Hello again, I hope your teams are doing well and you’re dodging as many bullets as possible in the year of an unprecedented Closerpocalypse. As we reach the one-month mark of the 2026 season, it’s that awkward time of year when a bad start to hitting turns out to be a bad start. plus It’s the start of a bad situation, and it can be difficult trying to figure out who’s going to give up and catch up. Fortunately, one of the silver linings of the deep leagues can be tough decisions like these. I mean, if you’re sitting in an NL-only league suffering through, say, Alec Bohm’s historically unproductive month of April, but the league is so deep that there are no options on the waiver wire, you really have to sit back and accept the pain. Yes, it’s bad, but at least you don’t have to worry about making the wrong choice!
For those in the shallower leagues, hopefully you were able to keep an eye on the free agent market and pick up a useful piece or two on the phone. This week, we’ll take a look at the players who own up to 15% of Fantrax leagues, diving into the shallows. (Although, it’s important to note how quickly ownership percentages change… can you believe that both Daniel Schneemann and Dominic Smith are both over 40% owned at this point? You didn’t see that coming a few weeks ago). Just another reminder of how quickly prices can change, and how prepared you are to jump on a plane may lead to some short-term rewards, if nothing else. And now, here are some of the guys in the deepest and deepest league this week, listed from most to most owned:
NL
Nathan Church (12% included in Fantrax). We’ve talked quite a bit about Church this preseason, but with everyone looking at Jordan Walker when it comes to the Cardinals’ outfield, I didn’t see Sunday playing as well as him. Over the past two weeks, he is hitting .348 with a homer and three steals, so if he can keep up, we’ll see if he can log more playing time. Who knows when Lars Nootbaar will return, and for now, there seems to be no reason for the Cardinals not to get an official look at the Church to see what they have here.
Luis Campusano (11%). If you’re in need, be aware that Campusano is resuming the season in San Diego. He’s hitting .381 with a few homers, so yes, this is another “nowhere to go but down” warning when it comes to scoring. But he reminds everyone that he’s a key piece to a very successful real-life MLB team. We all know that, alone, can lead to continued opportunity and, therefore, continued deep league value.
Edmund Sosa (9%). Speaking of Bohm and the disappointing Phillies hitting so far this year, Sosa has been giving his regulars a breather and finding himself in the lineup more often than I expected. While it’s hard to imagine the 30-year-old being the offensive answer on a fantasy or real-life MLB team, after a solid game on Wednesday, he’s now hitting .265 with a homer and six RBI. May he also get some serious playing time here in the deep leagues, and Sosa is hitting second and third in most leagues (and he’s played both those spots as well as shortstop already this year).
Dane Myers (6%). Myers made the Reds over JJ Bleday, stayed on the team over Noelvi Marte, and, for now at least, remains on the active roster. He appeared in 22 games this junior season, hitting .258 with one homer and one steal. What really stands out, though, at least for this young man who has always valued someone who can draw walks, is his .395 OBP. For now, Myers feels like a classic player who can be overlooked in all but deep leagues, but in those leagues he can do enough to be a valuable piece of a fantasy-ready roster.
AL
Leody Taveras (15% included in Fantrax). Leody hasn’t been on the radar for long, but if you look at the 5×5 roto value of the last few weeks, his name pops up among a handful of big boys when it comes to sweet production (like Schwarber, Langeliers, and Olson). He is hitting .310 with a couple of homers and a steal in that span, including a grand slam this past Monday. There are likely a few sunny skies ahead, but it’s a word to consider right now if your outdoor production could use a boost.
Carlos Cortes (15%). I’m a little late to the party on this one, as I didn’t know Cortes was starting in A’s place every single day for the past week-once. I’d say he’s produced enough again to warrant an ownership rating higher than his current mark, as he’s now hitting .327 with a .397 OBP on the season. He also has two homers in his last four games. While those strikeout rates will undoubtedly drop, they should be watched while he plays in the outfield, especially home games, of course.
Amed Rosario (13%). I don’t even want to talk about how much of a disaster Jazz Chisholm has been so far in 2026; we all know you are an amazing player, but this is getting ridiculous. I suspect he has a sore throat, especially after watching him gasp after a slide a week or two ago, which no one who called the game seemed to notice. Still, I think it’s time to talk, even for those of us who would rather not, about how much playing time Rosario is getting for the Yankees, let alone how productive he is. Even in a crowded outfield with Anthony Volpe returning soon, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Rosario continue to get opportunities as a super sub (and he’s been hitting in the middle of the lineup when he’s played). Although he didn’t steal a base, his four homers and 13 RBIs in 49 at bats are nothing to sneeze at, as they say.
Jahmai Jones (3%). Jones appears to be against lefties for the Tigers, but has made a very good impact in his limited opportunities. It’s impressive by major league baseball standards, though. After a two-hit, game-tying homer on Thursday, he got two long balls, the first off Garrett Crochet. I guess that last fact isn’t as impressive as it would have been a few weeks ago before Crochet started looking like a man on the mound, but still. Overall, Jones is hitting a harmless .240 in his 25 at-bats, but he may have to point out that he’s yet to draw one walk.
