Early 2026 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 20 at second base depicts a position with vanishingly few standouts

To quote the great Jim Halpert, yikes.

You want no part of Ozzie Albies next year? Tired of wasting draft capital on Jackson Holliday? Think Marcus Semien is washed? Well, I've got news for you: They're all going to be drafted as starters in a 12-team league, at least going by my early rankings.

You might say my rankings stink. OK, then. Who would you be putting up there instead? Matt McLain? Otto Lopez? The situation is bleak.

• Early rankings: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP

There are a handful of second base standouts that are sure to demand a premium given their scarcity, but even in 10-teamers with no extra middle infield spot to fill, half the league participants aren't going to feel confident in what they draft at the position.

And if you're wondering where Maikel Garcia, Jordan Westburg, Luis Arraez and Xander Bogaerts are, the answer is ... some other position. They didn't make enough appearances at second base to retain eligibility there in 2026.

Note that the focus here is standard 5x5 scoring (such as Rotisserie leagues), but scroll a little further, and you'll see my rankings for points leagues.  

Top 20 second basemen for 2026

1	Jazz Chisholm New York Yankees 2B
While he underwhelmed with his batting average, as usual, Chisholm delivered his first 30/30 season despite missing more than 30 games with various ailments, so you can just imagine what his totals might look like if he managed to stay healthy for a full season. Perhaps playing for a new contract will help in that regard.
2	Ketel Marte Arizona Diamondbacks 2B
You wouldn't be wrong to go with Marte over Chisholm, and I would as well in Head-to-Head points leagues, where Marte's superior plate discipline actually counts for something. But if, in a 5x5-scoring league, Marte ends up hitting closer to .275 than .295, you'll be wishing you had secured Chisholm's stolen bases instead.
3	Brice Turang Milwaukee Brewers 2B
The velocity gains were clear for Turang from the beginning of 2025, and then when he began angling the ball better in August, his power production exploded. The overall outcome was better for Fantasy even though he stole half as many bases. If he can get back to 40 steals to go along with 20 homers, he might be the top player at the position.
4	Jose Altuve Houston Astros 2B
Altuve was plenty good by second base standards in 2025 thanks to his power production, but he wasn't the batting average and stolen base standout we've generally known him to be. Most will attribute it to his 35 years of age and, thus, approach him with some hesitation next year, but it looks more to me like his launch angle got too steep than that his abilities waned.
5	Nico Hoerner Chicago Cubs 2B
You know a position is weak when its fifth-ranked player is a long shot to hit double-digit home runs, but Hoerner still ends up being a quality starter because of his batting average and stolen base contributions. It's a lot easier to affirm that when he hits closer to .300, as happened in 2025, than when he hits closer to .270, as happened in 2024, but unfortunately, the range of outcomes for that category tends to be wider than most.
6	Brandon Lowe Tampa Bay Rays 2B
Lowe remains the preeminent home run hitter at second base, actually tying Jazz Chisholm for the position lead with 31. His shortcomings are that he's often injured, frustratingly streaky and confined to a semi-platoon role with the Rays. He can be the right choice for the right build, but he won't come at any sort of discount following a mostly healthy season.
7	Ozzie Albies Atlanta Braves 2B
Still only 28, Albies showed that reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated when he hit .272 with nine homers, seven steals and a .769 OPS in the second half, looking every bit like the player he was before a fractured wrist set him back late in 2024. But then he suffered another injury late in 2025, this time a broken hamate bone, which is even more known for having deleterious effects.
8	Luke Keaschall Minnesota Twins 2B
Keaschall is a beacon of hope at a position with precious few, actually ranking behind only Ketel Marte in Head-to-Head points per game, thanks to his superior plate discipline. But he doesn't actually hit the ball that hard, and he wasn't angling it off the bat properly down the stretch, compromising his power. He might be more of a Nico Hoerner type if his pull-air rate doesn't improve.
9	Jorge Polanco Seattle Mariners DH
Polanco's final 2025 numbers are shockingly close to Jose Altuve's , but longevity, consistency and overall upside make for clear distinctions between the two players. What's seen as a disappointing outcome for Altuve may be the best case for Polanco, and because Polanco is expected to hit the free agent market this offseason with some clear defensive limitations, his 2026 outlook is murkier than you might think.
10	Gleyber Torres Detroit Tigers 2B
Torres fell short of 20 homers for the second straight year and saw all of his numbers dragged down by a disappointing second half, but Statcast paints a much rosier picture, saying he deserved to have a .278 batting average and .473 slugging percentage. You might think his free agency is reason for optimism, given the way Comerica Park plays, but to add to the confusion, Torres was much better at home than on the road in 2025.
11	Jackson Holliday Baltimore Orioles 2B
Much of the justification for this ranking is simply the blind hope that Holliday makes a leap at age 22, which wouldn't be surprising given his former prospect pedigree, but even with a big reduction in strikeout rate in 2025, his sophomore season was pretty underwhelming. Still, you don't have to squint too hard to see a 20/20 campaign if he improves his contact quality and/or pull-air rate, both of which are pretty typical shortfalls for younger players.
12	Marcus Semien Texas Rangers 2B
On the one hand, a look at Semien's Baseball Savant page will tell you he's fundamentally the same player he's always been, with his exit velocities, strikeouts, expected stats and pull-air rate all holding steady. But after a second straight year of diminished production, it's hard to make the same excuses for the 35-year-old, whose main appeal at this point is pure volume.
13	Ceddanne Rafaela Boston Red Sox CF
If you think I'm underestimating Rafaela here, then you probably paid much closer attention to his first half, when he hit .271 with a .796 OPS, than his second half, when he hit .218 with a .587 OPS. While he may have 20/20 upside, he also has major chase issues, and because he isn't fully vetted yet, every extended slump raises the concern that pitchers have learned to exploit his aggressiveness.
14	Matt McLain Cincinnati Reds 2B
If you think I'm underestimating McLain here, then you're failing to acknowledge that the last time we saw him was 2023 -- and even then, the consensus view was that he performed over his head. We had to wait two years to find out, but his 2025 performance seemed to validate that thinking. There may be a happy medium that allows for a 20/20 season with a modest batting average, but I'm not holding my breath for it.
15	Xavier Edwards Miami Marlins 2B
Maybe it was never realistic to think Edwards could sustain his .328 batting average from 2024, but the bigger issue in 2025 was that his stolen base rate was cut in half. A 30-steal guy is far less interesting than a 60-steal guy, particularly when there's no power to speak of, but from a 5x5 context, the gap between Edwards and Nico Hoerner may be overstated here, owing mostly to longevity and supporting cast.
16	Otto Lopez Miami Marlins SS
Relative to expectations coming in, Lopez's 15-homer, 15-steal campaign might seem like victory enough, but Statcast suggests there's more meat on the bone, assigning him a .279 xBA and .447 xSLG as compared to his actual .246 and .368 marks. It's an enticing thought, but it may be too charitable to a 27-year-old who has already amounted to more than seemed likely.
17	Bryson Stott Philadelphia Phillies 2B
Stott salvaged what was shaping up to be a miserable season with a .310 batting average and .880 OPS over the final two months, and his final numbers ended up being about what they normally are. There's 15-homer, 30-steal upside here that perhaps deserves more recognition, but the Phillies' continued reluctance to use Stott against left-handers holds him back in the other counting stats.
18	Luis Garcia Washington Nationals 2B
Speaking of second basemen that are rarely started against left-handers, Garcia is the prime example of this, and my fleeting hopes of him overcoming his ghastly platoon splits are a big reason why he ranks so much lower for 2026. That said, Statcast marks him as one of the biggest underachievers of 2025 with a .291 xBA and .481 xSLG, and he's not a zero for speed either.
19	Brett Baty New York Mets 3B
Ranking 21st for me at third base, Baty should be regarded as a sleeper of sorts after hitting .308 (41 for 133) with seven homers and an .866 OPS over the final two months. He has the prospect pedigree and minor league track record to back up that performance, even if they've been slow to translate, but it's not clear that the Mets have a dedicated job for him with Mark Vientos and Jeff McNeil also in the fold.
20	Lenyn Sosa Chicago White Sox 2B
Sosa elevated himself from placeholder to potential building block by homering 13 times in his final 50 games, and Statcast gives a favorable outlook with a .275 xBA and .484 xSLG. He's not much to look at in points leagues, given that he never walks at all, but I'll take a shot on some power upside in 5x5 leagues rather than settling for someone like Brendan Donovan, who's pretty blah at everything.

What changes in points leagues?

1. Ketel Marte, ARI
2. Jazz Chisholm, NYY
3. Brice Turang, MIL
4. Jose Altuve, HOU
5. Nico Hoerner, CHC
6. Luke Keaschall, MIN
7. Brandon Lowe, likely TB
8. Ozzie Albies, likely ATL
9. Gleyber Torres, free agent
10. Jorge Polanco, likely free agent
11. Jackson Holliday, BAL
12. Marcus Semien, TEX
13. Xavier Edwards, MIA
14. Otto Lopez, MIA
15. Brendan Donovan, STL
16. Ceddanne Rafaela, BOS
17. Matt McLain, CIN
18. Bryson Stott, PHI
19. Brett Baty, NYM
20. Luis Garcia, WAS