2026 Fantasy Baseball: Late-Round Pitching Targets to Win Roto Leagues

Roto formats reward balance, and late-round pitching is often where that balance is achieved. While early selections may anchor your ERA and WHIP, the right late-round arms can supplement strikeouts, wins, and innings without damaging ratios. Targeting pitchers with improving skills and stable roles allows managers to build depth and protect category standings throughout the season.

Let’s dive in and have a look at five late-round pitchers who can help you build a solid starting rotation and compete for the championship. When discussing late rounds, we will be looking at pitchers outside the Top 200 in overall ADP in NFBC drafts.

Your first step… Well, okay, your second step, right after reading this article, is to head over and devour our updated Top 500 Dynasty Baseball Rankings for 2026.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Late-Round Pitching Targets to Win Roto Leagues

Mackenzie Gore – Texas Rangers (ADP – 206)

Gore was a highly touted late-round pick last season, and despite a red-hot start, faded in the second half, and we are right back to where we started. Over those first 19 starts, he posted a 3.02 ERA, 3.29 xFIP, 1.2 WHIP, and an elite 30.5% K rate. He was traded to the Rangers in the offseason and will likely open the season as their #3 starter. If the development path continues on an upward trajectory, he has 3-4 category upside, and could easily outperform his current ADP of 206(SP55).

Andrew Abbott – Cincinnati Reds (ADP – 221)

After a dominating start to the 2023 season in the minors (2.50 ERA, .93 WHIP, 43% K rate), Abbott pretty much forced his way into the majors in early June. He has steadily developed and improved every season and looks the part of a top-of-the-rotation starter. He has posted 10 wins in each of the last two seasons, seen the walk rate steadily improve each season, and he also posted a career-best 2.87 ERA in 2025. After making the playoffs in 2025, the Reds are a team on the rise, and Abbott is slotted in as their #2 starter. If he can continue to develop and add some swing and miss, he could be a draft-day steal in 2026.

Kris Bubic – Kansas City Royals (ADP – 219)

After dominating out of the pen in 2024 (2.67 ERA, 2.04 xFIP, 32% K rate), the Royals moved Bubic back into the starting rotation in 2025. He continued to impress with a 2.55 ERA/3.63 xFIP over 20 starts and was easily one of the Royals’ top pitchers. As displayed below, he was tremendous in multiple areas and was in the 70% percentile or better in xERA, xBA, Exit Velo, Chase Rate, Whiff Rate, Barrel Rate, and Ground Ball Rate. Unfortunately for Bubic and his fantasy managers, the breakout was abruptly halted due to a rotator cuff injury that ended his season. He enters Spring Training healthy with no restrictions, and if he continues to provide the upside he flashed over the last two years, he will easily best his ADP in 2026.

Quinn Priester – Milwaukee Brewers (ADP – 289)

It has been a grind for Priester since being drafted in the first round by the Pirates back in 2019. He was traded to the Red Sox in 2024 and, between the two teams, had multiple cups of coffee in the majors that did not yield much success. The switch flipped in 2025 after being traded to the Brewers. He made 29 appearances, including 24 starts, and impressed in a big way, posting a 3.32 ERA, 3.81 xFIP, with an above-average 1.21 WHIP. While the strikeout upside has been somewhat limited, he did see a 5% increase last season while posting an above-average 10% swinging strike rate. He should be a stable arm for roto in terms of ERA and WHIP, with win upside in a weak division, and if he continues to build on the swing and miss stuff, he could be a huge surprise coming from beyond the 20th round of fantasy baseball drafts.

Logan Henderson – Milwaukee Brewers (ADP – 327)

Going even deeper into drafts, we find another Brewers’ arm who could easily outperform his ADP in 2026. He flashed an elite profile across four levels of the minor leagues in 2024, posting a 3.32 ERA, 3.26 xFIP, .91 WHIP, and 33% K rate. That prompted a shot in the show in 2025, which started off great as he struck out nine A’s in his major league debut and then proceeded to go at least five innings in each of his next three starts while allowing just three total earned runs and striking out at least six in each of those starts. To no fault of his own, he then spent almost the entirety of the remainder of the season in the minors, but enters the 2026 season looking to make an impact in the rotation for the entire season. He limits walks, has elite swing and miss stuff, and his upside makes him a top target this draft season.