2026 Prospect Risers

A look at potential fantasy baseball prospect breakouts organized by ownership tiers, perfect for last-minute acquisitions before opening day.

By Tyler Fredrick · March 18, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

{"template":"baseball-prospect-risers","subtitle":"A look at potential fantasy baseball prospect breakouts organized by ownership tiers, perfect for last-minute acquisitions before opening day.","readTime":"15 min read","intro":"Every year, once the season starts, I see a player that I was high on begin to break out and I ask myself why I didn't try harder to acquire more shares. It's not always possible to get them all, but it never hurts to do your due diligence and reach out to other managers or scour your waiver wire to see if some exciting names are still available. Today we're going to look at some of those potential risers for both shallow and deep leagues, because with opening day coming in about a week, now may be the last chance to buy before many of these guys take off. ","tiers":[{"id":"tier-1","label":"% Owned on Fantrax Hess had a fantastic 2025 thanks to an elite curveball that is already an impressive big league pitch. This, combined with his surprising athleticism for such a big guy, are what make him such an interesting pitching prospect. The fastball isn't anything to write home about so continuing to improve the changeup will be one thing to look for in 2026. The other is his command. His walk rate improved as the season went on and if he can keep it below 10% like he did in AA, he has the chance to really explode as he moves through the upper minors. "},{"name":"Luis De Leon","team":"BAL","position":"SP","age":"22","pctOwned":"30","writeup":"Luis De Leon is getting some hype this offseason and it's easy to see why. The lefty has a good fastball, multiple above average secondaries, and showed improved command that is needed to be a big league starter. He's already on some top 100 lists so don't be surprised if he's a consensus pick by the middle of 2026. "},{"name":"Sam Antonacci","team":"CHW","position":"2B","age":"23","pctOwned":"30","writeup":"Has anyone raised their stock more than Antonacci this spring? Considered to be a light hitting 2B, he has shown some surprising power, enough to potentially get excited about his fantasy future. He'll never be a big home run hitter in the bigs but with his hit tool, speed, and plate approach, he's got the potential to be a valuable contributor. "},{"name":"JD Dix","team":"ARI","position":"SS","age":"20","pctOwned":"21","writeup":"Dix's numbers in his debut season are pretty pedestrian at first glance, with only one homer and a .335 SLG in 230 PA's in A ball after getting promoted from the complex league. If you look a bit closer, you'll see an above average hit tool and advanced plate approach for a guy of his size. With above average bat speed, you worry that ground balls are the reason that the power numbers didn't show up in the stats but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Combine that with plus speed and you have all the ingredients of a great fantasy player that can break out in 2026. "},{"name":"Cameron Cauley","team":"TEX","position":"2B","age":"23","pctOwned":"20","writeup":"Always a power over hit tool player, Cauley cut down on the K's in 2025 and has continued that in 41 spring training at bats. He's the type that is always going to K at an above average rate but we're not worried about that. His power and speed combination is what really makes him an exciting fantasy prospect. Look to see if he can keep his contact rate in the low 70's and if he can keep the K's to a manageable rate. If he can, his glove will keep him on the field and fantasy players will be reaping the benefits. "}]},{"id":"tier-2","label":"% Owned on Fantrax Injuries wiped out most of Santos's 2025 and he'll get a delayed start to 2026 after taking a comebacker off the left hand in spring training. Still, I want to stay in on Santos after being high on him for a while. He's a good athlete with good command, an upper-90's fastball, and a slider and changeup that play off of it well. He looks like a 4 or 5 at the very least and has upside for more if he can shake off these injuries and get back on track. "},{"name":"Anthony Eyanson","team":"BOS","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"17","writeup":"The 87th overall pick out of LSU has the breaking pitches to get anyone excited but if there was one flaw in his pre-draft profile, it was the fastball that sat 93. Well, Boston may have done it again because if reports are to be believed, Eyanson is now sitting 95+ and hitting 98. He doesn't have the size that Tolle does, but the story feels familiar and it's hard to bet against Boston's pitching development at the moment. I'm all in. "},{"name":"Yairo Padilla","team":"STL","position":"SS","age":"18","pctOwned":"16","writeup":"Padilla was a popular breakout candidate before the 2025 season but didn't take off. He ended up playing in the complex league without advancing further and didn't hit one home run. Still, he showed an impressive hit tool and good command of the zone that at least gives him a solid floor. He currently hits too many ground balls but is projectable enough where you can see a world in which he's hitting 15 to 20 or more homers a year. That is the foundation of a great fantasy player and it's worth staying in on him for now. "},{"name":"Jaden Fauske","team":"CHW","position":"CF","age":"19","pctOwned":"14","writeup":"Fauske lit up the prep circuit, showing good contact and power before going in the second round to the White Sox who signed him to an overslot contract. A former catcher that is moving to the outfield full time, this is an exciting bat and good athlete that hasn't gotten as much hype as his history may deserve. "},{"name":"Karson Milbrandt","team":"MIA","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"14","writeup":"The numbers don't jump off the page, but Milbrandt is a good pitching prospect thanks to an elite fastball. It reaches almost 18\" of IVB and comes in at 97 MPH. He throws four other pitches, with the slider being the best of them, but the fastball is something to truly get excited about. The walk rates have been concerning, we need to see better command if he wants to be a starter in the bigs, but the ingredients for a breakout are there. "}]},{"id":"tier-3","label":"% Owned on Fantrax Standing at 6'3\" and 200 lbs, Fisher has the build of a big league pitcher while also showing impressive athleticism for his size. His fastball isn't huge velocity wise but has good vertical break and is complemented by developing secondaries. It's a high risk pick, as are most prep pitchers, but there is considerable upside here as well. "},{"name":"Dillon Lewis","team":"MIA","position":"OF","age":"22","pctOwned":"7","writeup":"The headliner in the Ryan Weathers trade, Lewis is a big bodied athlete with some upside. He has the size you want, he hits fly balls, pulls the ball, he's put up good EV numbers, and his 73% contact rate is below average but tolerable. The numbers haven't jumped off the page but the ingredients are there, so if you're shooting for a high ceiling then this is a guy to take a chance on. "},{"name":"Murf Gray","team":"PIT","position":"1B","age":"22","pctOwned":"6","writeup":"One of my favorite targets in FYPD drafts, the 73rd overall pick is a power hitting corner infielder with an impressive hit tool. He put up a .324 average this past season at Fresno State and more impressively, hit .329 the previous summer in the Cape Cod league. He more than likely ends up at first base but this is a hit tool and power combo to dream about. I'm buying now while the price isn't high. "},{"name":"Leandro Lopez","team":"TEX","position":"SP","age":"23","pctOwned":"6","writeup":"Lopez showed the best command of his career in 2025 as he put up a 2.40 ERA in 101.1 innings split between A+ and AA. His play earned him a spot on the 40 man for Texas and he proceeded to strike out 10 batters in the four innings he pitched during spring training. He may end up with stuff closer to average at the end of the day, and he needs to continue to show that he can keep the BB% near 10% over a long season, but Texas clearly sees something here after protecting him from the Rule V draft and is someone to watch. "}]},{"id":"tier-4","label":"% Owned on Fantrax Standing at 6'5\", Serrano has the type of size and body that scouts dream about. It hasn't shown up in the box scores yet, but at that size, the power has got to be in there somewhere and his 77% contact rate shows that the hit tool is solid. Despite a low BABIP, he's been an above average hitter in the minors through his first two seasons so I'm betting on the athlete and hoping for this to be the year that he puts it together. "},{"name":"Brendan Jones","team":"MIA","position":"CF","age":"23","pctOwned":"4","writeup":"Jones was one of the other pieces sent to MIA from the Yankees in the Weathers trade and has been a solid, yet unspectacular player throughout his minor league career. The lefty has a good hit tool but his bat speed and power are lacking a bit. When going this deep you're looking for MLB regulars and while the ceiling isn't big, his defense and floor give him a chance to make it. If all goes well, I've seen comps to Brett Gardner and that would be a big win. "},{"name":"Ryan Gallagher","team":"MIN","position":"SP","age":"23","pctOwned":"4","writeup":"Acquired by Minnesota in the trade that sent Willi Castro to the Cubs, Gallagher recently had a great day in minor league spring training, throwing an immaculate inning while going 3.2IP with 8K's and no BB's. He has above average command and a good changeup, and could be a name to watch this coming season. "},{"name":"Josh Trentadue","team":"TEX","position":"SP","age":"24","pctOwned":"1","writeup":"Trentadue had a good 2025 that was marred by a handful of rough starts after being promoted to AA. Still, a 1.15 ERA in 15 appearances while striking out 33.6% of batters in A+ is nothing to scoff at. The lefty features a 95mph fastball with a slider and changeup to round out the arsenal. Ultimately, it may be an arm destined for the bullpen and this is a deep dart throw that needs to throw more strikes, work deeper in games, and continue to develop his secondaries. Still, Texas has been doing great work with its young arms and there is potential for a bit of upside here. "}]}]}