Top 100 Rookies For 2026 Fantasy Baseball Leagues

The Top 400 Prospect Rankings will be updated March 20, and the dynasty rankings will be updated a few days after that. In the meantime, I've made some small tweaks to the First-Year Player Draft Rankings since the Jan. 15 update to the Top 400 Prospect Rankings, so reference the FYPD ranks over the Top 400 for any FYPDs that take place before March 20.

I've released three versions of this Top Rookies For 2026 Fantasy Baseball Leagues article so far this offseason, and a lot has changed in two weeks of spring training! These rankings are loosely intended for two-catcher leagues, so downgrade the catching prospects in one-catcher formats.

I've noted each prospect's ADP from the last 10 NFBC RotoWire Online Championship leagues, and in cases where a player hasn't been getting regularly selected in recent OCs, I've noted their ADP from the last 10 NFBC Draft Champions leagues. At the bottom of the article, there is a table showing where each prospect's ADP was through the first 12 Draft Champions drafts vs. where it was in the second half of January and where it's been during spring training. I've marked UP or DOWN for prospects I'm higher or lower on than I was on version 1.0, version 2.0 and version 3.0 this offseason. I didn't provide commentary on everyone ranked in the 51-100 range, but I've written the outlooks for hundreds of prospects if you want a more in-depth breakdown of any of the players mentioned in this article.

1. Nolan McLean, RHP, NYM, ADP: 92.1

McLean was always expected to end up a pitcher, but it's worth noting that 2025 was his first full season as a full-time pitcher, as he was getting reps as a two-way player as recently as early 2024. This helps explain why he has seemingly gotten better as he's climbed higher in pro ball, and that was most apparent when he dominated big-league hitters over 48 innings (21.8 K-BB%, 61.1 GB%) in even more impressive fashion than he did over 113.2 innings at Triple-A (16.4 K-BB%, 53.5 GB%). He throws six distinct pitches and has all the weapons he needs against righties and lefties. He has steadily climbed in ADP and has moved from an SP3 at the start of draft season to a low-end SP2 at present.

2. Konnor Griffin, SS, PIT, ADP: 138 UP

If you've been drafting and following my work all offseason, you probably had at least one share of Griffin from before spring training. Since spring training, his ADP has climbed almost 60 spots. This is an incredibly special talent who is also very young and has minimal experience above High-A. None of those factors in themselves mean he will fail or succeed, and I think everyone should be open to the possibility of him exceeding expectations or disappointing relative to expectations. Good process was to buy the clear No. 1 prospect in baseball when he was getting drafted in the 200s of redraft leagues, but now that the market has caught up, I think there are valid cases on either side. I expect him to be up all season and steal 25-plus bases with double-digit homers and room for plenty more on top of that. I'm curious to see how high Griffin goes if/when it's announced he's made the Opening Day roster, but I think the price is more likely to climb even higher than to hold steady or go down.

3. Sal Stewart, 1B, CIN, ADP: 189.3

I've been highest on Stewart for the past couple years and I see no reason to back off now. He can handle first, second and third, but it's best to not worry too much about where he'll play or when he'll add another position of eligibility. Stewart is arguably the Reds' second-best hitter behind Elly De La Cruz — ATC actually projects Stewart to be a better hitter (112 wRC+) than Elly (111 wRC+) this season — so he'll be in the lineup almost every day, even if it's mostly as a designated hitter. Great American Ball Park will help the plus-hitting Stewart to maximize his above-average power, and he'll chip in over a half dozen steals while potentially leading rookie hitters in batting average. He's a high-end corner infielder and a low-end starting first baseman in 15-team leagues.

4. JJ Wetherholt, SS, STL, ADP: 229

Wetherholt is more floor than ceiling entering his rookie year, which is odd to say about a player with zero MLB experience. He should add second base eligibility shortly after Opening Day, which isn't as nice as if he were adding third base eligibility, which could still happen at some point but likely not in April. There are shades of Luke Keaschall and Matt Shaw with Wetherholt, where it's firmly hit-over-power in his early-20s and the hope is he steals 20-plus bases while playing every day and hitting for a good average. I don't see him struggling as much as Shaw did early, or excelling as much as Keaschall did early, but he should contribute a little bit of everything as a rookie.

5. Kevin McGonigle, SS, DET, ADP: 281.2 UP

Early in draft season the public preferred McGonigle slightly to Konnor Griffin, as McGonigle is the best pure hitter in the minors and almost two years older than Griffin, so he may have seemed like the more obvious candidate to be up early. The drafting public quickly smartened up on Griffin vs. McGonigle, but McGonigle is still extremely talented for someone available just before pick 300. He continues to get reps at shortstop over other positions in spring games as the Tigers explore that possibility — I don't think he can make the team if he's not the starting shortstop. Tarik Skubal praised McGonigle's shortstop defense the other day, and while I think Griffin is more likely than McGonigle to make the Opening Day roster, I also think McGonigle is more likely to make the team than not. He should be good at everything in fantasy, particularly AVG/OBP relative to most rookies, but he doesn't have the same HR/SB upside as Griffin.

6. Samuel Basallo, C, BAL, ADP: 183.2

Basallo was the youngest hitter and arguably the best power hitter at Triple-A last year while also working on his catcher defense, so it needs to be understood that his power ceiling is very high as early as 2026. The fact that he only struck out 25.4 percent of the time in the majors right after turning 21 erases any concerns I would have had about him making enough contact in his first full MLB season. Baltimore is incentivized to play him enough for him to factor in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and he should deserve regular at-bats against righties anyway, so I see a high floor and a 30-homer ceiling. He had an injury scare early in camp but was back behind the plate over the weekend.

7. Carter Jensen, C, KC, ADP: 180.8

Jensen isn't a long-touted prodigy like Basallo, but Jensen is only 14 months older than Basallo and was undoubtedly more productive over the final two months of last season. Fast forward to spring training and Jensen has two homers and one strikeout through four games. He's simply been one of the best hitting catchers in baseball dating back to the second half of last year, so it's possible he's just way better than projection systems realize. I'm not worried at all about the playing time, as Jensen and Salvador Perez are pretty obviously two of the Royals' six best position players (along with Bobby Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone and Maikel Garcia).

8. Trey Yesavage, RHP, TOR, ADP: 158.1 DOWN

Yesavage is probably fine, but just the fact that the Blue Jays are bringing him along slowly in camp moves him down a round for me, and I wasn't ending up with him anyway. Eno Sarris noted on the Prospect Podcast this offseason that Yesavage has reverse splits, dominating lefties while being quite hittable against righties, which is worth considering when referencing his dominant postseason start against the Yankees and ability to neutralize Shohei Ohtani while also projecting ahead to what his ratios might look like over a full season. Just because that was an issue for Yesavage last season doesn't mean he can't make an adjustment for 2026, and he's reportedly looking to add a curveball to his repertoire. 

9. Bubba Chandler, RHP, PIT, ADP: 159.6 DOWN

Chandler vs. Trey Yesavage is a toss-up, but I probably won't be getting either guy after Chandler's command was terrible in his spring debut. He was getting drafted in high-stakes FAAB leagues last March and finished the year with six dominant starts in seven MLB outings, but he did deal with shaky command in the mid-summer months. Chandler is all power all the time, sitting between 89 and 99 mph with his three offerings, which perhaps ups his risk of injury slightly, but he's been a relative workhorse entering his age-23 season. The Pirates are not required to break camp with Chandler in the rotation, and he'll need to right the ship in his subsequent Grapefruit League starts to lock down a spot.

10. Bryce Eldridge, UT, SF, ADP: 345.8

The 6-foot-7 Eldridge will always have some swing and miss in his game, but he's been pushed very aggressively through the minors and had hard-hit rates over 62 percent at Triple-A and the majors last year as a 20-year-old. Eldridge has 40-homer upside long-term and logged groundball rates below 40 percent in 2024 and 2025. He would need to really struggle in spring training to not make the roster, and so far he has one homer, seven strikeouts and three walks through 21 PA. The fact it'll take him at least a couple weeks to gain first base eligibility is something to consider as you're building your roster. He'll probably sit against a high percentage of lefties, at least early on.

11. Justin Crawford, OF, PHI, ADP: 264.1 UP

Crawford, whose ADP has climbed roughly 175 spots since the fist 12 Draft Champions drafts, seems penciled into the Opening Day roster, but I was priced out a long time ago. He's essentially a discount version of Chandler Simpson, as both speedsters should sit against lefties and aren't guaranteed to reach 500 plate appearances. I coined The 95 Percent Club on the podcast, where a hitter's Oppo% and GB% add up to at least 95, and Crawford is currently rocking an encouraging (for him) 45.5 percent groundball rate with a 63.6 Oppo%. There have been small signs of Crawford cutting the grounders, but he's not hitting anything out to the opposite field, so his power ceiling is capped at around a half dozen homers until he adapts more of a pull-oriented approach.

12. Moises Ballesteros, UT, CHC, ADP: 387.1 UP

It's obviously all about the bat with Ballesteros — he's got a chance to be a DH and No. 5 hitter on a good playoff team someday — but he has impressed so far with his use of the ABS challenge system as a catcher, and the Cubs have been playing him mostly behind the dish. This is one of the biggest developments thus far in spring training, as I think it now seems likely that Ballesteros will add catcher eligibility at some point this year. That said, it could take a couple months or more for him to add the catcher eligibility, given that the Cubs will be carrying two catchers (Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya) in addition to Ballesteros.

13. Connelly Early, LHP, BOS, ADP: 255.6

I said early in draft season that I couldn't picture myself jumping ADP on Early, even though I really like the player. He used to be going around pick 200 at the start of draft season, but I got my first and only share at pick 281 in January. His velocity was excellent in his first spring start, and he reportedly bulked up over the offseason, and I think he's at worst the Red Sox's fourth-best starter today. I don't think there's a valid argument that Brayan Bello deserves a spot over Early. Deserve may have nothing to do with it in the end, as all the reporting suggests Bello is already penciled into the rotation. I understand going with Johan Oviedo in the rotation, as he's got upside and untapped potential coming from the Pirates. One way or another, I think Early makes 20-plus starts in the majors this year, but you will probably have to stash him for over a month.

14. Payton Tolle, LHP, BOS, ADP: 431.6 UP

Prior to his excellent spring showing March 4, it seemed clear that Tolle was ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season. Opening in the minors is still probably the most likely scenario for Early and Tolle, but they've shown this spring that they belong in the majors based on talent. If they get to stick around in big-league camp and keep pitching well, the Red Sox might just go for the PPI pick with one or both of their uber-talented rookie southpaws. Still, you can't click on Early or Tolle at this time and assume you've got a pitcher you can use in April.

15. Andrew Painter, RHP, PHI, ADP: 276

On the one hand, Painter only struck out one batter in two innings in his first spring start, but on the other hand, it seems more likely than it has all offseason that he'll be in the Opening Day rotation. From the outside, it looks like the plan is to have Zack Wheeler bump Taijuan Walker to long relief when he returns, as long as Painter has been serviceable, but if Painter doesn't look ready, Wheeler would replace Painter. I'm not confident this pick will pay off, but I am confident you'll have a good idea of whether it's going to pay off early in the year, so he's a useful pick in FAAB leagues, although I wouldn't take him as high as he's currently going.

16. Jacob Melton, OF, TB, ADP: 355.2

When factoring in defense, I'm guessing Melton projects better for the Rays internally than Jake Fraley, Chandler Simpson and potentially Cedric Mullins. I'm not sure exactly how the platoons will shake out, but Melton should be on the Opening Day roster barring a poor spring. Thus far, he has two homers and seven strikeouts (43.8 K%) in 16 spring plate appearances. The lefty-hitting Melton is already 25 and will be under club control through his age-30 season, so the Rays get his entire prime, and they're not going to waste it at Triple-A if they think he's ready. He doesn't need a robust playing-time projection to get to 10 homers and 20 steals, and there's a real path to 500-plus plate appearances, which would allow him to reach 15 homers and 30 steals.

17. Brandon Sproat, RHP, MIL, ADP: 465.9

I'm higher on Sproat after writing his outlook, as he seemed to figure things out in the second half and has always had good stuff. It's a perfect match with him going to Milwaukee — they targeted Quinn Priester last offseason and we saw how well that worked out. Brandon Woodruff and Logan Henderson are injury risks entering camp based on how their 2025 seasons ended, and Sproat should be no lower than seventh on the SP depth chart, and he could outperform Henderson and/or Robert Gasser this spring. He's no longer a prospect, but the Brewers may have fixed Kyle Harrison already, too.

18. Logan Henderson, RHP, MIL, ADP: 257.6

Projections will always like Henderson more than scouts, as he's an undersized righty whose only notable pitch is a potentially 80-grade changeup and the 103 innings he logged in 2025 were actually a career high. He's still throwing almost exclusively fastballs and changeups in spring training and has just one strikeout in four innings. Henderson's flexor strain at the end of last year shouldn't be forgotten, but he has a high ceiling in ERA and WHIP for as long as he stays healthy.

19. Chase DeLauter, OF, CLE, ADP: 300.5

DeLauter has never played more than 57 games in a regular season, but his production has been as reliable as his fragility en route to making his big-league debut in the 2025 postseason. Lower-body injuries from before he was drafted in 2022 through the 2024 season have led to him no longer stealing bases, although his unavailability in 2025 was due to a sports hernia and broken hamate. He was scratched from a spring game early in camp with lower-body soreness but has since returned with a homer and has yet to strike out through eight plate appearances. It seems everyone knows DeLauter can hit, and everyone should know he's as risky as it gets among position player prospects from a durability standpoint.

20. Carson Benge, OF, NYM, ADP: 328

David Stearns has signaled that Benge has a track to a starting job, both by mentioning him by name earlier in the winter and by his offseason moves, which have left a clear spot for Benge alongside Juan Soto and Luis Robert. Stearns favorite Tyrone Taylor will play over Benge against lefties, and the rookie would likely hit in the bottom third of the lineup, even against righties. While Benge has a chance to break out as a rookie, and Stearns is obviously high on him, he's not such an accomplished upper-level prospect that struggles early in the season would be surprising.

21. Dylan Beavers, OF, BAL, ADP: 326.1

Beavers projects to open the year in a platoon while hitting in the bottom half of a good lineup. If he were to play regularly, Beavers could hit 15-20 homers and steal 20-plus bases with a decent batting average and a strong OBP. He even has some sneaky higher-end potential outcomes as a player whose projectable 6-foot-5 frame has always hinted at more power potential than he's shown in games, but he'd really need to break out to shed a platoon early in the year.

22. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, ARI, ADP: 455.6

Waldschmidt's playing time in the first half could hinge on how well Jordan Lawlar and Alek Thomas fare early in the year, and he might even make the Opening Day roster if Corbin Carroll (hand) isn't ready in time, but that scenario seems like a long shot. Steamer gives Waldschmidt the same 104 wRC+ as Carter Jensen and has him just a tad behind JJ Wetherholt's 106 wRC+ projection. As a righty who can play all three outfield spots, he shouldn't have to come out of the lineup once he's up, and he has a chance to be a true five-category contributor in fantasy.

23. Colt Emerson, SS, SEA, ADP: 439

Seattle brought in Brendan Donovan, and while they've said all the right things about still believing in Cole Young, I think Emerson could give the team a better chance to win as early as Opening Day, in which case I'd expect Donovan to move to third base and Emerson to handle second base until J.P. Crawford's contract is up at the end of the year. If spring training ended on March 5, when this article was published, my guess is Emerson would be ticketed for Triple-A, but he still has time to win a spot. Over Emerson's last 62 games, split between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, he slashed .307/.403/.508 with a 17.7 K%, nine home runs and nine steals. There are shades here of Jackson Merrill in 2024, where everyone knew the hit tool was special but the game power and speed were TBD. 

24. Robby Snelling, LHP, MIA, ADP: 307.2 DOWN

Assuming Chris Paddack remains upright and not terrible and Max Meyer and Braxton Garrett don't get derailed by any discomfort as they build up, Snelling would probably be ticketed to Triple-A to start the year. However, Snelling is further along in camp than Meyer and Garrett and will be capable of logging more innings in 2026 given the prior time missed by those two starters. Paddack also could very easily just be really bad and out of a job at the end of April, or Sandy Alcantara or Eury Perez could get hurt. There are lots of ways for Snelling to get to 120-plus MLB innings this year, and while I said to buy the dip after the Paddack signing, there hasn't been much of a dip to buy, and Snelling hasn't pitched great through two spring starts.

25. Elmer Rodriguez, RHP, NYY, ADP: 511

Carlos Rodon (elbow) seems to be trending towards a return by late-April/early May and Gerrit Cole (elbow) is tracking toward late-May/early June, so mapping out Rodriguez's role throughout the 2026 season is a challenge. However, if we line up all the Yankees starters, only Max Fried is a better bet than Rodriguez to throw 150-plus innings in 2026. Rodriguez throws two distinct fastballs and two distinct sliders as well as a curveball and changeup. He had a 54.2 percent groundball rate and 19.6 K-BB% as a 21-year-old climbing from High-A to Triple-A this year, and his strike-throwing (8.2 BB% at Double-A) is a big separator relative to his peers. So far in spring training he has a 70.6 percent groundball rate and a 5:1 K:BB in six innings, and he needs just one injury ahead of him to project to be in the Opening Day rotation.

26. Jonah Tong, RHP, NYM, ADP: 377.2 DOWN

The best pitcher in the minors last year and an unlucky pitcher in a short big-league sample, Tong is a very challenging player to value this offseason in redraft leagues. He relies mostly on his fastball and changeup and could conceivably open the year at Triple-A. He's more talented and has a higher ceiling than roughly half the Mets' projected rotation, but he'll have to win a job in camp, and thus far he's given up three earned runs in 2.2 innings. He tried to emphasize his cutter in that first spring start, throwing it for 18 of his 50 pitches while recording zero whiffs with the pitch. Despite his significant success in the minors, Tong appears to require more development at Triple-A to start the year.

27. Zach Cole, OF, HOU, ADP: 471.8 UP

Every projection system has Cole for a batting average below .220, which obviously isn't palatable in fantasy and probably won't be palatable for the Astros if it plays out like that. That said, he has four steals in five spring games and his path to playing time is wide open for as long as he can keep his head above water offensively. 

28. Travis Bazzana, 2B, CLE, ADP: 516.9

Bazzana is a little too passive at the plate and on the bases for me to envision a big rookie season, but he has a chance to be an everyday player for five months or so. He obviously has elite pedigree, so I won't completely rule out an impactful 2026 for Bazzana, and he could potentially land in the top third of the order early this summer.

29. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, MIN, ADP: 637.7 UP

Rodriguez's injury history is up there with Chase DeLauter's (CLE), but Rodriguez is getting drafted 300-plus picks later, presumably because people are assuming he's ticketed for the minors. I liked Rodriguez over Walker Jenkins (MIN) for 2026 even before Jenkins' latest hamstring injury, and the designated hitter spot looks pretty open on the depth chart. Rodriguez will still likely be sent to Triple-A to start the year, but I'm starting to think he'll spend the majority of the year in the majors — IF he can avoid an early-season injury, which is a big "if" for Rodriguez.

30. JR Ritchie, RHP, ATL, ADP: 508.7 UP

Ritchie has pitched well this spring and Atlanta's depth chart has crumbled around him, with Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep out at least a couple months to start the year. Ritchie will likely open the year at Triple-A, but on talent, he might deserve a spot in the Opening Day rotation, and he built up to 140 innings last year.

31. River Ryan, RHP, LAD, ADP: 513.4 UP

I prefer Justin Wrobleski to Ryan (and to Roki Sasaki), just because I think Wrobleski will be pitching with less restrictions early this season, but Wrobleski isn't a prospect anymore. Ryan is extremely talented, and while I think he'll open the year at Triple-A, he's a must-add in all formats if he ever he joins the Dodgers' rotation in 2026.

32. Zac Veen, OF, COL, ADP: 489.2 UP

You could say I've been a Veen hater over the years, but he's reportedly gotten sober and added 40-plus pounds of good weight this offseason. Josh Hamilton is the biggest example during my fantasy baseball career of a player going on to great things thanks to sobriety, so this could end up being a big deal. Veen looks like he really got in the weight room, and the results have been there this spring. I was low enough on Veen's hit tool coming into the year that these positive developments probably still won't lead to me drafting him, but there's more reason than ever to be in on Veen.

33. Parker Messick, LHP, CLE, ADP: 311.5

Messick is someone I used to think was very underrated in dynasty leagues, and now I think he's overrated in redraft leagues. I think he's better than Logan Allen, who still has a minor-league option remaining, but projection systems suggest a WHIP around 1.30 and fewer than nine strikeouts per nine innings, so I don't think there's enough floor or ceiling to take him in this range.

34. Joe Mack, C, MIA, ADP: 455.8

Mack is clearly the Marlins' catcher of the future. He's been pushed pretty aggressively and is always going to be power over hit, but he's off to a good start this spring. I don't expect him to hit for a solid batting average as a rookie, but he could play a lot over the final five months or so.

35. Robert Gasser, LHP, MIL, ADP: 545.1

Like with Sproat, Gasser shouldn't be slept on this spring, as there's no guarantee the top five on the SP depth chart in Milwaukee are all healthy at the end of spring training. He may not have a sky-high ceiling, but I don't think he's much worse than fellow southpaws Noah Cameron or Ian Seymour on a per-start basis in 2026. The additions of Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan gave Milwaukee a couple more southpaws to compete with Gasser for rotation chances.

36. Hunter Barco, LHP, PIT, ADP: 586

Even after trading Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo, the Pirates still have enough pitching depth to send Barco to Triple-A to start the year. Barco is a big-league-ready No. 4/5 starter, and as a southpaw, there's a chance he surprises and does a little better than that. He has thrown seven distinct pitch types this spring, with several flashing plus, so I think there's more upside with Barco than he gets credit for.

37. Trevor McDonald, RHP, SF, ADP: 610.5 UP

McDonald was a trendy late-round target early in draft season based on his home park and groundball tendencies, but he's throwing harder now in camp, so there's a bit more upside than anticipated over the winter. I expect McDonald to open the year at Triple-A, but he could be the next man up when the Giants need rotation reinforcements.

38. Rhett Lowder, RHP, CIN, ADP: 483.3

Lowder's showing in the Arizona Fall League was encouraging after essentially a lost season in 2025, and he's been solid this spring as well. The Hunter Greene injury should allow Lowder to make the Opening Day rotation, but I'm treating him as a streamer until further notice, and if you're streamer whose home park is Great American Ball Park, you're not worth a roster spot in leagues with seven-man benches.

39. Jett Williams, SS, MIL, ADP: 501.6

Williams obviously wasn't going to supplant Francisco Lindor or Marcus Semien in New York, and he's a classic Brewers position player, so the trade is a good outcome for those rostering him in redraft and dynasty. It might take a few months for Williams to get the call, but if he's making good swing decisions at Triple-A while Joey Ortiz or Luis Rengifo struggle, you could see the Brewers make that move early.

40. Aidan Miller, SS, PHI, ADP: 476.7 DOWN

Unfortunately the back issue that led to Miller not going to the Arizona Fall League has popped back up in camp and he is out indefinitely. Before the injury resurfaced, he put on an impressive batting practice display in front of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, and I do think a fully healthy Miller could be making noise in camp. With Alec Bohm not getting traded this offseason, the Phillies can afford to let Miller recover and knock the rust off at Triple-A indefinitely.

41. Carson Williams, SS, TB, ADP: 511.2

Williams could go 20/20 as early as this year, it's just a question of wether he'll make enough contact to stay in the lineup. He doesn't turn 23 until June, so he still has time to right the ship, and Tampa Bay hasn't blocked him at shortstop. That said, I expect the Rays to manipulate his service time and start him at Triple-A for a month-plus.

42. Tanner McDougal, RHP, CHW, ADP: 699.9

One of my favorite sleepers within the top 100, McDougal mastered Double-A last year as a 22-year-old, and he might not need more than half a dozen starts at Triple-A before he's ready for primetime. His command is the separator for him compared to fellow White Sox prospects Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz.

43. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, CHC, ADP: 674.5

The acquisition of Edward Cabrera means one more starter ahead of Wiggins on the depth chart, and Justin Steele (elbow) should be back around May, so Wiggins could spend a few months at Triple-A. Still, he has a very high ceiling, particularly with strikeouts, and it's not a workhorse-heavy rotation, per se, so Wiggins will likely be heard from sometime this summer.

44. Nathan Church, OF, STL, ADP: 651.3 UP

Church is legitimately toolsy, as he's a plus runner and fielder with a cannon of an arm and a excellent track record of hitting in the minors. His K% has spiked against big leaguers, but his 108 mph max EV this spring was encouraging, and I think he could find his way to 450-500 plate appearances this year.

45. Kade Anderson, LHP, SEA, ADP: 622.9 UP

If you're looking for a prospect from the most recent draft class to rocket to the majors and make an impact this summer, Anderson is the best bet, followed by three other pitchers, Liam Doyle (STL), Jamie Arnold (ATH), and Tyler Bremner (LAA). Anderson has looked great this spring and might already be the Mariners' true best option if they needed a long-term rotation replacement.

46. Joshua Baez, OF, STL, ADP: 469.5 DOWN

Baez got top billing in my Rookies to Target article early in the offseason, and his ADP has climbed roughly 75 spots since then. Just reading between the lines from quotes from Cardinals brass since the start of camp, I get the sense this new regime will not be in any rush to promote Baez from Triple-A unless he kicks the door down. He's talented enough to do that, but I think they're really taking the long view with his development while also wanting to evaluate the outfielders who already have big-league experience.

47. Braden Montgomery, OF, CHW, ADP: 683.2 UP

Montgomery has a had a good spring and had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. He came back last year from a major lower-body injury, but he's knocked off the rust and looks pretty ready for primetime. The White Sox have a lot of similar pieces on the depth chart, but nobody will stand in Montgomery's way when the team decides to start his clock.

48. T.J. Rumfield, 1B, COL, ADP: 705.4 UP

Rumfield wasn't going to break through with the Yankees, and he got perhaps the best trade he could have hoped for, heading to Colorado where he could be the Opening Day first baseman. He's already 25, but he has three home runs and more walks than strikeouts through eight spring games.

49. Spencer Jones, OF, NYY, ADP: 475.1 

Jones typically puts up cartoon numbers in these types of hitter-friendly settings, so him having three homers while striking out a third of the time doesn't do much for me. However, his 28.6 O-Swing% in a tiny sample this spring is mildly intriguing, and the Yankees obviously aren't shy about how much they like Jones. He's the type of guy who could pull a Rece Hinds, hitting eight homers in a month and then get demoted to Triple-A the following month after his strikeout rate explodes.

50. Charlie Condon, 1B, COL, ADP: 530.4 UP

I know Condon's been a barrel machine this spring, and that's why he cracked the top 50. It could be a breakout for Condon, who had a decent showing in the Arizona Fall League as well. I'm taking more of a wait-and-see approach, especially given how much projections hate Condon (Steamer's .401 SLG is his top projected SLG), and given the fact Rumfield is much cheaper and in my opinion more likely to be the Opening Day first baseman.

51. Harry Ford, C, WAS, ADP: 377.8

52. Owen Caissie, OF, MIA, ADP: 390.3 DOWN

Caissie has an easier path to an Opening Day job after the trade to Miami, but even in a best-case scenario, he'll sit against southpaws and hit for a low-ish average. The Marlins have a lot of similarly talented options heading into 2026, so while Caissie will be given every opportunity to take a job and run with it, his hit tool is sketchy enough that he could spend more than half the year at Triple-A.

53. Jhostynxon Garcia, OF, PIT, ADP: 592.7

54. Brice Matthews, 2B, HOU, ADP: 539.4

Similarly to Carson Williams, Matthews has big-time power/speed upside as early as this year, but unlike Williams, his team hasn't done him any favors with organizing the roster. Matthews probably needs a Jose Altuve injury to play regularly in 2026.

55. Abimelec Ortiz, 1B, WAS, ADP: 609.6 

I was warming up to the idea of drafting Ortiz as a third or fourth first baseman in DCs before he was traded from Texas, and now he's got an even clearer path to playing time. Ortiz could potentially sit against lefties, but I think he could hit around .235 with 18 homers if he were to make the team out of camp.

56. George Klassen, RHP, LAA, ADP: 663.5

Klassen was excellent to close 2025 and is in the right organization to get an opportunity early in 2026. He has always had some of the best stuff in the minors with very suspect command, but the command seems to be trending in the right direction.

57. Kemp Alderman, OF, MIA, ADP: 727

I believe in Alderman eventually being a productive fantasy outfielder more than I believe in Owen Caissie, but I also recognize Caissie will get the opportunity before Alderman. Even so, if Alderman is as good as he was last year at Triple-A (160 wRC+ in 20 games), Miami will find room for him somewhere this summer.

58. Liam Doyle, LHP, STL, ADP: 728.4

59. Jamie Arnold, LHP, ATH, ADP: 734.5

I prefer Arnold to Doyle in dynasty, but just for 2026, I'd rather stash Doyle due to the superior home park. They seem similarly likely to me to be up in the middle of the year.

60. George Lombard, SS, NYY, ADP: N/A UP

I just changed Lombard's ETA from 2027 to 2026, and I think he's been impressive enough this spring (108.5 mph 90th percentile EV) to be mentioned here. He did play 108 games at Double-A last year, and if the Yankees get to a point where they think Lombard gives them the best chance to win, it wouldn't be surprising to see him up this summer.

61. Nelson Rada, OF, LAA, ADP: 708.3

62. Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, CLE, ADP: N/A UP

Like Lombard, Velazquez has had a very strong spring, and as the Guardians' best position player prospect, he deserves a mention here. Velazquez is a first baseman by trade, but he has experience in the outfield corners as well.

63. Cooper Ingle, C, CLE, ADP: 714.3

64. Carlos Lagrange, RHP, NYY, ADP: 630.4 UP

There's still extreme bullpen risk with Lagrange, but he could pull a Jacob Misiorowski in 2026 and take a big step forward with his command en route to joining the big-league rotation this summer.

65. AJ Blubaugh, RHP, HOU, ADP: 611.8

66. George Valera, OF, CLE, ADP: 639.8

67. Nick Yorke, 2B, PIT, ADP: 724.9

68. Tyler Black, 1B, MIL, ADP: 697 UP

Black is having a monster spring training, which might not mean anything, but he's still on the 40-man roster and he turns 26 in July, so he's mid-prime, theoretically. First base dries up by the 35th round of 50-round Draft Champions leagues, so Black is worth a shot late in drafts if you need a third or fourth first baseman on your roster.

69. Sam Antonacci, 2B, CHW, ADP: 740.6 UP

I really like Antonacci and would have him ranked higher if he had a clear path to playing time. He has a 109.5 mph max EV this spring, which is an excellent mark for a hit-over-power middle infielder with speed on the bases.

70. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, PIT, ADP: 747.7

71. Blade Tidwell, RHP, SF, ADP: 729.4

72. Trey Gibson, RHP, BAL, ADP: 724.7

The Orioles loaded up this offseason, but if they need a pitching prospect to join the rotation midseason, Gibson should get the call. He has a high strikeout ceiling as a rookie but there will probably be some growing pains as well.

73. Connor Prielipp, LHP, MIN, ADP: 746.5

74. Gage Jump, LHP, ATH, ADP: 679.8

75. Brody Hopkins, RHP, TB, ADP: 722.9

Like Thomas White (MIA), Hopkins has FAAB-a-palooza potential in-season if things come together for him this year at Triple-A. He has the look of a powerful No. 2 starter, as long as he can throw enough strikes.

76. Thomas White, LHP, MIA, ADP: 394.7 DOWN

White could have really used a full spring in big-league camp, but an oblique injury wiped out his spring. He already needed to significantly improve his control this year to get the call, and now he's well behind schedule.

77. Walker Jenkins, OF, MIN, ADP: 509.7 DOWN

It's not fun to keep noting this, but Jenkins has developed an injury-prone reputation and he suffered another lower-body injury, this time a strained hamstring, early in camp. The Twins have a ton of outfielders on the 40-man roster, including fellow prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez, who is having a strong camp. I expect Jenkins to get the call in late-August if he's healthy and there's a spot for him to play.

78. Shane Drohan, LHP, MIL, ADP: 738.6

79. Junior Perez, OF, ATH, ADP: N/A

80. Henry Bolte, OF, ATH, ADP: 747.3

81. Max Clark, OF, DET, ADP: 556

My read on this situation is that Clark could be in the minors until late August unless Parker Meadows is hurt or not performing, and even then, Clark would need to be fully deserving of the promotion for him to be the replacement. The Tigers are in win-now mode, and while I think Kevin McGonigle clearly makes the team better on Opening Day, I don't think that's the case with Clark.

82. Ethan Pecko, RHP, HOU, ADP: 707.5

83. Alex Freeland, 3B, LAD, ADP: 709.8

84. Ty Johnson, RHP, TB, ADP: 724

85 Tyler Bremner, RHP, LAA, ADP: 744.1

86. Didier Fuentes, RHP, ATL, ADP: 729

87. Jack Wenninger, RHP, NYM, ADP: 746.6

Wenninger may be the prospect who won me over most when I was writing his outlook for 2026. Not only is his floor very high, but I think his ceiling is higher than people realize. He has a full pitch mix, highlighted by multiple plus fastballs and a plus-plus splitter, and he was dominant to close 2025. The Mets have plenty of rotation depth, but Wenninger is a solid skills bet for the second half.

88. Noah Schultz, LHP, CHW, ADP: 687.9

89. Jimmy Crooks, C, STL, ADP: 611.4

90. Jesus Rodriguez, C, SF, ADP: 732.1

91. Quinn Mathews, LHP, STL, ADP: 645.3

92. Kendry Rojas, LHP, MIN, ADP: 747.6

93. Jeferson Quero, C, MIL, ADP: 624.3 DOWN

With Gary Sanchez set to back up William Contreras, Quero will be at Triple-A indefinitely.

94. Ryan Sloan, RHP, SEA, ADP: N/A

95. Jose Corniell, RHP, TEX, ADP: 746

96. Hagen Smith, LHP, CHW, ADP: 713.5

97. Leo De Vries, 2B, ATH, ADP: 722.5

98. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, MIN, ADP: 657.6

99. Ryan Clifford, 1B, NYM, ADP: 750.2

100. Josue Briceno, C, DET, ADP: 723.9