The 2025 fantasy baseball season has officially concluded, but if you’re a Dynasty player, baseball never ends. In most instances, your leagues have renewed for the 2026 season, which can only mean one thing: FYPD season! The First-Year Player Draft is one of my favorite parts of fantasy baseball. Regardless of your competitive window, draft capital, or finish to the 2025 season, your FYPD selections will set the foundation for the next few years, and hopefully beyond.
As we review the 2025 Draft class, aka the 2026 FYPD Class, you already know the premium names at the top. You’ve heard about Ethan Holliday, watched Kade Anderson dominate the College World Series, saw Eli Willits become an unlikely #1 overall pick, and are closely monitoring the arrivals of Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Inai, and Kazuma Okamoto from Japan. But what do you know about Jaden Fauske? How about Korbyn Dickerson? Ever heard of Michael Lombardi? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, congratulations, you’re a baseball die-hard. If not, and you’re a Dynasty player, pay attention! Here are some names to keep an eye on in your upcoming FYPD Drafts.
Jaden Fauske, OF, CHW
Fauske is my guy in the 2025 Draft Class. The 6’3″ prep outfielder from Illinois is one of the toolsiest players in the class, and for me, was one of the top-5 preps on the board. The White Sox were able to lock Fauske up with a $3M over slot bonus as the 44th pick of the Draft, rather than honoring his commitment to LSU. Fauske was a catcher entering his junior year of high school, but primarily played outfield his final two seasons. I guess there is always an outside chance that the White Sox flip him back behind the dish.
At the plate, Fauske is disciplined and patient. He draws plenty of walks, rarely chases, and punishes mistakes. At present, his power is at least plus, given his age and an advanced hit tool. His frame is big and physical, but his above-average speed is sustainable even with additional size. When you look at the physical traits mixed with the defensive characteristics, he’s a corner outfielder, and the power will play. Looking ahead, we’re looking at a 20+ homer guy with a solid batting average and a dozen steals. Without any in-game action following the draft, it’s hard to project exactly when Fauske could debut, but my gut says early in 2028.
Really a big fan of @whitesox 2nd RD pick Jaden Fauske. Good athlete playing CF today. This at bat he drives a double to deep CF. Lots of tools and someone to watch in 2026 #Whitesox #ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/wOFBDDEY3q
— The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) August 16, 2025
Korbyn Dickerson, OF, SEA
Dickerson was one of the top prep players in Kentucky upon graduating from high school. His commitment to Louisville and desire to play collegiately pushed his stock to the 20th round, but he never signed. Dickerson played just one season for the Cardinals, appearing in just 21 games but registering only 17 at-bats. Before the 2025 season, Dickerson transferred to Indiana, where he starred for the Hoosiers. In 56 games, he slashed .314/.381/.632 with 19 homers, 14 doubles, and five steals. He was named First Team All-Big Ten and a Third Team All-American. The Mariners took Dickerson with the 152nd overall pick in the fifth round and assigned him to Class A Modesto, where he logged seven at-bats.
Dickerson stands 6’1″, 205lbs with a strong, athletic build. He’s a terrific athlete across all aspects of the game, but has been particularly impressive as a defender, which should give him a clear path to playing time. His plus raw power has translated in games, as Dickerson registered a 93mph average EV and a max of 110mph in college. His tendency to get a little pull-happy could be problematic as a pro, but if he makes a minor tweak to his approach, he has the power to do damage to all fields. In addition to the power, Dickerson is a plus runner, earning a 60-grade run tool from scouts. His profile isn’t too far from current Mariners’ prospect Jonny Farmelo, who has been highly impressive in his first few seasons as a pro. With Dickerson’s collegiate experience, we could see him as early as 2027.
Korbyn Dickerson is looking more like an early first-round guy with each passing day
.550 wOBAcon
93.7 avg EV
109.8 90th EV
116.8 max EV
100.8 aerial EV
78% zCon% / 68% oCon%
71% zSwg% / 26% oSwg%Struggles with quality breaking balls which is the main concern rn, but he rakes pic.twitter.com/iITfGplm07
— Jacob (@jacobledelman) March 24, 2025
Michael Lombardi, P, KCR
There’s so much intrigue with two-way players as everyone looks to find the next unicorn. The Royals took a shot with Michael Lombardi, a 6’3″ right-hander converted from centerfield and first base to become the closer and hybrid starter at Tulane. He was a middling offensive player, but on the mound, Lombardi is electric. In 42 innings during his final season, he converted 11 saves, posting an ERA of 2.14 and notching 73 strikeouts.
Lombardi has a three-pitch mix with two potentially double-plus offerings in his fastball and curve. The heater sits in the low to mid-90s, but coming from a lower release point, has impressive iVB and run to the armside. The curve is also terrific with sharp breaking movement and the ability to miss bats in and out of the zone. Those two pitches were highly instrumental in Lombardi averaging over 15 strikeouts per nine at Tulane. His final pitch is a changeup that needs some work but could become at least an average pitch for him and sustain his viability as a starter. The most significant obstacles for Lombardi are inexperience and inconsistent command. He logged just 113 total innings across three seasons in college and 18 in summer ball. There’s a ton of upside and arm talent, but the Royals will need to work on a handful of key elements before we can properly grade out Lombardi as a pitcher. Either way, that’s the kind of upside I love to take a shot on in FYPD drafts, especially post-pick 50.
Tanner Franklin, P, STL
At 6’5″, 225lbs, Tanner Franklin is an easy guy to recognize. He’s even more recognizable when he’s bearing down on you with a fastball that regularly reaches triple-digits. Franklin showed signs of promise during his first two years at Kennesaw State, but command was a PROBLEM—a problem in the form of a 20%+ walk rate. When Franklin transferred to Tennessee before his final collegiate season, the coaching staff simplified his mechanics, resulting in a 6% walk rate. When you pair those gains with an abundance of arm talent, you get a 26.4% K-BB rate, among the best in the NCAA. His performance pushed Franklin to the 72nd overall pick in the Competitive Balance round in the 2025 Draft.
Following his selection by the Cardinals, Franklin was sent out to A-Ball, where he made three starts with a 1.50 ERA and a 9:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, good for a 32.1% strikeout and 17.9% walk rate in limited action. There are still concerns about his command and control, but a full offseason in an MLB organization can only improve them. The other potential issue for Franklin is the lack of an effective third pitch, though his fastball-cutter combination has proven successful. Still, Franklin is an afterthought in most drafts due to a lack of innings and questions about his long-term role. The Cardinals have developed lesser talent (specifically Quinn Mathews) and turned them into front-end pitching prospects. Even if it doesn’t work out, Franklin has the stuff to become a high-leverage reliever, and given his cost in FYPD drafts, I’ll bet on the upside.
Tanner Franklin goes to his heater to record his first strikeout as a pro. Specs:
97.8 MPH
2519 RPM
19.5" IVB
9.5" HB pic.twitter.com/pYshJFGRFh— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) August 23, 2025
Cam Leiter, P, LAD
Leiter is the latest in a family lineage that has produced several MLB pitchers, including his cousins, Rangers starter Jack Leiter and Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr. Jr. After starting his collegiate career at Central Florida, Cam transferred to Florida State before the 2024 season. After seven starts with the Noles, Leiter underwent shoulder surgery that held him out all of 2025. The Dodgers are unfazed by pitchers with sketchy medical histories and took a flyer on the 21-year-old in the 2nd round of this year’s Draft.
Pre-injury, Leiter flashed a ton of potential but also an upside limited by control woes. At 6’5″, 235lbs, Leiter has the physicality to dream on and potentially, a build of a future workhorse. His stuff is elite as well. His four-seam fastball is high-octane, sitting in the mid-90s and flirting with triple-digits. A hard slider and slow curve give him two unique breakers, and his changeup is a solid fourth offering. Ultimately, how will Leiter rebound following the surgery? The combination of pedigree and arsenal is certainly encouraging, but his command will need continued development in an organization well-known for player development. I’d love Leiter as a 4th- or 5th-round pick in FYPDs, but would be willing to ‘reach’ as far as the third round.
From a sheer stuff standpoint, RHP Cam Leiter (@FSUBaseball) has one of the loudest arsenals in this year's Draft class. Was a member of the AAC All-Freshman team selection in 2023 after posting a 4.92 ERA with 80 Ks across 56.2 IP. Leiter's first season at FSU was cut short due… pic.twitter.com/A2TmBOPQyg
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) November 24, 2024
