6 Yankees Who Could Win Your Fantasy Baseball League in 2026 Featuring Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees enter the 2026 season with one of the most fantasy-friendly rosters in baseball, headlined by superstars and high-upside breakout candidates. From elite producers like Aaron Judge to rising value picks such as Cam Schlittler, targeting the right Yankees on draft day could give fantasy managers a major edge.

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 2)

Judge has been a four-category fantasy beast three times over the past four years, leading the AL twice in runs (133 and 137), home runs (62 and 58), and RBIs (131 and 144), plus three years in walks (111, 133, and 124) while adding double-digit steals each season.
He posted elite contact batting averages (.464and .470) over the past two years, with a career-low strikeout rate (23.6%) in 2025, and an elite walk rate (19.2%, 18.9%, and 18.3%) over the past three years.
Despite a five-year low in exit velocity (95.4 mph), he maintained a massive barrel rate (24.7%), a hard-hit rate (58.2%), a consistent launch angle (19.1°), flyball tendencies (46.4%), and a strong HR/FB rate (29.4%).
He exploded before the All-Star break (.355/85/35/81/6 over 352 at-bats) but saw pitchers pitch around him more late – a walk-heavy (55) over his final 189 at-bats, yet delivered nearly identical power stats home vs. away.
Fantasy Outlook: The DH role will benefit him long-term; his resume makes him a clear choice vs. Ohtani at ADP 2, with improved power/approach giving him a legitimate shot at Barry Bonds' 73 HR record and a significant edge in fantasy value.

Ben Rice, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 54)

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) tosses to first for an out in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rice enters 2026 with 188 MLB games and a surprisingly high-stakes ADP near proven players despite his short track record; he’ll turn 27 in February.
He struggled against lefties (.208/17/7/18/1 over 106 at-bats) but excelled in the final two months (.298/25/10/30 over 171 at-bats), showing upside with a full-season role.
He graded well in approach (18.9% K rate, 9.4% BB rate), ranked top-15 in exit velocity (93.2 mph) among qualified hitters, and posted a balanced swing with a solid HR/FB rate (17.1%).
Over four minor-league seasons, he hit .282 with 56 HR, 176 RBI, and 26 SB across 836 AB, backed by a higher walk rate (14.0%) and similar strikeout control (19.3%).
Fantasy Outlook: He had a clear early path to starting at-bats at first base, but New York signed Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to cloud his ceiling in at-bats; projects a neutral batting-average floor, 30+ HR potential, ~90 runs/RBIs, and some underlying speed in a favorable Yankees lineup spot if given 550 AB.

Jazz Chisholm, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 23)

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) reacts after flying out with the bases loaded during the ninth inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Second-base qualification boosts his value; he delivered a 30/30 season despite missing May with an oblique injury, with a steady contact batting average (.357 range) over five years.
He posted a career-best walk rate (10.9%) but saw a four-year high strikeout rate (27.9%) and poor road batting average (.207 over 227 at-bats), though he thrived in June (.318 over 88 at-bats).
Despite a five-year low exit velocity (90.0 mph), he improved launch angle (15.7°), barrels (15.0%), hard-hit rate (43.3%), flyball rate (47.6%), and pull rate (50.8%) suited to Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees gave him the most at-bats (258) in the fifth spot, yielding strong counting stats (41 R, 15 HR, 44 RBI, 15 SB) despite a .217 average there.
Fantasy Outlook: Ideal for teams that can absorb batting-average risk; brings big speed/power upside, health has been more reliable recently, dual eligibility adds flexibility, and a full healthy season could yield a career year (ranked 21st and 32nd in FPGscore past two seasons).

Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 102)

Bellinger set a career high in at-bats (588) last year, delivering a steady five-category season and finishing 25th in FPGscore (4.52); hitting behind Judge gave him 462 RBI chances.
He rebounded in exit velocity (88.3 mph), raised launch angle (18.5°), barrel rate (7.5%), hard-hit rate (37.9%), and flyball rate (48.0%), though HR/FB rate (11.9%) remained below his career path.
He crushed lefties (.344/30/8/36/5 over 153 at-bats), hit better at home (.302 over 298 at-bats), and posted a hot May–July stretch (.309 over 291 at-bats with 17 HR & 6 SB).
Career-low strikeout rate (13.7%) and slightly improved walk rate (8.7%) highlighted better plate discipline over the full season.
Fantasy Outlook: Signed a five-year, $162M deal with the Yankees in late January; recent three-year profile projects .270/80/25/85/10 again, though 2019 breakout feels distant; injury history (missed 64 games in 2023 & 2024) remains a concern.

Max Fried, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 49)

New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried (54) throws in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Fried lacks elite strikeouts but dominates wins (19 last year, 90-36 over seven seasons) with a 3.03 ERA, 1.133 WHIP, and 986 Ks over 1,020.0 IP in that span.
He battled forearm issues in 2023–2024 (83 combined IL days) but made 32 starts last year with only a minor finger injury, allowing two or fewer runs in 22 of them.
Despite overall success in 2025, he had an eight-game midsummer slump (31 R, 65 baserunners, 6 HR over 41.0 IP) before rebounding strongly (6-0, 1.55 ERA, 1.036 WHIP over final 46.1 IP).
Career-high fastball velocity (95.7 mph) complemented six pitches, with four grading as assets (curveball – .198 BAA, slider – .218, four-seamer – .206, and changeup – .207).
Fantasy Outlook: Chasing last year’s stats is risky; he wins games and pitches for a contender, but forearm history is a red flag, making him a dilemma arm for me, strong SP2 floor with a winning resume, but not dominant enough for ace pricing.

Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees (NFBC ADP – 119)

Drafted by the Yankees in 2022 from Northeastern (14-9, 2.62 ERA, 180 Ks over 182.0 college IP); he increased fastball velocity and refined secondaries in pro ball.
Over his last two minor-league seasons, he went 14-14 with a 3.17 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 258 Ks over 201.2 IP before his July 9 call-up.
Rough first three MLB starts (8 R, 27 baserunners, 3 HR over 14.2 IP) gave way to strong final 11 starts (3-2, 2.47 ERA, 1.062 WHIP, 69 K over 58.1 IP); Yankees won 7 of his last 8.
Elite fastball now at 97.9 mph; four-seamer (.190 BAA, 59 Ks) thrown 54.3% of time, mixed with cutter (.222), sinker (.194), curveball (.283), and show-me slider.
Fantasy Outlook: With 149.2 IP in 2025, he’s set for ~30 starts; big fastball + winning secondaries project 12+ wins, 3.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 190+ K; breakout/value candidate if he throws more strikes and improves curveball vs. lefties.

Drafting from a powerhouse lineup like the Yankees often leads to strong fantasy returns, especially when you combine elite production with emerging upside. Whether you’re investing early in Aaron Judge or hunting for breakout value with Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, this roster offers several players capable of outperforming their draft-day price in 2026.