Sports

2026 Fantasy Baseball Awards: MVPs, Breakthrough, and Comeback Players Crowned

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Miguel Vargas, and Jordan Walker are among the players recognized in the 2026 Fantasy Baseball Awards for Most Valuable Pitcher, Hitter, Biggest Breakthrough, and Best Comeback.

CBS Sports·Sep 29, 2026·via CBS Sports

2026 Fantasy Baseball Awards: MVPs, Breakthrough, and Comeback Players Crowned

The 2026 season is over, and the debriefing shall commence. My preferred way to begin is by handing out awards to some of the players who made the season what it was.

How many awards? Thinking back to the 40 I issued last year, two words come to mind: how pretentious. I can't monopolize people's time like that anymore. There are no more lineups to set. No more pickups to make. Any time I take up here is time better spent watching playoff baseball or even YouTube.

So instead of 40 this year, I've reduced it to ... OK, to 35, which is still pretentious, but I'm genuinely trying to represent all of the principal actors from this season. Some of these awards are serious business. Others are a bit silly. All are final, so if you have any complaints, bring them to your mother.

In case you're wondering about my picks for standard awards like MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, I'll share them right at the top here, but they're not as interesting as what follows.

AL MVP: Yordan Alvarez , OF, HOU NL MVP: Pete Crow-Armstrong , OF, CHC AL CY: Cam Schlittler , SP, NYY NL CY: Jacob Misiorowski , SP, MIL AL ROY: Kevin McGonigle , 3B/SS, DET NL ROY: Sal Stewart , 1B/3B, CIN

You see? Boring. Now, let's get to the good stuff.

Most Valuable Hitter

Pete Crow-Armstrong

CHC Chi. Cubs

• #4 • Age: 24

AVG

.280

HR

RBI

107

R

119

SB

OPS

.943

This award doesn't automatically go to the best overall hitter, but whether in Head-to-Head points or Rotisserie leagues, Crow-Armstrong was a distant No.1 despite widespread skepticism coming in. He became the seventh player ever to have a 40/40 season, led the majors in runs scored, and nearly tripled his walk rate from 2025. Most Valuable Pitcher

Jacob Misiorowski

MIL Milwaukee

• #32 • Age: 24

W-L

16-5

ERA

1.80

WHIP

0.80

INN

174.2

BB

K

252

This one was a close call between Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler, who were both drafted in a similar range, but the 19-inning gap between the two is Schlittler's only real statistical advantage. The clincher is Misiorowski's 0.12-point edge in WHIP, which doesn't seem as significant when both of their WHIPs are below 1.00, but how much more would you value a 1.10 WHIP than a 1.22 WHIP? Best Value, hitter edition

Miguel Vargas

CHW Chi. White Sox

• #20 • Age: 26

AVG

.250

HR

RBI

R

106

SB

OPS

.837

Vargas made small strides last year but was still barely drafted inside the top 300, with his former top prospect standing now a distant memory. Turns out a little extra bat speed (biggest increase in the majors, actually) goes a long way, transforming Vargas into the 10th-best hitter in 5x5 scoring and the third-best in points scoring. Best Value, pitcher edition

Parker Messick

CLE Cleveland

• #77 • Age: 25

W-L

12-9

ERA

2.56

WHIP

1.06

INN

186.1

BB

K

193

Messick didn't get the same treatment as Cam Schlittler or Nolan McLean on Draft Day despite a similarly strong debut late in 2025, but he went on to be the ninth-best starting pitcher in Rotisserie leagues and the 11th-best in Head-to-Head points. He's about to go down as one of the biggest Rookie of the Year snubs in history, thanks to Kevin McGonigle. Biggest Bust

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

TOR Toronto

• #27 • Age: 27

AVG

.260

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.688

Sure, Garrett Crochet and Cal Raleigh were technically worse, but the former was basically absent due to injury and the latter a known bust risk coming in. Guerrero had been an early-round mainstay through age 26, and our only theory for why his power dried up is that his back was achy all season. Biggest Breakthrough

Jordan Walker

STL St. Louis

• #18 • Age: 24

AVG

.269

HR

RBI

102

R

SB

OPS

.793

After he started out with an underwhelming rookie season and then moving backward in the two years that followed, Walker didn't have many believers left, but his 2026 season serves as a reminder not to give up on 24-year-olds who impact the ball like he does. He made the All-Star team, won the Home Run Derby and positioned himself to be drafted as early as Round 2 next year, despite a poor September. Biggest Breakthrough, midseason edition

Luke Keaschall

MIN Minnesota

• #15 • Age: 24

AVG

.282

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.781

Keaschall was a popular breakout candidate at second base, but by the end of June, he was hitting .245 with just two home runs and a .645 OPS. Thereafter, he slashed .324/.422/.508 and offered his first glimpse of power in the majors, homering eight times over the course of three months with the sort of pull-air rate that made such power production possible in the minors. Quietest Breakthrough

Jake Bauers

MIL Milwaukee

• #9 • Age: 30

AVG

.266

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.874

Bauers probably doesn't come to mind when you think of 2026 breakouts, but he was a top-15 outfielder in both scoring formats and has a Baseball Savant page that's lit up like a Christmas tree. To think we were upset early on about him stealing at-bats from Andrew Vaughn. Most Improved Hitter

Jac Caglianone

KC Kansas City

• #14 • Age: 23

AVG

.289

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.834

Caglianone hit only .157 as a rookie last year, even though his peak exit velocities were in the 90th percentile and he had no real issues making contact. He started out slowly in 2026 as well, but then he hit .317 with 18 home runs and a .914 OPS from June 1 on, with his average exit velocity placing in the 97th percentile and his max in the 98th percentile. Most Improved Pitcher

Cade Cavalli

WAS Washington

• #24 • Age: 28

W-L

13-5

ERA

3.02

WHIP

1.16

INN

169.2

BB

K

200

Cavalli's return from Tommy John surgery late in 2025 received little fanfare since he was already in his late 20s and had yet to offer even a glimpse of the potential that once made him a first-round pick. He seemingly improved with each passing month in 2026, overcoming early control issues to finish in the top 20. Best Comeback

Yordan Alvarez

HOU Houston

• #44 • Age: 29

AVG

.316

HR

RBI

106

R

105

SB

OPS

1.033

After being limited to just 48 games by hand and ankle injuries in 2025, Alvarez was back and better than ever in 2026, playing in a career-high 158 games, hitting a career-high 42 home runs, securing his first batting title and likely going on to claim AL MVP honors. Best Midseason Comeback (tie)

Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD San Diego

• #23 • Age: 27

AVG

.289

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.828

If someone told you at the All-Star break that Tatis would be one of the few early-rounders to pull his weight, you might have presumed you were talking to an idiot. But it turns out that idiot was a time-traveling one because after taking until May 30 to hit his first home run, Tatis hit 24 thereafter, reverting to his old mechanics after experimenting with a closed stance early on.

Jackson Merrill

SD San Diego

• #3 • Age: 23

AVG

.254

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.743

There must have been something in the water in San Diego because Merrill also floundered early before delivering on his lofty expectations in the second half, going from slashing .219/.278/.350 to slashing .304/.339/.569. His OPS jumped nearly 300 points, from .628 to .909.

Alex Bregman

CHC Chi. Cubs

• #3 • Age: 32

AVG

.265

HR

RBI

R

SB

OPS

.819

Perhaps the most disappointing turnaround for me personally was Bregman, who seemed to substantiate my preseason bust call by hitting .241 with nine home runs and a .696 OPS in the first half before hitting .303 with 19 home runs and a 1.010 OPS in the second half. He ended up with his best numbers since 2019, when he almost beat out Mike Trout for AL MVP honors. Biggest Fakeout

Kyle Harrison

MIL Milwaukee

• #52 • Age: 25

W-L

11-5

ERA

4.20

WHIP

1.35

INN

115.2

BB

K

141

The Brewers know pitching, and they proved it again by nurturing the twice-cast-off Harrison into the ace he always should have been with a 2.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 11.1 K/9 through 21 starts. Unfortunately, he kept pitching thereafter, and as you can tell from his final numbers, it didn't go well, even resulting in his banishment to the bullpen by season's end. Fakest Fakeout

Zack Wheeler

PHI Philadelphia

• #45 • Age: 36

W-L

14-5

ERA

3.00

WHIP

1.05

INN

162

BB

K

193

What's that? Wheeler might never be the same after having thoracic outlet syndrome late last season? Psych! He's back with a 2.16 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 16 starts. Oh, wait, now it's catching up to him with an 8.51 ERA and 1.93 WHIP over a six-start span. Never mind, he's back to a 1.67 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in his final six starts. He's healthy again. No wait, he's not. Oh, but he actually is. Stop dragging my heart around. Perpetual Fakeout

Jacob Lopez

ATH Athletics

• #57 • Age: 28

W-L

7-5

ERA

5.47

WHIP

1.49

INN

123.1

BB

K

112

Lopez entered 2026 with some helium after a strong finish to 2025, but a 6.75 ERA through 12 appearances took the air right out of that balloon and even landed him in the minors. He returned to sucker us in again with a 2.36 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 over a nine-start span, only to blow up for 10 runs in a Sept. 19 start at the Guardians, when it mattered most. Seeing as he's a funky left-hander who relies more on deception than stuff, these wild swings in production may just be the norm. Biggest Head-Scratcher

Paul Skenes

PIT Pittsburgh

• #30 • Age: 24

W-L

10-11

ERA

3.82

WHIP

1.12

INN

174.1

BB

K

200

Skenes, whose first two seasons couldn't have gone more flawlessly, lost more than a mile per hour off his fastball and floundered for much of the season, but that velocity was also missing in his first nine starts, when he delivered his typical 1.98 ERA with a 0.64 WHIP and 10.8 K/9. So it's not clear where his velocity went, if it's possible for him to regain it, or even if it's really to blame for his struggles. Best Role Change

Jacob Latz

TEX Texas

• #67 • Age: 30

SV

ERA

2.13

WHIP

0.81

INN

BB

K

The Rangers tried Latz as a starter down the stretch in 2025, and it seemed to go well, yielding a 2.72 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 7.7 K/9 in eight starts. But even so, he moved back to the bullpen for the start of 2026 and, most surprisingly, took over as closer to tremendous success. Ultimate April All-Star

Jose Soriano

TOR Toronto

• #40 • Age: 27

W-L

12-8

ERA

3.91

WHIP

1.29

INN

177.1

BB

K

169

Having expanded his arsenal with more four-seamers and splitters, Soriano seemed like he was breaking out with a 0.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 in his first seven starts, and that idea took such hold that his roster rate wouldn't drop below 90 percent for the rest of the season. That's even though he was basically the same Soriano as always from May 1 on, putting together a 4.88 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 8.0 K/9. Told You So award

Munetaka Murakami

CHW Chi. White Sox

• #5 • Age: 26

AVG

.207

HR

RBI

R

OPS

.825

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/fantasy-baseball-2026-awards/)._