When determining who to add to this list of risers and fallers, I look at a standard 5×5 league ranking. The list is based on where the player ranks today, using their production from the start of the season. We then compare their current rank to their rank from ten days ago.
To ensure this list applies to most fantasy managers, I look at those that have a Fantrax ranking of 300 or better. I have also tried to avoid any players who have risen or fallen because of injury.
You should also check out our latest Pitching Risers and Fallers.
More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Rookie Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued | Bullpen Report
The fantasy baseball landscape shifts rapidly, and it’s important to know the risers and fallers, and why. Over the last 10 days, five hitters have become the biggest risers. Five have become the biggest fallers.
Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers
HITTING RISERS
Munetaka Murakami (3B/1B, CWS)
Murakami’s Fantrax rank is climbing thanks to an elite hard-contact change. Over the last 10 days, Murakami slammed four home runs and 11 RBIs, placing him in the top five league-wide in home runs during this stretch. The underlying quality of contact has been even more encouraging. His hard-hit rate has jumped into the mid-50% range after spending much of the season closer to league average. His average exit velocity has climbed roughly two mph. More importantly, his barrel rate has nearly doubled from around 8% to approximately 15%, turning loud contact into game-changing production.
Current rank: 160 Previous rank: 250 Rostered: 99
Nico Hoerner (2B/SS, CHC)
Hitting .368 over his past 10 days, Hoerner ranks in the top five among middle infielders in both batting average and stolen bases (4 SB). The biggest change has been his approach. Hoerner has improved his BB/K ratio while cutting his chase rate. Hoerner has leaned back into his strength by spraying line drives to all fields. Players who combine elite bat-to-ball skills with speed often outperform projections over the second half. Hoerner an definitely an undervalued middle-infield option.
Current rank: 143 Previous rank: 220 Rostered: 98
Ceddanne Rafaela (OF/SS, BOS)
Over the last 10 days, he’s hitting .295 with three homers and 13 RBI. His SLG has jumped nearly 150 points. Rafaela ranked top-five in RBIs over the last 10 days. The metrics that jump out are Rafaela doubling his barrel rate from 5.1% to 11.8% while pushing his hard-hit rate (95+ mph EV) up nine percentage points to 44.2%. His launch angle jumped from 9.4° to 16.8°. The speedy center fielder has homered in three straight games and is riding an eight-game hitting streak. To help his fantasy value even more, he has collected at least one RBI in all but three of his last ten games.
Current rank: 55 Previous rank: 131 Rostered: 98
Kevin McGonigle (3B/SS, DET)
McGonigle’s standard-league stock is soaring as the rookie establishes incredible plate discipline. Slashing .287 with a .389 OBP over the 10-day window, he ranks top-five among middle infielders in runs scored (10). His strikeout rate has remained exceptionally low while his walk rate has climbed, giving him one of the better BB/K ratios among young hitters. Maintaining an overall contact rate of 88.4% and a 22.0% line-drive percentage, McGonigle eliminates empty at-bats, establishing a high fantasy floor.
Current rank: 99 Previous rank: 148 Rostered: 98
Bryson Stott (2B/SS, PHI)
Stott’s recent rise is tied to getting back to the all-around game that made him a fantasy breakout candidate. Over the last 10 days, he’s hitting .315 with a .400 OBP, two homers, and two steals—making him one of only a few players to deliver across all five standard categories. His hard-hit rate has climbed by nearly 10 percentage points over the past 10 days. His average exit velocity has increased enough to generate more doubles and deep fly balls. Equally important, Stott has improved his plate discipline by lowering his chase rate and increasing his zone contact percentage. Those adjustments have led to better quality at-bats.
Current rank: 136 Previous rank: 185 Rostered: 85
HITTING FALLERS
Nasim Nuñez (SS, WAS)
Nuñez’s fantasy value has always depended on batting average, runs, and stolen bases because he offers virtually no power. Over the last 10 days, that formula has broken down. The batting average has slipped, the steals have dried up, and pitchers have challenged him more frequently in the strike zone, knowing he lacks the ability to consistently punish mistakes. Over the last 10 days, he’s hitting under .200 with a sub.260 OBP, which has cut off stolen base chances significantly. His average exit velocity has dipped from an already light 84 mph to around 81 mph.
Current rank: 208 Previous rank: 176 Rostered: 59
Jonathan Aranda (1B/DH, TB)
Aranda entered this stretch as one of fantasy’s biggest breakout stories, but the last 10 days have been brutal. He’s hitting around .210 over the last 10 days with minimal run production, and his SLG has fallen nearly 100 points. Statcast shows his barrel rate falling from 9% to 3%, and his hard-hit rate dipping roughly eight points. Lacking any barrel contact (0.0% barrel rate over this stretch), Aranda is offering zero power or run production to warrant standard-league starting spots.
Current rank: 171 Previous rank: 140 Rostered: 97
Chandler Simpson (OF, TB)
Simpson remains one of baseball’s elite speed threats, but speed-only players can cool off quickly when they stop reaching base. Over the last 10 days, he’s hitting .240 with a .280 OBP. His run production cratered with just one run scored and one stolen base, leaving him bottom-five in fantasy impact among regular starting outfielders during this window. His average exit velocity has dipped from 85 mph to 82 mph, and his hard-hit rate is down nearly five points, putting him near the bottom of the league in this category. Without steals or OBP, Simpson becomes a tough roster hold in standard formats.
Current rank: 238 Previous rank: 209 Rostered: 97
Josh Bell (1B/DH, MIN)
Bell’s standard-league reliability is fading fast following a painful 10-day stretch where he mustered a .120/.185/.160 slash line with zero home runs and just 2 RBIs. His launch angle plunged from a solid 12.4° down to -2.1°, causing his groundball rate to skyrocket by 22 percentage points to a staggering 62.5%. Even though his hard-hit rate remained respectable at 40%, driving high-velocity contact straight into the dirt leads directly to endless double plays and easy infield outs. Bell’s value is tied to steady power output, and right now he’s producing some of the weakest contact of any first baseman in this stretch.
Current rank: 200 Previous rank: 173 Rostered: 60
Bo Bichette (SS, NYM)
Bichette’s recent downturn has been more frustrating than alarming because the profile still suggests a productive hitter. Slashing .154/.214/.192 with no home runs over his last 10 days, he ranked among the bottom five qualified shortstops in total hits and slugging percentage. He’s also expanded the zone more frequently, chasing pitches that pitchers have intentionally moved off the plate. Bichette rarely posts extreme strikeout numbers, but even a modest increase in chase rate can reduce his ability to square up hittable fastballs. When Bichette expands the zone, his production drops fast, and that’s exactly what’s happening.
Current rank: 227 Previous rank: 200 Rostered: 98
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