Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies can point to injuries as a partial explanation for his disappointing 2024 season, but that same reasoning did not apply in 2025, when his production declined even further. The veteran finished with a .671 on-base plus slugging (OPS) and an 87 weighted runs created plus (wRC+), a notable drop from his established standards.
After clearing the 30-home run mark in each of his previous two full seasons, Albies managed just 16 home runs across 667 plate appearances before his campaign ended with a fractured hamate bone in his left hand during the final week.
The underlying contact profile offered little encouragement. Albies has never posted particularly strong batted-ball metrics, and his 2025 marks were especially concerning. He recorded a 30.7% hard-hit rate, a 4.9% barrel rate, and an average exit velocity of 87.5 mph, each representing his lowest figure across the past three seasons.
While he is expected to be fully recovered from hamate bone surgery in his left hand well before Opening Day, and at age 29, he should not yet be entering a natural decline phase, the recent performance trend makes a confident rebound projection difficult.
What to Expect from Ozzie Albies in 2026 Fantasy Baseball
Albies still brings several traits that translate well in fantasy baseball points leagues. When at his best, he offers a balanced offensive profile with useful pop for the position, strong lineup placement, and the ability to contribute across multiple scoring categories. His track record of run production in a potent Atlanta lineup keeps his fantasy floor relatively stable, particularly if his health cooperates and his power output rebounds closer to previous norms.
The primary concern is the erosion in quality of contact. The dip in hard-hit authority and barrel frequency raises legitimate questions about whether the power ceiling that once defined his fantasy appeal is beginning to narrow.
The late-season hamate bone injury in his left hand adds another layer of uncertainty, as that type of hand issue can sometimes linger into the following year. Combined with the fact that he has underperformed in three of the last four seasons, Albies carries more volatility than his name value might suggest.
Entering 2026, Albies profiles as more of a mid-tier middle infield option than a cornerstone bat in fantasy baseball points leagues. A reasonable expectation would be a modest rebound in power into the high-teens or low-20s home run range with steady run production, though his overall ceiling appears lower than it did earlier in his career.
As far as second base hierarchy for fantasy baseball points leagues, I rank him at Tier 4 under Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ketel Marte, and Brice Turang, among others, and higher than Xavier Edwards, Brandon Lowe, and Jackson Holliday.
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