Fantasy Baseball Sleepers Offer Batting Average, OBP Boosts

Brendan Donovan and Matt Wallner could provide late-round value in 2026 drafts.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Gamers in need of batting average or on-base percentage (OBP) help later in fantasy baseball drafts are in luck, as Brendan Donovan and Matt Wallner are highlighted as sleepers for those categories. Donovan is a quality hitter with excellent bat-to-ball skills, while Wallner has shown patience at the plate despite a down 2025 season.

Why it matters

Finding late-round value is crucial in fantasy baseball, and these sleepers could provide a boost in two key offensive categories that often get overlooked in drafts.

The details

Donovan, who is projected to hit atop Seattle's lineup, has been one of the better contact hitters in baseball over the past few seasons, ranking among the league leaders in batting average, strikeout rate, and expected batting average. Wallner, a slugging outfielder for the Twins, has shown the ability to draw walks and get on base, but his .202 batting average and .228 BABIP in 2025 dragged down his OBP. If he can bounce back, he could be a steal for OBP-needy fantasy managers.

  • Donovan has been a quality hitter since 2023, with 1,538 plate appearances over the past three seasons.
  • Wallner had a 10.1% walk rate and .371 OBP in 515 plate appearances in 2023 and 2024 combined.

The players

Brendan Donovan

A quality hitter with a little bit of power and excellent bat-to-ball skills, Donovan is projected to hit atop the Seattle Mariners' lineup in 2026.

Matt Wallner

A slugging outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, Wallner has shown the ability to draw walks and get on base, but his .202 batting average and .228 BABIP in 2025 dragged down his OBP.

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The takeaway

These late-round sleepers could provide valuable boosts in batting average and on-base percentage for fantasy managers willing to take a chance on them, making them intriguing targets in the later rounds of 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.