The 2026 season is shaping up to be a banner one for rookies.
Normally when I put together the All-Rookie team for an upcoming season, it's populated in large part by players who are more likely to arrive midseason than on opening day, making it questionable whether or not they're deserving of your time in redraft leagues. But every single first-team player on the All-Rookie team this year -- and most of their alternates -- has a legitimate chance of making the cut. Most I would even say are favorites to do so.
Granted, I had to cheat a little. The usual cutoff for rookie eligibility is 130 major league at-bats for hitters and 50 major league innings for pitchers, and all of these players fall short of those thresholds. Some have technically lost their rookie eligibility, though, by spending too many days on the active roster. I've noted such cases below (and in doing so, probably used the word "technically" too much).
The focus here, just to reiterate, is redraft leagues. So much prospect coverage is geared toward dynasty play that even if you're read up on prospects, you may be at loss for which ones can help you right now. Well, here they are, and most of them, at least to this point, are being undervalued in drafts.
That's less true for the pitchers than the hitters.
His Kyle Schwarber exit velocities at Triple-A last year point to Samuel Basallo having 40-homer upside, and he's expected to get the majority of his at-bats at DH, reducing the wear and tear that inherently comes with catching.
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Though he doesn't have quite the catchet of Basallo, Carter Jensen's exit velocities rank right up there with his and some of the best sluggers in the game. He and Salvador Perez are expected to trade off between catcher and DH.
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The natural third baseman is expected to spend more time at the cold corner for the Reds, where he should be able to carve out everyday duty with the superior hitter instincts that have been on display since the lower minors. His five homers in 18 games after reaching the majors last year showed the power will play as well.
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Munetaka Murakami's 80 grade power made him a two-time MVP in Japan, but his swing-and-miss issues are just as pronounced and perhaps a deal-breaker against major league pitchers, particularly since he's most impacted by velocity.
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Honorable mention: Charlie Condon, COL
With his disciplined approach and well-rounded skill set, JJ Wetherholt handled the upper minors so effortlessly that the Cardinals probably should have integrated him into their lineup last September, but they shed enough infielders this offseason to ensure he'll be there now. He's shortstop-eligible at the moment but is expected to play second base.
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Perhaps the least heralded signing in a banner year for players migrating from East Asia, Sung-Mun Song is a bit of a wild card for the Padres, both in terms of the role he'll play and the impact he'll have. His extreme lift-and-pull tendencies may allow him to eke out enough power to factor in deeper leagues, but likely at the expense of batting average.
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Kazuma Okamoto was the oldest of three stars coming over from Japan this offseason, and yet he got the longest deal at four years, $60 million, which speaks to how translatable his skill set is to the majors. His contact skills are on the other end of the spectrum from Murakami's, and his exit velocities (reportedly 92.4 mph average and 112.2 mph max last year) are better than he gets credit for.
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Jordan Lawlar technically isn't a rookie anymore, but since he falls short of the usual at-bat threshold, I'm counting him here. His ascension has been a long time coming but seems more likely than ever with him mostly playing the outfield this spring, where he's hitting well so far.
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Like Mike Trout in the way he marries natural baseball instincts with NFL linebacker athleticism, Konnor Griffin is pushing to be the first 19-year-old on an opening day roster since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989.
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Overshadowed by the Griffin hype is Kevin McGonigle, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, who may not be as physical but is a hitting savant with perhaps an even easier path to the majors.
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The Phillies have left themselves with no real alternatives in center field to Justin Crawford, who has the look of a two-category specialist in Fantasy but impacts the ball well enough to grow into some power, as his father, Carl Crawford, eventually did.
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Part of the Mets' rationale for trading Brandon Nimmo this offseason is that they had Carson Benge, a similar player with an even higher ceiling, waiting in the wings. He hit a wall late in the year at Triple-A, though, making it all the more imperative he has a big spring.
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After three minor league seasons in which he sat more than he played (mostly because of a troublesome left foot), Chase DeLauter debuted during the postseason and now has a clear path to playing time in Cleveland. His hitting instincts are reportedly off the charts, but you mostly have to take that on faith.
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Owen Caissie finally grew into the full extent of his power projection last year, and the Cubs did him the courtesy of shipping him to Miami, where he should have a much clearer path to playing time. He fits the three-true-outcomes mold.
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Dylan Beavers' on-base skills have stood out from the beginning and carried over to the majors, where he reached at a .375 clip in 35 games last year. He'll have to beat out a well-compensated Tyler O'Neill for playing time, though.
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Though the power/speed combo is an enticing one, the contact difficulties that led to a 35 percent strikeout rate in the minors last year could prove to be too onerous. Zach Cole did, however, make a strong enough impression in a late-season trial last year to have a leg up this spring.
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Bryce Eldridge leverages his 6-foot-7 frame for massive power and, despite some strikeout concerns, is thought to be a shoo-in at age 21. He'd look a lot better for Fantasy if he was eligible at first base, and he likely will be soon enough.
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By forfeiting Owen Caissie in the Edward Cabrera deal, the Cubs were also planting their flag in Moises Ballesteros, a natural hitting talent whose roly-poly build gives him a difficult path defensively. There's a decent chance he regains catcher ability at some point, though, which would only elevate his stature.
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Nolan McLean already proved his mettle with a 2.06 ERA across eight major league starts last year and has considerable margin for error thanks to a deep six-pitch arsenal.
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Chase Burns threw fewer major league innings than McLean last year but technically doesn't qualify as a rookie because of days spent on the active roster. He's arguably the more talented of the two, though, having recorded double-digit strikeouts in four of his eight starts so far, which is more times than Paul Skenes has done it in his entire career.
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Though still a rookie, Trey Yesavage is already well known to all thanks to a postseason resume that includes 5 1/3 no-hit innings against the Yankees and a 12-strikeout effort against the Dodgers in the World Series. His unconventional delivery and 80-grade splitter make him a bat-misser of the highest order.
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Frustration boiled over for Bubba Chandler at Triple-A last year, contributing to his control problems there, but he walked just four in his 31 1/3 innings in the majors and has three different pitches capable of generating whiffs.
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The hardest-throwing pitcher in Japan last year stands out all the more for his splitter and reverse-breaking slider, but he's had control problems in the recent past and had to settle for a contract (three years, $54 million) that was well below projections.
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Connelly Early doesn't get a ton of prospect love and will have to wait his turn in 2026, but his crafty six-pitch approach has played both in the minors and also the majors, where he had a 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 13.5 K/9 in four starts last year.
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Another who finds himself on the outside looking in despite an impressive late-season debut, Parker Messick showed he could get whiffs on his fastball at a nice rate, but he may be more hittable than his 2.72 ERA in seven major league starts would suggest.
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Robby Snelling, who first rose to prospect prominence in the Padres system, had a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 11.5 K/9 in his 11 starts at Triple-A last year, but he's struggled so far this spring and is likely blocked anyway following the acquisition of Chris Paddack.
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Though Mick Abel was well short of the usual 50-inning threshold to retain rookie eligibility, he technically doesn't qualify because of how much time he spent on the active roster. He's had an eye-opening spring, though, dominating with his fastball especially, and may be able to force his way into the Twins' starting five.
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Logan Henderson's unconventional profile, being a two-pitch pitcher who doesn't throw particularly hard, is apparently a tough sell for the Brewers, who kept sending him down last year even as he put together a 1.78 ERA in five starts.They have enough depth this spring to leave him out of the rotation again, potentially.
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Honorable mentions: Jonah Tong, NYM; Thomas White, MIA; JR Ritchie, ATL
Technically not a rookie because he's spent too many days on the active roster, Clayton Beeter is nonetheless very new to this and only began working in a high-leverage role last September. The Nationals have stayed mum about their closer plans, but Beeter's bat-missing ability would make him a logical fit.
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Payton Tolle's breathtaking fastball gives him a high overall ceiling, but he looked to be not quite ready for prime time with a 6.06 ERA down the stretch last year and is expected to begin the year at Triple-A. He's eligible at relief pitcher in Fantasy, but his future is in the rotation.
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Honorable mentions: Foster Griffin, WAS; Jack Perkins, ATH; Ryan Weiss, HOU
