Every fantasy manager hopes to land the dream sleeper. It’s the holy grail of fantasy drafts, whether it’s a late-round pick others overlooked or a player you can sneak through an auction for just a couple of dollars.
Every year, sleeper picks end up shaping the outcome of fantasy baseball leagues. In 2025, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, and Kyle Stowers were among the players who dramatically outperformed their draft positions.
With draft season heating up, here are 10 sleeper picks to consider for your 2026 fantasy baseball squads.
Dominic Canzone
In 269 plate appearances last season, Dominic Canzone showed flashes of being an elite hitter. He drew walks at a solid rate, kept his strikeouts under control, and consistently made hard contact.
Canzone projects as a starting outfielder for the Mariners in 2026. With an ADP of 361 and a $2 price tag in Ottoneu auctions, he is at least worth a late-round pick for outfield depth.
Casey Mize
A 22.2% strikeout rate isn’t especially exciting, and Casey Mize’s arsenal likely won’t produce massive fantasy returns. Still, it’s fair to question whether he should really be going as low as SP86.
Mize offers excellent command and posted a 3.66 xERA in 2025. If he can reach 170 innings, there is a clear path for him to return top-20 value among fantasy starters.
Ryan Waldschmidt
Ryan Waldschmidt’s ADP on FantasyPros sits outside the top 650. The young outfielder posted a .921 OPS in Double-A last season and has shown he can handle center field, which increases his chances of carving out a role with the Diamondbacks.
With Lourdes Gurriel Jr. injured, two spots in Arizona’s outfield are up for grabs. Even if Waldschmidt doesn’t break camp with the big-league club, it likely won’t be long before he makes his MLB debut. He’s a well-rounded hitter capable of making an immediate impact as a rookie.
Matt Wallner
Matt Wallner’s inability to stay on the field for a full season may be giving fantasy managers pause. Even so, Wallner has 96th-percentile bat speed and draws walks at a healthy rate. He also hit 22 home runs in fewer than 300 plate appearances last season.
That kind of power profile should make him a top-300 pick in fantasy drafts. Wallner is an especially intriguing option in Ottoneu formats with deeper rosters, where stashing high-upside outfield depth can pay off.
Payton Tolle
It’s unlikely Payton Tolle breaks camp in the Red Sox rotation, but that shouldn’t deter fantasy managers from targeting the young right-hander.
Tolle’s surface numbers during his brief big-league stint weren’t particularly impressive, but the underlying indicators were far more encouraging. He was electric at times, posting a 119 Stuff+, and he generated strikeouts at a high rate in the minors. If that translates over a larger sample, Tolle has the tools to make a significant impact for Boston in 2026.
Gavin Lux
Gavin Lux wouldn’t be the first player to have a career year after arriving in Tampa Bay. He was not particularly productive as a fantasy asset in 2025, but he still possesses solid sprint speed and makes excellent swing decisions, ranking in the 96ᵗʰ percentile percentile in chase rate.
If the Rays can help Lux generate more hard contact to go with that plate discipline, his value could rise significantly. He is eligible at second base, third base, and left field, and in some formats he qualifies at all three outfield spots.
Zac Veen
There is plenty of change in Colorado. A refreshed front office is reshaping the Rockies’ approach to player development. Zac Veen has also added noticeable strength this offseason and has already hit two home runs in spring training.
Veen was a top prospect not long ago and is coming off an .821 OPS in Triple-A. He is nothing more than a late-round swing or a bargain auction target, but the upside is there. Colorado should have plenty of plate appearances available as the organization searches for impact.
Braxton Ashcraft
After posting a 2.71 ERA in the majors last season, it’s surprising that Braxton Ashcraft is available for under $10 in most Ottoneu leagues and sits at SP88 by ADP.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander features an excellent curveball and a solid sinker. He limited hard contact effectively last year and should have every opportunity to remain a fixture in the rotation throughout 2026.
Justin Sterner
Justin Sterner recorded 16 holds last season, and his underlying metrics supported a 3.18 ERA. In 2026, he projects to be a key reliever for the Athletics and should have plenty of opportunities to accumulate holds. There may also be some save chances in a bullpen that lacks established high-leverage arms.
Sterner pairs a strong fastball with a potentially elite slider, making him an intriguing fantasy option. Despite that profile, 58 relievers are currently being drafted ahead of him.
Ryan O’Hearn
With eligibility at first base and corner outfield spots, Ryan O’Hearn offers useful flexibility for fantasy benches. He is currently being drafted behind players such as Mark Vientos, Ernie Clement, Jake Burger, and Alec Bohm.
The home run ceiling is relatively modest for his position, but the left-handed hitter draws walks and ranked in the 75th percentile in xwOBA in 2025. In traditional formats, an improved Pirates lineup could also boost his RBI and run totals.
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