The clock is ticking down. With the 2026 MLB and fantasy seasons set to begin on March 25, we’ve compiled a list of eight players whom you should consider in down-the-wire drafts. And, all of these players should be available in the later rounds of all formats.

Batters

• OF Daulton Varsho (Blue Jays)
• OF Mike Yastrzemski (Braves)
• INF Bryson Stott (Phillies)

This is a big year for Daulton Varsho.

A pending free agent, Varsho is coming off a strong, shortened season with Toronto. He hit 20 home runs in roughly half a season of play and got off to a hot start this spring. Varsho led the Jays in home runs (5).

Are spring stats very important? No. But Varsho is someone worth considering in all types of formats. He elevated the ball more last season than at any point in his MLB career. And while he will hack outside of the zone often, taking the good with the bad is somewhat of a necessary evil in fantasy, so long as it’s done within reason.

Yastrzemski is one of those sneaky last-round grabs. Why? He could provide plenty of value in deeper leagues. The new Brave hit almost 20 home runs last season, will now play in a friendlier hitting environment, and has ample protection around him.

Lastly, Bryson Stott is a nice, under-the-radar player who provides value in multiple facets. He can hit, he can steal, and he should score plenty of runs.

Pitchers

• SP Shane McClanahan (Rays)
• SP Connelly Early (Red Sox)
• SP Grant Holmes (Braves)
• SP Kris Bubic (Royals)
• SP Clay Holmes (Mets)

Fingers crossed on Shane McClanahan this season.

McClanahan just wrapped up an impressive spring, one that saw him strike out 15 over 13 innings. He only allowed one home run during Grapefruit League action. But most importantly, he’s healthy to start the 2026 campaign, something that he hasn’t been able to say for some time.

Obviously, there is going to be concern with a pitcher who hasn’t thrown in a real (regular season) game since 2023. The good news is that the fastball was up to 97 MPH, and he sat mostly in the 94-95 MPH range.

Connelly Early made the Red Sox out of camp, beating out Payton Tolle for a roster spot. This is not entirely a shock, as Early pitched slightly better than Tolle in camp and also has the edge in terms of significant big-league starting pitcher experience.

The Red Sox have a plethora of starting pitchers on the roster, so it’ll be interesting to see how much rope Early will get in the early goings of the year.

Grant Holmes had a good spring, as he struck out 16 over 12 innings. Holmes’ walk tendencies can be a pain to deal with, making him more of a tenable player in roto leagues compared to points leagues. And Clay Holmes is coming off, not just a good Grapefruit League but also a strong run with Team USA.

Lastly, don’t forget about Kris Bubic. Bubic struck out 14 over 12 innings in the Cactus League this spring. Remember, this is an All-Star from 2025.

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