Unveiling Baseball’s Future Legends: Meet the 2026 Fantasy Prospects Set to Dominate Your League

Why he might not: McLean is a former two-way player, and the command is still a work in progress. It should be fine in the coming years, but again, this is just a list for 2026, and there’s more risk of self-inflicted damage for the 24-year-old than Yesavage, in this writer’s humble estimation. And also like Yesavage, there’s a decent chance the Mets monitor McLean’s innings, although it’s worth noting that he was able to go over 160 innings in 2025.

4) Trey Yesavage — RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Why he can help: There was a bit of a debate as to whether Yesavage belonged at the top spot, and anyone who saw him pitch in 2025 can understand why. After whiffing a remarkable 160 batters in 98 minor-league innings, Yesavage impressed in his three starts in the regular season, and more than held his own while helping the Blue Jays reach the World Series. His 94-96 mph fastball — at times a tick higher — has elite movement, and he complements that heater with one of the best splitters in the sport along with a solid slider to give him the arsenal to miss bats at an elite level. He also is going to be playing on one of — if not the — best teams in the American League, so he should have excellent rates on top of having a chance to pick up a quality number of wins.