As the 2026 Fantasy Baseball season looms on the horizon, the typical timeline for preparation—usually beginning closer to Spring Training or even the start of the season—is already being accelerated by the most dedicated enthusiasts. Despite Spring Training being three months away, the regular season nearly five months out, and free agency barely underway, elite Fantasy Baseball players have already commenced their drafts for 2026. This early activity, spearheaded by organizations such as the National Fantasy Baseball Championships (NFBC), marks a trend where high-stakes leagues are drafting players well in advance, setting early benchmarks for player valuations and draft strategy that will influence the wider fantasy community throughout the offseason.
The NFBC’s early drafts, while fascinating, are based on relatively limited data—initial Average Draft Position (ADP) releases came from only about 20 leagues. This small sample size means that single outlier picks can significantly swing perceptions of player value. Nevertheless, these drafts wield considerable influence, establishing a “first impression” in a sport where early perceptions often guide market behavior. Fantasy analysts, players, and even casual participants watch these early drafts closely to gauge where players might be taken, helping to shape rankings and draft strategies in the months ahead.
In addition to the NFBC drafts, BaseballHQ.com’s Fantasy Baseball Today (FBT) conducted its own mock draft for 2026 last week. Though purely practice and without stakes, this 23-round Roto mock draft provided valuable insight into how top players and analysts are thinking about the upcoming season. Scott White, a prominent analyst, shared the full draft results, showcasing where players were taken and highlighting several intriguing selections. This exercise emphasized the importance of "practice reps," especially at a point when detailed projections and rankings for 2026 are still in development.
A major theme from these early drafts is the premium placed on elite pitching. Multiple starting pitchers were selected in the first round, reflecting a growing trend of valuing top arms highly in fantasy formats. Among them, Alex Skubal emerged as a standout choice. In the early NFBC drafts, Skubal’s ADP sits at around 8.3, slightly higher than where he was picked in the FBT mock draft. Skubal’s dominance since the start of 2024 is undeniable: he leads all pitchers in strikeouts and WHIP, with only Paul Skenes ahead of him in ERA, albeit in fewer innings. Despite potential concerns about a trade and a resultant park downgrade, Skubal’s advanced metrics—third in FIP and xERA over the period—underscore his elite talent. His consistency over the past two seasons confirms that his success is no fluke, making him a safe high-end pick.
Following Skubal, Garrett Crochet was the second pitcher off the board in the mock draft, a pick that aligned perfectly with the author’s own rankings where Crochet is the No. 2 starter. Interestingly, the author doubled down on pitching early, selecting two starting pitchers—Skubal and Crochet—with his first two picks. This “Pocket Aces” approach, focusing on securing multiple elite arms early, aims to build a strong pitching foundation and then address hitting with proven veterans in subsequent rounds. The strategy is bold but potentially viable, particularly if the hitter selections balance power and consistency effectively.
The hitting side of the draft offered its own surprises and debates. For example, Kyle Kurtz was taken at a discount compared to his NFBC ADP of 15.3, especially notable because he was picked ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The choice to favor Kurtz over Guerrero reflects skepticism about Guerrero’s sustainability post his exceptional postseason performance. Kurtz, despite likely being less productive on a per-game basis than during his rookie season, is viewed as a solid option at first base and represents good value in the late second round.
Another notable pick was Kyle Schwarber, who went in line with his current ADP but raised some eyebrows. Schwarber’s 2025 season was arguably a career year for the 32-year-old slugger, finishing as the No. 5 hitter overall, yet his performance in prior years was more modest. Schwarber’s status as a free agent adds further uncertainty: he could end up in a less favorable lineup or park, but alternatively, a new team might provide more playing time and positional flexibility. Schwarber’s power potential is undeniable—he remains one of the best sources of home runs and runs batted in—but his batting average ceiling likely hovers