Should You Draft Geraldo Perdomo or Jeremy Peña in 2026 Fantasy Baseball?

Geraldo Perdomo and Jeremy Peña headline the best mid-round shortstop values for 2026 fantasy baseball based on ADP, lineup role, and five-category upside.

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) points skyward after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Late-round shortstops can decide fantasy championships, and both Geraldo Perdomo and Jeremy Peña bring underrated five-category production at a discount in early NFBC drafts. Their evolving approaches, lineup roles, and underlying metrics point to strong profit potential for 2026 fantasy baseball managers willing to wait at the position.

SS9 – Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks (NFBC ADP – 85)

Over his first 401 games in the majors, Perdomo hit .235 with 195 runs, 14 home runs, 125 RBIs, and 34 steals over 1,206 at-bats. He battled a right knee injury in 2024, leading to 60 missed games. The Diamondbacks signed him to a four-year, $45 million contract in mid-February before 2025, giving the fantasy market a hint of a better player than his stats showed.

After eight games (11-for-29 with five runs, one home run, 11 RBIs, and two steals), Perdomo put himself at the top of the free agent pool at shortstop. At the end of the year, he ranked 13th in FPGscore (6.45) for hitters, making him the waiver wire pickup of the year. Perdomo finished with a dynamic approach (strikeout rate – 11.5% and walk rate – 13.1%), giving him a leadoff profile. His bat was at its best vs. left-handed pitching (.341/23/6/29/9 over 185 at-bats).

His contact batting average (.337) was a career high, and he pushed his average hit rate (1.595) to a new top. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support a push to over 25 home runs. Perdomo still has weakness in his exit velocity (87.6), barrel rate (6.2%), and hard-hit rate (31.9%). His 33 barrels were well above his first four seasons combined (20). His launch angle (15.5) invites flyballs (39.2%) while pushing his HR/FB rate (9.9%) to a career high level (previous high – 5.0%).

Geraldo Perdomo 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Perdomo’s metrics won’t jump off the page, but he is getting better, highlighted by his approach, clutch ability (RBI rate – 19.7%), and improved steal total (27). Jose Altuve has done plenty in his career with similar exit velocity and hard-hit tools.

I don’t see a stud, but I expect him to be a productive five-category player this year, with a chance to get stronger and add more power. Last year, he hit well from the leadoff position (.323/36/6/26/12 over 186 at-bats). My starting point is .270 with 100 runs, 15 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 25 steals.

SS10 – Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros (NFBC ADP – 94)

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) reacts after a play during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Pena landed on the injured list twice last season with rib and oblique issues. Over his first 26 games, he hit .247 with dull stats (13 runs, three home runs, eight RBIs, and five stolen bases). His bat pushed fantasy teams up the standings over his next 294 at-bats (.327/40/11/41/12). Pena finished the year with a quiet bat over his last 25 games (.292/15/3/13/3 over 106 at-bats).

His contact batting average (.375) was well above his previous three seasons (.335). He had yet to push his average hit rate (1.567) to an area to project 25+ home runs. Pena repeated his favorable strikeout rate (17.1%), with some upward movement in his below-par walk rate (6.5%). His low RBI production was tied to missed time and only 261 runners on base. He posted a career-best RBI rate (18.0%).

His exit velocity (88.9), launch angle (9.0), barrel rate (8.2%), and hard-hit rate (42.9%) showed growth. Pena continues to have a groundball swing path (48.0%), but it was a three-year low. As a result, his flyball rate (33.3%) and HR/FB rate (12.8%) moved higher.

Jeremy Pena 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Pena’s stats last year, projected over 150 games, came to 82 runs, 20 home runs, 74 runs, and 24 stolen bases, putting him in a range with Jackson Chourio in production, but not batting average or ceiling. The Astros gave him 80.5% of his at-bats last season from their leadoff position. Houston’s offense isn’t what it once was, but it will be helped by a healthy season from Yordan Alvarez.

His skill set isn’t ideal for a top-of-the-order opportunity due to his low walk rate, but he could be the best-looking option on the roster. Possible 90+ runs, 20 home runs, 70 RBIs, and some growth in stolen bases. I expect a pullback in batting average.

Should You Draft Geraldo Perdomo or Jeremy Pena in Fantasy Baseball?

Perdomo’s elite plate discipline and leadoff profile give him one of the safest paths to runs and steals in this ADP range, while Peña’s power-speed blend in Houston’s lineup offers a higher traditional stat ceiling over a full season. If you’re bypassing the early shortstop run, these two are prime targets to anchor your middle infield with value, volume, and category balance. Perdomo is likely the better option of the two.

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