The Top Fantasy Baseball Value Picks by Round According to Draft ADP
As the fantasy baseball season approaches, team managers take to the internet to find the best possible advice for draft strategy. Our goal is to aid you in that endeavor. If fantasy sports had a bible, it would have a section on 'upside' and how to leverage it. Nothing lasts for the moment; everything lasts forever. We must figure out which players have the brightest futures at the lowest possible risk. That brings us to our top fantasy baseball picks, round-by-round,d for the first ten rounds in a 12-team league.
1st Round — Ronald Acuna Jr.
ADP: 7.0
In Acuna's first fully healthy year in quite some time, he will have overall No. 1 player upside as a player. In 2025, Acuna put out a 96th percentile rating in batting run value with multiple Statcast metrics in the top 7% of all MLB Players. Let's also not forget that Acuna put out 73 stolen bases in 2023.
2nd Round — Nick Kurtz
ADP: 18.6
Kurtz is among the top-5 AL MVP candidates before the season's start. Check out our MVP preview for more details. In Kurtz's 2025 season, he put out 36 home runs in 117 games, on pace for 49.8 total in a 162-game season. Kurtz was in the top-2% of all MLB batters, per Statcast. He shall only get even better in year two. For sure, Kurtz is a player with top-5 overall ability.
3rd Round — Yoshinobu Yamamoto
ADP: 24.8
Yamamoto is listed among our candidates to beat Paul Skenes of the 2026 Cy Young award. Yamamoto is in the top-1% of all pitchers, per Statcast, top 1in both fastball and offspeed run values. The man from Japan has been subject to getting blasted from time to time, but when he is on, he is unhittable, resulting in a 2.73 xERA.
4th Round — Chris Sale
ADP: 39.6
A healthy Chris Sale is Cy Young caliber. In Sale's 29-game 2024 season, he had an ERA of 2.38 with 225 strikeouts and 18 wins. In 2025, Sale saw fewer playing teams, yet he still played 21 games with a 2.58 ERA and 165 strikeouts. These numbers put Sale around 12 strikeouts per nine innings. To cap off this masterclass of numbers, Sale was the best MLB pitcher in 2025 in breaking ball run value, thanks to his nasty slider.
5th Round — Wyatt Langford
ADP: 46.2
The numbers are less proven with Langford; however, he has the tools to be elite as a 2023 4th overall draft pick. Langford had 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases in 134 games in his debut 2024 season. In 2025, Langford picked up thee pace for 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases, plus a .775 OPS over another 134 games. Added, he also was in the top-10% of walk rate, thus being a key category in many leagues. In 2026, Langford shall be a candidate for the 30/30 club (HR/SB).
6th Round — Austin Riley
ADP: 61.0
At 28-years of age, Riley is entering the middle of his prime. The years 2021-23 were elite for Riley in baseball before enduring injury. This peaked in 2023 with 37 home runs. Riley shall be back to elite form in 2026, and thus, he will have 30+ home run in the prime of this top-5 Braves batting lineup. The upside is that of a top-5 3rd baseman in fantasy baseball.
7th Round —Jesus Luzardo
ADP: 75.2
The Phillies just extended Luzardo as he is primed to be elite as the Phillies No. 3 among their top-end rotation. Luzardo put out 15 wins, 7 losses, a 3.92 ERA, and 216 strikeouts. Luzardo ranked in the 92nd percentile among MLB pitchers, with a 97th percentile breaking ball run value and a 94th percentile offspeed run value on Statcast. This is a hot take, but Luzardo may have Cy Young ability if he improves even further. The Phillies have a great supporting cast as it is.
8th Round — David Bednar
ADP: 85.4
Bednar comes off a 2025 season in which he posted a 2.30 ERA. As the Yankees' closer, Bednar shall have plenty of opportunity for saves, with opportunities for 40+ saves upside if not more. Bednar commands a high-rising, 97 MPH four-seam fastball, throwing off batters with his then-77fastballhigh-97 MPH curveball,then-77 fastballs, high-97 and 92 MPH splitters. The Yankees are always good so that Bednar will be the same.
9th Round — Eury Perez
ADP: 96.2
Perez flashed greatness in his rookie 2023 season, commanding a 3.15 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 91.1 IP. Off of Tommy John surgery, Perez flashed a moderate ERA of 4.25 in 2025. With a full offseason and spring training, Perez expects to get back towards elite status. The 6'8" 22-year-old owns all the tools to be excellent, ranking in the 94th percentile of fastball velocity, 88th percentile of xBA, and 81st percentile of strikeout rate; reminded — doing so off of injury.
10th Round — Chase Burns
ADP: 114.0
Bruns very well may become the Reds' ace amid the injury of Hunter Greene. The former 2nd overall pick rips home with a 99 MPH, in-breaking fastball. The speed is then supported by a 91 MPH slider and three other pitches (changeup, curveball, slider) to mix in. If Burns improves in 2026, and he shall, Burns can become a certified ace in fantasy baseball; a top-20 pitching asset.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.