Fantasy Baseball: Early look at 2027 top-25 rankings
· Yahoo Sports
Looking ahead to next season is always one of my favorite exercises. After all, draft day is the best day on the fantasy calendar, and managers love to get an early look at how players will be valued. Although I'm sure my opinions will change during the offseason, here is my initial list of the top-25 players for 2027 fantasy baseball drafts.
Visit palladian.co.za for more information.
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs: PCA has skyrocketed up the fantasy rankings and will now be the top pick in nearly every draft. After all, he is just 24 years old and may finish among the top five in homers, steals, RBI and runs.
2. Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays: This year, Caminero proved that he can hit for power in Tropicana Field. Back-to-back 40-homer seasons from a 23-year-old who is eligible at a scarce position makes him part of a deep group of No. 2 overall options.
3. Shohei Ohtani, UT, Dodgers: One of the best players in baseball history is now puzzling from a fantasy perspective. Ohtani no longer produces a lofty steals total, missed time this season due to injury and experienced a notable power decline. He's still excellent, but has likely peaked.
4. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals: A career .288 hitter, Witt is a virtual lock for 35-40 steals and plenty of runs. But after finishing with fewer than 25 homers in two straight seasons and less than 60 RBI this year, there are questions about his power skills. A high floor gets him this lofty ranking.
5. Elly De La Cruz, SS, Reds: We are seeing improvements from De La Cruz at the plate, as he will easily post a career-best OPS. The trade-off is that the 24-year-old is no longer running the bases as aggressively. De La Cruz belongs in the middle of the first round, and a case can be made that his 30-30 potential makes him more appealing than Witt.
6. Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Brewers: The Miz could lead the majors in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. Some managers worry about his ability to stay healthy while consistently throwing so hard, but there is still a case for him at No. 2 overall.
7. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees: Glass half full — Judge was the best hitter in baseball for four years from 2022-25 (1.117 OPS) and should bounce back from an injury-plagued season. Glass half empty — Judge will turn 35 next April and can no longer be counted on to play 140 games. He's one of many polarizing players atop 2027 draft boards.
8. Juan Soto, OF, Mets: With a career OPS of .945, Soto is easily a top five hitter in baseball, although he will never again approach his 38 steals from 2025. He's a safe option who had missed 12 or fewer games in seven straight seasons before dealing with a calf injury this year.
9. Fernando Tatís Jr., 2B/OF, Padres: Tatís opened June with one homer and now has 25. Fortunately, his steals contributions have been more consistent. A better start to 2027 could result in a 30-40 season.
10. Yordan Alvarez, OF, Astros: Finally healthy, Alvarez is the runaway MLB leader in OPS (1.032). He can be a top-five player in homers, RBI and batting average, but he's also the first hitter on this list who won't contribute to the steals category at all.
11. Jackson Chourio, OF, Brewers: After opening 2026 on the IL, Chourio has hit .285 with 25 homers, 23 steals and 92 runs in 124 games. Still just 22 years old, he already has three full seasons under his belt and will eventually be a top five asset.
12. James Wood, OF, Nationals: For the second straight year, Wood was terrific in the first half and disappointing in the second half. This season's slump included nearly a month of missed time due to an oblique injury. In most leagues, there will be at least one optimistic manager who is willing to use a first-round pick in hopes of a 35-25 season.
13. Tarik Skubal, SP, Dodgers: An elbow injury slowed Skubal this year, but he has been baseball's most consistent ace (2.45 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) from 2024-26. And the pending free agent will surely sign with one of baseball's best teams.
14. Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals: A former elite prospect, Walker revived his career in a big way this season en route to being a top-10 fantasy asset. At age 24, one of baseball's hardest hitters (94th percentile average exit velocity) still has plenty of time to get even better.
15. Sal Stewart, 1B/3B, Reds: Reaching the 30-homer, 15-steal and 110-RBI benchmarks as a rookie with multi-position eligibility has made Stewart a league-winner this year. His expected stats suggest that the memorable campaign is repeatable.
16. Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks: Carroll is wrapping up a down year, as a 20-20 season is disappointing from someone who was a 30-30 player in 2025. Let's give the 26-year-old some credit that he can bounce back.
17. Cam Schlittler, SP, Yankees: Schlittler is firmly among a second tier of aces that become options once Misiorowski is off the board. He has been slightly fortunate this year (.254 BABIP) but could experience some regression and still warrant a pick this high.
18. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, Dodgers: As he wraps up his third season, Yamamoto has eye-popping ratios (2.61 ERA, 0.97 WHIP) and a World Series MVP in his trophy cabinet. He's also on the most talented team in baseball. The righty is arguably the safest ace in fantasy.
19. Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners: After four straight seasons of using blazing finishes to prop up his overall stat line, Rodríguez remained mediocre throughout the current campaign. He has alternated between 20-20 and 30-30 seasons, leaving managers to decide if he's good or great.
20. CJ Abrams, SS, Nationals: Already a 30-steal player, Abrams improved his average exit velocity and barrel rate, which has resulted in 30-homer power. Those who fully buy into the sustainability of his improvements can push him into the top 15, although it's worth noting that he slumped at times in the second half.
21. Kyle Schwarber, 1B, Phillies: Baseball's most consistent slugger has gone deep at least 45 times in four of the past five seasons. But low marks in steals and batting average keep Schwarber from climbing any higher on this list.
22. Mason Miller, RP, Padres: Surprised to see a closer on this list? Miller heads into the final days of 2026 as the No. 12 overall player and can produce ratios and strikeout totals that his position-mates cannot match.
23. Cristopher Sánchez, SP, Phillies: Arguably baseball's best innings eater, Sánchez is a lock for a low ERA and high counting-stat totals. The volatility of his WHIP keeps him at the back of this tier of starters.
24. José Ramírez, 3B, Guardians: Surprisingly, Ramírez's power numbers declined before his steals total. The 34-year-old has enjoyed a spectacular career, but managers will need to decide how highly to value someone who may finish 2026 with a sub-.700 OPS.
25. Pete Alonso, 1B, Orioles: While managers continually chase the next big thing, Alonso annually plays in more than 150 games and produces massive counting stat totals. Over the past five seasons, he has averaged 40 homers, 92 runs and 115 RBI. He's one of the safest picks on this list.