In the search for power, Bryce Eldridge and Coby Mayo are among the names to watch.
Heading into the 2026 MLB season, these hitters could help lead fantasy managers to the top of the home run category in 5x5 rotisserie-scoring leagues.
It’s never too early to prepare for your draft, and some of us draft fiends are already setting draft dates for 2026—or even drafting now.
For nearly a decade, I contributed a series of offseason features at Rotoworld breaking down category sleepers across each of the 5x5 roto categories. Over the next 10 weeks, I’ll be providing a list of sleepers for each category (BA, HR, RBI, R, SB, W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV). Since the hot stove hasn’t heated up much yet, the early part of the series will focus on players in categories that are less dependent on opportunity and more driven by underlying skill. Categories more reliant on lineup spot, supporting cast (R, RBI, SB), or team context and managerial usage (W, SV) will be covered later in the series.
Before diving in, it’s important to define what a “sleeper” means here. In this context, a sleeper is a player who is expected to exceed both draft-day ADP and projection totals in a particular category. Players are divided into mixed-league sleepers and single-league sleepers.
Mixed League Players
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants
It’s rare to find an underhyped elite prospect, but Eldridge may fit that description. The 21-year-old is coming off a solid—but not dominant—season, hitting .260 with 25 home runs and 84 RBI in 433 plate appearances split mostly between Double- and Triple-A. The year prior, he showed more batting average upside in the lower minors, hitting .291 with 23 homers in 519 plate appearances. A former first-round pick, Eldridge’s power relative to age stands out, especially considering he played through a bone spur in his left wrist that required offseason surgery.
San Francisco promoted Eldridge to the majors in late September, which may have tipped their hand regarding his role entering 2026. A shared first base/DH role alongside Rafael Devers appears to be the best-case scenario—and a plausible one—if Eldridge holds his own in Spring Training. His NFBC Draft Champions ADP sits at 353, likely suppressed by his utility-only eligibility. Still, the 30-plus home run upside is obvious, making him an appealing upside play in tournament formats.
Coby Mayo, 1B, Orioles
Mayo is still searching for his true breakout at the MLB level. The former top Orioles hitting prospect logged 294 plate appearances last season but hit just .217 with 11 home runs. His immediate role is further clouded by the addition of Pete Alonso, though Baltimore has already hinted that Mayo could see time at DH, third base, and possibly the outfield. A trade also remains very much in play.
There were positive signs late in the season. Mayo hit 10 of his 11 homers after the All-Star break and posted a respectable .740 OPS during that stretch. Entering his age-24 season, Mayo’s minor league résumé remains impressive, with OPS marks of .974 and .964 in the two seasons prior to his debut. Playing-time uncertainty is suppressing his ADP (currently 375), but the power upside remains enticing.
Munetaka Murakami, 3B/1B, White Sox
Murakami brought his talents stateside last week, signing a two-year deal with the White Sox to play first base. It’s a major addition for a rebuilding club and a favorable landing spot in terms of ballpark factors and lineup role. The soon-to-be 26-year-old has long showcased elite power in Japan, slugging .550 across eight seasons and most recently blasting 24 homers in just 69 games.
There are legitimate concerns about Murakami’s transition, namely his defense and his aggressive, all-or-nothing approach. He struck out 27% of the time last season—a rate that’s likely to climb against MLB pitching—and flirted with 30% in 2024. Still, the power should translate. Steamer projects 30 home runs in 138 games, and his current ADP of 224 looks reasonable given the upside.
Miguel Vargas, 3B/1B, White Sox
Yes, another White Sox hitter. Vargas took a step forward last season, hitting .234 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI in 138 games, and his underlying profile suggests more power growth ahead. His extreme launch-angle approach resulted in a 71% air-ball rate, paired with a pull rate north of 40% for the second straight season.
The power came in streaks, but Vargas showed his ceiling in May when he carried the offense with seven home runs. His minor league track record supports more pop, including a 23-homer campaign across High-A and Double-A in 2021. With a path to everyday playing time and an ADP around 287, Vargas offers legitimate 25-plus homer upside at a reasonable cost.
Single League Players
Carlos Cortes, OF, Athletics
Not all hitters develop on the same timeline. Cortes showed real breakout signs in his age-28 season after joining the A’s organization. After spending six years in the Mets system as a solid but unspectacular bat, Cortes erupted for 21 home runs in just 413 plate appearances between Triple-A and the majors last season, while hitting over .300 at both levels.
Late bloomers always warrant some skepticism, but Cortes has made tangible skill gains. His 14.6% strikeout rate at Triple-A was a career best, and he continued to show an above-average flyball profile. Nothing will be handed to him in Spring Training, but Cortes has a realistic path to contributing power off the bench in AL-only leagues.
Joe Mack, C, Marlins
Overshadowed by fellow catching prospect Agustín Ramírez, Mack quietly put together another excellent season in the Marlins system. The former first-round pick hit .257 with 21 home runs across 468 plate appearances between Double- and Triple-A, marking his second straight 20-homer campaign.
Mack’s defense is his biggest separator. Unlike Ramírez, he’s highly regarded behind the plate, and with Ramírez struggling defensively last season, a move to first base or DH seems increasingly likely. Mack played 99 games at Triple-A in 2025 and is poised for an opportunity, making his power particularly appealing in NL-only formats.
Everson Pereira, OF, White Sox
Pereira has been on the move, first dealt from the Yankees to the Rays, then shipped to the White Sox shortly after the season. His MLB results have been rough—68 strikeouts in 176 plate appearances across parts of two seasons—but Chicago is clearly betting on the power upside.
That upside is real. Pereira hit 21 home runs in 348 Triple-A plate appearances last season and has slugged north of .500 in the minors in each of the past three years. His ability to play center field only adds to the intrigue, particularly if Luis Robert Jr. is moved this offseason.
Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics
Thomas remains under-discussed relative to his production. After smashing 31 homers and 44 doubles across Double- and Triple-A in 2024, he followed that up with 24 home runs between Triple-A and the majors last season. With a strong arm and solid athleticism, Thomas logged time at all three outfield spots and could enter 2026 as the A’s top offensive option in center field.
His batted-ball profile stands out. Thomas generates extreme lift, posting a 35% flyball rate during his brief MLB stint and showing consistent loft throughout the minors. The 37% strikeout rate in the majors is a clear red flag, as is competition from Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler, but the power upside alone makes Thomas a must-draft target in AL-only leagues.
--Seth Trachtman