As we head into the Fantasy offseason, how about we take a look at some intriguing guys for 2026? It’s a bit of a mix of young and old, outperformer and disappointment. And totally not inclusive. It’s just 5 outfielders, I think we will all grapple with as we start drafting 2026 teams.
George Springer
It feels like every season we have an aging former superstar like this that turns back the clock. The soon-to-be 36 year old Springer has done that, and then some, as his 159 wRC+ would actually mark his career high, nudging out the 155 wRC+ he put up in 2019. In fact it’s kind of interesting to compare his stats this year to his Happy Fun Ball numbers in 2019
2019: 556 PA .292, 39 HR, 96 Runs, 96 RBI’s, 6 steals
2025 523 PA, .299, 28 HR, 97 Runs, 73 RBI, 16 steals
Net-net he has pretty similar Fantasy Earned Auction value (he’s worth $29 this year as per the Razzball player rater). He had more homers in 2019, but so did everybody. His Barrel rate this year is actually higher, 15.2% vs. 14.1%, and his EV is about the same.
None of this year looks fluky based on his underlying metrics. He’s always had pretty good plate skills, and his 12% BB% vs. 18.4% K% is even better than his career 10.6% vs. 20.6% numbers.
It’s a total cop out to say “it all depends on price” of course, but consider me copping out! He had an ADP of 256 in the 2025 Main Event, meaning he went right at the start of the 18th round of a 15 team draft. That was the 65th outfielder, so he was basically an OF(5). That made some sense as he projected as a 20-15 sort of guy with maybe a .255 Avg hitting in the middle of an OK lineup and starting most days. He will go higher next year, but maybe not enormously so. After all, he will be 36. You ideally want to find “Next Year’s George Springer” (possible candidates off the top of my head are Mookie Betts, Nick Castellanos, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Marcus Semien and the next guy up). But give me This Years’ Model if he’s not priced up.
Mike Trout
The Angels moved their 1st Ballot HOF guy to mostly DH in order to help him stay on the field, and it pretty much worked. He’s amassed 511 PA’s, his most since 2019. Unfortunately, at age 34 now, he’s just not Mike Trout anymore. He’s slashing just ..233/.364/.421, miles below his career .295/.407/.570 levels. He has just 21 homers and 2 steals and meh counting stats on an always meh team. He still walks at an elite 16.2% BB% pace, but his K% is at a career high and alarming 31.3% and his 29.8% Whiff% is just 17th percentile as per Statcast.
He had a 101 ADP in the Main Event and was the 27th OF drafted. That was low for Trout, more on account of his inability to stay on the field than performance worries. Assuming there’s a dip next year, I’d want some shares. He did not get picked in the 11 round (so far) Too Early Meatball Draft.
Jo Adell
Trout’s teammate has gone fully Up Arrow. The one-time uber prospect has mashed 36 homers with an elite 17.7% Barrel% and career high 91.6 EV while lowering his K% to 26.1% vs. 30.2% for his career. After batting .207 the last two seasons, he’s up to a .243 BA that isn’t an asset, but won’t destroy you either.
Are we buying this?
Well, the power bump looks pretty real. The plate skills? While improved, they’re still kind of a concern.
He also stopped running for the most part. He has just 5 steals, vs. 15 last year. I am always looking for more power bats, so I would definitely have interest in Adell. His profile now looks weirdly like his injured teammate Jorge Soler, right down to being a bad fielder. Lots of power, but you have to account for the potential batting average hit. And now you maybe need to find steals somewhere else.
Oneil Cruz
Obviously, the real-life questions about Cruz outweigh the Fantasy ones. But what do the Pirates or you, the Fantasy player, do with a guy with crazy tools who’s just not a great actual baseball player? He has just a 1.6 WAR this year, and bizarrely, that’s thanks entirely to his glove as he’s an 87 wRC+ batter. He has 19 homers and 37 steals, which obviously play, but his .201 AVG is hideous. And he’s only playing as a strong side platoon. And with a .564 OPS vs. lefties with a 38.5% K% in his career, he should probably stay as a strong side platoon bat.
His Statcast page really tells the whole story.
He’s got off-the-charts velos with both his bat and arm, but he does not make enough quality contact. The Meatballs drafted him at the end of the 2nd round, specifically Steve Weimer, who’s one of the best Fantasy players out there. Who am I to argue? I mean, I don’t think I could do it. But by Spring, perhaps he’s on a new team. And he seems like the ultimate Change Of Scenery guy. He would be in a better situation with roughly every other team in MLB, even the Rockies! They at least play in Coors. It’s probably a decent shot that he gets moved, and he will go in the 2nd round for sure if he does.
Dylan Crews
Crews was kind of a Thing late in draft season, with an ADP of 112 in the Main Event. In his month+ with the Nats at the end of 2024, he had 3 homers and a whopping 12 steals in 32 games, albeit with a .218 AVG.. Optimists pegged him for the package that PCA (ADP 116 incidentally) ended up providing in the 1st half. Lots of speed with developing power and a not terrible batting average. Well, not so much. He was hitting just .196/.266/.354 through May 20th, before going on the IL. He did have 7 homers and 11 steals in 45 games, so that’s at least some Fantasy value there. He’s been back since August 14th, but it’s gone sideways to worse as he’s slashing .220/.297/.363 with 2 homers and 3 steals in 101 PA’s.
He’s a huge prospect as the number 2 pick in 2023, right behind his LSU teammate Paul Skenes. The Nats are obviously invested in getting this to work and should keep rolling him out there these last two weeks. Or not, as he hit the pine on Sunday. But for 2026? I guess we’ll know better next Spring. But you’d think they’d try to compete at some point, and maybe they actually add real players this offseason. Crews will go cheap most likely, so I guess you have a shot at a bargain PCA here. I’m not a major buyer here.
What about Kyle Stowers? Is his break out for real? Thank you!!