Pump the Brakes: Fantasy Baseball Second Base Draft Bust Candidates

Let's continue our fantasy baseball draft steal/bust series by going over the second base position. We'll start with draft busts, then cover draft steals in an additional story.

Here are the other positions we've covered so far: first basemen (steals and busts), catchers (steals and busts) outfielders (steals and busts), shortstops (steals and busts) and third basemen (steals and busts). Check back for more in the days/weeks to come!

Fantasy baseball average draft position data can be found on FantasySP. Draft Genius now has custom head-to-head scoring options and on demand AI expert help for every pick.

Ketel Marte - Arizona Diamondbacks

Marte is the top-drafted fantasy second baseman who I could see being a draft bust in 2026. He's the top pick at the position, going around pick 25 so far.

Marte has high-end upside, but availability has hurt him the past couple years. He logged 136 games in 2024, then just 126 in 2025. Marte needs to be playing to deliver for fantasy owners, and he's a risk after his past two seasons, and going into his age-32 season.

He can still deliver, with a high average and on-base percentage, plus good pop and run production, but as he ages, there's a greater chance he misses games, and he could simply regress too.

I like Marte as a fantasy asset, but I just cannot get behind his ADP. I think it's too early, and I'd rather skip him and try someone else in round 3.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. - New York Yankees

Chisholm is the second fantasy 2B on the ADP list, going just before pick 40 so far.

Chisholm is coming off a 2025 season in which he only played 130 games. He logged 147 games in 2024, which was the top mark of his six-year career. So availability is a bit of an issue with Chisholm too.

He erupted as a power threat last season in New York, but had a lower average (.242). Chisholm could be in store for a monster fantasy season if he stayed healthy, but I just don't see him finishing that highly.

I'd like him more if he simply dropped into the 50s, but being on the Yankees, I think his ADP is going to stay too high for my liking. I think other second basemen are more safe picks, so I'd skip Chisholm near his current ADP.

Jorge Polanco - New York Mets

Polanco is the sixth second baseman taken, going near pick 88 on average.

Polanco is joining his third team in his soon to be 13-year MLB career. His outlook with the Mets is maybe as high as it's ever been, but I think it's turned him into an overrated fantasy asset, and I have him busting as a result.

He has a little power, and doesn't strike out much, but his average is so-so. Polanco also hasn't played in more than 138 games in any of the past four years, so that's a bit of a concern too.

I get why the hype around him is high in New York, but as a 32-year-old, I don't expect him to suddenly hit for career-best numbers. If he falls closer to pick 100, that opens a chance for him to have some draft value, but as is, he's going too early for my liking.

Marcus Semien - New York Mets

Semien is 2B9 off draft boards, going nearly pick 130.

I don't mean to pick on the Mets, but their players tend to be overrated in fantasy baseball leagues, especially when discussing a veteran like Semien. He's 35 years old now.

He's coming off a year in which he hit .230 and got on base at a .305 clip. Semien only played in 127 games as well. He's a bounceback candidate, and while I see him improving, I don't see him living up to his ADP, even if it's not that great.

He's more a secondary fantasy 2B option, but being taken ninth, he's a starter for some. I wouldn't love that, and I'd prefer taking Semien even later than he's going now.

Jackson Holliday - Baltimore Orioles

Holliday is the 10th fantasy 2B taken, going right near Semien.

Holliday is dealing with an injury that could affect his power in 2026, and he still really hasn't lived up to the hype he had as a prospect. Over 209 MLB games in two years, Holliday has a .229 average and .300 OBP.

He flashed some upside in 2025, but his early-season injury could deplete his power a bit, and that would affect him overall. Holliday wasn't that good of a fantasy asset last year, and I wouldn't bank on him breaking out in 2026.

I'd be fine drafting Holliday as a second fantasy 2B option, but would prefer him later in fantasy drafts, so that he has room to outperform his numbers, even if he only improves a bit.