Fantasy Baseball Today - Top 5 Infield Prospects for 2026 Redraft Leagues! (12/12 Fantasy Baseball podcast)
Episode Date: December 12, 2025Samuel Basallo has huge upside long term but what about the playing time in 2026? Carter Jensen offers big power upside right away. Sal Stewart is a bat-first prospect in Great American Ballpark. Mois...es Ballesteros is an intriguing bat but might already be a DH. Bryce Eldridge should see regular playing time with the Giants. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday Download and Follow Fantasy Baseball Today on Spotify: https://sptfy.com/QiKv Get awesome Fantasy Baseball Today merch here: http://bit.ly/3y8dUqi Follow FBT on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fbtpod?_t=8WyMkPdKOJ1&_r=1 Follow our FBT team on Twitter: @FBTPod, @CPTowers @CBSScottWhite, @Roto_Frank Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Transcript
Discussion (0)
Which infield prospects should you target in 2026?
Find out next on Fantasy Baseball Today Express.
Welcome in to FBT Express on Friday, December 12.
I am, for example, joined by Scott White.
Let's take a look at Impact infield prospects for redraft leagues next season,
minus shortstop.
That was a mouthful.
We talked about shortstop the other day,
so we'll focus on mostly catchers in first basement today.
I would say there are more infield prospects at shortstop
than all the other infield positions.
So yeah, it makes sense to section it off like that.
Let's start with Samuel Bessio from the Orioles.
He's 21 years old, signed an eight year $67 million extension earlier this year.
He made it to the bigs.
He played 31 games.
He didn't perform well, but clearly they like what they have in this player.
There's a lot of power potential with him.
Things did get muddied a little bit by Pete Alonzo signing with the Orioles.
But Scott, the point is if Bessio hits, he's going to play.
Yeah, I think it comes down to that.
They did sign up to that long-term deal,
so it's not like they have service time considerations to make here.
But between the acquisitions of Pia Lanzo and Taylor Ward this offseason,
there are a lot of bats for two few spots.
There's Pesayo, there's Dylan Beavers,
there's Tyler O'Neill, Kobe Mayo, Ryan Malkassel,
five.
That's five names.
for two lineup spots.
Now, I do think Basaya will have the edge.
Again, he already signed the long-term deal,
but he's got to perform.
And the little bit he was up last year, he didn't perform.
So helping his cause is that he can also serve as the backup catcher to Adley Rushman.
And now that first base is spoken for over the long haul with Alonzo,
I think it is much more likely that Basaya will retain that catcher eligibility.
Not that he'll primarily be a catcher,
but he'll play enough to remain catcher eligible in fantasy.
And that might be the best case scenario for fantasy
if he remains catcher eligible,
but he's really more like a DH.
Because then you're talking about Kyle Schwerber type upside as a hitter,
but with that catcher eligibility still.
But, you know, just looking at 2026,
let's hope he has a good spring, hits the ground running.
Because if so, Basayo, even at a deep position now,
catcher would be well worth drafting in all leagues.
Let's talk about another catcher.
Carter Jensen from the Royals, 22 years old, third round pick back in 2021, also made it to
the bigs where he flashed.
Hit 300, three homers, 941 OPS, very small sample, only 20 games, but hit the ball extremely
hard, both in the majors and in the minors.
Looks like a very interesting bat for fantasy.
Scott, how much you think Carter Jensen plays here in 2026?
I think he plays a lot.
I think he plays close to every day.
I mean, that's basically how we saw it go at the end of last season.
Once Jensen got called up, he and Salvador Perez alternated D.H. catcher,
enough that Jensen saw enough time of catcher that he retains eligibility there for fantasy, which is great.
And as Salvador Perez's age, we've seen him play catcher less and less.
He's not that great back there defensively.
probably deserves to transition,
take on more of the share at DH.
And now that the Royals have another impact catcher bat
and Carter Jensen,
that seems more plausible.
And yeah,
I think it's an impact bat here in Jensen.
It wasn't a big name prospect,
really, until about the time he got promoted late last year,
but you look at what he was doing at AAA.
The exit velocities really stand out
at 94 mile per hour average exit
velocity there. It actually went up 95.4 after he reached the majors. So that is that is as much
hitting upside like that's as hard as just about anybody hits the ball frankly catcher or otherwise.
Good plate discipline as well for Carter Jensen really excited about his potential, particularly
if he's playing more often than the average catcher. All right, let's take a quick break and we'll be
back right after this. Welcome back in FBT Express looking at impact prospects.
in the infield.
And next up, we have Sal Stewart of the Reds,
who's 22 years old, a bat first prospect,
hooking in for batting average, power.
He could chip in some steals.
He made it to the Reds late last season,
played 18 games, hit five homers,
tremendous exit velocities.
Might profile as more of a DH,
but, you know, he can bounce around a little bit.
Scott, I am in love with Sal Stewart heading into next season.
Yeah, I don't think playing time's going to be,
well, I say I don't think playing time's going to be an issue.
It kind of was after he caught called,
up last year. He was hitting the cover off the ball and Terry Francona was still hesitant to put
him in the lineup. But should be good enough to play at first base, has played second and third
in the minors as well. And the bat is clearly ready for this opportunity. He took a big leap last
year. Always had great hitterish qualities did Sal Stewart, good contact skills, good plate discipline.
The power made a leap last year. And you mentioned the exit velocities. Average,
93 miles per hour, peaked at 114 at AAA.
So yeah, we're talking about middle of the order power.
And yet the contact skills didn't suffer with that leap in power for Sal Stewart.
So I think he, I think he's very exciting.
And I think, you know, the Reds have a lot of corner men already.
And you just hope Francona makes the right choices.
I think Stewart will force his hand, if not from opening day, then pretty soon thereafter.
Let's talk about Moises by Astero's from the Cubs.
He's 22 years old.
We saw him make it to the majors last season as well.
In 20 games, he hit 298 with two homers and 868 OPS.
Great contact skills.
He has some power as well.
His problem is that he's pretty much a DH already.
It would be better if he maintained catcher eligibility.
He's util only on CBS.
But, Scott, I like the bat here.
I just don't love that he's already a DH, basically.
Yeah, he's, he's,
a tough fit defensively.
He's not a great catcher, and the Cubs have a couple pretty good options there already.
Only pretty good.
No great options, but a couple pretty good ones in Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya.
And By Astero's pretty much just played DH the little bit he was up last year.
He'll begin DH only in CBS leagues.
I am hopeful he'll pick up catcher eligibility again, sort of like in the scenario I laid out for Sam Wilpas.
A good catcher.
but if the only other choice is DH and they want to get him regular abats,
which we're hearing the Cubs do want that for Bayeusteros,
then the best bet is for him to catch sometimes,
even if he's not great there defensively.
First base doesn't really work for Bayoucesteros because he's so short,
and I don't think their base is in the discussion for him.
I think it's really just DH or catcher,
but he makes tons of contact, hits the ball hard,
Swings not really optimized for power,
but I think the batting average will be high,
and I think there will be enough power
that even if he doesn't retain catcher eligibility,
by Asteroz, will be of interest in fantasy,
maybe in kind of like a Victor Martinez sort of way.
Last name on this list is Bryce Eldridge from the Giants.
He's 21 years old, a gargantuan human.
He's 6 foot 7.
Big, big power here.
Also made it to the majors.
Only 10 games.
He struck out 35% of the time.
Not going to hold that against him,
but he has struck out quite a bit in the minors as well.
He should be splitting time at first base in DH with Raphael Devers.
To start the season, we have heard some trade rumors involving Eldridge as well.
But either way, it feels like there will be a spot for him, either on the Giants or on some other team.
That's Bryce Eldridge.
Yeah, yeah.
It'll probably be the Giants.
And it'll be interesting to see how a guy, how that good of a power bat, particularly hitting from the left side, plays.
at that stadium, which is always suppressed power,
particularly from the left side.
But, you know, the Giants haven't really built around big sluggers like Eldridge is.
Not just the venue, but honestly, the profile gives me a little bit of trepidation here.
I don't know that the downside is being factored in enough on conventional prospect list.
Yes, Eldridge could be a monster power hitter.
And the fact he got to the majors at age 20, I think is a good.
an indicator of what kind of upside he has, but there haven't been a lot of six foot seven
hitters who've succeeded in the majors for however much power they have. It's, you know,
it's just not a very adjustable swing when your levers are that long. And we've seen Eldridge
run high strikeout rates throughout the miners. So I don't think he's, I can't miss prospect,
but there is a ton of upside here and he is already getting a chance of the majors. And so I think
is a late round flyer potential lottery ticket.
He makes a lot of sense in 2026.
All right for more extensive fantasy baseball coverage,
listen to our full-lane podcast Fantasy Baseball today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts,
or anywhere else podcasts are found.
Thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball Today Express.
We will be back again next week.
Bye-bye.