Which players are we targeting this year? Is it the young player poised for a breakout year or the consistent veteran who may not be flashy but quietly contributes to several fantasy categories? Or could it be the rookie/prospect who is being overlooked in fantasy circles? The Dynasty Guru writers are happy to share some of the names we’re targeting in drafts and trades.

In the land of the filthy riches at shortstop, there are a few under the radar players that I will be targeting in dynasty leagues.

Colt Emerson (Age:20 Rank: 25)

Let’s start with the relatively least talked about. The number seven shortstop and number nine overall MLB prospect Colt Emerson of the Seattle Mariners. If you’re asking yourself if he has any relation to wrester Colt Cabana, no he does not. Just happens to share the same first name.

How exactly is Emerson flying under the radar as the number nine overall ranked prospect in MLB? Well…. there’s

Konnor Griffin

Kevin McGonigle

Leo De Vries

Jesus Made

JJ Wetherholt (likely to play 2B or 3B in 26)

Sebastian Walcott

Griffin and McGonigle get the most love followed by one of my favorites this year in Wetherholt. So yeah no one’s really talking about Emerson making it a great time to buy into a guy who could be your starting SS for years to come. “LETS DIG IN”

Colt Emerson the Mariners first round draft choice pick back in 2023 has a very high hit tool that he’s demonstrated throughout the minors. Emerson not known for his power or speed, used what he had to eek out 16 HR and 14 SB across all his minor league stops. In 2025 he started in High-A Everett and finished at Triple AAA Tacoma.

Emerson showed good instincts while running in the minor leagues, he just doesn’t grade out well at his position.  Don’t expect those stolen base numbers to grow when he gets to the majors.   As Emerson further matures, he should improve on his power and can potentially work his way to 25-30 homerun player.

Mariners President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said, “Colt is a grown up”, (source MLB.com, writer Daniel Kramer). At 20 years old the team’s president gave high praise to Emerson. That has certainly caught my attention and it should yours too.

Emerson enters 2026 very much having the opportunity to win a starting job at the big-league level. You might be saying don’t they have JP Crawford?  Yes, they still do have JP Crawford, but exiting the lineup is Eugenio Suarez.  With Suarez not coming back, that leaves an opportunity for Emerson to win the starting job at 3B in 2026. JP Crawford is a free agent in 2027. Look for Emerson to take over at SS in 2027 and be a fixture in your starting lineup.

Jordan Lawlar (Age: 23 Rank: 35)

Jordan Lawlar you say? Do you mean Jerry Lawler? For crying out loud stop with the wrestling references and get back to baseball.

Fine, I’ll get back to baseball. If you guessed Jordan Lawlar is 30, I don’t blame you! But he’s only 23 years old. Chris, people have already suggested to me a long time ago to nab Lawlar and he’s done nothing at the major league level. So why exactly should I still be in on him? Well, that’s a great question so “LETS DIG IN”.

Lawlar, a first-round pick in 2021, has shown consistently in the minor leagues that he has nothing left to prove. Take a look below at what he’s done at Triple AAA Reno the past last 3 seasons.

C’mon Chris I know he’s done this already please get to the part where he performed poorly at the MLB level. Okay fine I will.

Lawlar has had a few cups of coffee at the MLB level, and they have not gone well. In 2025 he struggled defensively at the hot corner, which has led the Diamondbacks to trade for an aging Gold Glover Nolan Arenado. Wait I thought you were talking about the shortstop position? Oh yes that’s right, well they do have a franchise guy in Geraldo Perdomo now there. Okay at this point you’re really talking me out of him, you better get to it.

Hear me out. Lawlar has above average raw power, good plate discipline, and has demonstrated he can flat out rake. The cups of coffee he had in the majors are an extremely small sample size. He’s only gotten 97 total at bats in two seasons. That’s barely enough time for me to strikeout to Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball. The Diamondbacks love him enough to give him outfield reps in spring training. In fact, he’s gotten to play center field for the Dominican Republic to prepare himself.

Pop quiz kids, name me the other outfielders for the Diamondbacks besides Corbin Carroll?  If you couldn’t name anyone, that’s okay. Alex Thomas, Blaze Alexander, Jorge Barrosa, and Tim Tawa. Lawlar certainly has an opportunity in 2026 to win an outfield spot. We just need him to be adequate defensively and for the Diamondbacks to give him a full run. Now for the best part.

Cost. Most of your league managers are most likely ready to move on from Lawlar. So, you should have no problem convincing your current Lawlar owner that he needs a new home. Go bring him home to your fantasy team.

(Chris “Wicky Wicky” Watts)