2026 Fantasy Baseball: Week 1 Rookie Report

The MLB regular season is here. Throughout the season, I’ll be providing a rookie report spotlighting the top rookies’ MLB performances. This report can help fantasy managers in dynasty leagues value the long-term potential of certain rookies, or redraft managers find a diamond in the rough on the waiver wire.

For Week 1, I’m going to go over the rookies who made MLB rosters and those who will start the season in the Minor Leagues.

Week 1 Fantasy Baseball Rookie Report

Fantasy-Notable Rookies to Break Camp on an MLB team

Sal Stewart – 1B, Cincinnati Reds

I’m beginning with my favorite rookie for fantasy baseball. Stewart made a short MLB debut last season, hitting five home runs, scoring 11 runs, and having eight RBIs over 58 PAs. He’s been just as good this Spring Training, where he hit three homers, scored 11 times, and drove in eight RBIs over 60 PAs.

The surprise factor was four stolen bases from a first baseman. Stewart stole double-digit bases each of the last three Minor League seasons, so it looks like he will continue to be aggressive on the base paths. Plus, he slashed .327/.450/.592, so Stewart has the potential to be a true five-category contributor in fantasy. This potential at the first base position is something you don’t see often. Get ready to read a lot about my ride or die, Sal Stewart, this season.

Nolan McLean – SP, New York Mets

The Mets narrowly held onto McLean’s rookie status, as throwing 50 innings in a season is required to lose rookie status. He threw 48 innings and was extremely impressive. In those innings, he struck out 57 batters, walked 16, and held hitters to a .200 average. McLean is the favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year Award to start the season, making the future bright in Queens, New York.

JJ Wetherholt – 2B/3B/SS, St. Louis Cardinals

Once the Cardinals traded away Brendon Donovan, it was clear that they were opening the door for Wetherholt. He’s another potential five-category performer after hitting 17 home runs, scoring 82 runs, 59 RBIs, and stealing 23 bases over 496 PAs. It’s been a slow spring for the rookie, where he hit .212 over 44 PAs. However, he led off for the Cardinals on Opening Day and hit his first big league home run. I listed Wetherholt as a rookie second baseman to watch.

Kevin McGonigle – SS, Detroit Tigers

McGonigle was somewhat of a surprise to make the Opening Day roster for the Tigers. He handled both positions on the left side of the infield during the spring but is starting at third base in the Tigers’ first game. He’s had a great sense of the strike zone in his three-year Minor League career, not exceeding a 12.6 strikeout percentage in either season.

Though he did strike out 16.1 percent in Spring Training, McGonigle has grown into a power potential after hitting double-digit home runs for the first time last season. He’ll soon add another position to his fantasy eligibility, so he will be a popular addition if he somehow went undrafted in your league because of the uncertainty of making the Opening Day roster. McGonigle is a rookie to watch.

Samuel Basallo – C, Baltimore Orioles

Basallo struggled mightily in his MLB debut last season, batting .165 and hitting only three home runs over 118 PAs. However, he’s had a better Spring Training, hitting .333 with three homers over just 45 ABs. Basallo’s power will be welcome in the middle of a stout Orioles’ lineup. He will primarily DH with Adley Rutschman healthy to start the season, but Basallo will get games behind the plate in relief.

Carter Jensen – C, Kansas City Royals

Jensen also made a brief MLB debut last season, but he fared better than Basallo. During the spring, the Royals’ rookie hit three home runs and had a .214 average over 46 PAs. Jensen will also be the DH with Salvador Perez catching. However, Perez is 35 and will occasionally need rest. Jensen has some power in his swing, but fantasy managers can expect around 15 long balls in a season.

Justin Crawford – OF, Philadelphia Phillies

If you like to target late-round stolen base candidates, then Crawford is your man. He’s stolen 40 or more bases in each of the last three Minor League seasons. There’s no sign that he will slow down, as he’s a great contact hitter. He’s batting ninth on Opening Day, and with his skills to get on base, Crawford should create ample run-scoring opportunities for the potent Phillies top of the order. He’s one to keep an eye on early in the season.

Carson Benge – OF, New York Mets

Being a five-category contributor has been common in this article, and Benge keeps it going. Though he doesn’t possess much power, he hit only 15 home runs over 519 PAs last season combined through all three Minor League affiliate levels. Benge showed off his contact skills in Spring Training, hitting .366, but that’s about all he did other than score five times, knock in five runs, and steal a base. If he’s available, it’ll be worth holding onto him since he’s in a stout Mets lineup, but it may be a slow start.

Moises Ballesteros – C, Chicago Cubs

Like Basallo and Jensen, Ballesteros will fill the DH role, except he needs to get off to a hot start because the Cubs have other options who could fill that role. The rookie surprisingly doesn’t offer much power, with 12-15 homers as a realistic ceiling, but he does have solid contact skills, hitting .298 in 66 PAs during his short call-up last season.

Ballesteros doesn’t currently offer long-term dynasty value; however, he can offer solid redraft value as a backup catcher or DH. He’s entrenched in a potent Cubs lineup that will provide the rookie with solid run and RBI opportunities if he can stay in the lineup.

Less Fantasy Relevant Rookies on MLB Opening Day rosters

• Andrew Painter – SP, Philadelphia Phillies
• Owen Caissie – OF, Miami Marlins
• Dylan Beavers – OF, Baltimore Orioles
• Bubba Chandler – SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Chase DeLauter – OF, Cleveland Guardians

These players are more rookies on MLB rosters for Opening Day; however, they don’t hold as significant fantasy relevance as the players in the previous section. Painter has had a roller-coaster Minor League career, but when Zach Wheeler returns, Painter is the only starter with remaining options and the likely candidate to be sent down.

Chandler has had loads of hype around him since he was drafted, but he hasn’t lived up to it. He’s a good strikeout pitcher but struggles with control. Caissie and DeLauter find themselves in the Opening Day lineup, but neither is worth investing in either dynasty or redraft leagues. Beavers finds himself on the Orioles’ bench, but will likely be in a platoon role.

Fantasy Baseball Relevant Rookies Not on an MLB Opening Day roster

Konnor Griffin – SS, Pittsburgh Pirates

Sending Griffin to Triple-A was somewhat surprising, but it also makes sense. He has a ton of talent and will be a five-category contributor when his time comes. However, he’s only 19 years old and hasn’t been to Triple-A.

So, the Pirates wanted him to get some at-bats against tougher competition since he struggled in Spring Training. Griffin only hit .171 over 46 PAs, and he was striking out at 28.3 percent. There’s no doubt the Pirates will call Griffin up at some point this season. It may be a quick call-up if the rookie can get off to a hot start in Indianapolis.

Trey Yesavage – SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Yesavage will begin the season on the IL with a shoulder impingement injury. However, this doesn’t sound like an injury that will hold him out long. This injury tag may be a Blue Jays workload-management tactic to protect their star rookie. Once he returns, he’s obviously a must-start pitcher.

Bryce Eldridge – 1B, San Francisco Giants

Eldridge getting sent down was a surprise, with the Giants choosing to have Casey Schmidt start at first base on Opening Day. I’m sure some Giants fans aren’t happy, but Eldridge is just 21, and there are still some things he needs to work on, like his 19 strikeouts in 50 PAs. He’ll make an appearance in the big leagues this season, but he needs to show improvements, or an injury occurs, to make that become a reality sooner rather than later in the season.

Logan Henderson – SP, Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers sending down Henderson was a massive surprise. He was stellar in his brief debut last season, posting a 1.78 ERA and 11.72 strikeouts per nine innings over 25.1 innings. That success carried over into Spring Training, where he posted a 1.50 ERA over a small sample size of six innings.

However, the rookie said he experienced some elbow discomfort. So, it sounds like the Brewers want to take it slow with their phenom pitcher. Expect him to return to MLB early if everything progresses smoothly over the next few weeks.

Zach Cole – OF, Houston Astros

Cole looked to have a role on the Opening Day roster until the Astros reacquired Joey Loperfido from the Toronto Blue Jays for Jesus Sanchez. Loperfido is also a left-handed bat, and his MLB experience meant Cole would be the odd man out.

It’s a good move for Cole, as he hasn’t shown consistent fantasy relevance over his Minor League career. The prospect needs to find a way to cut down on his strikeouts. He struck out 38.5 percent of the time over 52 PAs in his MLB debut last season and had a worse output (40 percent) this Spring Training.