The first full month of the season has come to a close. In this article, we will take a look at some of the risers and fallers in the dynasty ranks. These are players that dynasty managers should continue monitoring closely as we move deeper into the 2026 season.
Risers
Anthony Eyason – SP, Boston Red Sox
Anthony Eyason, a third-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2025 and a former teammate of Kade Anderson, has dominated High-A in his first taste of professional baseball.
In 16 innings, Eyason has recorded 27 strikeouts with an impressive zero walks and a 0.54 ERA. His slider is his best pitch, consistently grading as above average and sitting in the low-to-mid 80s. It pairs well with a fastball that sits 92–95 mph and can reach 98 mph.
He also mixes in a four-pitch arsenal that includes an improving curveball and a changeup with a low spin rate that generates late fade and swing-and-miss.
If Eyason maintains this level of command, he has a chance to move quickly through the Boston system and could factor into a major league rotation as early as mid-2027.
Kendry Chourio – SP, Kansas City Royals
Kendry Chourio is beginning to emerge as a name dynasty managers need to know. Ranked No. 94 on MLB.com’s Top 100 and No. 75 by Baseball America, he is already trending upward despite being just 18 years old in A-ball.
So far, Chourio has posted a 1.42 ERA with 15 strikeouts and only two walks across 12.2 innings. Signed out of Venezuela in 2025, he features a fastball sitting 94–97 mph, along with a developing curveball and changeup that both project as potential plus offerings.
His standout trait early on is command. In his most recent outing, he logged five strikeouts and one walk over five innings. He has also generated a 62.5 percent ground-ball rate while limiting home runs, showing strong early pitch efficiency.
If the development continues, Chourio has a chance to climb rankings quickly in 2026 and could reach the majors before age 21.
Ronny Cruz – INF, Washington Nationals
Ronny Cruz, originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2024 and later acquired by the Washington Nationals in the Michael Soroka trade, is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing young bats in the system.
Cruz’s game is built on raw power and hard contact. He already produces exit velocities up to 110 mph and carries above-average raw power. At just 19 years old, he has reached High-A in 2026 and is expected to spend most of the season there unless his bat forces a promotion.
He is off to an excellent start, hitting .361 with a 1.128 OPS and six home runs early in the season. The power is clearly translating into games.
The main development area remains contact consistency. His 61.2% contact rate is below what it needs to be as he moves up the ladder. However, his batted-ball profile is encouraging, with a 45.8% ground-ball rate and 35.6% fly-ball rate, showing a balanced approach with room for optimization.
Cruz profiles as an impact power bat from the shortstop position, giving him strong dynasty appeal if the hit tool continues to develop.
Gage Wood – RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Gage Wood has quickly emerged as one of the most interesting arms in the Philadelphia Phillies system after being selected in the first round of the 2025 draft out of Arkansas.
Wood features an electric fastball sitting 94–96 mph and touching 98 mph with strong life that generates swings and misses. Through 15.2 innings in Single-A, he has posted 25 strikeouts, a 14.4 K/9 rate, and a 40% strikeout rate. He has also allowed just nine hits, while holding hitters under a .170 batting average.
The most encouraging development has been improved control. After early walk issues, Wood has reduced his walk rate to 10.4% (approximately 3.8 BB/9). While still an area for growth, the trend is positive.
His curveball is a legitimate plus pitch, and he also mixes in a slider and changeup that remain in development. Continued progress with at least one secondary pitch will determine whether he sticks as a starter or shifts toward relief long term.
From a dynasty perspective, Wood offers high strikeout upside with mid-rotation starter potential if command continues to improve.
Fallers
Kruz Schoolcraft – LHP, San Diego Padres
Kruz Schoolcraft, a 6’8” left-hander and first-round high school pick, has struggled significantly in his first full professional season.
Through his early 2026 starts, he has posted a 13.14 ERA, including a 15.95 ERA in April. In 7.1 innings last month, he recorded just 7 strikeouts against 10 walks.
Opponents are hitting .492 against him, and his 71.9 percent contact rate highlights how often hitters are putting the ball in play with authority.
While the results are poor, the underlying talent remains intact. He still features an above-average fastball with strong plane and a developing changeup with real potential. However, inconsistent command has caused both pitches to play down.
For dynasty managers, this is still a high-risk, high-upside profile. At 19 years old, there is plenty of development time, but his ranking has taken a deserved dip due to early inefficiency.
Ryan Sloan – RHP, Seattle Mariners
Ryan Sloan, the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, has had a rough April despite his elite raw stuff.
Sloan features a fastball that reaches 99 mph with strong ride, allowing him to attack hitters at the top of the zone. At just 20 years old, he is already in Double-A for the Seattle Mariners.
However, he posted a 5.65 ERA in April while allowing a .310 batting average against and a 1.75 WHIP. He did limit home runs (just 1 in April), and his strikeout rate remains strong at 24.7%.
The issue has been pitch execution and command within the strike zone, leading to too many hittable pitches rather than weak contact.
From a dynasty standpoint, Sloan still projects as a potential frontline starter with three plus pitches, but he is currently experiencing expected growing pains in the upper minors.
Harry Ford – C, Washington Nationals
Harry Ford, now with the Washington Nationals, has gotten off to a slow start in 2026 after being traded from the Seattle Mariners in the offseason.
Ford has long been viewed as one of the top catching prospects in baseball due to his potential plus hit tool and athletic profile for the position.
However, his early 2026 performance has been concerning. He has yet to hit a home run and has only three extra-base hits. His hard-hit rate has dropped to 30.9%, and his average exit velocity sits at just 84.2 mph.
Strikeout issues have also emerged, with his strikeout rate jumping to 28.7% compared to 19.2% last season. While he still walks at a 10.6% clip, the overall offensive production has declined.
From a dynasty perspective, Ford is beginning to slide slightly due to regression in both contact quality and strikeout rate, though his long-term upside remains intact if the bat rebounds.
Early-season movement in dynasty rankings is less about rewriting player value and more about identifying trends. The risers are showing clearer skill translation and improving command, while the fallers are exposing developmental gaps in contact, control, or consistency. The talent hasn’t changed dramatically, but the path to production is becoming clearer on both sides of the spectrum.
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurt_player02 on Instagram & Threads
@kuwasemiller.bksy.social on BlueSky)
