2026 Fantasy Baseball: ADP Riser, Comeback Player Grayson Rodriguez

Over the past month or so, Grayson Rodriguez moved up 40 spots in the draft order. He is now a borderline starting pitcher in 12-team formats until he shows more on the mound.

Feb 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (21) on the mound to pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

In 2024, Rodriguez allowed two runs or fewer in five of his first six starts to open the year, with one poor showing (seven runs, 12 baserunners, and one home run over 4.1 innings). The Orioles placed him on the injured list in early May due to a right shoulder issue.

Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles (NFBC ADP – 278)

He had 10 good starts over his final 14 appearances, but his battle with home runs (11 over 82.2 innings) and two disaster showings (13 runs, 22 baserunners, and four home runs over 10.0 innings) led to weaker results in ERA (3.92). He did win nine games over this span with help in WHIP (1.173) and strikeouts (93). Grayson missed the final two months with a lat injury.

It’s rare in Major League Baseball for a franchise to bail on a first-round arm for a bat (Taylor Ward) on the wrong side of 30. Rodriguez failed to record an out in 2025 due to a right elbow injury that required surgery in August to remove a bone spur. He also battled a lat strain in April.

After missing all of 2025 due to injury and being traded to the Angels, Rodriguez is back on the mound! His velocity seemed alright as his fastball sat at 96 MPH, but he struggled to find the strike zone. It's great to see him back and looking healthy pic.twitter.com/fN7BmFvrFI

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) February 24, 2026

Rodriguez underperformed expectations with the Orioles over his first two seasons (20-8 with a 4.11 ERA, 1.291 WHIP, and 259 strikeouts over 238.2 innings) based on his dominance in the minors (29-9 with a 2.40 ERA, 0.966 WHIP, and 475 strikeouts over 333.1 innings).

His average fastball (96.3 mph) was down more than one mph from his rookie season in 2024. Grayson threw four pitches – four-seamer (.287 BAA), changeup (.161 BAA), slider (.250 BAA), and curveball (.255 BAA). Righties roughed up his four-seamer (.359 BAA), a pitch that was much more effective against left-handed batters (.202 BAA).

Fantasy Outlook: Rodriguez has a swing for the fences arm, who has been frustrating to roster over the past three seasons. His multiple lat issues invite more trips to the sidelines. The Angels expect him to be ready for spring training. His fantasy value in drafts will be driven by his health and success on the mound in March.

Early Spring Training Results:

Rodriguez struggled in his first two spring training games (three runs, seven baserunners, and five strikeouts over 4.2 innings.