We decided to take a stab at our perfect drafts, with varying criteria for what we consider ‘perfect’. For better or for worse, this is what the ideal team looks like through our eyes.

Round 1, Pick 4 - Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL (ADP 4.1)

Yes, the monsters ahead of him project for more points over the course of the season, but Acuna has a ceiling on par with Ohtani and Judge. And while the 1.01 and 1.02 both have good stacking options, I like Acuna’s supporting cast better than an aging Dodgers lineup and an imperfect Yankees offense.

Build: P 0 - IF 0 - OF 1

Round 2, Pick 21 - Gunnar Henderson BAL(ADP 18.7)

Many drafters prioritize OF with their early picks, and for good reason. But the crop of IF in the 2nd round is too intriguing to pass on. Kurtz is a fun stacking partner for Acuna, but Henderson is my favourite of the group. Coming off a down year where he played half of the season with a bum shoulder, Henderson still put up a 120 wRC+ and projects to be even better this season. The Orioles’ lineup is poised to bounce back, and I like betting on Henderson to be the key piece in their resurgence.

Build: P 0 - IF 1 - OF 1

Round 3, Pick 28 - Wyatt Langford TEX (ADP 25.8)

Okay, time to get back on track at OF. Langford’s ADP has risen over the last few weeks, so getting him at 28 may prove to be difficult in the last week of drafts. Langford’s upside is as enticing as any of the options in round 3, and his floor remains solid. The 24-year-old brings a more mature approach than the likes of Duran, Crow-Armstrong, and Arozarena, blending patience and power that should play well in a format that rewards players who slug and get on base.

Build: P 0 - IF 1 - OF 2

Round 4, Pick 45 - Ian Happ CHC (ADP 43.2)

BOOOORRRINNGGG.

Round 4 is littered with unsexy vets who play every day and put up respectable point totals. Happ doesn’t jump off the page, but the Cubs are a supercharged offence with stacking partners I can target later in the draft. While there’s no such thing as a ‘safe’ bet in Best Ball, Happ as an OF3 stabilizes the position early on and allows you to get creative with your picks further down the line.

Build: P 0 - IF 1 - OF 3

Round 5, Pick 52 - Austin Riley ATL (ADP 53.4)

Our first stacking partner, how exciting! It was only a few short years ago that Riley was putting up offensive seasons that would place him in the 2nd round of drafts. Unfortunately, 2024 and 2025 were marred by injury for the Braves’ 3rd baseman. However, Riley’s batted ball data remained elite while he was active, putting up barrel rates and average exit velocities in the top 90th percentile of the league. If all he needs is some health luck to put up big numbers, I’ll gladly buy back in at this price.

Build: P 0 - IF 2 - OF 3

Round 6, Pick 69 - Jac Caglianone KC (ADP 72.4)

Unfortunately, today’s price is not yesterday’s price, but that’s not going to stop me from including Cags in my perfect draft. For months, Caglianone was being taken behind unproven outfielders with less upside. I’m passing on some solid pitching options like Dylan Cease and Freddy Peralta, but light-tower power paired with elite prospect pedigree is what I want in my OF room.

Build: P 0 - IF 2 - OF 4

Round 7, Pick 76 - Framber Valdez DET (ADP 84.5)

I get it, I’m reaching a bit here. But with a 0-2-4 build, Valdez presents as an ideal anchor for a rotation that is going to include seven arms. While he lacks the strikeout upside the elite options offer, Valdez is going to be pitching in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks, in one of the weakest divisions in baseball. I’m hoping for a decent K/9 and volume that should result in plenty of quality starts.

Build: P 1 - IF 2 - OF 4

Round 8, Pick 93 - Michael Busch CHC (ADP 99.1)

Busch broke out in a big way last year, connecting for 34 homers alongside a .523 SLG%. For all the concerns about platoons, Busch tallied close to 600 plate appearances last year and is reportedly a mainstay in the lineup, regardless of the pitcher’s handedness. I’m buying into the breakout and the absurd batted ball metrics he put up last year. He’s one of my favourite pieces on the Cubs, and based on his ADP, it’s easy to find a spot for him in most builds.

Build: P 1 - IF 3 - OF 4

Round 9, Pick 100 - Kyle Bradish BAL (ADP 109.6)

This is the time in the draft when many drafters start targeting pitchers. I like the upside of Nolan McLean and the new landing spot for Mackenzie Gore, but Bradish is the most tantalizing. What if we got 160 innings of that pristine 30% strikeout rate from his cup of coffee last year, and paired it with the ace potential he flashed back in 2023? Hopefully, the injuries are behind him, and we get another chance to see what Bradish can do over a full season.

Build: P 2 - IF 3 - OF 4

Round 10, Pick 117 - Chase Burns CIN (ADP 116.3)

Including Burns will come with a bit of controversy, considering his strange usage in Spring Training and the Reds’ lack of clarity regarding his status in their rotation. Perhaps they’re playing the long game with arguably the most electric young arm in baseball, but the Reds should be competitive again in 2026. If they are, they’ll need Burns to be heavily involved. Every pitcher comes with injury risk, so I’m okay taking the chance on an absolute Stuff+ monster.

Build: P3 - IF 3 - OF 4

Round 11, Pick 124 - Wilyer Abreu BOS (ADP 131.2)

Not to sound like a total hipster, but I’ve been drafting Abreu since before his mammoth homer against Japan in the WBC. In only 115 games last year, he socked 22 tanks, walked at a healthy 9.6% clip, and posted a 12.3% barrel rate, which ranked in the 77th percentile. Based on the Red Sox’s right-handed options, Abreu could get an opportunity to play against lefties, which would boost his value even further. If he doesn’t, I still like this power bat’s spike potential, especially as OF falls off a cliff.

Build: P3 - IF 3 - OF 5

Round 12, Pick 141 - Bubba Chandler PIT (ADP 142.0)

I think I might have a type when it comes to pitchers. A year ago, drafters were taking Chandler in this range, but this time around, Chandler is ticketed for a spot in the Pirates’ rotation. The control concerns are valid, but as an SP4 with electric stuff, there are going to be outings where it all clicks, and Chandler is going to look unhittable. In his sophomore season, there’s plenty of runway for Chandler to make the necessary adjustments and tap into his immense potential.

Build: P4 - IF 3 - OF 5

Round 13, Pick 148 - Nate Eovaldi TEX (ADP 152.4)

I’m tempted to stack up Wilson Contreras here with Wilyer Abreu, but IF runs deep, and Eovaldi looks primed to repeat what was a very impressive 2025 season. His 21.9 K-BB% jumps off the page, and he has seemingly bounced back from the shoulder injury that cut his 2025 season short. Ideally, all my arms stay healthy, but if not, I like the projected quality of Eovaldi’s innings.

Build: P 5 - IF 3 - OF 5

Round 14, Pick 165 - Chase DeLauter CLE (ADP 172.6)

Despite an injury-plagued start to his career, DeLauter is still viewed highly by the Guardians organization. He made his major league debut in the playoffs and figures to slot into the lineup every day. I’d be more concerned about him being platooned if the Guardians’ bench featured actual major leaguers. Most projections have him around league average, but I think a breakout season is well within DeLauter’s range of outcomes.

Build: P 5 - IF 3 - OF 6

Round 15, Pick 172 - Drake Baldwin ATL (ADP 175.6)

Amidst the Jurickson Profar suspension fallout, Drizzy seems to be the biggest beneficiary. An open DH slot means the sophomore catcher has a pathway to more ABs in 2026. Baldwin actually hit better against lefties last year, and typically slots in the first half of the batting order, so there is a lot to be excited for this season.

Build: P5 - IF 4 - OF 6

Round 16, Pick 189 - Cade Horton CHC (ADP 192.3)

The Rookie of the Year runner-up came into Cubs camp, lighting up the radar gun. His expected statistics from last year suggest some luck, but his xERA was still under 4. Pitching in the friendly confines of Wrigley and having another year of development under his belt should help Horton excel in year two.

Build: P 6 - IF 4 - OF 6

Round 17, Pick 196 - Ivan Herrera STL (ADP 224.8)

The logical answer here is stacking Kyle Manzardo with DeLauter, but it’s MY perfect draft, and I can’t resist Herrera’s appeal. His bat is so strong, he’ll be shifting away from primary catcher duties to ensure he’s in the lineup every day. His savant page is just as red as his Cardinals jersey, and his K-BB ratio has me dreaming of what full-time production looks like for Herrera.

Build: P 6 - IF 5 - OF 6

Round 18, Pick 213 - JJ Wetherholt STL (ADP 227.4)

He doesn’t carry the same prospect hype as Konnor Griffin, but Wetherholt, taken two picks before Griffin in the 2024 draft, looks poised to break camp with the Cardinals as the team’s starting 2nd baseman. As my 6th infielder, he stacks well with Herrera, figures to play every day, and brings a combination of pedigree/upside at a very low price.

Build: P 6 - IF - 6 - OF 6

Round 19, Pick 220 - Luis Gil NYY (ADP 239.1)

Gil took a step back last year, in large part due to injury. Ever since his Rookie of the Year campaign, there have been concerns about his lack of control and tendency to lose the zone at times. Despite that, Gil has demonstrated an ability to generate whiffs and strikeouts at an above-average rate. With a strong spring and a spot in the Yankees’ rotation secured, I like Gil to bounce back and deliver some spike starts, even if he’s inconsistent across the course of the season.

Build: P 7 - IF - 6 - OF 6

Round 20, Pick 237 - Bryce Eldridge SF (ADP 238.8)

Hypothetical question: if you saw 30 homers lying around at the end of your draft, would you pick them up? I would.

Build: P 7 - IF - 7 - OF 6

On the heels of my previous article, I’m going back to the draft board and evaluating teams I’m looking to target as Best Ball season starts to wind down. I’ve highlighted some stacks that will cost you draft capital, and some stacks that can be had for a very low price. You’ve got to spend money to make money, but finding value at the end of drafts matters too. Here are the stacks I like at the beginning and end of builds.

Premium Stacks

Athletics

The A’s still project to be a poor team, but don’t let that scare you away from their hitters. They project to be a top-10 team by wRC+ and stand to benefit from another year at Sutter Health Park. Outside of Coors Field, Sacramento proved to be the most hitter-friendly environment in 2025.

Park factors aside, the A’s have a roster full of bats entering their prime years. Nick Kurtz (19.6), Brent Rooker (13.8), and Tyler Soderstrom (38.1) go within the first four rounds, and for good reason. These are bats that can get to big power numbers and provide very valuable spike week scores. Even with the rise in cost from 2025 to 2026, the new prices are justifiable, and you avoid the risk of playing catch-up as OF falls off a cliff.

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta has been snake bitten by injuries the last couple of years, and that’s scaring off some drafters. After down years from Matt Olson (30.7), Austin Riley (53.6), and Michael Harris II (75.4), one of the most tantalizing offences can be had in the formative rounds of the draft.

Even at the top of draft boards, Ronald Acuna (4.1) has 1.01 potential, which he’s flashed early in Spring Training. Many of the names mentioned are still in their mid-late 20’s, and I’m willing to bet the team can still produce at an elite level over 162 games.

Bargain Bin Stacks

St. Louis Cardinals

My favourite picks are the ones that don’t cost you a thing but still present plenty of upside. You don’t even need to think about Cardinals players until round 17, so tacking them on at the end of builds is very easy.

The team as a whole does not project to win many games this year, but even bad teams have productive players. Ivan Herrera (202.3) and Alec Burleson (230.1) project to be well above league-average hitters and figure to play every day. If you’re looking for upside, JJ Wetherholt (231.4), their top prospect, is another infield option with an opportunity to start. Even Jordan Walker (220.6), who is still only 24, can be had for free (*ducks*).

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds sneakily project to be a middle-of-the-pack offence overall, and have some notable names at the beginning and end of drafts. Elly De La Cruz (12.8) and Eugenio Suarez (76.8) can spike with the best of them, and OF TJ Friedl (116.5) is available in the middle of drafts if you’re looking for some volume.

Even if you don’t want to spend up for the Reds, personal favourite Sal Stewart (183.3) is still affordable despite his rise over the last month. Matt McLain (197.7) can provide plenty of volume with moderate power and speed, and Noelvi Marte (232.0), who, despite his poor projections, is still only 24 with room to improve in his first full season with everyday ABs.

Great American Ballpark is right behind Dodger Stadium for the best place to hit home runs, so if some key pieces can take a step, the runs should come in bunches.

This weekend, our writer, Paul, is joining me for The Sheep Seats as well as another episode of Jason and Brad Draft a Dinger on Sunday, both at 8 PM Central. Next week is Pitcher Week.

Episode 63 of The Stacking Dingers Show is a check-in with Billy and me. We talk through spring training news, compare the Konnor Griffen steam vs Corbin Carroll, and then use the free tools at Fantasy.vip to look through our drafting so far.

Baseball is BACK. Spring Training is underway, and the World Baseball Classic is just around the corner. Drafters finally get a chance to determine if their priors match the eye test and reevaluate if they’re overweight or underweight on their targets and fades. March will be ripe with news and updates as teams start closing in on their Opening Day rosters, so what better time to look at who’s gaining or losing steam in best ball drafts?

Risers

Eugenio Suárez - ADP (101.3 → 84.1)

Geno drafters could not be happier that the slugging third basemen opted to sign a 1-year deal with the Reds, rather than run it back with the Mariners in 2026. Suarez returns to his old club AND one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball - a big deal considering he carried a sub - .700 OPS in the final two months of the season with Seattle.

Suarez continues to sell out for homers, and at his age, he’s paying for it with strikeout and chase rates that are concerning for an aging veteran. The lineup is a downgrade, and he goes in a range of intriguing IF bats like Bregman, Bichette, and Seager, who all project to outpace Suarez in overall production. With that being said, homers are difference makers in best ball, so a full fade of Suarez is not recommended.

Daulton Varsho - ADP (145.8 → 119.5)

In an injury-shortened season, Varsho still matched his second-highest home run output, mashing 20 dingers in only 71 games. Small sample sizes should always be taken with a grain of salt, but even the projections expect Varsho to smash this year - every system, except OOPSY, has him with an ISO over .200 and at least 20+ homers.

Before last season, Varsho had struggled to provide league-average production, but his elite defence has established him as a mainstay in Toronto’s lineup. With Jesus Sanchez and Addison Barger (both lefties) slated to play the corner outfield positions, the Jays will only have so many platoon options. If his production lands somewhere between his down years and his monster 2025, Varsho is still worth the pick at his new price.

Emmet Sheehan - ADP (212.4 → 181.2)

Blake Snell isn’t going to be ready for the start of the season… shocking, I know. For all the reservations with drafting pitchers in six-man rotations, Emmet Sheehan still feels worthy of a 16th-round pick. His weekly upside is capped by the lack of two-start weeks, but his single-game ceiling can’t be ignored. His K%, Whiff%, and Chase% are all in the 90th percentile, and someone will need to make starts for the Dodgers if they’re keeping Snell, Glasnow, and Ohtani in bubblewrap during the regular season.

There is always pitching available late in drafts, but Sheehan can be one of those arms that goes closer to pick 100 than 200 in 2027.

Fallers

Spencer Steer - ADP (160.7 → 190.9)

As the newest Cincinnati Red shoots up draft boards, the one he displaced has fallen. Steer’s fit on the roster was already a question mark before the Suarez signing, but now, drafters are more skeptical of the utility man finding regular at-bats.

They’re right to be concerned. The majority of projections have Steer as a part-time player, with most models expecting around 400 PAs this season. Even if he does find a way to get in the lineup every day, Steer has failed to be a league-average bat by wRC+, even with consecutive 20-home run campaigns. Round 16 feels late enough to consider him in stacks, but even then, IF runs deep, and there are far more attractive targets *cough* BIG STEW *cough*.

Jarren Duran - ADP (25.8 → 30.5)

Early reports out of Red Sox camp indicate Alex Cora is considering a platoon partner for Jarren Duran, and understandably so. Duran has managed a 70 wRC+ against southpaws in over 500 ABs over his career. Even in his 2024 breakout campaign, he buoyed his overall numbers by carrying a .910 OPS against righties, alongside a .665 OPS against same-handed pitching.

This could be noise, but almost all of the Red Sox outfield options are left-handed. Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida are all on the table, and even though Abreu has struggled against lefties in a small sample, Cora has already indicated he’s in play for more left-on-left ABs. Even if Duran manages to stay in the lineup against lefties, I’m opting for higher upside from the OF in this range.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto - ADP (42.3 → 48.4)

I get it - drafting pitchers early isn’t cool. Most of the time, I tend to agree, but the SP4 has fallen all the way to the 5th round of drafts, and I really don’t mind taking him there.

Is Yamamoto less likely to get a two-start week? Definitely. Does he pose a risk if the Dodgers choose to slow-play him if he is injured? Sure! But at this point in the draft, you likely have 4 strong position players to anchor your roster, so why not grab an elite arm that can put up strong single-game scores? Drafting Yamamoto following a 1IF/3OF start seems intriguing, and it doesn’t feel restrictive enough to prevent a 7P build if you’re itching for more two-start opportunities. You never know who you’re going to need in the playoffs, and Yamamoto is a talent worth investing in, even if he feels a tad expensive.

Sorry for that outburst. I’m just so very excited that Spring Training games start today. We are in it!

We also have a ton of things going on here at Stacking Dingers. Tonight at 8 pm Central, there will be an episode of The Sheep Seats. Tomorrow night at 8 pm Central, our new show, Jason and Brad Draft a Dinger, debuts. Jason and Brad joined us this week for the Infielder Rundowns, and they will be, uh, drafting a dinger together on the show. It should be fun, these guys love to give it to each other. It won’t be a regularly scheduled program, but they’ll be doing a handful more before the season. Next week, Tuesday will be a little bit different stream. I will be streaming an NFBC auction in the Bubba and the Bloom Listener League contest. Four and a half hours, and I’ll have some friends stop by as the night goes along. Pitcher week will be the first week of March.

If you’re as excited about Spring Training as I am, you might want to join us in the Stacking Dingers YouTube member private Discord channel. Every day is a lively discussion about players, injuries, and drafts. Just join the YouTube channel, jump into the Discord server, and make sure your two accounts are linked. I also posted my Spring Training DFS M4NIF3ST0 and shared some of the secrets to my success on those small slates.

Back to the Infielder shows! Check them out and be sure to weigh in with your likes to determine the winner between Jason and Brad (watch it and you’ll know what I’m talking about).

Spring Training has finally arrived, and a flurry of news has come with it. A slew of notable names showed up to camp with elbow discomfort, sore obliques, and hamate bones in disarray. The season is just around the corner, but there is a lot to be determined in the next five weeks or so.

With rotation spots up for grabs and roster decisions to be made, the best ball landscape is set to see some movers and shakers amid camp and World Baseball Classic news. Here are a few situations I’m monitoring throughout March.

Pitcher

Connelly Early (239.1)

Early’s 2025 debut was very impressive, albeit in a small sample size. Still, the Red Sox turned to the 23-year-old to help their playoff push, and even handed him the ball for a Wild Card series start against the Yankees. In 19 innings, he punched out 29 hitters with an impressive 5.1 BB%.

Unfortunately, the Red Sox are loaded with pitching depth. With the acquisitions of Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez, plus the anticipated return of rehabbing veterans Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval, Early may be on the outside looking in. But both Crawford and Sandoval are coming back from major injuries, and some pitching options may be best served in a bullpen role. If a path for Early opens up, he’ll be a priority in almost every draft.

Jonah Tong (Undrafted)

Tong also made his major league debut in 2025, only three years after being selected in the 7th round by the Mets. He didn’t see the same type of success as Early, but Tong’s 25% strikeout rate is noteworthy.

His rapid ascension through the minors stems from his strikeout ability. Tong’s K% never dipped below 30%, and his stuff, paired with a Yesavage-like arm angle, makes for a uniquely challenging at-bat. Like most rookies, he’s buried on the depth chart, but that can change quickly.

Infield

Jordan Westburg (161.5)

The Orioles look poised to make noise after a big offseason that added Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward. Westburg figures to be a big part of their offence, if he can stay on the field. Unfortunately, he’s already dealing with a ‘mild’ oblique injury and is anticipated to miss a handful of Spring Training games.

I don’t like overreacting to a minor injury in February, but Westburg has yet to piece together a full season because of his poor health. However, when he is healthy, Westburg has produced strong numbers and slots into the middle of the Orioles’ lineup. If he can get through March unscathed and fully healthy to start the season, Westburg can provide a lot of value for teams at the back end of the draft board.

Munetaka Murakami (141.7)/Kazuma Okamoto (186.1)

Two of the most intriguing infield options in the pool will be getting their first taste of Major League action this season. Murakami brings a three-true-outcome skill set, with big power and big swing-and-miss, while Okamoto projects as a blend of power and contact.

What they look like in the Majors versus Japan is a big unknown, and it won’t be clear until they start playing games. But with the World Baseball Classic kicking off in a few weeks, they’ll have an opportunity to square off against the best the game has to offer. If either Murakami or Okamoto ball out for Japan, be prepared for their ADPs to skyrocket.

Outfield

Cam Smith (227.1)

Smith had all of 134 professional plate appearances before he debuted with the Astros. As the centrepiece of the Kyle Tucker trade, the 2024 14th overall selection held his own in his first full season, putting up a 90 wRC+. While the numbers themselves aren’t overly impressive, he’s only 23 and played 134 games while learning a completely new position.

With reports that Altuve will spend most of his time at second base and the trade of Jesus Sanchez for Joey Loperfido, the outfield alignment for the Astros is in question. Loperfido and Zach Cole are both older and have less pedigree than Smith, so there’s a path to regular playing time. If Smith can separate in Spring Training, it’ll be hard for the Astros not to find him everyday ABs.

Owen Caissie (237.2)

Cassie appeared ready to finally make an impact with the Cubs, that is, until he was traded to the Marlins for SP Edward Cabrera. Caissie is poised to get an extended run and has an opportunity to make an impact at the big league level after crushing it in the minors for several seasons.

The concern is that every Marlins outfielder is left-handed, and based on their projected bench, Miami may carry right-handed platoon bats for tough matchups. Caissie is less established than Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee so the rookie may be the odd one out in those situations. In any case, I’ll be paying close attention to Miami’s lineup construction as we get deeper into the spring.

Draft Day - The Stacking Dingers Show Episode 56

Billy and I draft two teams in The Dinger and discuss the whole process.

MLB Best Ball Reset with Brendan Tuma - Episode 57

Stacking Dingers’ founding member and head of MLB at Underdog, Brendan Tuma, joins Billy and me to talk about dropping all of your previous assumptions and then building back from there.

How Fantasy Baseball Professional Vlad Sedler Attacks Baseball - Episode 58

High-stakes roto guru and FTN MLB content leader, Vlad Sedler, comes on this episode to share how he builds his best ball ranks from the FTN projections, and then has some questions for us.

The Sheep Seats Returns! A First Look at DraftKings MLB Best Ball

For those who might not know, before starting Stacking Dingers, I have been streaming draft content on The Sheep Seats, a separate YouTube channel. It had been on hiatus for a while due to my other life and time commitments. Some of that has cleared up, and now we’ve decided to roll this show into the Stacking Dingers channel. I should be live most Friday nights (including tonight) around 8 pm Central. These live streams, as of now, will not be distributed in audio only form.

MLB best ball rewards high-end weekly performances, and stacking is a key strategy to help your teams unlock massive scores. If a team goes off in a week and scores a boatload of runs, having more players from that team gives you access to those points. This site wouldn’t be called Stacking Dingers if we didn’t try to get you to stack.

I’ve identified three teams that I want to prioritize for stacks this season - each of whom has options across both IF and OF throughout the draft. I’m targeting other stacks as well, but these teams currently offer value and upside that may be going unrealized based on ADP. Numbers in parentheses (XXX.X) indicate the player’s current ADP at the time of writing.

Baltimore Orioles

Few teams had worse injury luck than the Orioles last year. One of baseball’s youngest and most promising teams underperformed, in part because key pieces landed on the shelf for extended periods. Adley Rutschman (207.6), Jordan Westburg (153.5), and Colton Cowser (125.8) all played fewer than 100 games, and recent reports indicate Gunnar Henderson (19.0) dealt with a shoulder injury for most of the season.

Friend of the show, TJ Stats, recently shared the projected Team wRC+ leaderboard based on composite projections, and the Orioles slot in at 2nd behind the Dodgers. Because of their poor 2025, many Orioles hitters are available throughout the draft, and are discounted significantly. Even if they aren’t part of a main stack within your build, tacking on two to three Orioles gives you access to a lineup poised to bounce back and make some noise in the AL East.

Houston Astros

Here is another team projected to finish within the top 10 projected Team wRC+ with players available throughout the draft. While I have some aging concerns about Altuve (64.4), every piece of this offence is priced generously. After an injury-plagued season, drafters are letting Yordan Alvarez (16.3) fall to the middle of the 2nd round, despite every projection system confidently predicting a return to form for the 28-year-old slugger.

Later options like Christian Walker (155.5), Isaac Paredes (185.6), and Jesus Sanchez (239.3) all project to be better than league average and could provide around 20 homers. Paredes and Walker historically have 30-homer seasons on their ledger, and could see their numbers from last year improve with better health and luck throughout the lineup. In one of the more homer-friendly environments in the league, Astros stacks look very intriguing at their current price.

Toronto Blue Jays

Accessibility throughout the draft has become a theme here, but I love high-powered offences with pieces that don’t burn early draft capital. While they may be flawed and hard to project for 2026, Daulton Varsho (133.8) and Kazuma Okamoto (194.3) figure to play every day in a Blue Jays lineup that finished top 10 in xSLG and xwOBA in 2025.

Anthony Santander (78.4) is another great buy-low opportunity following a lost season. Less than a year ago, he was coming off a 44-homer campaign and was taken in the 3rd round of best ball drafts. He’s now 4 rounds cheaper and can be paired with other elite bats and arms as a third or fourth OF. Outside of a pricey George Springer (45.4), this is an offence you can invest in for a cheap cost that should score plenty of runs.

We’re only weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training…what a time to be alive! With the release of the Dinger and multiple Bunt contests already filled, the ADP landscape has shifted greatly, thanks to high-volume drafters who have started doing their own research and diving into the numbers.

Drafters can have a hard time discerning how long buy into a player steaming up the board, or the dip on a faller. The latest ADP report looks at who’s trending north and south, why that may be the case, and if they’re worth considering at their new cost.

Risers

Konnor Griffin - ADP (204→162.4)

By the time you’re reading this, Griffin’s ADP has likely gone up another couple of spots.

The hype around MLB’s #1 overall prospect is palpable. Since the calendar flipped, the 19 year-old phenom has climbed three rounds in ADP and likely isn’t done steaming up boards.

The Pirates finally made moves this offseason to improve the roster, and their commitment to winning now suggests they’ll name Griffin as their opening day shortstop by Spring Training’s end. The biggest learning curve for prospects comes when they get to the Majors. Expecting Major League-level production from a player with one season of professional baseball under their belt is a big ask, especially for a player of Griffin’s age.

His skill set is so tantalizing, and he presents the kind of upside best ball drafters dream of. But he is starting to go around infielders with many years of above-average production, making the pick more difficult than it was a month ago. As badly as we want these young studs to hit the ground running, sometimes it takes longer than expected - Jackson Holliday faced similar hype only a couple of years ago, and failed to be a useful pick. I’ll be in on Griffin, but won’t be ignoring those being drafted around him either.

Kyle Tucker - ADP (10→7.6)

On top of winning the World Series, the Dodgers worked their magic to win the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes. Solidified in the first round of drafts since contests opened, Tucker has slid up to the middle of the first round, and for good reason. Tucker joins one of the league’s best lineups and is expected to slot in behind the league’s best hitter, Shohei Ohtani.

Tucker’s maintained a 10% barrel rate while barely striking out (15.8%) and walking a ton (11.5%) over his entire career. Tucker’s new ADP feels fair, and makes some of the teammate stacking options like Betts and Freeman more appealing. There’s a chance the Dodgers’ offense takes another leap with the addition of Tucker, and bounceback seasons from guys like Betts and Hernandez. Sounds appealing to me.

Ranger Suarez - ADP (183→160.1)

Suarez has shot up in ADP since signing his deal with the Red Sox earlier this month. The southpaw figures to slot in as the team’s number two in the rotation for the next five years, establishing a dynamic front-end duo with Garret Crochet.

Suarez’s success stems from his ability to generate weak contact, and last year, he was elite in that regard, holding opponents to a 31.1% hard hit rate. He will need to stay elite in that area, as he projects to have a below league-average K%, and moves from one hitter friendly park to another. He’s only 30, and pitchers tend to decline more gracefully than hitters, but I’m still wary of a soft-tossing lefty who relies on weak contact to get outs. Having settled in around the likes of Tanner Bibee, Ryan Pepiot, and Nathan Eovaldi, I’ll be considering those other options over Suarez

Fallers

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - ADP (13→15.9)

Vladdy is one of the most frustrating hitters in all of fantasy baseball. He has consistently demonstrated an ability to hit the piss out of the ball, but has been much less consistent in turning those hard hits into home runs. Over his career, he’s held a 7.5 degree launch angle, which means a lot of ground balls that rarely turn into extra-base hits. Despite his inconsistencies, drafters are rightfully intrigued by the batted ball skills and his elite ability to take walks without striking out.

Anyone who watched the playoffs knows why he routinely gets selected in the 2nd round of drafts. Guerrero Jr. can have white-hot stretches where he looks like Barry Bonds, and everything his bat touches leaves the yard. His floor is incredibly high, and there is still room for him to ascend to the levels he reached in 2021 when he put up an absurd .311/.401/.601 slash line. Vlad can keep falling, and I’ll keep buying.

Marcell Ozuna - ADP (132→162.5)

Ozuna, the former Brave, has yet to find a new home, and there haven’t been many rumors suggesting where he might land. In his age 34 season, Ozuna still showed plenty of discipline and pop to make him an intriguing pick.

There’s risk with selecting Ozuna in that teams may not be interested in shelling out money to an aging slugger who won’t provide any defensive value. He’s also showing signs of decline, with his bat speed falling 2 mph from his 2023 season, where he slugged 40 homers. However, he’s now slotting in around guys like Sal Frelick, Nick Castellanos, and Ramon Laureano. If hearing those names made you shudder, maybe it’s time to look past some of his concerns and mix in Ozuna when you need OF help late in drafts.

Zack Wheeler - ADP (91→108.6)

Seeing Wheeler’s ADP is a bit jarring. This is easily the cheapest the Phillies right-hander has been in years, but that’s because of the uncertainty he brings. Any pitcher coming off an injury carries a level of concern, but his diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome feels extra worrisome.

He had surgery to address the issue towards the end of last season. The most recent update from the team doesn’t instill a lot of confidence. His GM and Manager commented on Wheeler, saying he’s throwing from 90 feet, but not on a mound yet, per se. Based on where he’s at with his recovery, he feels like a long shot to be ready for opening day.

Wheeler returning a zero in 2026 is well within his range of outcomes. Best Ball is a punishing game, and there are fully healthy players who will hit the shelf at some point during the season. If there are any substantial developments in Wheeler’s progress, I’ll reconsider, but at this point, I’m staying away.

With the launch of the Dinger, the MLB best ball season is underway. Spring Training is still a few weeks out, and there are plenty of rotation battles and roster spots to be won.

That uncertainty comes with potential late-round values. Last year, players like Nick Kurtz, Zach Neto, and Tyler Soderstrom had ADPs of 200 or later, providing teams with production from their final picks.

Who might have that kind of impact in 2026?

IF

Sal Stewart - 233.2 ADP

The Cincinnati Reds returned to the postseason in 2025 and called up their 2022 1st round draft pick, Sal Stewart, to help with their playoff push.

In 18 regular-season games, Stewart flashed the power that fueled his ascension to the bigs, hitting 5 homers and slugging .545 in a small sample.

With Gavin Lux sent packing for Tampa Bay, the Reds’ DH spot appears to be Stewart’s for the taking. Most projection systems have him playing around 120 games, with 20 homers and a slugging percentage over .440. If he manages to be productive early and earn an everyday role, he could surpass those numbers in his first full season.

Bryce Eldridge - 238.4 ADP

The Giants’ 1st-round pick from 2023 spent his age-20 season destroying minor league pitching and making his major league debut in September.

In 100 games, Eldridge (6’7, 240 lbs) hit 25 homers and put up a .250 ISO, following a similar output from 2024 as a 19-year-old. The strikeouts have been a concern, but with plenty of room to develop and a decent shot at everyday ABs, Eldridge presents a high upside, low-floor option to add to your Giants stacks at the end of drafts.

OF

Jesus Sanchez - 239.5 ADP

Based on his xSLG and wOBA, Sanchez ran into some bad luck in 2025. As things currently stand, he’ll be the Astros’ starting right fielder and should benefit from a healthier lineup and improved hitting environment for the entire year.

His barrel rates have been 11% or better in each of his last 3 seasons, and he figures to slot in the middle of the Astros order behind established vets like Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker and Carlos Correa, potentially giving his counting stats a boost yet to experience in his career.

Jordan Walker - 234.7 ADP

Based on his ADP, many have given up on Jordan Walker after being burned by him in the last two seasons. At the end of drafts, I’m still willing to take a flier on a former 1st round pick who has yet to turn 24, and has spent his offseason in the Driveline lab trying to unlock his potential.

With all of the veterans jettisoned out of town, the Cardinals are poised to give their young talent extended looks, including Walker. I’m optimistic he can cut down on the strikeouts and return to his rookie year production with more reps under his belt.

P

Luis Gil - 239.5 ADP

The control has always been a concern for Gil, but his strikeout potential can’t be ignored. He’s sitting at the end of drafts following a season derailed by a lat strain, and if he bounces back to his 2024 form, he’ll be relevant in best ball.

Steamer projections expect Gil to return to rates more in line with previous years (13.6 K-BB%) over 100 innings. The innings projection reflects the injury risk, but if Gil manages to stay healthy, he could be a key cog in the Yankees’ rotation.

Reynaldo Lopez - 239.7 ADP

Lopez is another pitcher coming off an injury who was able to return to the mound towards the end of the year. The Braves have indicated they’re looking to stretch him out as a starter, making him an intriguing final round option.

There’s some risk the team uses him as a swing-man, but based on the health history of other rotation options, he should run into some starts one way or another.

Atlanta looks poised to win a lot of games in 2026, and if Lopez can reestablish himself, he has the opportunity to beat his P126 ADP.

It was a full house for this episode. Underdog grinders and big volume players Brad, Jason, Spencer, and Dan all joined this week for a roundtable discussion on subjects relevant to being a max enterer. Maybe you’ve been thinking about doing more volume this year, or want to hear some drafters talk ball? Check it out!

The holiday season flew by, and 2026 is already here. Before you know it, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training, and it will be ‘this player is in the best shape of their lives’ season.

With The Bullpen at 75% filled, the release of Underdog’s flagship Best Ball contest The Dinger is just around the corner. The ADP landscape continues to evolve as MLB teams look to finalize their rosters for the upcoming season. To help you prepare for drafts, I’ve highlighted some recent risers and fallers, detailing why they may or may not be worth drafting at their new cost.

Risers

Wilson Contreras - ADP (232.0→184.2)

Contreras has been incredibly consistent over his last four seasons. He’s never dipped below 124 wRC+, and has popped at least 20 homers every year, except for an injury shortened 2024. In 2025, he posted a career-best barrel percentage (13.9%) and hard hit rate (49%), which were top 30 marks among qualified hitters.

Not only does Contreras project for another strong campaign (24 HR and a 117 wRC+ via THE BAT X), but he also shifts to a friendlier hitting environment. The 33-year-old slugger joins a potent Red Sox lineup and will play half of his games at Fenway, a top-10 park for righties according to Statcast Park Factors. Contreras is expected to slot in at 1B/DH every day, and considering the playing time risks for the IF around him in this range of the draft, Contreras looks like a smash at his ADP.

Adolis Garcia - ADP (146.1→135.5)

The Phillies were quick to pounce and sign Adolis Garcia after he was non-tendered by the Rangers earlier in the offseason. Since winning the World Series in 2013, Garcia has failed to post an OPS over .700 or a SLG percentage over .400, making him a fantasy liability rather than an asset.

Current projections anticipate some of the power coming back, but each system expects Garcia to be a below league-average hitter this year. Though he figures to get the majority of the playing time in RF, his inability to get on base and make contact consistently makes him a risky pick, especially with all of the intriguing pitching options on the board in round twelve.

Shane Baz - ADP (195.8→183.7)

Working to fortify their starting rotation for the upcoming season, the Orioles parted with several prospects to acquire Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays via trade. The 2017 first-round selection has yet to put it all together at the major league level, despite having an electric fastball and an arsenal of secondary pitches that have generated above-average strikeout rates.

Despite the intriguing stuff, Baz continues to get hit hard and issue free passes. As he enters his age 27 season, many analysts feel some small tweaks could unlock Baz’s potential. The Athletic’s Keith Law cited Steinbrenner Field and poor pitch selection as key contributors to the inflated HR/FB ratio, and his expected ERA of .385 suggests some bad luck as well.

Baz’s breakout isn’t a guarantee, but at pick 183, he has the combination of pedigree, stuff, and opportunity to make him a solid SP5/SP6 for your best ball squads.

Fallers

Freddie Freeman - ADP (34.2→37.2)

Behind Ohtani, Freeman proved to be the most valuable bat for the Dodgers during the regular season and was instrumental during their World Series Championship run. At 35, he still slugged, tallying 65 extra base hits, including 24 tanks, while getting on base at a .367 clip.

The dip in price likely comes from drafters prioritizing their OF spots early and pushing IF like Freeman down. Even factoring in some regression due to his age, he is still going to hit behind Ohtani and Betts, and have plenty of opportunities to do damage in one of baseball’s most potent lineups. If he’s still on the board in round 4, you have to feel good about taking him as your first or second IF.

Jackson Chourio - ADP (19.0→20.7)

By the time the 2026 regular season begins, Chourio will have turned 22, with two full seasons under his belt. Of the outfielders going in the first two rounds, Chourio has some of the weakest batted ball data, in part because of his 8th percentile chase rate and ability to make contact on pitches out of the zone.

Even with the negatives, Chourio has put up consecutive 20/20 seasons, flashing some power and speed. He’ll need to improve his patience and get closer to the walk rates he showed in the minors to take the next step. At his age, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, but there are also so many hitters with big power in the 2nd round. Chourio’s profile feels ideal for roto leagues, but in best ball where we’re chasing spike weeks, it’s hard to fault drafters who prefer hitters like Brent Rooker, Rafael Devers, or Cal Raleigh.

Tarik Skubal - ADP (11.8→13.1)

There really isn’t anything negative to say about Tarik Skubal. He struck out opponents at an absurd 32.2% rate, and did so efficiently, converting 21 of his 31 outings into quality starts. It was hard to fathom an improvement on his breakout season, but he added another half-win in 2025, putting up an outrageous 6.6 WAR.

This ADP boils down to opportunity cost, and more so reflects the scarcity of other positions, rather than drafters feeling like Skubal isn’t worthy of a 1st round pick. Late SP values tend to be available each year in drafts, with breakouts at OF being harder to come by. Pitchers also come with far more volatility due to their inherent risk of injury, so don’t be surprised if some of these top arms get slightly cheaper as draft season continues.

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In large-field best ball tournaments, a winning strategy is more than simply drafting “good” players — it comes from consistently beating the market. Early in a tournament’s lifecycle, pricing inefficiencies tend to be the most pronounced as news, role clarity, and public sentiment catch up to reality. Identifying which players have been pushed up and which are slipping is one of the biggest edges available. Below are some of the most notable ADP risers and fallers from the early phase of the tournament.

Risers

Trevor Story - ADP (188 -> 187.4 -> 164.4)

Trevor Story finally put together a healthy season in 2025, playing in 157 games compared to 163 total over the previous three. Story hit the ball hard, popping 25 homers, while adding 30 steals, but because of his poor swing decisions, he still only managed a .741 OPS and a 101 wRC+.

He’s going late enough in drafts where he makes sense in builds with Red Sox stacks, but regression and his injury history present plenty of concern for the upcoming season if the price continues to rise.

Taylor Ward - ADP (101 -> 79.3 -> 53.7)

The Orioles have been all over the MLB hot stove, making a flurry of moves, including acquiring Taylor Ward from the Angels for Grayson Rodriguez.

Ward is flying up draft boards, and for good reason. He’s coming off a career year, reaching highs in homers (36), BB% (11.3) and ISO (.247). His projections have him coming down from those numbers, but the upgrade in offensive environment can’t be ignored. Ward is expected to slot into the middle of a lineup that also recently added Pete Alonso, and is flush with young talent. With Ward being drafted at an all time high, and drafters now must decide if they want to chase the scarce OF position or opt for enticing IF names like Austin Riley, Manny Machado, Trea Turner, or Mookie Betts.

Gerrit Cole - ADP (226 -> 174 -> 141.6)

Gerrit Cole missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery and recent reports suggest he could return sometime in May/June. In addition to his late arrival, available projections have Cole at 130 IP with an ERA around 4, driving his ADP to the mid 130s in early drafts.

Considering his ADP sits around healthy starters with upside, like teammate Cam Schlittler, flamethrower Eury Perez, and bounce-back candidate Michael King, I’d rather take my chances elsewhere.

Fallers

Jeremy Pena - ADP (88 -> 101.3 -> 136.3)

Pena has dropped almost 50 picks since the contest opened, despite coming off a career year where he put up a 135 wRC+, with an OPS of .840.

Even with the success he found, Pena only hit 17 homers, while stealing 20 bases, providing fewer spike weeks and more real life than fantasy value. His BABIP 30 points higher than his career average, alongside a poor chase rate, make him a tough click compared to the arms and other IF bats in his range.

Teoscar Hernandez - ADP (39 -> 47.6 -> 56.8)

In a year where his team won the World Series, everything was not rosy for Hernandez, who had one of his worst offensive seasons in a long time. His xwOBA was the lowest it’s been since 2019, driven from a career low BB%(4.8) to go along with his typical daddy-hack, swing and miss approach he’s had most of his career.

On the positive side, early models have him returning to his career norms, with a 26 HR, .460 SLG, and 112 wRC+ projection from Steamer. Teo’s still on the Dodgers, OF eligible, and likely to produce enough power to make him an intriguing pick at the end of the 5th round.

Blake Snell - ADP (37 -> 47.4 -> 66.2)

Snell has always been an arm worth starting when he’s available, but how available will he be in 2026? The Dodgers held a six-man rotation for most of the season and were more than okay to slow-play pitchers coming back from injury.

Projecting injuries is never recommended, but it’s worth noting that Snell has only reached 180 innings twice in his ten year career. The Dodgers are almost assured a playoff spot at the beginning of the season, so there’s no reason to overwork any of their key pieces. With so many workhorses on the board in this range, Snell will need to fall further to move out of being a soft fade for me in these early drafts.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

We are lucky to have Thomas Nestico (TJStats) on again this year. I always feel out of my league listening to him break down pitchers. That means I get to learn a ton. Check it out for 7 pitchers he’s excited for in the upcoming season.

December has arrived, and with it comes the most exciting time of the year. No, it’s not the holidays or the start of the fantasy football playoffs. The Bullpen dropped last week, kicking off yet another season of MLB Best Ball on Underdog. This contest is an excellent way to shake off the rust, dive back into the player pool, and start thinking about breakouts and busts for the upcoming 2026 season. In just a few days, the ADP landscape is already shifting quickly. Drafting this early comes with many pros and cons, perhaps the most significant being the opportunity to draft certain players at their best price. To help break the ice, we’re going to look at some potential risers and fallers at each position.

As a general rule, unsigned players are shrouded in more ambiguity as we wait to see what type of environment they will be joining. However, understanding their profiles, where they may land, and what that means for their supporting cast, can help identify players who may shoot up the board, including a few who will be featured in this list.

Pitcher - Riser

Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles - ADP (114.3)

2024 was looking like the year it would all click for Kyle Bradish, before his season was cut short with a UCL sprain that led to Tommy John surgery. In his first full season in 2023, Bradish demonstrated an ability to get both righties and lefties out, thanks to a wipeout slider that generated a 36.4% whiff rate and a curveball that had a similar 36.1% whiff rate. Coming into 2024, The Athletic’s Eno Sarris had Bradish ranked 21st among all starters based on his Stuff+ model, and cited his slider as ‘perhaps the best slider’ in the game.

After delaying the start of his season due to the initial injury that ultimately led to TJ, Bradish was pitching as promised. In roughly 40 innings, he boasted an outrageous 32.5% K percentage, with almost all of his expected stats indicating that, when he wasn’t getting swings and misses, he was generating a lot of weak contact. Of course, many of those numbers were likely unsustainable over an entire season, but early signs were strong. Unfortunately, an injury cut his season short, and we never got to find out.

Towards the end of the 2025 season, Bradish returned to the mound for a cup of coffee and proved to everyone that there’s still reason for optimism. In 30 innings, he showed that he hadn’t lost any velocity on his fastball and sinker, averaging about 94.5mph for both pitches, while the whiff rates for his slider and curveball jumped to the mid 40’s. Again, it was a small sample, but those numbers are going to catch the eyes of drafters. And while he’s currently being drafted closer to known entities with higher floors like Luis Castillo, Robbie Ray, and Mackenzie Gore, Bradish offers the kind of league-winning mid-round upside that drafters will chase up the board over the winter.

Pitcher - Faller

Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles - ADP (160.8)

Back-to-back Orioles, I know. But the initial ADP landing spot for Rogers is a bit perplexing. Yes, he’s coming off a season where he posted a 1.81 ERA and matched his best strikeout percentage since the league cracked down on sticky substances. But Rogers was the benefactor of a career low BABIP (.228), despite a career BABIP of .303, and a hard hit rate of 48%, which placed him in the bottom 3rd percentile of all Major League starters. In fact, his xERA came in about 1.5 runs higher than his actual ERA, and there’s nothing in his pitch mix that suggests he found a new way to get batters out.

These numbers came with only 109.2 IP, so the sample is small, and the luck may have run out had he thrown more innings. Early projections from Steamer and Fangraphs DC expect significant regression, with a strikeout percentage under 20 and an ERA over 4.

Rogers’ ADP places him in a range where there are more consistent options, like Zac Gallen, Aaron Nola, and Nate Eovaldi, as well as upside arms like Cam Schlittler, Bubba Chandler, and Tatsuya Imai. As more drafters flood The Bullpen, I expect Rogers to become less attractive and settle in as a late-round option.

IF - Riser

Munetaka Murakami, Unsigned - ADP (174.5)

Earlier, I alluded to unsigned players as being prime candidates to rise in ADP once they’ve signed, and Murakami is the perfect example. In fact, disregarding the unsigned factor, he’s still probably underpriced. Murakami is one of the most prodigious NPB power hitters entering the league since a somewhat popular hitter/pitcher signed with the Angels back in 2018. His profile is one that translates well to Best Ball, in that he combines his patience with big slug, having mashed 56 homers back in 2022, and is coming off a season where he managed to hit 22 tanks in only 224 at-bats. He boasts big exit velocities, with his 2025 max coming in at 116.5mph.

There are some negatives in that he’s a three-true outcome player, which is to say he strikes out a lot. He struck out 64 times in only 187 at-bats last year, and reportedly struggled to hit velocity well. All that being said, his OBP hasn’t dipped below .379 since his 2019 season, and he will only be 26 years old as he makes his Major League debut.

Even if there are growing pains, this is the type of gamble you want to make in Best Ball, especially in rounds 14-15. Murakami has been linked to the Yankees and Phillies (among others), and if he were to land in one of those offensively friendly environments, he’s going to gain steam quickly. A Joey Gallo outcome is certainly in the cards, but a late-round power hitter who could string together a dominant stretch during the Best Ball playoffs is too enticing to pass up at this price.

IF - Faller

Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks - ADP (71.5)

Some people were surprised when the Diamondbacks signed Geraldo Perdomo to a 4 year, $45 million extension, but he proved many of those doubters wrong. He had a career year, hitting to a .290/.389/.462 slash line, with 20 HR, 98 runs, 100 runs batted in, adding 27 steals to put the cherry on top. That seems pretty enticing, but I still have my doubts.

For one, Perdomo had a career high of 720 plate appearances, affording him plenty of opportunity to accumulate all of those stats that make him so enticing to drafters. As well, his actual slug was about 50 points higher than his expected slug, which aligns with his inability to make hard contact. His barrel percentage came in at 6.2%, well below the league average of 7.2%, which came with an average exit velocity and hard hit percentage that both sat in the bottom 20th percentile of Major League hitters.

Though his walk rate and strikeout rate have always been impressive, Perdomo is the type of player who is more appealing in non-Best Ball formats, like Roto, where he can contribute to several categories. And with the departure of Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor, and potentially Ketel Marte, who has been rumored to be a trade candidate, the offensive environment in Arizona is shaping up to look very different in 2026. There are far too many exciting options around Perdomo at every position for him to stay in this range for long.

OF - Riser

Anthony Santander, Toronto Blue Jays - ADP (114.3)

Tony Taters’ first year in Toronto could not have gone much worse. A notoriously slow starter, Santander managed only 6 homers in his first two and a half months before he hit the shelf with a shoulder issue that kept him off the field until the very end of September, where he got a quick tune-up before the Jays’ postseason run.

A big part of this bet is trusting Santander can use the offseason to get healthy. If he does, he rejoins a lineup that’s poised to score a lot of runs in 2026, with Santander slotting somewhere in the middle of the order. And though he may be an imperfect player, Santander had posted wRC+ numbers of 128, 118, and 121 before 2025, due in large part to his power output.

At his current price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find other OF eligible players who project for 28 HR (per Steamer) and have the potential to hit the 35-40 HR range. He’s certainly more proven than the likes of Heliot Ramos, Luis Robert, and Jakob Marsee, and I think many drafters can sell themselves on a bounce back for Santander.

OF - Faller

Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox - ADP (138.2)

Are we really doing this again? I know OF is thin, and finding players who will start 162 games has value, but Rafaela isn’t it.

In his first few seasons, he has established himself as a defensive asset, but his best offensive season was only good for a 91 wRC+. Few players chase outside of the zone and fail to walk as much as the young center fielder. And when he is making contact, he has difficulty hitting the ball hard, with low exit velocities, and even lower whiff rates because of his poor swing decisions. There’s room for improvement, but unless there are drastic changes in approach and skillset, Rafaela is poised to post similar offensive numbers. Considering there are higher offensive pedigree sophomores in his range like Dylan Crews and Jasson Dominguez, drafters will likely have a hard time clicking Ceddanne at his current ADP.

The other thing we are adding this year is a way to support us monetarily. We have opened up two YouTube membership tiers. Everyone who joins will get access to a private Discord server devoted to discussing all things MLB best ball. No content that we have provided in past seasons will be behind that paywall, though. Expect everything you got for free to be the same this season as it was last season. My goal isn’t to make money off of you; it’s only to offset the costs of running Stacking Dingers. Anything past that will go right back into the channel to improve our graphics and technology in order to help reach more people and grow the game.

Also, stay alert tomorrow for our first contribution from Paul, who will be adding a regular written article to this substack feed!

With all that said, I’m happy to show off our first episode of the season as well as 50th(!!!) overall. Billy and I go through a bit of housekeeping, an Underdog best ball tournament 101 review, and then look at the advancing roster construction data of 2025 compared to the previous seasons.

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