The Players I Am Not Leaving my Dynasty FYPD Without in 2026

Every year, I put out a post on social media about the top players I want to grab in every FYPD. The goal is to help you find players that might be in a sweet spot in the draft and offer plenty of value to you in return.

You can find a thread on those players from previous seasons here. And the 2025 Edition here. The hit rate overall has been pretty impressive, better than I expected. But why am I targeting specific guys this year? Let’s break it down.

Be sure to check out the FYPD Primer and the Top 300 rankings.

The Players I Am Not Leaving My FYPD Without

Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Boston Red Sox, 6’2”/206

Witherspoon is one of the younger college players available in the draft, not turning 21 until mid-August. After a solid year in 2024 at Oklahoma, Witherspoon took a massive step forward in 2025, and the results showed. Tossing 95 innings, Witherspoon posted a 2.65 ERA with 124 strikeouts to just 23 walks.

The fastball sets up the rest of a deep arsenal for Witherspoon, sitting 96 mph with 19 inches of IVB and seven inches of arm-side run. It looks more like a cut-ride fastball, and while it did not miss a ton of bats, he locates it well and with a few tweaks could really see a jump in whiffs.

The slider is his most-used secondary pitch, having depth and around five inches of glove-side movement. It plays well with a cutter in the upper-80s that has similar glove-side movement, but carries while the slider falls off.

Witherspoon also mixes in a curveball and changeup, with the curve sitting in the upper-70s to low-80s with two-plane break and the changeup around 90 mph with 15 inches of fade. All four secondary offerings produced whiff rates north of 30 percent, and if the fastball can take a step forward with bat-missing ability, the stock could soar.

Witherspoon offers a ton of upside, having a deep arsenal that missed bats against the best competition in the SEC. The Red Sox pitch development is sure to do wonders here with Witherspoon.

Ethan Frey, OF, Houston Astros, 6’6”/225

Frey spent three seasons on LSU’s roster but played very seldom in his first two seasons, accruing just 88 plate appearances. This year, he broke out in a huge way, blasting 13 home runs and slashing an impressive .331/.420/.641. The Astros selected him in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft and immediately sent him to Single-A.

The power was off the charts at LSU as Frey had a 96 mph average exit velocity and a 109 mph 90th percentile. Frey topped out at 116.5 and had a 60 percent hard-hit rate. The numbers held strong in pro ball as Frey had a 95 mph average exit velocity with a max of 114 mph.

Frey is not just all power, though; he had a 90 percent zone-contact rate and a 19 percent chase rate. A couple of things that could improve and allow Frey to unlock more are pulling the ball in the air and swinging more on pitches in the zone. The air pull rate in college was a low 25.6 percent, and the heart swing rate of 57 percent was one of the lowest in college baseball. The contact and approach looked strong in pro ball, but Frey still needs to show more aggression on swings in the zone.

Josh Owens, SS, Texas Rangers, 6’3”/185

One of the late risers on the prep side of things, Owens impressive combine makes him an attractive player. Having a tall and projectable frame, Owens starts square but then slightly closes his stance before exploding through the zone. The power is legit as Owens registered exit velocities up to 108 mph and was one of the few hitters to post an average exit velocity north of 100 mph. 

Despite the larger frame, Owens is a good athlete who has shown good runs and is presently a plus runner. The arm is quite strong at shortstop as Owens has also pitched and been in the mid-90s with his fastball. The contact skills are still a bit of a question mark, but Owens is a toolsy prospect that, if it clicks, could be a very interesting fantasy prospect.

Brandon Compton, OF, Miami Marlins, 6’1”/225

Compton missed his freshman year at Arizona State due to having Tommy John Surgery, but returned looking quite impressive during his 2024 campaign. The track record with wood bats on the Cape was extremely impressive as Compton slashed .331/.414/.489 with six home runs in 38 games. This season at ASU, Compton hit just nine home runs but had 19 doubles in 59 games with a .271/.379/.486 slash line.

The approach is strong, but the contact skills are still in question, though the contact numbers took a leap. Compton ran a 77 percent contact rate with respectable in-zone whiff rates. He chased just 21 percent of pitches out of the zone, showing his good swing decisions, which led to a walk rate near 16 percent. 

The power is off the charts, though, as Compton ran a 110 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and had a 115 mph max. There are some struggles against better velocity, which will be something to watch, but his 88 percent zone-contact rate on all fastballs is strong. While being an average athlete and runner, Compton is an efficient base stealer, swiping ten bases on eleven attempts.

This is a bit of a boom or bust profile, which is concerning, but the tools are loud if Compton hits enough.

James Quinn-Irons, OF, Tampa Bay Rays, 6’5”/230

If you are someone who trusts models, Quinn-Irons might be one of the top-ranked players from an underlying data perspective. The George Mason outfielder to Tampa Bay feels like a dream. After two strong seasons, Quinn-Irons mashed 16 home runs and had 42 extra base hits while slashing .419/.523/.734. In addition, Quinn-Irons stole 36 bases.

The exit velocity data is off the charts as Quinn-Irons posted a 111 mph 90th percentile exit velocity with a max of 116 mph. Not only is the power impressive, but Quinn-Irons saw a major leap in contact in 2025. The overall contact rate sat around 81 percent, and the in-zone contact jumped from 77 percent last season up to 89 percent this year.

The approach improved as well, as Quinn-Irons chased just 21 percent of pitches out of the zone. In the process, his zone swing percentage dropped, but the impact was evident. Quinn-Irons still has questions given the lack of power-four competition, but the results and underlying data speak for themselves.

Johenssy Colome, SS, Athletics, 6’2”/190

Colome comes from Major League bloodlines, and watching him play shows that he grew up around the game at a high level. Having an already impressive frame, Colome has some of the best power in the class. Colome has lightning-quick hands and adjusts well in the box. He creates explosive bat speed and launches a ton of home runs.

The swing is smooth, and Colome creates the bat speed so effortlessly that he does not have to sell out for the power. If the hit tool is just average, you can expect Colome to get to big-time power numbers. Right now, Colome is an average runner, which could tick down, but he is fluid in motion. He could move off shortstop and over to third base, but the power will play regardless of where he is in the field.

Santiago Solarte, SS, Miami Marlins, 6’5”/200

If you like to bet on tools and upside, Solarte is one to bet on. Standing at 6’6”, Solarte has an impressive frame and incredible athleticism. If you are looking for an intriguing player with a ton of athleticism, big raw power, and speed to steal bases, Solarte is the one to bet on later in FYPDs.

Given the huge frame and long levers, there is naturally going to be some swing and miss in the profile. In some players that are this big, this young, they seem like a baby giraffe trying to run. I have seen several young players in the minors, I would describe them that way. Solarte is not that, and moves quite well and smoothly.

The exit velocities have been up to 110 mph, and Solarte has been clocked as fast as a 6.2-second 60-yard dash, which is high-end speed. He probably slows down with time, but given the tools, Solarte is a fun player to take a shot on.

Nick Becker, SS, Seattle Mariners, 6’4”/190

Becker is one of the better athletes and runners among the prep ranks and still has a ton of projection in his frame. Having long legs, Becker is very balanced in the box and doesn’t even lift his foot off the ground before getting into his backside and creating loft.

Registering run times in the 60-70 grade range, Becker is going to be a threat to steal bases, and the athleticism is legit. Becker has consistently made good contact as well, showing at least an above-average hit tool. While the power has not popped off yet, the frame is that of someone who could tap into more power over time.

With natural athleticism in a large body, Becker is a good pick to click. The power is going to come with time. Pair that with being a high-end runner and the ability to steal bases, and you have Becker as an attractive fantasy prospect.

Jaden Fauske, OF/C, Chicago White Sox, 6’2”/205

After being a catcher for most of his career, Fauske moved to the outfield this spring, where he will likely stick long-term. A physically imposing presence in the box, Fauske has a fairly simple operation in the box with a small leg kick and a slight barrel tip before exploding through the zone. The swing is short, and the bat path is good, leading to plenty of loft. 

Fauske creates good power and has especially played into it on the pull side. He looks like the type of bat who could become a 25-home run bat long-term. Not only is there power, but Fauske has shown a good feel for the barrel and a good approach. He ran a 15 percent chase rate last summer and an impressive in-zone contact rate.

The athlete has ticked up this spring, which is a huge positive, and he is closer to an average runner now. The power could be plus long-term, and the approach helps balance it all. This is a fun profile that is likely be underrated.

Landyn Vidourek, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers, 6’1”/192

Vidourek was a three-year starter at Cincinnati University but fully broke out during his junior year in 2025. The Dodgers have an eye for this kind of talent and the true data darling. A premium athlete and a 70-grade runner, Vidourek stole 39 bases and was caught just once.

Not only is Vidourek a premium athlete, but he began to get to power this year and showed an impressive contact profile at the plate. Slashing .304/.434/.576 with 14 home runs. While the performance is one thing, the underlying data is impressive.

An average exit velocity of 93 mph stands out, but a 110 mph 90th percentile exit velocity is even more impressive. Topping out at 115.5 mph, Vidourek ran a 55 percent hard-hit rate and a 26 percent barrel rate. With a 20-degree hard-hit launch angle, Vidourek also pulled 55 percent of the balls he got in the air.

The biggest question in the profile might be contact, as he ran a 79 percent zone-contact rate, but the approach was stellar with a 14 percent chase rate. We want to see more aggression on pitches in the zone.

Good against all pitch types, Vidourek mashed fastballs and was equally good against breakers. When we find a hitter who can handle all pitch types well, is a premium athlete, and hits the cover off the ball, buy in.

Deeper League FYPD Targets

Kade Snell, OF, Chicago Cubs, 6’1”/220

An older player in the 2025 draft class, just turning 23 years old, Snell began his career at Auburn, where he redshirted. Moving to Wallace Community College-Dothan for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Snell performed well enough to be named NJCAA Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American. Being a two-way player during his first season at Alabama, Snell focused on hitting only in 2025 and thrived.

While it was just ten home runs in 267 plate appearances, Snell slashed an impressive .363/.464/.575 and showed a well-rounded skill set. I was drawn to Snell by some data filters that led me to find Kristian Campbell several summers ago. Campbell was the only college draftee that summer to have an overall contact rate of 90 percent and a 90th percentile exit velocity of 90 mph. While Snell missed the marker by one percentage point in contact, his average exit velocity sat at 91 mph. While Snell is not the athlete that Campbell was, he still met the markers, though is not going to steal bases.

The contact profile is the most impressive thing, having a 93 percent zone-contact rate and a remarkable 89 percent overall mark. The chase rate being under 20 percent also stands out, especially when paired with one of the best heart-swing rates in baseball at 84 percent.

The power is good, as Snell ran an above-average 106 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and a max just shy of 112 mph. The hard-hit launch angle was a respectable 13.5 degrees, but on pulled balls, the launch angle fell to just three degrees, something that I would like to see improved.

Nick Dumesnil, OF, Detroit Tigers, 6’2”/210

Dumesnil was once talked about as a top-two-round prospect heading into the 2025 season. The strikeouts ticked up this season, but Dumesnil still put together an impressive season as he slashed .360/.442/.598 with ten home runs and 27 stolen bases.

The average exit velocity of 88.8 mph with metal leaves a little to be desired, but the 90th percent and max exit velocities were 106.2 and 111.8 mph, respectively. While the chase rate was a little higher than you would like to see at 28 percent in college, the zone and heart swing rates are high, which is a positive.

From a contact perspective, Dumesnil is close to average, checking in with an 85 percent zone contact rate. He will need to improve the launch angles, especially to the pull side, as Dumesnil ran a 0.7-degree launch angle on batted balls he pulled.

There are some positives in the profile, but with a few tweaks, Dumesnil could be a solid everyday outfielder.

Jamaurion McQueen, OF, Texas Rangers, 6’3”/185

McQueen is a player that caught my eye watching film on players, and boy does he have the “get off the bus” look. A 20th-rounder out of Brandon, Mississippi, McQueen stands at 6'3” and has put on a ton of good weight. Just check out his video below and see the progress he has made since joining the Rangers org.

In 38 games during the high school season, McQueen hit .435 with a .503 OBP. He was also impressive on the mound, posting a 2.98 ERA with 40 strikeouts out of the bullpen. McQueen has solid contact skills and a good approach for his age. The frame suggests that the power potential is there as well. He has already filled out, but the athlete remains. The speed is above-average, and McQueen showed his athleticism on the football field as well.

A player with this frame and tools upside is a player I want to bet on late in an FYPD. Much like Nate George last season, McQueen is someone to consider in deeper leagues and hope the tools translate to the field.