Jacob deGrom Isn’t Done Yet: Why He’s a Sleeper in 2026 Fantasy Baseball Drafts
After years of frustrating, injury-shortened seasons, Jacob deGrom finally made it back to something resembling a full workload in 2025—and the ace traits never left. While late-season home runs chipped away at his ERA, his velocity, command, and dominance still point to a massive fantasy ceiling in 2026.
SP10 – Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (NFBC ADP – 44)
After a five-year run with an injury-shortened seasons, deGrom regained some of his ace profile last year. He made 30 starts while only having some shoulder fatigue in August. Over his last 10 games, home runs (12 over 54.1 innings) became a problem, leading to a weakness in his ERA (4.47) while posting a winning WHIP (0.975).
DeGrom went 10-2 over his first 20 starts, with a 2.28 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, and 122 strikeouts over 118.1 innings. He pitched fewer than six innings in 16 games, eight of which came after July 22nd. His arm had less value on the road (3.61 ERA, 0.909 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts over 84.2 innings).
His average fastball (97.5 mph) remains elite in velocity, but well below his best value in 2024 (99.4). DeGrom dominated with three pitches – four-seamer (.188 BAA), slider (.199 BAA), and changeup (.161 BAA). He lost the feel of his low-volume curveball (.316 BAA).
Jacob deGrom back on the mound 🔜 pic.twitter.com/U1Mqlevt8V
— MLB (@MLB) February 9, 2026
Jacob deGrom 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Fantasy Outlook: Other than home runs allowed and a step back in his strikeout rate (9.6 – 10.8 in his career), deGrom showcased an ace skill set last year, highlighted by batters hitting .196 against him. After a full season of starts, Texas should ride him harder in 2026, inviting a push over 190.0 innings, helping him win plenty of games. DeGrom looks overlooked in the early draft season based on his potential ceiling. I expect similar results in ERA and WHIP while pushing his strikeout total over 200.
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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