2026 American League-Only Fantasy Baseball Auction Values, Rankings & Cheat Sheet

After reviewing the LABR AL auction results and setting up my 2026 highlighted cheat sheet, I sense offensive weakness depth. As a result, my pricing came out as $174 per team, with $86 invested for each roster on the pitching side.

AL Fantasy Baseball Foundational Hitters

The American League auction has nine foundation bats, two aces, and one elite closer based on my pricing and outlook. Here’s a look at those players:

OF Aaron Judge ($49)
SS Bobby Witt ($47)
3B Jose Ramirez ($42)
OF Julio Rodriguez ($39)
C Cal Raleigh ($35)
SS Gunnar Henderson ($35)
1B Nick Kurtz ($33)
3B Junior Caminero ($33)
1B Pete Alonso ($32)

I have 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($33) rated higher than Pete Alonso, but I would rather have the higher ceiling power bat, and I like the Orioles’ starting lineup better than the Blue Jays.

AL Fantasy Baseball Stud Pitchers to Target

2026 Fantasy Baseball Stud Pitcher: Garrett Crochet, Boston Red So — Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

SP Tarik Skubal ($39)
SP Garrett Crochet ($35)

In my NFBC non-trading AL-only league, I would expect both of these stud arms to go higher than in LABR. There are 13 other pitchers expected to draw bids of $20 or more, forcing each game manager to pay up for at least one starting pitcher.

AL Fantasy Baseball Top Closers to Target in Auctions

CL Cade Smith ($26)

My price for Smith was set by the AL LABR results and supported by the quest for closers early in drafts in the NFBC in 2026. I have Andres Munoz ($23), David Bednar ($22), and Aroldis Chapman ($22), a step below due to expecting Smith to approach 70 appearances and make a run at over 100 strikeouts. Also, the Guardians' closer produced over 40 saves per season from 2022 to 2024 (42, 44, and 47), and Emmanuel Clase was on a high pace (37) last year before his suspension.

American League Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters

I listed only three hitters in the breakout category.

OF Roman Anthony ($27)
OF Jac Caglianone ($17)
3B Miguel Vargas ($15)

2026 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidate: Roman Anthony, Boston Red So — Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) celebrates after hitting a single during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Anthony is fully priced, so he must add more speed or produce a .300/100/30/100 season to become an elite bat in 2026. Most of the fantasy market understands the ceiling of Caglianone, but he still has plenty of value priced in his ADP and auction value. Next draft season, I could see him drafted in the first three rounds, so giddy up if interested. As far as Vargas, I could be on an island with him. I view him as an overlooked asset who will be much better in 2026. His for-sale sign is favorable in all formats.

American League Fantasy Baseball Deep Sleepers

I like the pricing and ceiling of Trey Yesavage ($13). The Blue Jays have hinted that his innings could be limited out of the gate, and they added another Max Scherzer this winter, giving Toronto seven starting pitching options if/when Shane Bieber returns.

I don’t have Carlos Lagrange projected, but I will upgrade him this weekend. His big arm and direction put him in the deep flier zone in single league formats, so I'm paying close attention to his role and direction over the next couple of weeks.

2026 Fantasy Baseball AL-Only Auction Values & Cheat Sheet

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