Fantasy Baseball ADP Deep Dive: Designated Hitters Headlined by Ohtani and Schwarber

A couple days ago, we took our first peek at some early average draft position data. Today, we will begin a deeper dive into the numbers.

We will be checking out the designated hitter spot first, because the first pick is a DH.

More fantasy baseball average draft position data can be found on FantasySP.

The Top Pick

The first pick in fantasy baseball drafts is Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani. That's for good reason.

Ohtani is the clear top pick because he isn't just a DH. Of course, he also pitches, so in leagues where he earns points for both things, he's going to be the top-scoring player.

Ohtani was the top-scoring player in 2025, and he was in the running for the top fantasy hitter spot before he took the mound for the first time. If he was just a hitter, he'd still be the top pick - it's if he only was a pitcher where I wouldn't want to draft Ohtani first. 

He appeared in 158 games in 2025, getting 727 plate appearances. He had a .282 average and .392 on-base percentage, along with 172 hits, 102 RBIs, 146 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 109 walks and 187 strikeouts. Among his hits, Ohtani had 55 home runs, 25 doubles and nine triples.

He's expected to hit atop a stacked Dodgers' lineup in 2026. The Dodgers' lineup is loaded of course, so he'll score a ton of runs because of how often he gets on base. The bottom of the lineup is good enough to get on base too, which gives him RBI potential, even in that leadoff spot.

He'll be in the hunt for the top fantasy hitter mark again.

Ohtani made 14 appearances on the mound last year, starting each time. He covered just 47 innings, although that was to protect him as he was coming off Tommy John surgery. 

Ohtani was 1-1 with a 2.87 earned run average. He struck out 62 batters along the way.

Ohtani is locked into a spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation. He's projected to be the fourth starter in a six-man rotation. Really, anything Ohtani adds as a pitcher is gravy, and in a fully healthy season, Ohtani could be a high-end fantasy pitcher too.

Ohtani is a no-brainer pick for the top spot, so don't overthink that pick if you are lucky enough to land it.

Another Stud

Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber is another high-end fantasy designated hitter. He's 15th on the draft list right now, going around pick 17 on average.

He played in all 162 games last season, getting 724 plate appearances. Schwarber posted a .240 average and .365 OBP, along with 132 RBIs, 111 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 108 walks and 197 strikeouts. Among his 145 hits, Schwarber had 56 home runs, 23 doubles and two triples.

Schwarber is the prototypical slugger in today's game. He can hit a homer every time he comes up, but he's also prone to strike out plenty. It all adds up to a good fantasy asset.

Schwarber was the No. 7 fantasy hitter last season, so he's capable of even more than his ADP right now. It's probably safest to take him around that ADP, as Schwarber can only slot in as the DH, so either in that fantasy spot, or in the utility spot.

He has the chance to shine again in 2026, with a good lineup around him. Schwarber is projected to hit second for the Phillies, behind Trea Turner and ahead of Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm. It should end up helping Schwarber to another fantastic fantasy showing in 2026.

I think he's a good pick around his current ADP. He's capable of finishing higher, and there's not a great chance of him busting. Just make sure you plan accordingly, as having to burn the utility spot on Schwarber should alter the picks you make the rest of the way. 

Other DHs on the ADP List

The only other designated hitters on the ADP list are San Francisco's Rafael Devers, Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki and New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton.

Of course, there's way more than five designated hitters in the league, but these are usually only DHs, although all three are eligible elsewhere.

Devers is the 67th player on the ADP list, going around pick 68.

Devers had played third base primarily up until last year, but only logged one game there. He appeared at first base 29 times, and as the designated hitter 133 times.

He played in 163 regular season games after being traded from Boston to San Francisco. Devers had a .252 average and 372 OBP, along with 109 RBIs, 99 runs scored, one stolen base, 112 walks and 192 strikeouts. He had 153 total hits, including 35 homers and 33 doubles.

Devers had a down year by his lofty standards, so he's actually a bounceback candidate in 2026. He's expected to hit second for the Giants and play at first base (where he should already be eligible in most leagues). 

He's projected to hit after Luis Arraez, with Willy Adames and Matt Chapman to follow. Devers is set up for a lot of success in that setup, and I expect a bounceback year from him. 

You shouldn't have to worry about Devers only being eligible at DH, so I have no issues taking him around his ADP. Expect a better fantasy finish from Devers in 2026, and even if he doesn't, getting a repeat of last year's numbers around his ADP isn't the worst thing either.

Suzuki is the 89th player on the list, going around pick 89.

Suzuki appeared 102 times as the Cubs' DH last season. He got in 15 games in left field and 32 in right field, so he should be eligible at those spots too.

In 151 games in total, Suzuki had a .245 average and .326 OBP. He had 31 doubles, two triples and 32 homers among his 140 total knocks, plus 103 RBIs, 75 runs scored, five stolen bases, 71 walks and 164 strikeouts.

Usually games played are an issue for Suzuki, but he played nearly the whole campaign. The problem was a lower average and OBP, so he too is a bounceback candidate.

He's projected to hit cleanup for Chicago, while playing in right field this season. With Michael Busch, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ projected to hit before him, then Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and others behind him, Suzuki is in a great spot in the lineup.

Because he will be playing the outfield and should already be eligible there, Suzuki is a good pick in my eyes. He's a good third fantasy outfield choice, and could definitely outplay his ADP if he stays healthy and bounces back even a bit.

Stanton is the 162nd player on the ADP list, going around pick 145.

Stanton was forced to play the field a bit last season, getting time at left and right field, so he might be eligible at those two spots. He's not likely to play the outfield this season, so hopefully he played enough there last season to be eligible for the 2026 season.

Stanton played 77 games in total after missing a lot of the year with injuries. He had a .273 average and .350 OBP, along with 66 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 29 walks and 96 strikeouts. Among Stanton's 68 hits, Stanton popped 24 homers and eight doubles. 

Stanton is projected to hit fifth and be the DH for New York. Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice are the guys projected to hit before Stanton, and Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and other good hitters are set to hit after him. New York has a good lineup, and hitting in the heart of it, Stanton could deliver big.

He's not a big risk around his ADP, even if he misses more time with injuries. I see Stanton outperforming his ADP, and doing so by a lot if he's healthy. Definitely consider Stanton around his ADP, especially if he's eligible in the outfield.