rewrite this title One player from every MLB team who will take a leap in 2026

First baseman Ben Rice took an enormous leap forward for the Yankees during his first full Major League season a year ago, and I’m looking for him to take another one in the year ahead. Playing in 138 of the Bombers’ games in 2025, Rice slashed .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers, 65 RBI, and 28 doubles. He played some catcher, a lot of first base, and did a lot of DHing, but heading into ’26 it seems his role is better defined. Getting Rice out from behind the plate would seem prudent for his long-term future, and with his left-handed power, he could become a mainstay at first base for the Yankees for years to come. 

This time last year, Boston outfielder Roman Anthony was being heralded as arguably the top prospect in the sport, and he certainly did not disappoint following his promotion in June. Playing in 71 of the Red Sox contests, Anthony slashed .292/.396/.463 with 27 extra-base hits and 32 RBI. He’ll now enter spring training as an established big league starter, and the Red Sox believe he has the potential to develop into a star at this level in short order. 

The Orioles collection of young talent has long been the envy of much of the rest of the league, and second baseman Jordan Westburg is firmly in the middle of what Baltimore perceives as its long-term core. The Mississippi State product debuted in June of 2023, but a myriad of injuries have unfortunately limited him to only 260 games since then. To date, he’s slashed .264/.312/.456 at the big league level, but the O’s believe he’s capable of much more production than that. If he’s able to stay healthy this season, look for 2026 to be the year Westburg really arrives on the national map. 

Speaking of guys who know a thing or two about being known nationally. The Blue Jays selected righty Trey Yesavage in the first round of the 2024 draft, coming out of East Carolina, and promoted him to the big leagues late last September. Yesavage would make only three big league starts during the regular season and pitched well, but he became a phenomenon during the playoffs last October. In 27.2 postseason innings, the 22-year-old pitched to a 3.58 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP, while punching out 39 men and holding opponents to a .188 batting average. Yesavage will enter 2026 with a spot in Toronto’s rotation in hand, and it will be fun to see what he can do for an encore. 

The Rays have a way of constantly developing young starting pitchers, and Ryan Pepiot feels like the next name you should learn if you don’t already know it. Tampa Bay acquired the righty from the Dodgers in the deal that sent Tyler Glasnow to LA a couple of winters ago, and he’s quietly emerged as one of the better starters in the American League. In 31 starts last season, Pepiot posted a 3.86 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. He struck out almost exactly a hitter/inning, earned 11 victories, and really the only thing he struggled with was the home run ball, which victimized him far too often. If Pepiot can keep his mistakes from getting hit out of the ballpark in ’26, he has the potential and the upside to morph into an all-star caliber starter in this league. 

Cleveland selected right-hander Gavin Williams with the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, and during his first full Major League season a year ago, he certainly rewarded the team for taking him that high. In 31 outings, the 26-year-old worked to a 3.06 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP. Opponents managed to hit just .211 against him; he struck out 173 hitters in 167.2 innings, and his 12 wins ranked ninth in the A.L. Now slotted firmly atop the Cleveland rotation, Williams profiles as someone ready to take the next step in ’26, and I’m anticipating him becoming an all-star and developing into one of the best starters on the junior circuit. 

Catcher Kyle Teel was the biggest piece the White Sox received from Boston in the blockbuster Garrett Crochet trade a year ago, and Chicago is counting on him becoming a cornerstone piece of their team for years to come. Teel debuted last June and did impress, slashing .273/.375/.411 with eight homers, 35 RBI, and 11 doubles in 253 at-bats. Now is the time for him to really build on that and develop into one of the brightest young stars in the American League.

Big things have been expected from right-hander Casey Mize since the day the Tigers selected him first overall in 2018, but the first several years of his career certainly did not go to plan. Mize struggled with injuries and consistency early on, then missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery and a subsequent back issue. To his credit, he returned in ’24, and while his performance left something to be desired that season, he seemed to turn a corner a year ago. In 28 starts for Detroit, Mize turned in a 3.87 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP, while winning 14 games and tossing 149 innings. The Tigers staff is loaded with Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, and Jack Flaherty, and if Mize can take the next step in 2026, this rotation will be absolutely scary. 

Cal Poly product Brooks Lee was long the crown jewel of the Twins’ minor league system, and he has not disappointed since becoming a regular on the Minnesota infield. Lee reached the Major Leagues in July of 2024, and in his first full season last year began establishing himself as one of the sport’s bright young talents. In 139 games, he slashed .236/.285/.370 with 16 home runs, 64 RBI, and 15 doubles. The Twins bounced him all over the infield a year ago as he played significant innings at third, short, and second. Heading into 2026, he’s expected to be Minnesota’s full-time shortstop, and it will be interesting to see if a more defined role will help him take the next step on both sides of the ball. 

Left-handed swinging Jac Caglianone was a college sensation at the University of Florida who then surged through the Royals minor league system after being selected 6th overall in the 2024 draft. Kansas City promoted him to the big leagues last June, expecting him to take the league by storm, but that did not go quite to plan as a rookie. In 62 games, Caglianone slashed just .157/.237/295 while striking out in 52 of his 210 at-bats. Don’t expect that speed bump to carry over into 2026, though. Caglianone possesses game-changing power, and as he gets more acclimated to the sport’s highest level, look for him to eventually blossom into a star. 

Grayson Rodriguez was considered one of the best pitching prospects in the sport for several years, but unfortunately, injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential in Baltimore. In 43 Major League starts between ’23-’24, the right-hander pitched to a 4.11 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP in 238.2 innings. Those are certainly serviceable numbers, but a far cry from the ace-level performance the Orioles were expecting. Rodriguez then missed all of 2025 due to elbow debridement surgery, and Baltimore ultimately decided to move on from him this winter. The Angels sent productive right-handed hitter Taylor Ward to the O’s to acquire him, and are counting on him finally realize his full potential out on the West Coast. 

The Athletics bounced southpaw Hogan Harris between the rotation and bullpen for the first two years of his career, but transitioning him into a full-time reliever a year ago really brought out the best in him. In 48 appearances, the Louisiana-Lafayette product pitched to a 3.20 ERA with a .226 batting average against. He struck out 65 hitters in 64.2 innings while being used primarily as the set-up man for Mason Miller. Harris was given some save opportunities following Miller’s trade last summer, and heading into 2026, he’s lined up to be the Athletics closer. 

Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez may feel like a strange inclusion on this list, but hear me out. We all know J-Rod is already one of the best players in the sport. He’s a three-time all-star, a two-time Silver Slugger award winner, and just last season was named to the All-MLB First Team. But what if there’s even more meat on the bone? In 2025, Rodriguez slashed .267/.324/.474 with 32 home runs, 95 RBI, 31 doubles, and 30 stolen bases. It was his 2nd career 30/30 season, but what if he could push that to 40/40? In addition to his offensive exploits, Rodriguez is an elite defender at a premium position. If he can improve even marginally, we’re talking about a guy who could be a perennial MVP candidate. 

The Marlins waited a long time for outfielder Jesus Sanchez to figure out the Major League level and blossom into the dynamic everyday regular they’d been expecting him to become before finally giving up and sending him to Houston last summer. The Astros are hopeful that’s a decision Miami will grow to regret. In 580 career games to date, Sanchez owns a .239/.307/.420 slash line with 73 home runs and 238 RBI. Houston is hoping a change of scenery will prove beneficial, and if that comes to fruition, this trade is going to go down as a steal. 

When the Rangers selected right-hander Jack Leiter with the 2nd overall pick in the 2021 draft, expectations for the Vanderbilt product were through the roof. It didn’t take long for the air to go out of the proverbial balloon, however. Leiter almost instantly struggled immensely in the minor leagues, and the bust title was unfairly being thrown around very quickly. He reached the big leagues in 2024 but pitched to an awful 8.83 ERA in nine outings, and that only made the noise grow louder. But things started to turn around a year ago. In 29 starts in ’25, Leiter pitched to a 3.86 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP. Opponents hit just .222 against him; he struck out 148 men in 151.2 innings, and for the first time, he was able to prove the Rangers right for selecting him. Now with a full offseason as an established big leaguer under his belt, I’m looking for big things out of Leiter in 2026. 

The Mets used their 2019 first round pick on third baseman Brett Baty from Lake Travis High School in Austin, TX. At the time, Baty was being touted as New York’s first long-term answer at the hot corner since David Wright. His professional career has taken a winding road to date, but he really did begin to turn a corner in 2025. In 130 games, the 26-year-old slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs and 50 RBI. For most of this winter, it appeared he would again be given a chance to be the Mets’ future at third base, but the club’s addition of Bo Bichette complicates that. Now, Baty seems poised to see time at third base, second base, left field, maybe even first base, as the team looks to get creative to keep his bat in the line-up.  

Lefty Jesus Luzardo was one of baseball’s most hyped pitching prospects while he was a minor leaguer in the A’s system, and while it took a while–and a few different stops–he seems to have finally fully arrived. The Phillies acquired Luzardo from the Marlins prior to last season, and he promptly rewarded them with his best overall campaign. In 32 starts, he delivered a 3.92 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP, while tossing a career high 183.2 innings, winning 15 games, and finishing 2nd in the National League with 216 strikeouts. Philadelphia is anxious to see what he can do for an encore, and if he can develop into the legitimate top of the rotation ace he was long projected to be. 

This time a year ago, catcher Drake Baldwin was dominating the chatter around the Braves’ spring training camp. The Missouri State product was coming off back-to-back excellent minor league seasons and was knocking on the door of the big leagues, and pundits wondered how Atlanta would find him enough playing time. That proved rather easy when Sean Murphy fractured a rib during spring training. Baldwin was with the Braves on opening day and never looked back, going on to slash .274/.341/.469 with 19 home runs, 80 RBI, and 18 doubles. He was named the National League’s Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta is expecting him to build on that success here in 2026. 

Since the day they made him the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 draft, the Nationals have envisioned outfielder Dylan Crews developing into the face of their franchise. Crews was one of the nation’s most dominant players in college at LSU, and was touted as a can’t-miss superstar ahead of the draft. The thing about expectations that are that lofty, however, is that it often puts too much pressure on young players in their early 20s. To date, Crews has played in 116 Major League contests, and slashed a disappointing .211/.282/.352 with 29 extra-base hits. It’s too early to call him a bust, but there has certainly been some discontent from Washington fans regarding his performance. In 2026, Crews has an opportunity to turn all of that around, and honestly, I believe he’s too talented not to. 

At the trade deadline in 2024, the Marlins swung a deal that, when we look back years from now, could end up being the turning point of a new era of baseball in South Florida. Miami sent left-handed starting pitcher Trevor Rogers to Baltimore for a pair of prospects. Infielder Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers. Norby is currently the Marlins’ starting third baseman, and the 28-year-old Stowers has already developed into their best player. In 117 games last season, he slashed .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs, 73 RBI, and 21 doubles. Heading into 2026, the Marlins are ecstatic to see what he can do over the course of a full 162-game slate, and believe Stowers will soon develop into a perennial all-star in the National League. 

The Cardinals have been a team in transition for a couple of years now. Paul Goldschmidt departed after the 2024 season, and this winter, St. Louis traded away mainstays Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan. This proud organization is desperate for a new core to assert itself at this level, and southpaw Matthew Liberatore needs to be front and center in that. For three years, the Cardinals bounced the Peoria, AZ native between the rotation and bullpen without a defined role, and the results were mediocre. In 2025, he was finally given an opportunity to be a full-time member of the starting rotation, and while he didn’t dominate, it was a step in the right direction. In 29 starts, he put up a 4.21 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP across 151.2 innings. In ’26, St. Louis wants to see him build on that and prove he can be a mainstay for a team that needs a great deal of stability right now. 

It was never a secret that Edward Cabrera possessed elite-level stuff during his time with the Marlins, but for much of the five years he spent in Miami, he struggled with consistency. His walk totals were consistently too high and the source of the majority of his problems—until last year. In 2025, the 27-year-old Cabrera seemed to put it all together, posting a 3.53 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 26 starts totaling 137.2 innings. He dropped his BB/9 rate from 4.67 to 3.14—still high, but a noticeable improvement. The Marlins capitalized on his breakout season by trading him to a trio of talented young prospects. Now the Cubs are counting on him proving it wasn’t a fluke. 

The Reds boast a talented and athletic young core, and versatile Noelvi Marte is firmly in the middle of it. The 24-year-old has consistently played well in parts of the last three seasons with Cincinnati, but disappointingly continues to be hampered by nagging injuries. In 191 career Major League games, Marte has slashed .254/.294/.400 with 21 home runs, 84 RBI, 33 doubles, and 25 stolen bases. He’s a plus defender at several positions on the field, and if he can just stay healthy in 2026, he’ll easily take an organic leap forward. 

The Brewers brought super prospect Jackson Chourio to the Majors on opening day in 2024, and he has emphatically proven worthy of the hype that accompanied him. Chourio’s first two Major League seasons have been almost carbon copies of each other. His batting average was five points lower in ’25, his SLG% was one point lower, he hit 21 homers in each season, he drove in 79 and 78 runs, and swiped 22 and 21 bases. That consistency from a young player is impressive, but in year three, I’m looking for the 21-year-old to totally break out. This is a kid with 30/30 type potential, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if that’s what happens in 2026. 

The Pirates clearly have the best starting pitcher in the National League in Paul Skenes, but the talent in their rotation does not end there. Jared Jones is currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Mitch Keller has been an underrated middle-of-the-rotation arm for a while, and young Bubba Chandler is a name that you should start to remember. Pittsburgh selected the righty in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft, and he’s steadily risen through its minor league system. Chandler reached the big leagues last August and pitched to a 4.02 ERA in 31.1 innings. Heading into 2026, he’s looking to solidify a rotation spot and prove he can become a dynamic running mate with Skenes in the Steel City. 

The Dodgers roster is absolutely loaded from top to bottom, and it’s scary to consider the fact that they could get even better. But one guy that stands out to me as primed for a breakout campaign is young righty Emmet Sheehan. The Boston College product has made 23 starts for LA over the last two seasons and pitched to a 3.77 ERA. But his peripheral numbers all indicate a higher level of performance than that. Sheehan has punched out 153 hitters in 133.2 Major League innings, surrendered just a .196 batting average against, and his pitches per plate appearance rate is under four—indicative of an ability to get quick outs. Walks and home runs have both been issues for Sheehan at times, and if he can keep those numbers down, we could be looking at an all-star caliber starting pitcher. 

Young Landen Roupp was a late-round pick of the Giants back in 2021, coming out of UNC Wilmington, and the righty is really turning into a feel-good story. After first reaching the big leagues during the ’24 campaign, Roupp was given an opportunity to be a regular member of the team’s starting rotation a season ago and really took advantage. In 22 starts, he pitched to a 3.80 ERA in 106.2 innings, while winning seven games and tallying eight quality starts. Roupp’s BB/9 rate was admittedly a little problematic, and he did give up more hits than innings pitched. If he can find a way to limit baserunners better in 2026, he could be primed for a nice leap forward. 

Left-handed slugger Gavin Sheets mostly slogged his way through parts of four seasons in the Windy City with the White Sox before joining the Padres last year. And it’s fair to say he enjoyed Southern California quite a bit more than Northern Illinois. In 145 games with the Friars, Sheets slashed .252/.317/.429 with 19 home runs, 71 RBI, and 28 doubles. He became a key left-handed bat in the middle of the San Diego line-up, and heading into 2026, the club is counting on continued production from the 29-year-old.

Rockies fans have long been yearning for something to get excited about, and the incredible offensive performance from young backstop Hunter Goodman in 2025 was exactly what the doctor ordered. The University of Memphis product had played in parts of both ’23 and ’24 for Colorado before grabbing the club’s starting catcher job by the horns last year. It’s clear he’s not giving the gig back anytime soon. In 144 games, Goodman slashed .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs, 91 RBI, 28 doubles, and five triples. That’s going to be a tough act to follow, and Colorado is leaning on the youngster to be the centerpiece of the next Rockies core. 

For the Diamondbacks, let’s go with a guy who needs to take a leap forward both personally and for the team’s overall success. Righty Brandon Pfaadt debuted for the Snakes during the 2023 campaign and has been a staple in their rotation since, albeit with diminishing returns. A season ago he struggled mightily, posting a 5.25 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP in 176.2 innings. His strikeout numbers were way down in 2025, his home runs and hit batsmen were up, and the season was really a slog from start to finish. At 27 years old, it’s time for Pfaadt to assert himself as a reliable long-term piece in the desert, Arizona will start to look elsewhere.