We have reached the one-week mark, folks!
It’s strange that we are only in the second week of action, as it feels like so much has happened already. This is always a fun time for the sport, as it is often when fans are most optimistic and excited to see their teams play. I know I’ve been trying to watch as much as I can, and as always, I am in awe of some of the early-season stat lines for some unexpected players. It’s an extra fun time to be doing this series, as there is a large number of players we could be covering.
This year, I am going to be taking over the Friday edition of Is It Legit?, which I am incredibly excited to do! I have previously written on the Waiver Wire team and the weekly PLV articles team, and I also currently do the Saturday morning Batter’s Box articles. I am super excited to be aboard, and I can’t wait to explore some breakout (and fakeout) players with everybody.
With that said, let’s talk about some hot starts!
Sal Stewart, 1B, CIN
Everybody’s favorite potential fantasy steal is showing so far that he is exactly that: a steal. There was plenty of excitement surrounding Stewart going into the year, as he was a top prospect who showcased plenty to get excited about last season. Very few probably expected him to be doing this though, as he is absolutely crushing it (and crushing baseballs), putting up numbers beyond video game numbers.
Obviously, it’s difficult to take what Stewart’s underlying numbers from this season at face value, as it is a small sample size. What do you mean a 28% walk rate isn’t sustainable? Looking at the raw data from last year, though, you can see that being one of the hottest hitters in the game really wasn’t too unrealistic a prediction to start 2026. Stewart had similar exit velocity numbers to guys like Aaron Judge, Oneil Cruz, and Shohei Ohtani, and had a better barrel rate than those guys, though in a small sample. While the walk rate is obviously absurd so far, he did show plenty of discipline in the Minor Leagues, flexing both walk and strikeout rates in the teens, which allowed him to put up solid on-base numbers in the minors.
It’s also exciting that Stewart gets to play at Great American Ballpark. It’s one of the best places to stream hitters and one of the worst to stream pitchers, as balls get out of there with ease. I think that a monster slugging rookie season could be in order, especially with the already seen combination of game power and an environment that allows heavy-hitters to thrive.
Verdict: Legit. Well, as legit as numbers like these can be. He’s a contender for Rookie of the Year and is in a really good environment that will allow him to succeed. I’m thinking we will get 25+ home runs with solid ratios, which will help both the Reds and fantasy teams massively throughout the year.
Joey Wiemer, OF, WSH
From a Cincinnati Red to a former Cincinnati Bearcat.
Joey Wiemer probably wasn’t a player on anybody’s radar to start the season. He’s been a bit of a journeyman, bouncing around various organizations and playing to not get DFA’d. He has given teams decent defense at center field and has had a few timely hits here and there, but for the most part, he really hasn’t made enough of an impact to become a regular in a lineup.
Well, that has all changed… at least for now. Wiemer has been one of the hottest hitters in Major League Baseball, completely tearing the cover off the baseball and giving it his all to keep his job. He even got his first career triple, showing some serious wheels. Cubs fans are probably going to have recurring nightmares of him, at least for a few months. The underlying numbers look really good as well, with his power surge seeming to be a result of an improved bat speed (he’s over 73 mph so far). He’s even walking at a ridiculous rate, getting the free pass nearly 23% of the time, which is a huge improvement over last year’s 3.3%. The next step will be for him to start stealing bases, as he has the sprint speed to do it (and he tallied 11 in his debut campaign in 2023 with the Brewers).
Verdict: Not Legit. Yeah, I’m loving this ridiculous run too, but to go from a regular on the MLB waiver wire to what appears to be the best player in baseball is too far-fetched. Now, of course, as I said in the Stewart write-up, these numbers are bound to go down drastically. However, I don’t see them going down to still being considered well-above-average like with Stewart, who, despite being a rookie, actually has a more established track record. I think Wiemer will have a longer leash than expected and could be a useful player down the stretch, but he won’t be a star or even a major contributor for fantasy squads.
Brendan Donovan, 2B, SEA
It looks like the Mariners have their lead-off man!
The Mariners’ trade for Brendan Donovan was a really fun move, as it seemed like a potential match made in heaven. Donovan is a high-floor guy, which is kind of perfect for Seattle, considering how difficult it can be to hit in that ballpark. He essentially feels like an upgraded version of Jorge Polanco, except trading in some of that power for more consistency. Donovan did fall off a bit in the second half of last year, but it is fair to say that this was likely due to injuries, and the fantasy numbers largely took a hit due to the lineup surrounding him being less than stellar.
Donovan is off to a torrid start for the M’s, as he already has a fifth of his 2025 home run count. He also hit a blast in his first regular season at-bat with the squad, which is pretty dang cool. He even has a stolen base, which isn’t too shabby for one of the slowest runners in the game. Perhaps they can get him to be ridiculously aggressive on the basepaths like Josh Naylor last year… it would be fun to see.
Verdict: Probably Not Legit. Again, this is such a small sample size that it’s difficult to determine how much he can regress from this point while still being viewed as a player exceeding expectations. With that said, there isn’t too much that has changed from last year. In fact, his bat speed is a bit slower, and he isn’t necessarily making better contact so far. Donovan has just made the most of the times he’s made good contact. It’s also difficult to imagine that he won’t struggle with hitting in Seattle at some points in the year, as it is kind of a hitters’ nightmare.
