10 Deep-League Fliers for 2026 Fantasy Baseball

March has arrived, spring training is humming along, and the fantasy baseball draft season is in full swing! There’s a lot that goes into draft prep, but the most essential exercise is familiarizing ourselves with the player pool — and the deeper we can dive, the better. Gaining a better grasp of the talent pool can help shape our draft strategies. Plus, nothing beats the feeling of unearthing a late-round gem. With that in mind, this article identifies 10 deep-league fliers for 2026 who are available beyond pick 350.

Some of these late-round targets offer intriguing upside, while others are Steady Eddie types. Risk is a given at this point in the draft, but all of these players can make a significant impact if everything breaks right. Let’s get to it.

Deep-League Fliers for 2026

(ADP pulled from Feb. 19 – March 5 NFBC Draft Champions)

Cade Cavalli (SP — WAS)

ADP: 350.60

We haven’t seen much of Cade Cavalli since his brief debut in 2022. Tommy John surgery sidelined him in early 2023, and a slow recovery kept him off the field until late 2025. But there are reasons to get excited about the groundballer in 2026.

In 10 starts last season, Cavalli finished with a 4.25 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and an 18.3% strikeout rate across 48.2 frames. While nothing stands out there, he generated ground balls at a near 55% clip, and his 4.4% barrel rate ranked in the 95th percentile. Additionally, Cavalli’s 12.4% swinging-strike rate and elite chase rate suggest there’s room to grow in the strikeout department. Combine that with his whiff-inducing knuckle curve, and Cavalli could be well on his way to a breakout season.

Luisangel Acuña (2B — CWS)

ADP: 364.50

No longer blocked by a playing time logjam in New York, Luisangel Acuna’s fantasy value should improve now that he’s with the White Sox. The speedster is a candidate to open the season as the team’s center fielder in 2026. The move would lock in more stolen base opportunities for Acuna, and he’d pick up dual eligibility in the process.

Acuna showed off his wheels in a limited fashion last season with the Mets. In 95 games, he was 16-for-17 on the basepaths and boasted 97th percentile sprint speed. He also lit up the basepaths in Triple-A in 2024, swiping 40 bags on 54 attempts across 131 games. If you’re in the market for speed late in drafts, Acuna is a nice deep-league flier for 2026. He offers 30+ stolen base upside and shouldn’t ding your batting average.

Jacob Lopez (SP — ATH)

ADP: 365.60

Jacob Lopez was fantastic last summer before a flexor strain abruptly ended his season. In his final start, he coughed up nine earned runs and six walks across just two innings. Yuck! But prior to that, Lopez was phenomenal. In his previous 13 starts, he sported a 2.17 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 70.2 frames with an 85:21 K:BB ratio. He also racked up seven wins. While Lopez benefited from some luck, it’s tough to rub the shine off his 30% strikeout rate and 22.6% K-BB rate in that span.

Overall, Lopez is a flyball pitcher who doesn’t have overpowering stuff. But he’s excellent at limiting hard contact and keeping the ball in the yard. Obviously, a forearm strain is not ideal and increases Lopez’s health risk moving forward. But his upside is well worth taking a shot on this draft season.

Bryce Eldridge (UT — SFG)

ADP: 371.40

Bryce Eldridge struggled mightily in his first taste of the majors. On the surface, Eldridge’s .107/.297/.179 slash line and 35.1% strikeout rate across 10 major league games is brutal. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be interested. The towering six-foot-seven slugger still packed a punch at the plate, barreling the ball at a 25% clip and registering a 95.6 mph average exit velocity in that limited stretch.

Power is nothing new for Eldridge. He smacked 18 long balls across 66 Triple-A games in 2025. He also flexed a hefty .265 ISO to go with a 62.7% hard-hit rate. Eldridge is entering his age-21 season, and his swing-and-miss ways could cause him trouble at the big league level. But if you’re willing to jump on the rollercoaster, Eldridge’s power upside is worth a shot.

Jake McCarthy (OF — COL)

ADP: 389.80

Jake McCarthy is fresh off a forgettable season that included a demotion to Triple-A. He finished with a career-worst .591 OPS and 60 wRC+ across 222 plate appearances. Needless to say, his move to Colorado this offseason may be just what the fantasy doctor ordered.

Prior to 2025, McCarthy was a solid source of steals for fantasy managers. He swiped at least 23 bases for three consecutive seasons. In that three-year stretch, McCarthy maintained a 98th percentile sprint speed, got on base at a plus .339 rate, and carried a .273 batting average. Not too shabby.

Sure, there’s a chance that McCarthy puts up another dud season. But we know he can pile up steals when everything is clicking. Plus, he now hits in BABIP-friendly Coors Field and could lead off against righties. McCarthy is a prime bounce-back candidate in 2026.

Mike Yastrzemski (OF — ATL)

ADP: 402.70

Mike Yastrzemski is an intriguing deep-league flier for 2026, given his second-half power surge last season. After moving to the Royals at the trade deadline, Yastrzemski popped nine homers in only 50 games and hit .237/.339/.500 with a .263 ISO and 127 wRC+. Additionally, Yastrzemski slashed his strikeout rate from 23.1% in the first half to a minuscule 11.8% rate, while walking at a healthy 13.4% clip.

While we should expect some pullback in 2026, Yastrzemski’s power still plays in deeper formats. His career .210 ISO is above league average, and he consistently pulls the ball in the air, which should bode well at Truist Park.

Nasim Nunez (SS — WAS)

ADP: 409.90

Nasim Nunez is one of my favorite late-round speed targets this draft season. While he played in only 39 big-league games in 2025, he was nine-for-10 on the basepaths and boasted 98th percentile speed. Nunez was also a burner in Triple-A last year, stealing 36 bags across 42 attempts — in only 63 games.

Nunez has strong plate skills and posted double-digit walk rates throughout the minors. He’s currently penciled in as the Nationals’ leadoff hitter, and if he can maintain that role, watch out! The Nats have been one of the more aggressive clubs on the basepaths in recent years, and Nunez could easily bag 40 steals from the top of the order.

Jacob Melton (OF — TBR)

ADP: 430.10

Jacob Melton’s 2025 debut was bumpy, to say the least. After the Astros promoted him at the beginning of June, Melton quickly landed on the IL with an ankle sprain. Between that, sporadic playing time, and two demotions to the minors, it’s not surprising that he struggled. In 78 big-league plate appearances, Melton finished with a .157/.234/.186 slash line with zero home runs and seven steals. He also struck out at a whopping 37.2% clip. But that small sample size shouldn’t sway us too much.

Digging into his time in Triple-A last year, Melton showcased both power and speed. He popped six dingers and stole 12 bags in only 150 plate appearances. Melton also posted a .945 OPS in that stretch and displayed strong power metrics with a 92.6 mph average exit velocity. Now with the Rays, Melton will have every opportunity to crack the Opening Day roster. Expect some growing pains, but a breakout season is in the cards for the top prospect in 2026.

Brandon Sproat (SP — MIL)

ADP: 455.00

Brandon Sproat came to Milwaukee as part of the Freddy Peralta trade and could be a nice addition to the back of their rotation in 2026. Sproat isn’t an overpowering strikeout arm, but instead induces soft contact and keeps the ball on the ground. While that’s not the sexiest of profiles, it has fantasy value and plays well in deeper leagues.

Sproat has limited experience at the major league level. In four starts with the Mets last season, he posted a 4.79 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 20.2 frames with 17 strikeouts. None of that is particularly enticing. But Sproat also generated ground balls at a plus 48.3% clip and registered an elite 3.4% barrel rate — his calling cards throughout the minors. Those skills, combined with a strong Brewers defense, should serve Sproat well moving forward. It’s worth watching to see if he lands a rotation spot this spring.

For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.

Paul Sewald (RP — ARI)

ADP: 459.90

The Diamondbacks’ bullpen is far from settled, making Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson all solid late-round save specs. But I’ll throw my hat in the ring for Sewald, who has the most closing experience of the three. Sewald recorded a combined 29 saves for the Diamondbacks back in 2023 and 2024. He also has 83 saves under his belt since 2021, good for the 18th most in the league in that stretch.

It’s not all rainbows and unicorns for Sewald, as he also brings injury risk to the table. A shoulder injury limited him to 19.2 innings last season, split between the Guardians and Tigers. He also struggled with oblique and neck injuries in 2024, which led Arizona not to re-sign him at the end of the season. But now that Sewald is back with the Snakes on a one-year deal, his experience and familiarity with the organization could give him a leg up on the closer role, at least out of the gate.