We’ve officially reached the part of the preseason where optimism runs wild, spreadsheets become obsessive, and every batting practice video looks like a breakout waiting to happen. It’s time to roll out my Top 100 Hitters for the 2026 fantasy baseball season. Over the next four weeks we will go through the list in levels of 25 at a time. But this isn’t just a name dump or a recycled ranking. This is an assessment of skill trends, underlying indicators, lineup context, park factors and category scarcity, all rolled into one beautiful set of rankings. The goal will be to focus on a solid foundation of hitters while highlighting some of my favorite deviations from the draft cost. This Top 100 is built with that lens: not just who’s good, not just who projects well, but who helps you win based on where they’re drafted. Let’s build the board: 25 batters at a time.
1. Shohei Ohtani
2. Aaron Judge
3. Bobby Witt Jr.
4. José Ramirez
5. Juan Soto
There are no real surprises here at the top of the draft board. The first three guys off the board should be in this exact order in every draft. While an argument can be made that Judge Ohtani is overlooking, this is the only time we consider pitching in the calculation for our hitter rankings. Ohtani offers something no one else can and is just a season removed from that historic 50/50 masterclass. The judge has shrugged off most of the injury risk, but even for what remains, the upside is simply too great. There will be an argument for Soto and Ramírez being flipped in the top five, which is fair. I don’t fully trust Soto’s stolen bases and know they are as close to a guarantee on Ramírez as we can get. There are no bad choices at this point in the design, so don’t be under any illusions.
6. Elly De La Cruz
7. Julio Rodriguez
8. Kyle Tucker
9. Ronald Coin Jr.
10. Fernando Tatis Jr.
After the first five choices, we start to consider positives as a key factor. Anyone drafted in the first round has to bring speed or you’ll regret your choices. This group was responsible for more than 130 thefts last year, with each choice posing a legitimate threat to 30 bags. Elly De La Cruz is the standout in that category, as he stole 67 in 2024, and 2026 feels like it will be his year. Kyle Tucker is another notable name in this group. Moving to Los Angeles and getting started amid Ohtani, Betts and Freeman will do wonders for his run production and lineup protection. After battling injuries the past two seasons, a healthy year could be 30/30 with 200+ runs and RBI. Rounding out the top 10 is Ronald Acuña Jr. slightly lower here than the industry rankings, mainly due to an aversion to injury risk in the first round. If you listen to the Cards and Category podcast (shameless plug), you know I’m willing to roll the dice at the risk of injury, but that doesn’t apply to the first fifty or so picks of a draft.
11. Gunnar Henderson
12. Cal Raleigh
13. Junior Caminero
14. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
15. Nick Kurtz
Once we leave the first round, there will be some deviation from the speed focus in these rankings. This group continues that speed trend or specifically stands out in a single category to offset the risk of speeding on the first and second laps. Gunnar fits that well-rounded hitter profile and is still only 24 years old and growing as a hitter. There’s a peak of .300/30/30 in that profile, and being fully healthy in 2026 will be a big advantage after starting last season with intercostal strain. Cal Raleigh gets a big nod here after his historic 2025 season. We should expect regression in the profile, but even at 80% of last year, he has created such separation at the catcher position that he is worthy of this early position. In shallow competitions I could even see him going in the first round. Kurtz and Guerrero are two other notable highlights from a strategic perspective. Kurtz has incredible power and won’t negatively impact the batting average, especially with another year in Sacramento. Guerrero, on the other hand, has a similar advantage while trading some power for a higher batting average advantage. The longer track record gives Guerrero a slight edge here.
16.Jazz Chisholm Jr.
17. Jackson Chorio
18. Rafael Devers
19. Kyle Schwarber
20. Trea Turner
I have to admit that I have had a hard time getting into Jazz Chisholm Jr. in recent years. to invest due to injuries. While those still apply, getting 130 games with 30/30 potential and positional flexibility between second and third base is too good to pass up. Chourio took a step back last season, but will only be 22 years old on opening day and has been a solid 20/20 bat that should grow into much more. I see 2026 as a potential coming out party for the talented outfielder. Rafael Devers is my first major market deviation in this ranking. He showed no ill effects when he moved to a tough ballpark in San Francisco last year and has averaged more than 30 home runs over the past six seasons (skipping 2020). There may not be a more reliable bat in the draft right now. Sometimes you need to draw the floor instead of the ceiling. The Philadelphia Phillies duo at the end of this level is simply a debate between speed and power. Both guys will be consistent and give you what you put them in for, so don’t go too crazy here.
21. Manny Machado
22. Kettle Mars
23. Brent Rooker
24. Pete Alonso
25. James Wood
Manny Machado fits into the same category of forgotten veterans as Rafael Devers. There’s no reason to think he can’t repeat in 2025 with a .275 average, 25 home runs and double-digit steals. I continue to struggle with Ketel Marte, thinking he should run more than he does, and then forget that he provides an outsized boost in batting average. Solid player, high floor and low ceiling. I’m going to be a highlight with Brent Rooker again this season. Playing in Sacramento will continue to give him a boost, and he showed progress under the hood last year, even if there was a slight step back in overall production. Finding a guy with the ability to hit 40 home runs and steal 10 bags with an above-average plate approach is too attractive to slide outside the top 25. James Wood closes out this level and could be the biggest variability play entering the 2026 season. His first half last season was a blistering 150 wRC+ with 24 home runs and 12 steals, good for a .278 average. In the second half, his strikeouts increased to 39%, causing his results to drop, landing with a 93 wRC+. If Wood can continue to learn and invest a bit in that launch angle, he could give us a 50/25 season. However, he could also repeat the second half and cause a season-long headache.
#Hitter #Rankings #Quarter