2026 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Debate: Should You Draft CJ Abrams or Mookie Betts?

CJ Abrams’ 25/35 speed upside and Mookie Betts’ elite Dodgers lineup context make this shortstop tier a key value pocket in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) hits a single to drive in a run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The SS7–SS8 range in fantasy baseball drafts presents a fascinating contrast between upside speed and proven elite pedigree in CJ Abrams and Mookie Betts. Both carry bounce-back potential at their current ADPs, but their category strengths, lineup context, and underlying metrics point to very different paths to profit in 2026.

SS7 – CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals (NFBC ADP – 57)

Over the past three years, Abrams had over 600 plate appearances each season despite missing 24 games in 2024 and 18 in 2025. His home run, RBI, and stolen base profile has been in a tight range over the past two years, while he showcased much more speed (47 SBs) in 2023. He increased his contact batting average (.327) in each of the past three seasons.

His strikeout rate (19.7%) matched his career average, but Abrams ranked below the league average with his walk rate (5.8%). He was more of a free swinger against left-handed pitching (eight walks and 53 strikeouts over 200 plate appearances), leading to a .231 batting average with 22 runs, four home runs, 13 RBIs, and 11 steals over 186 at-bats. Abrams was also a liability at home (.226/36/4/23/15 over 288 at-bats). His season ended with subpar play over the final three months (.228/39/7/29/14 over 294 at-bats).

His exit velocity (88.7) was a career high, and it improved each year in the majors. Abrams barreled 35 balls (6.7%), with a slight pull back in his hard-hit rate (39.2%). He had a balanced swing with no edge in his HR/FB rate (10.2%).

CJ Abrams 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Abrams is an attractive player to build around due to his potential to be a 25/35 player with sneaky upside in batting average. His runs should be an asset, but he tends to have low RBI chances (299 and 288 over the past two), which lowers his ceiling in this category.

His second-half fade and trailing approach against lefties (.293 in 2024) should be minor strikes. Last year, Abrams was the 45th-best hitter by FPGscore (2.75), suggesting he already has value built into his early ADP. With a rebound in steals, I can’t dismiss him from returning second-round fantasy value.

SS8 – Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (NFBC ADP – 64)

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) walks against the Toronto Blue Jays in the tenth inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Betts came into 2025 with a health issue, which led to a 20-lb weight loss by the end of March. He was able to suit up for the third game of the season while holding form over his first 15 games (.304/12/4/10/1 over 56 at-bats). Over the next three and a half months, his bat failed to meet expectations (.229/51/7/36/6 over 332 at-bats). He ended the year with competitive stats over 201 at-bats (.294/32/9/36/1).

His contact batting average (.292) and average hit rate (1.572) were a five-year low by a wide margin. Betts finished with his lowest strikeout rate (10.3%), with a step back in his walk rate (9.2%). He only had five home runs on the road (.267/45/5/29/4 over 307 at-bats).

His exit velocity (89.1) declined for the second consecutive year, ranking below his 2023 peak (92.4) and his career average (90.4). Betts barreled only 29 balls (5.5%) compared to 60 in 2023 (12.4%). His hard-hit rate (35.8%) was a career low. He continues to have a flyball swing path (46.1%), supported by a high launch angle (18.0). His HR/FB rate has been below his career average (12.6%) in 2024 (9.8%) and 2025 (8.2%).

Mookie Betts 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: When on the clock at the draft table, most game managers will look at Betts’s stats over the past two seasons and think, I don’t see enough speed, his power and batting average are locks to be assets. After a down 2021, he bounced back in a big way in power (35) with a league high in runs (117).

Betts plays on the highest-scoring lineup in the majors, and his bat should be much better this year. A drafter should expect an edge in runs while offering a neutral floor in the other four categories. My gut says Betts will be a great buy in 2026. Last year, 60 batters had more fantasy value by my FPGscore (1.56).

CJ Abrams vs. Mookie Betts 2026 Fantasy Baseball Verdict

Abrams offers the profile fantasy managers crave in the middle rounds—a potential 25/35 shortstop with improving contact skills and second-round upside if the steals rebound. Betts, meanwhile, remains one of the best values on the board thanks to his elite lineup environment and track record, making him a prime target for drafters betting on a return to star-level production. Betts is the safer pick but if you're swinging for upside, Abrams could deliver significant ROI.

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