Today, Baseball America releases our updated 2026 FYPD rankings, which expand the player list to the top 100 players available to dynasty managers in first-year player drafts, including top international prospects expected to sign on Jan. 15.
We’ve made adjustments to the FYPD rankings based on offseason Top 30 reporting and feedback from within the industry. While there hasn’t been much in the way of substantial up or down movement on the list, some of the established tiers have been further refined in this update.
While real-life value can impact fantasy value, the two at times can be diametrically opposed. For example, in fantasy, catchers—particularly high school catchers—tend to move down boards in fantasy drafts despite holding on-field value. It’s a similar story for high school pitching and lots of college hitters, as high school bats and college pitchers tend to be the smartest plays in FYPD when targeting impact upside.Â
With the international free agent signing period set to start on Jan. 15, we have also included top IFA talents with the help of BA international expert Ben Badler. Our ranking takes into account IFA signees’ upside ranking for impact over expected bonus pool money. For fantasy managers, the addition of the IFA class and players coming over from NPB and KBO has improved the depth in what was otherwise considered to be a fairly shallow 2025 domestic draft class.
Top 100 FYPD Rankings
Baseball America subscribers can also download the rankings here. Players marked * are 2026 international free agents listed with their expected signing team.
1. Tatsuya Imai, RHP, Astros
Imai tops our ranking because he presents the best combination of immediate production and upside for dynasty managers. He has a unique arsenal with potential to rack up strikeouts. He dealt with command struggles early in his career but took a big step forward over his final seasons in NPB.
2. Liam Doyle, LHP, Cardinals
There’s been a lot of talk about Doyle and his potential relief risk. What hasn’t been discussed enough is his upside. Doyle dominated the SEC with one of the best fastballs college baseball has seen from a starter in some time. He’s an elite competitor who could move quickly to the majors.
3. Kade Anderson, LHP, Mariners
One of the safest bets in this year’s FYPD, Anderson has a track record of SEC performance and the Mariners’ vaunted pitching development program behind him. He lacks Doyle’s stuff but has a more refined arsenal and pitchability. The 2026 FYPD season is the year of the pitcher.
4. Kazuma Okamoto, 1B/3B, Blue Jays
Okamoto is the top FYPD bat this year but isn’t necessarily a fit for rebuilding teams. He’s 29 and shows a nice balance of contact, approach and power. Okamoto should qualify at multiple positions while immediately slotting into the middle of the Blue Jays’ lineup.
5. Munetaka Murakami, 1B/3B, White Sox
You’re betting on raw power and on-base ability with Murakami. Struggles with contact since his watershed 2022 season are a concern, but his power is plus-plus. There’s 30-home run power here with a batting average drain.
6. Dax Kilby, SS, Yankees
The Yankees’ 2025 supplemental first-round pick is one of the most explosive athletes in the class. His impressive debut in the Florida State League raised his profile, and he’s now arguably the top target for rebuilders looking for a high-upside position player.
7. JoJo Parker, SS, Blue Jays
Parker has potential to provide the best combination of hitting ability and power in the 2025 class. While he’s unlikely to be much of a baserunning threat, his advanced feel to hit and ability to find the barrel make him a primary target for rebuilding teams in 2026.
8. Eli Willits, SS, Nationals
The top pick in 2025 had a nice pro debut after the draft, showing advanced feel to hit and heady baseball skills. Willits reclassified from the 2026 draft and is one of the youngest players to play at a full-season level. Willits brings contact, speed and power projection to the table.
9. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Pirates
It’s reasonable to think Hernandez is arguably the best pure talent in the class. An athletic mover on the mound, he already has a deep arsenal of secondaries to back a fastball that sits upper 90s and touches triple digits. High school pitchers are a slow burn, even among the best talents, but Hernandez is worth a hold, as his status as a prospect could blossom in 2026.
10. Luis Hernandez, SS, Giants*
Hernandez is the top player in the 2026 international free agent class and boasts plus feel to hit with 20-plus home run upside. He’s a well-rounded player who played professional baseball in Venezuela at 15 years old.
11. Johenssy Colome, SS, Athletics*
Expected to sign for one of the top bonuses in the 2026 IFA class, Colome is an ascending talent. The son of Jesus Colome and nephew of Alex Colome, many believe Johenssy is the best player in the 2026 international crop. He boasts plus raw power and shows the ability to get to it in games with advanced hitting ability.
12. Steele Hall, SS, Reds
Among the most exciting athletes in the 2025 class, Hall is a plus-plus runner with power projection. There are questions about his hit tool, but the upside of a future top-two-round player in fantasy is evident. There’s Trea Turner upside if it all clicks.
13. Gavin Fien, SS, Rangers
No player earned the love of analysts in this draft cycle like Fien. His combination of advanced feel to hit and power made him a favorite of analytically-inclined evaluators. It’s a bat-first profile, but he could develop into a plus hitter with plus power. That said, bat-first players are always a gamble.
14. Aiva Arquette, SS, Marlins
While Arquette’s debut was nothing to write home about, there’s plenty to buy into for fantasy managers. He performed against good competition in college with power and on-base ability. As a pro, he can grow into 20-plus home run power with solid supporting stats.
15. Ethan Conrad, 1B/OF, Cubs
Conrad was trending upward when he went down with a shoulder injury for Wake Forest. The injury held him out of games for the rest of 2025, but his upside is immense. Conrad brings speed, feel to hit and potential 20-plus home run power. Still, managers should exercise some caution with Conrad coming off a major injury.
16. Ethan Holliday, SS, Rockies
A year ago, Holliday was a hot target in open universe leagues. A year later, he’s viewed as one of the riskiest players at the top of the class. Holliday ran a 39.2% in-zone whiff rate in his pro debut. There are major hit tool concerns, but Holliday does display plus power in games already—it’s just a matter of getting to it more consistently. Others may value Holliday more, but the 12-17 range feels like the earliest he should be picked.
17. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Athletics
How you rank Arnold, Kyson Witherspoon, Tyler Bremner and Gage Wood likely comes down to how you view each organization’s pitching development programs. While the A’s have had some pitching wins of late, there are still some questions about how ready their pitchers are for the majors upon promotion. Arnold has potential for three plus pitches but will need to prove he can consistently throw strikes.
18. Josh Hammond, SS, Royals
A two-way player as a prep, Hammond will develop with the Royals as a position player. A well-rounded player with average-or-better skills across the board, Hammond has a nice blend of average hitting ability and above-average power.
19. Xavier Neyens, SS, Astros
A slugger with some hit tool questions, Neyens might have the best raw power in the prep class. There’s real hit tool risk with 70-grade raw power. Neyens has drawn comps to Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony.
20. Angeibel Gomez, OF, Royals*
Another player trending upward is Gomez, our No. 3 player among available IFA talents. Gomez is an impressive athlete with plenty of room to add strength. A plus-plus runner with above-average power, he offers upside outside the top 10 picks in the class.
21. Ethan Frey, OF, Astros
One could argue Frey had the best pro debut of any 2025 draftee, as he displayed advanced hitting ability with big raw power. His 108.3 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in his debut places him among the top players in the minors in EV data. Most impressively, he did that while running a 15.4% in-zone whiff rate.
22. Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Red Sox
A prototypical fast-moving college starter, Witherspoon has a refined arsenal of average-or-better pitches. He gets the bump over other second-tier college starters due to Boston’s success with pitching development in recent seasons.
23. Jace LaViolette, OF, Guardians
Early on in the draft cycle, LaViolette was the top player in the 2025 class. However, an underwhelming junior season at Texas A&M exposed significant swing-and-miss issues. He’s still a real power and speed threat capable of developing into a fantasy contributor, but there is more risk than is typical of college hitters.
24. Tyler Bremner, RHP, Angels
The No. 2 overall pick in the draft was somewhat of a surprise choice in 2025. One of the top pitchers in the class, Bremner does have the ability to develop into a midrotation starter. The risk is with his organization, as it’s hard to trust the Angels’ development, particularly for pitchers.
25. Gage Wood, RHP, Phillies
Wood is an undersized righthander with one of the best one-two punches in the class thanks to a plus-plus fastball and plus curveball. Due to his size, there are some relief risk concerns to monitor.
26. Billy Carlson, SS, White Sox
One of the best athletes in the class and a talented defender at shortstop, Carlson is a risk/reward target. If things click at the plate, he could grow into one of the top players in the class. That said, there’s significant hit tool risk. Carlson has drawn comparisons to the Cardinals’ Masyn Winn.
27. Fabricio Blanco, SS, Rays*
Blanco is one of the biggest up-arrow players in this year’s IFA class, as he’s grown four inches over the last year plus. An advanced hitter with plus bat-to-ball skills, a knack for finding the barrel, present pullside power and above-average running ability, Blanco is a name to file away as a low-cost sleeper with huge upside.
28. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Padres
A 6-foot-8 lefthander who reclassified from the 2026 draft, Schoolcraft has real upside. He’s been up to 99 mph with his fastball and also mixes in an above-average changeup. His biggest knock is the ability to spin the ball, but some evaluators are more positive on his slider development.
29. Kane Kepley, OF, Cubs
The speedy Kepley had a phenomenal professional debut, hitting .299/.481/.433 with two home runs and 16 stolen bases in 21 games. Kepley looks like a tablesetter with plus bat-to-ball skills, plus speed and sneaky gap power.
30. Francisco Renteria, SS, Phillies*
Renteria is expected to sign for the second-highest bonus in the 2026 IFA class. A plus power hitter with an explosive swing, he is a power-over-hit player who could slow down as he ages. It’s a corner outfield projection but one with significant power potential.
31. Quentin Young, SS, Twins
Young is an impressive athlete with massive power upside, but there are questions around his ability to hit consistently. He’s an exciting risk/reward pick outside the top 25 in FYPD.
32. Sung-Mun Song, 2B/3B, Padres
A muscular and athletic lefthanded hitter with a steep bat path, Song experienced a power breakout over the last two seasons and has shown impact hitting ability in KBO. He’ll likely fit into a utility role for the Padres with double-digit home run and steal upside.
33. Aidan West, SS, Dodgers
One of the best combinations of power and speed upside in the high school class, West is an underrated target for managers outside the top 25 in FYPD.
34. Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Brewers
One of the most highly decorated college hitters in the 2025 draft class, Fisher has a nice blend of hitting ability and plus power. He played through injury following the draft, which hurt his numbers and underlying data. Expect a bounceback in 2026.
35. Ike Irish, C/1B/OF, Orioles
There’s no doubting Irish’s power and feel to hit, but his flatter swing leads to lots of hard-hit balls in play at bad angles. There are also questions about his ultimate position defensively and lack of baserunning impact. Irish will likely be valued higher by others, but we have concerns about how his impact will translate against upper-minors pitching.
36. Kayson Cunningham, SS, Diamondbacks
Cunningham presents a nice blend of contact hitting and speed, though his lack of impact makes him a little less exciting for fantasy. If it all clicks, Cunningham has the skills to develop into a dynamic leadoff hitter.
37. Mitch Voit, 2B, Mets
In his junior season at Michigan, Voit boasted some of the best underlying data in the country to go along with good athleticism. While he does come with some questions about his swing and how his production will translate against pro competition, he presents a nice buying opportunity outside the top 25 picks in FYPD.
38. Riley Quick, RHP, Twins
A physical righthander who stands 6-foot-6, Quick returned from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and flashed upper-90s velocity with a plus low-90s cutter and above-average changeup. He’s potentially a high-value college pitching target after pick 30.
39. Brendan Summerhill, OF, Rays
Summerhill is an advanced contact hitter with above-average speed and fringe-average game power. There’s some injury risk, but Summerhill has nice upside for a college bat not ranked among the top talents in the class.
40. Slater de Brun, OF, Rays
The Rays liked de Brun enough to target him in trade following the season. He’s a contact-driven player with plus speed and gap power. It’s a leadoff hitter skillset if it all clicks for Lil Slayyy.
41. Victor Valdez, SS, Rays*
Valdez is a plus runner with 25-home run upside and nice feel to hit. Some believe his body may back up as he ages, ultimately moving him off of shortstop and slowing him down on the bases. Still, there’s real upside Valdez develops into a consistent fantasy contributor.
42. Wandy Asigen, SS, Mets*
Asigen made waves when he flipped from the Yankees to the Mets late in the IFA process. One of the youngest players in the 2026 class, he will play all of 2026 as a 16-year-old. There’s some swing-and-miss, but also 25-home run potential if it all clicks.
43. Foster Griffin, LHP, Nationals
At 29 years old, the lefthanded Griffin returns from NPB, where he found success with the Yomiuri Giants over three seasons. Griffin is a plug-and-play backend starter.
44. Brandon Compton, OF, Marlins
After having a down junior season with Arizona State, Compton impressed at the draft combine, showing plus athleticism and potential for above-average-or-better game power.
45. Emanuel Luna, OF, Cardinals*
Luna is another IFA whose bonus doesn’t quite match his current evaluations. He’s an ascending talent with plus-plus raw power, speed and strong on-base skills.
46. Santiago Solarte, SS, Marlins*
Solarte is an explosive 6-foot-6 shortstop with plus power projection and some hit tool concerns. His frame and raw explosiveness make him a rising talent in the IFA class and a high-value FYPD target after pick 30.
47. Tanner Franklin, RHP, Cardinals
A physical and explosive righthander, Franklin worked as a reliever in college but will jump to the rotation as a professional. He boasts a 70-grade fastball with an above-average slider and potential for average control. There’s relief risk with Franklin, but the upside is exciting.
48. Devin Taylor, OF, Athletics
Taylor showed his raw power after the draft, hitting .264/.388/.481 with Low-A Stockton. There’s power and on-base skills, but real hit tool concerns, too.
49. Nick Becker, SS, Mariners
A standout athlete Becker is a high-value high school target later in FYPDs with plus speed, above-average hitting ability and average power.
50. Jaden Fauske, OF, White Sox
Fauske has a long track record of hitting against high-level prep competition. He shows a nice blend of hitting ability and above-average game power.
51. Ryan Mitchell, SS/OF, CardinalsÂ
52. Brady Ebel, 2B, Brewers
53. Charles Davalan, OF, Dodgers
54. Daniel Pierce, SS, Rays
55. Sean Gamble, OF, RoyalsÂ
56. Gavin Kilen, 2B, GiantsÂ
57. Juan Rijo, OF, Mariners*
58. Landyn Vidourek, OF, Dodgers
59. James Quinn-Irons, OF, RaysÂ
60. Cam Leiter, RHP, DodgersÂ
61. Zach Root, LHP, DodgersÂ
62. Wehiwa Aloy, SS, OriolesÂ
63. AJ Russell, RHP, RangersÂ
64. Marcus Phillips, RHP, Red SoxÂ
65. Josh Owens, SS/RHP, RangersÂ
66. Angel Nuñez, OF, Reds*
67. Eli Pitts, OF, Reds
68. Ethan Petry, OF, NationalsÂ
69. Albert Fermin, SS, Astros*
70. Nolan Schubart, OF, GuardiansÂ
71. Cam Cannarella, OF, MarlinsÂ
72. Samil Serrano, OF, Nationals*
73. Briggs McKenzie, LHP, BravesÂ
74. Ryan Weiss, RHP, Astros
75. Patrick Forbes, RHP, DiamondbacksÂ
76. Coy James, SS, NationalsÂ
77. Jose Luis Acevedo, SS, Orioles*
78. Wilton Guerrero Jr., SS, Pirates*
79. Tim Piasentin, 3B, Blue JaysÂ
80. Trevor Cohen, OF, GiantsÂ
81. Murf Gray, 3B, PiratesÂ
82. Gavin Turley, OF, AthleticsÂ
83. Dean Curley, SS, GuardiansÂ
84. Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Red SoxÂ
85. JD Thompson, LHP, Brewers
86. Henry Godbout, SS, Red SoxÂ
87. Alex Lodise, SS, Braves
88. Mason Neville, OF, RedsÂ
89. Aaron Watson, RHP, RedsÂ
90. Landon Harmon, RHP, NationalsÂ
91. Will Hynes, RHP, GuardiansÂ
92. Jordan Yost, SS, TigersÂ
93. Taitn Gray, C, RaysÂ
94. Kyle Lodise, SS, White SoxÂ
95. Michael Oliveto, C, TigersÂ
96. Josiah Hartshorn, OF, CubsÂ
97. Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, TigersÂ
98. Marek Houston, SS, TwinsÂ
99. Diego Frontado, SS, Brewers*
100. Brian Curley, RHP, Diamondbacks