer is a bat-first corner infielder who could easily profile as a starter at either first base or the hot corner. He features plus power with a patient approach at the plate and doesn't expand the zone or chase out of the zone too often. There's a good feel to hit here, too, so I don't believe Fischer will be an all-or-nothing power hitter.

If the bat performs as expected, Fischer being a top-40 fantasy prospect by the end of 2026 wouldn't shock me. He's a great FYPD target after the top six to seven picks.

9. Dax Kilby, New York Yankees (SS)

I'm not sure any hitter improved their stock more since the draft than the Yankees' shortstop prospect Dax Kilby. In 18 games for Low-A Tampa, Kilby slashed .353/.457/.441 with 19 runs, 16 steals (1 CS), and more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) in 81 plate appearances. He's still searching for his first home run as a professional and only had four extra-base hits in those 18 games, but this is a phenomenal start to Kilby's professional career.

Kilby's contact skills, approach, and speed are leading the way, and were on full display after the draft. There's plus speed here and a willingness to run often, a combination that should lead to plenty of steals moving forward. Kilby also has an approach well beyond his years and can make contact at a high clip while using the entire field. And while his game power lags behind, Kilby is far from a zero in the power department and has already shown solid raw power for his age.

10. Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox (1B)

Given the pros and cons, Munetaka Murakami is a difficult one to rank this year. But given that the profile is somewhat comparable to Holliday, I'll slot Murakami just ahead of Holliday as he's going to provide an immediate impact to anyone who drafts him in FYPDs this offseason.

Murakami has been one of the best hitters in Japan for the last several years, peaking with a 56-homer season back in 2022. He was limited to 69 games in 2025, but still smacked 24 home runs with a .286/.392/.659 slash line. There's plenty of raw power here, which could make Murakami an annual threat for 30 home runs in the Majors. However, there are also some contact and strikeout concerns here, leading many to wonder if Murakami is a sub-.250 hitter in the majors.

11. Francisco Renteria, Philadelphia Phillies (OF)

For me, there's a top tier of four international bats this year, and all four are very close. But for me, I'd go with Francisco Renteria by a hair over the next three names. Renteria is a literal toolshed and a physical beast at 6'3 and 200 pounds. He has some of the best raw power in the entire international and is an above-average to plus runner as well.

Francisco Renteria (Phillies) turns 17 today and is going to be one of the elite international prospects signing on January 15.

Venezuelan center fielder with huge raw power, physicality and athleticism. pic.twitter.com/VHorgw1Wcm

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) January 9, 2026

With that said, there are some concerns with the hit tool, specifically with his ability to handle offspeed pitches. We'll have to wait and see if those concerns are warranted or get smoothed over once he gets into minor league game action, but I believe Renteria has the highest upside of any J15 international signing.

12. Luis Hernandez, San Francisco Giants (SS)

For most, Luis Hernandez is the top J15 signing this year. The 17-year-old Venezuelan shortstop has performed well against older competition over the last few years thanks to an advanced feel for hitting and polish at the plate. While he might not be as physically imposing as Renteria, Hernandez is considered the better pure hitter at this point in their development.

As for power and speed, given his current strength and bat speed, Hernandez projects as a good power bat down the road, possibly even a 25-homer type. However, he's more of an average runner who might tick down over the next few years into an 8-12 steal type. You can make a case for Hernandez being the safest of the elite international signings this year, but the upside isn't off the charts.

13. Wandy Asigen, New York Mets (SS)

Wandy Asigen is one of the youngest players in the 2026 J15 class, turning 16 back in August. He also possesses some of the most exciting offensive upside of any player in this year's class. Asigen's power/speed blend gives him plenty of intrigue for fantasy purposes, and a 55-power and 55-speed profile is in play here. He's currently a plus runner who has shown some decent raw power for his age with projection left on the frame.

While Asigen could tick down to an above-average runner if he puts on considerable bulk, given his athleticism, I'd bank on speed still being an impact tool for him long-term, regardless of what the build is down the road.

14. Johenssy Colome, Athletics (SS)

The Athletics already have one of the top middle infield prospects in the game with Leodalis De Vries, and now they add another one who could be in the coming years with Johenssy Colome. The 6'2 Dominican shortstop possesses incredible bat speed and has already shown the ability to drive the ball with authority to all fields.

The upside to being an annual 25-homer threat is absolutely here, and Colome likely winds up as at least an average runner who can add double-digit steals annually as well. There's plenty of physical projection here as well, so Colome developing more into a power-hitting third baseman with 30-homer upside is also a possibility.

15. Ethan Holliday, Colorado Rockies (SS)

The son of Matt Holliday and younger brother of Jackson Holliday, Ethan Holliday is arguably the most exciting hitter in the 2025 draft class. Holliday is much bigger than his brother and could wind up built like his dad if he adds some bulk over the next few years. He's already shown impressive raw power for his age with a swing geared for creating natural loft. With added bulk, this could easily be an annual 30-homer bat.

However, as a below-average runner, Holliday will need the bat to be there. There are some current concerns with contact and strikeouts, neither of which was helped by Holliday hitting .239 with a 39.3% strikeout rate and 60% contact rate in 84 plate appearances after the draft. But we shouldn't overreact too much to an 84 plate appearance sample from an 18-year-old in Low-A.

16. Aiva Arquette, Miami Marlins (SS)

After a breakout season at Washington in 2024, Aiva Arquette transferred to Oregon State and furthered his breakout, vaulting him into early first-round consideration. In 65 games for the Beavers, Arquette slashed .354/.461/.654 with 17 doubles, 19 home runs, and seven steals.

Arquette is a big-bodied shortstop at 6'5/210 with plenty of raw power, easily grading as plus with 30 homer upside down the road. He also moves well for his size, and although he's not a burner, Arquette could add close to double-digit steals annually as well. However, that really depends on where the frame winds up in a year or two.

Arquette did a better job showing patience at the plate last season, increasing his walk rate from 7.4% in 2024 to 12.6% in 2025. Long-term, Arquette could wind up as a .260/30 type from either the shortstop or third base position. He's an adequate defensive shortstop, but might end up outgrowing the position.

17. Liam Doyle, St. Louis Cardinals (SP)

Doyle was the second left-hander off the board in the 2025 draft, sneaking into the top five to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he should move quickly. You can make a case for Doyle having the best or at least one of the best fastballs in the 2025 draft class, sitting in the mid to upper-90s with plenty of life and touching 100 at times. He uses the pitch heavily while mixing in a slider, cutter, and split-change, all of which flash above-average at times, with the split-change being the best of the bunch.

Doyle was able to dominate collegiate hitters with that fastball in 2025, striking out 42.6% of the hitters he faced in 95.2 innings this past spring. If Doyle can develop his secondaries a bit more, the upside is a high-octane SP2.

18. Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays (3B)

After a decade in Japan, Kazuma Okamoto will be coming to the major leagues in 2025, bringing a notable power bat with him. Okamoto has racked up 248 home runs in 1074 NPB games with a career-high 41 back in 2022. And after being in the .250-.280 range from 2019 to 2024, Okamoto hit .322 in 2025 with a .411 OBP and 15 home runs in 77 games. He also had shown a good approach, walking 34 times to just 36 strikeouts in 2025.

While he doesn't have the upside of Murakami, you could make a case for Okamoto being a safer option while also being more affordable in FYPD drafts.

19. Jamie Arnold, Athletics (SP)

Jamie Arnold is a very enjoyable pitcher to watch on the mound. His mechanics and delivery are smooth as butter with a lower arm slot from the left side. He'll generally sit in the mid-90s with solid riding action on his fastball and can touch the upper-90s on occasion.

🔟-pitch inning ends with Arnold's 8th K

T5 | FSU 1, WF 1 pic.twitter.com/RpiUYcOVsY

— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) April 19, 2024

Arnold's mid-80s sweeper is arguably his best pitch, though, a massive swing and miss offering that gives both left-handed and right-handed batters nightmares. He'll also work in an above-average or better changeup as well. Arnold misses bats at a high clip and has also done a great job of limiting walks, posting a 7.7% walk rate in 2025 and 6.6% combined over the last two seasons.

The upside is a #2 starter with three above-average to plus offerings and above-average command and control as well.

20. Gavin Fien, Texas Rangers (SS)

While he doesn't get mentioned with that upper tier of prep shortstops from the 2025 draft, Gavin Fien isn't far off in terms of overall upside. This isn't a direct comp, but Fien gives me some Corey Seager vibes in that he's a big-bodied shortstop (6'3/200) with below-average speed, but a potentially lethal bat, both in terms of contact and power.

Fien got into 10 Low-A games after the draft and picked up four extra-base hits with 11 strikeouts in 45 plate appearances. There's still some projection on his frame as well, so Fien winding up as a plus power bat who can also hit for a good average is a possible outcome down the road. If you wanted to reach into the back-end of the Top-10 for him, I wouldn't have any issues with that.

Top 50 Prospect Rankings for First-Year Player Drafts

If you enjoyed these rankings and want to see the full top 125, along with additional rankings, analysis, and more, check out Eric's Toolshed Fantasy Patreon.

LIKE ROTOBALLER?

CLICK HERE, ENTER ROTOBALLER.COM, THEN CHECK THE BOX

More Fantasy Baseball Advice