Every time a new season is about to start in fantasy baseball, there are players who could be considered sleepers. These players are likely to perform higher than their average draft position (ADP), and we can find examples in every position. This time, we’ll take a look at three players who are considered fantasy sleepers ahead of the 2026 MLB season.
Matt Olson – Atlanta Braves (ADP: 41.2)
Olson is expected to leave most draft boards around the 40th pick and is considered between the third- and sixth-best first baseman in the game. He’s not near Vladimir Guerrero’s level, but choosing him earlier than the 40th-pick range wouldn’t be a mistake by any means. Nick Kurtz and Pete Alonso are expected to post better numbers than Olson, but it wouldn’t be odd if Olson posts better numbers than Bryce Harper or Rafael Devers.
Olson is far more consistent and should also have better protection in the lineup, thus potentially having more opportunities to produce. Olson, who hasn’t missed a game since the 2021 season, slashed .272/.366/.484 with a .850 OPS, 29 homers and 95 RBI across 724 plate appearances in 2025. Even if he has some regression in the on-base percentage and average numbers, his power total and his cleanup role in Atlanta suggests he’s primed to be one of the best 1B in all of baseball in 2026.
Vinnie Pasquantino – Kansas City Royals (ADP: 83.2)
Pasquantino had a career-best season in 2025, although his relatively low ADP suggests many aren’t fully convinced in the 28-year-old slugger’s ability to sustain what he did in 2025. If he accomplishes that, though, he should perform better than his 83 ADP indicates. Pasquantino played in all but two games for the Royals in 2025, slashing .264/.323/.475 across 682 plate appearances while putting up career-best numbers in homers (32), RBI (113) and runs scored (72).
Pasquantino would be a solid mid-round pick in most formats, although it wouldn’t be the worst thing to choose him around the fourth or fifth round if you truly believe he can sustain the improvements he showed in 2025. The surge in power numbers was backed by a career-best .211 ISO, but advanced metrics suggest a regression might not be completely ruled out — he had career-worst numbers in strikeout (15.7) and walks (7.3) percentages. The power numbers will ultimately determine Pasquantino’s upside, but even if there’s some regression, he could outplay his 83.2 ADP.
Munetaka Murakami – Chicago White Sox (ADP: 195.2)
Murakami is an unknown commodity since he’s yet to play a single game in the majors. However, the Japanese slugger has a strong body of work in the NPB, and even though he won’t post the same numbers stateside, an ADP of 195.2 is simply too low for the 25-year-old. His strikeout numbers cause some concern, as his 28.5 percent strikeout rate over the last three years could look concerning, but he has enough power to offset those concerns once he adjusts to MLB pitchers.
The 25-year-old has collected a .945 OPS while averaging 33 homers over his last eight seasons in Japan. Even though his 2025 campaign was shortened due to injury, he still slugged a respectable 22 bombs over 56 games. That kind of power makes him an intriguing option in most fantasy formats, and if he adjusts to big-league pitching, he’s a strong bet to overperform his ADP by a sizable margin.
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