It’s only logical, as some players move up our rankings, others must move down. To help make sense of all this, our writers are taking a deeper look at some of the players climbing the ladder and some who have slipped a few rungs.

Risers:

Luke Keaschall, Minnesota Twins (Age: 23 Rank: 7 Previous Rank: 25 )

Keaschall was a darling mid-season pickup in most leagues last season (unless you read The Dynasty Guru, OF COURSE!). Those who invested in him got paid off, well, sort of. In 49 games, Keaschall had a .302 batting average, 14 stolen bases, and 28 runs batted in. He left 2025 with a season-ending left thumb injury. So, “WATTS THE DEAL” for Keaschall in 2026?

Batting primarily in the 3rd or 4th spot for the Twins, he displayed above average hit tool and speed. A power hitter he is not. His exit velocity was 86%, and his bat speed 67%. Wow, that doesn’t sound so great, Chris, you’re off to a fine start. Lol, here’s why I wrote that. He’s not going to hit in those spots moving forward. He will either hit leadoff or bat 2nd. That position in the lineup suits his skill set best. He will continue to show off his elite eye and utilize his speed. He only had 29 strikeouts in 182 at bats, with 19 walks. His statcast data and minor league numbers further back up this point. Can he sustain a 300-batting average for a full season? I do not believe so. His expected avg last season was 263. I do think he hits somewhere between that. What about stolen bases? Yes, with a full season, should be in line for 30 SB. If you’re looking for a comparison player, he reminds me of a younger Nico Hoerner with a tad bit more power.

Fallers:

Marcus Semien, New York Mets (Age: 35  Rank: 29 Previous Rank: 8)

Marcus used to be the darling of all second basemen. He personally assisted me with several championships. Last fantasy season, I traded him for a 20th-round draft choice. Is his game left in the dust? Or does he have any juice left? “WATTS THE DEAL.”

Let’s check out his last 3 seasons.

2023 he batted leadoff the entire year; 2024, almost a full year, with a few at bats batting third; and last season…. We’ll let me just say he was batting in almost every spot like Jaxson Dart runs around a defense! C’mon, Chris, everyone goes through struggles in baseball. It’s a long season. He can normalize himself in 2026, can’t he?” Sort of. What if Semien had a full 2025 season of at bats? This is what he would have done.

Looks very similar to 2024, right? Of course, it does, Chris, but what does that mean for 2026? I’ll get there. Let’s take a deeper dive first.

Diving into the data, here’s what stands out. Hard-hit rate has been in a slow decline. In 2023 it was 26% down to 17% in 2025. Exit velocity went from 32% in 2023 to 24% in 2025. Bat speed from 13% down to 8%. The real two standout problems are expected weighted on base average, known as xwOBA, and expected slugging percentage, xSLG. His xwOBA dropped 23% from 2023 to 2025, and his xSLG dropped 21% from 2023 to 2025. Okay, I feel like I’m getting the smackdown on baseball vernacular. What the heck does any of that mean for Semien? I just want to know why he’s falling, in plain terminology, please.

Okay, here’s the rub. Semien is no longer producing above-average contact on the baseball, and his value is being tied to his position in the lineup. Plus, his power is eroding. Semien’s balls that he does put in play are typically softer, easier to defend, and just aren’t optimal. Okay, that makes sense. What about him going to the New York Mets? Does that make a difference?

Unfortunately, not. Semien is no longer the player he once was. As of this writing, he’s projected to hit 5th in the lineup. This writer would be surprised if that were to remain the case.

(Chris “Wicky Wicky” Watts)