Fantasy Baseball Today - WAY TOO EARLY 2027 Breakouts Candidates! (10/9 Fantasy Baseball Podcast)

Episode Date: October 9, 2026

Leo Bernal will be a popular catcher breakout for 2027. Jared Jones finished so strong in September. Jac Caglianone already broke out but Chris thinks there's another level. Bryce Eldridge is another free square for next season. Griffin Jax is a sneaky name to remember.Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters

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Up next on Fantasy Baseball Today Express. Welcome into FBT Express on Friday, October 9th. I am, for example, joined by Chris Towers for some way too early 2027 breakouts. And Chris, we will start with you. Yeah, we'll start with your favorite fantasy analyst's favorite breakout catcher for 2027. And that is Leo Bernal of the St. Louis Cardinals. I think he's Leonardo on CBS sports platforms, but he's Leo everywhere else. And whatever you call him, he had an awesome season. He already broke out in 2022. He emerged as

arguably one of the best catching prospects in baseball. He had 278 with a 831 OPS at AAA, gets called up to the majors, and is basically exactly as good. He ended up with an 807 OPS, 284 batting average in 24 games. The Cardinals clearly love Leo Bernal. He started every single game after his promotion. That is extremely rare. That is an extremely good sign of confidence in a 22-year-old catcher. They're already talking about Rineau Rodriguez, who is arguably the top catching prospect in baseball.

He's going to start playing third base. this offseason, the Cardinals seem to view Leo Bernal as part of the long-term answer behind the plate to the point where I could see them trading Yvonne Herrera this offseason. And so I think they really like this kid. I don't think he's a 284 hitter. His strikeout rate did jump up to 25%

when he got to the majors, but Leo Bernal hits the ball hard, he's got a good approach at the plate. I think this is a potential top 12 catcher for 2020. and the way they used him suggests that they really, really believe in Leo Bernal. I love this call as well. I mean, he was on my short list of options here, hit the ball really hard, put the ball in the air as well,

like 21.4% pulled the air rate too, so he knows what he has to do to get to power, played every game down the stretch. So could be a catcher, DH type if they move on from Yvonne Herrera. So lots to like there for Leo Bernal. your favorite analyst's favorite breakout pitcher is going to be Jared Jones for next season. This one feels like a free square and he was very good this season

returning from injury 372 ERA 108 whip but there was more meat on the bone. We definitely saw that down the stretch. He had a 32-fip, 317 XERA overall. Five starts in September. 0.93 ERA, 0.59 whip. 40 strikeouts to four walks over 20. innings pitched.

That will be the last thing that people remember of Jared Jones from this past season and coming off a year where Jacob Mizzerowski and Kams Schlitler and Chase Burns

all broke out. People are going to be very, very excited about Jared Jones. Three different pitches with a whiff rate over 38%. I legitimately think the talent is off the charts.

It's just how high will the price tag be for Jared Jones is the last and final question heading into next season. Chris, back over to you for another break. breakout. Yeah, I think you can argue Jack Caglione already broke out, but I think there's another room or another level here for him to jump because, you know, we saw good batting average. I think it was fourth in the American League and batting average, 289. 23 homers. The counting stats were pretty underwhelming. 72 RBI, 72 runs, 75 RBI and 143 games. I think everything could get better for Caglione in 2027.

And I think a big part of it is just avoiding the really slow start that he had. He was like a 700 or below OPS bat each of the first two months. From June 1st on, he hit 317 with a 554 slugging percentage, 18 home runs and 89 games. 64 RBI. I mean, 64 RBI and 89 games when he only had 75 for the whole season tells you, how bad the first two months for him and how bad the first two months for him, and how bad the first two months were for the Royal's offense? So I think we see a little improvement kind of across the board for the Royals offense.

And Caglione, I think there's still 35 to 40 homer potential here. He hits the ball so hard. It's just a question of can he elevate the ball a little more consistently and really tap into that power a little more? I think there's room for giant numbers for Jack Caglione. All right. Let's take a quick break and we'll be back right after this. Welcome back, FBT Express 5, way too early breakouts for the 2027 season.

And I kind of took the free squares for both. I think both of these players are going to be very popular breakout candidates. My next one is Bryce Eldridge, who unfortunately his season ended on the concussion aisle. So I want to follow that and make sure that he's all right in spring training. But man, he was better than I thought as a hitter coming into this season. He wound up with 17 home runs. that's 25 home runs over 162 games for Bryce Eldridge and he hits the ball extremely hard

and he actually didn't strike out as much as I thought he would coming in I mean for someone as big as Bryce Eldridge wound up with a 26.6% K rate that was much higher at levels in the minors last season but he hits the ball extremely hard I think he's one tweak away he feels like a line drive hitter right now who just kind of like hits really hard to all fields. If he just puts the ball in the air in terms of fly balls a little bit more,

pulls fly balls a little bit more, despite playing in Oracle Park, which I know is a bad place for left-handed power. I mean, his power is such that it doesn't matter what ballpark that he plays in. So I think as soon as next season, he could double this home run total. I think we could be looking at like 260,

270, 35 home runs from Bryce Eldridge next season. We'll be very, very excited to take him in the middle rounds. Chris, let's throw it back over to you for one more breakout for next season. I want to go with a little less obvious of a pitcher choice. And so I'm going to go with Griffin Jacks, who, you know, I think there are some questions about what his role is going to be. Obviously, he dealt with an injury late in the season,

and he's been used mostly in a multi-annying relief role since then. But we have seen the raise use him as a starting pitcher. There was a stretch where they were even, you know, kind of letting him get up to 90 pitches. And I'm hoping we've seen with him what we've seen with Jurassicson for the raise, where it was his first year back from injury, very shortly, she was mostly a reliever. Second year was a lot of five-inning starts. And then, you know, last year, obviously 2026, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball,

routinely going six innings, something he never did the year before. I don't think Griffin Jackson is going to be that kind of pitcher, but I think that trajectory is possible. The peripherals are mostly really, really good. He's a big strikeout guy. even in a 2026 season where he had, you know, changing roles and dealt with injury and all that, he still struck out 25% of batters. And that's with, you know, transitioning to the rotation midseason. You know, with a full off season to prepare, we know he can throw a lot of strikes.

We know he, you know, is a decent ground ball pitcher. If he can be, you know, back closer to like a 27% strikeout rate, 10K per 9, I think there's a lot of upside. He's got multiple swing and miss pitches. This is not a reliever who gets by on one or two pitches. He's got a whole kind of six pitch arsenal. I think Griffin Jacks absolutely has the room to take another step forward as a starting pitcher. And it's not a bad idea to bet on the raise when it comes to starting pitchers. Yeah, 100%.

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