Should You Draft Austin Riley or Maikel Garcia in 2026 Fantasy Baseball Leagues?

Austin Riley’s rebound potential and Maikel Garcia’s speed-driven profile create one of the most important draft-day decisions in the third-base ADP sweet spot.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The middle rounds of 2026 fantasy baseball drafts present a classic power-versus-speed roster build with Austin Riley and Maikel Garcia coming off the board within two picks of each other. One offers elite hard-contact metrics and 30-homer upside at a discount, while the other brings durability, lineup leverage, and category juice that can reshape a team’s statistical foundation.

3B4 – Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves (NFBC ADP – 79)

Injuries cost Riley 112 games over the last two seasons, resulting in him sliding multiple rounds this draft season. He was part of the Braves' offensive demise in 2024. He had an empty power swing over his first 167 at-bats (.228/24/3/18) while missing two weeks in May with a left side issue (inflammation). Over his next 258 at-bats, his bat returned to form, leading to a .275 batting average with 39 runs, 16 home runs, and 38 RBIs. Unfortunately, he missed the final six weeks of the season with a broken left hand after getting hit by a pitch.

Last year, Riley’s power was lacking over Atlanta’s first 110 games. An abdominal injury ended his season in early August. His bat struggled against lefties (.260/17/4/9 over 96 at-bats) while only being productive in April (.280/12/6/20 over 125 at-bats) despite whiffing 41 times (30.8%). Over the next three months, he hit .251 over 291 at-bats with 42 runs, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs, and two steals.

His exit velocity (92.3) matched his previous two seasons while continuing to have strength in his launch angle (16.8), barrel rate (15.2%), and hard-hit rate (50.2%). Riley hit plenty of line drives (20.4%) while having a flyball swing path (44.6% - six-year high). On the downside, his HR/FB rate (12.4%) was a career low.

Austin Riley 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Riley’s glowing flaw from 2025 was a spike in his strikeout rate (28.6%). It ranged between 23.8% and 25.4% over his previous five seasons. He brings 30+ home run power, with runs and RBIs expected to be assets. Riley tends to have a winning contract batting (.375 in 2025), offsetting his strikeout rate. The Braves’ offense looks primed to rebound this year, giving Atlanta’s starting third baseman a chance to beat his ADP by a significant margin.

3B5 – Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals (NFBC ADP – 81)

Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia (11) throws to first against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Garcia brings a skill set that is much more attractive at second base or shortstop. His bat showed power growth last season, but his average hit rate (1.571) doesn’t point to a push over 20 home runs. He was the 42nd-best hitter based on FPGscore (2.90).

His walk rate (9.3%) reached a new high while his strikeout rate (12.6%) set a career low. The Royals gave him most of his at-bats (239) in the cleanup spot (.255/32/8/23/3) while also seeing time hitting first (82 at-bats), third (90 at-bats), and fifth (105 at-bats). Garcia had a rebound in his contact batting average (.333 – .282).

His power metrics showed growth across the board (exit velocity – 91.3–90.4 in 2024; launch angle – 9.7–6.4 in 2024; barrel rate – 5.6%-3.7% in 2024; and hard-hit rate – 45.1%-42.8% in 2024). On the downside, Garcia still brings a below-par HR/FB rate (8.3%), but set a career-best in his flyball rate (37.7%).

He stole 17 of his 23 bases over the first three months (.309/36/8//38/17 over 307 at-bats). Garcia ended the year with a quiet September (.217/16/1/10/1 over 92 at-bats).

Maikel Garcia 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Kansas City signed him to a five-year contract extension in December for $57.5 million. Over the past two seasons, Garcia missed only seven games, giving extra points for his health metrics. The top of the Royals’ lineup looks intriguing this year if Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen develop as expected. This leadoff job should be Garcia, suggesting a jump in runs and stolen bases. Next step: .280 with 100+ runs, 15+ home runs, 65+ RBIs, and 35+ steals, giving him a Jimmy Rollins profile when he was in his prime.

Should You Draft Austin Riley or Maikel Garcia in 2026 Fantasy Baseball?

Riley’s underlying power data and Atlanta’s expected offensive rebound give him one of the clearest paths in this range to dramatically outproduce his ADP. Garcia, meanwhile, fits perfectly for speed-focused roster construction and could turn into a five-category asset if he locks in the leadoff role for a rising Kansas City lineup. Both of these players are likely to outperform their respective ADPs but Riley is the slightly superior option.