Yes, here we are talking about 2027 again. It is the perfect time of the season to watch for the tweaks and adjustments. This week, we are taking the hitter profiles down a rabbit hole searching for potential value and players with an exciting outlook for 2027. I wanted to find players who made a meaningful change during the season, especially when that change has not completely shown up in the fantasy numbers yet. That can be a mechanical adjustment, a change in approach, a new role, or simply an opportunity that did not exist when the season started. Sometimes the most interesting players are not the ones already sitting near the top of the fantasy rankings. They are the ones whose 2026 season gives us a reason to believe the 2027 version could look considerably better. With that in mind, here are five hitters I am watching for 2027, with each one tied to each of our favorite 5×5 categories.
Luke Keaschall, Runs
Luke Keaschall has already shown that he can get on base, but the way he has developed as a hitter this season gives him a chance to score considerably more runs in 2027. After hitting .302 with a .382 OBP in 49 games last season, Keaschall entered 2026 with a reputation as a high-contact, high-OBP player who could also run. Through September 3, he had 67 runs, a .278 average and a .369 OBP. Those numbers are good, but there is more happening underneath them.
His batted-ball profile has changed considerably. His average launch angle has climbed from 10.5 degrees last year to more than 18 degrees this season, while his ground-ball rate has dropped by roughly ten percentage points. His fly-ball rate has gone up, his bat speed has increased from 67.1 mph to 69.3 mph and his barrel total has nearly doubled. He is still getting on base, but he is doing more damage when he does make contact.
The other development came in August when the Twins moved him into the leadoff spot after Austin Martin went on the injured list. That is a pretty significant development for a player whose fantasy value is tied heavily to getting on base and using his speed. Keaschall had extensive experience leading off in the minors, and Minnesota clearly sees the fit. He immediately responded with a leadoff double and a single in his first game in the role. A full season near the top of the order could put Keaschall in position to score 90 or more runs without requiring some massive statistical leap. If the improved launch angle and contact quality stick, there is also room for the power to push higher. He does not need to become a 25-homer hitter for the runs to become valuable. Getting on base regularly, hitting ahead of the middle of the order and adding double-digit steals is enough to make him an interesting 2027 target.
Ty France, RBI
Ty France is one of the easier players on this list to overlook because it is tempting to write off the last two seasons as simply a former All-Star falling back to earth. I am not ready to do that after watching what happened this year. France entered 2026 trying to rebuild his value after a miserable stretch, signed a minor league deal with San Diego and somehow ended up hitting cleanup for a Padres team that needed offense.
Through September 3, France was hitting .292 with a .360 OBP and .512 slugging percentage. He had 20 home runs and 62 RBI in only 367 at-bats. That works out to roughly 93 RBI over 550 at-bats, although I would not expect him to maintain that exact pace. The important part is that the production has come with enough playing time and lineup position to make an RBI projection meaningful. The mechanical work actually started before this season. After France was traded to Toronto in 2025, the Blue Jays’ hitting staff identified an issue with his hands during his load. Small mechanical changes helped him begin to feel more comfortable at the plate. That adjustment has continued gradually through 2026, with France finding more of the hitter he was earlier in his career and finally turning those changes into production.
The role may be just as important as the swing. Padres manager Craig Stammen acknowledged that the team expected France to give them good at-bats and play first base, but not necessarily to become a cleanup hitter and offensive leader. Yet that is where he has ended up. If he retains that spot and gets 550 or more plate appearances in 2027, an 80 to 90 RBI season is very reasonable, with more possible if San Diego’s lineup improves around him. I am not expecting a 30-plus homer season, but I wouldn’t be opposed to a late-career transformation. The appeal is much simpler. France has spent this season gradually getting his swing back to a place where it works, and now he has a lineup spot that gives his production fantasy value. If the price reflects the last two seasons rather than what he is doing now, he is worth taking seriously.
Wilyer Abreu, Home Runs
Wilyer Abreu already had enough power to be interesting, which is part of what makes his 2026 season so intriguing. He did not suddenly discover that he could hit a baseball hard. The more important development has been getting his swing and approach into a place where that power shows up more consistently. Through September 3, Abreu had 23 home runs, 71 RBI and a .470 slugging percentage. His Statcast numbers back up the power. He has a 113.1 mph maximum exit velocity and has increased his barrel total substantially from last season. There is plenty of raw strength here, and his speed gives him an athleticism that most power hitters do not have.
The problem earlier this season was getting to the right pitches. Abreu acknowledged that he was chasing too much and began working on keeping his body more stable so he could recognize pitches earlier. That adjustment showed up clearly in August. After striking out 30 times in 97 at-bats in July, he struck out 21 times in 104 August at-bats. His strikeout rate dropped from 30.9 percent to 20.2 percent, while he hit .279 with a .587 slugging percentage and seven home runs.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy has noted the difference in the swing. “When his turn gets short, when he gets short to the ball, he gets really dangerous.” That is a pretty good description of why I am interested in Abreu for 2027. He does not need to add another few miles per hour to his exit velocity. He needs to get into more of the pitches where his existing power can do damage. There is still enough swing-and-miss here that I would not project a 40-homer season. But 30-plus home runs is very realistic if the improved approach carries over. Abreu is particularly interesting because the improvement does not require us to believe in a completely new player. We are simply betting that a talented hitter who already has the power is getting better at accessing it.
Justin Crawford, Batting Average
Justin Crawford is probably the player on this list who requires the most imagination, which is also why I think he could be one of the more interesting 2027 targets. His .266 average through September 3 does not exactly scream batting-average target. If that were the only number we were looking at, he would not belong here. The season started slowly. Crawford hit .234 over his first 53 games, and Philadelphia initially used him more cautiously while trying to figure out how his offensive game would translate. Since June 1, however, he has hit .303 over 205 at-bats. He hit .306 in August and finished the month with 22 hits, seven walks and only seven strikeouts in 72 at-bats.
There was a real adjustment behind the improvement. Phillies manager Don Mattingly has talked about Crawford shortening his swing and getting his bat to the ball more directly. “The changes he’s made is just shortening up a little bit. You’re starting to see him get to pitches, just shortening his route a little bit.” Mattingly also pointed to Crawford chasing less and getting a better understanding of how pitchers were attacking him. The change in his plate discipline is particularly encouraging. Crawford stopped chasing offspeed pitches at the high rate he did earlier in the season, with his chase rate against those pitches falling from 55.2 percent in April to 16.7 percent in August. His strikeout rate in August was also only 9.7 percent, with seven strikeouts in 72 at-bats. That combination is much more interesting than simply pointing to a batting average that has climbed over the summer.
I am not calling Crawford a .300 hitter yet. His realistic outcome is probably closer to the .260-.280 range, with .290 representing the ceiling if the changes he made this season continue to stick. That is still plenty interesting for a player whose value is likely to come with steals and runs attached. The important part for me is that we have actually seen him make the adjustment rather than simply projecting one onto a young player.
Cooper Pratt, Stolen Bases
Cooper Pratt may be the least familiar name here, which is exactly what I want from this exercise. Milwaukee called him up in June and immediately gave him an opportunity to play regularly at shortstop. That matters because the speed was already there. What changed was that he finally had a major league job that allowed him to use it. Pratt has already stolen 12 bases in his first 167 MLB at-bats while hitting .275 with a .344 OBP. He also stole 17 bases in 222 minor league at-bats this season. Combined, that gives him 29 steals in just under 400 at-bats. His sprint speed has been 28.9 feet per second, so there is no question that he has the physical ability to be a legitimate stolen-base threat.
The encouraging part is that Pratt has not needed an enormous batting average to run. His .344 OBP in the majors has been good enough to create opportunities, and his July was particularly promising. He hit .329 with a .414 OBP and stole five bases in 73 at-bats. That is the kind of profile that can turn into a lot of steals when the player gets a full season of playing time. There will be some growing pains. Pratt missed time with a hamstring strain in August, and he is still learning how to handle major league pitching.
30-plus steals is absolutely within the range of outcomes if Milwaukee continues to play him every day, and there is little reason for them to make a change. A full season of 600-plus plate appearances would give Pratt considerably more opportunities than he has had this year, and he has already shown that he is willing to run. The combination of playing time, upper-tier speed, and enough on-base ability gives him a chance to become a legitimate stolen-base asset before the fantasy market fully catches up.
I wonder if the small mechanical changes that made France more comfortable at the plate could have lead to better plate discipline. In his recent bad years, and early this year his OBP was ugly, fueled by a high K/BB ratio. This has been getting better as the season progresses and over the past two months it’s 38/21. For the past two weeks 9/10. He could be quite valuable the rest of this year and in 2027 across the board depending on how real the change. Thanks for the heads-up.
I think you are right. There is a lot to like here and the price will not match the potential.
Prefer Crawford or Marsh at this juncture of the season, playoff time? Keeper league but no real keeper value at least on my roster.
Depends on what you are chasing. If you need speed or average then Crawford, if you need power then Marsh. If just looking for the best option, I am taking Crawford as he has been a bit hotter lately.
Dalton Rushing – if he gets the starting gig – what would be his production next year
He is going to struggle to get a full time gig with the Will Smith contract. But if he can keep catcher eligibility and maybe gain 1B (9 appearances last I checked) then he should be playing 4 or 5 times a week. That should give us a backend #1 catcher or high end #2.