Early Fantasy Baseball Trade Targets: What to Do With MLB's Hottest Hitters

The MLB regular season is nearly a week in. There's enough data out there to show fantasy owners what kind of team they have, and that means that trades will start picking up.

Here, I'm going to look over some of the best fantasy hitters to this point and determine how to approach them in trades. We'll use fantasy point totals from ESPN and focus on players already owned in all (or most) leagues.

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Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros

Alvarez is the top fantasy hitter to this point of the year. Across six contests and 28 plate appearances, he has eight hits, including two doubles and three home runs. Alvarez also has six RBIs and runs scored, a stolen base, six walks and four strikeouts.

He can be a fantasy stud when healthy, but injuries have been a major issue over his career. Alvarez only got in 48 contests last year.

He's in the prime of his career, so if he's healthy, it wouldn't surprise me to have him deliver career-best numbers. The big thing is injuries though, and if you don't trust him in the long run, selling him high now makes some sense.

Alvarez was still a pretty early draft pick, but with plenty of outfielders to go around, you could move him now and still get by with your remaining options, or add to that room in the return for Alvarez.

I personally like moving off injury-prone fantasy assets when possible, so I'd be happy to sell Alvarez high today. At least consider it.

Jose Altuve - Houston Astros

Altuve is another high-end hitter right now - only two-way star Shohei Ohtani is between Altuve and Alvarez.

In six games, Altuve has seven hits, including two homers and a double. He has three RBIs, seven runs scored, a stolen base, eight walks and four strikeouts.

He's stayed pretty healthy over his career, but is definitely closer to the end of his career as a 35-year-old (nearly 36). Altuve has delivered pretty well over the past few years, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him deliver well again in 2026.

Altuve should be eligible at second base and left field, which adds to his fantasy value. He will regress from his early-season marks, but I still like the idea of adding Altuve more than moving off him.

He's a daily fantasy starter and can help out at a couple positions. What's not to like? Try trading for him, even though his trade value might be a bit higher after a good start to the year. 

Mike Trout - Los Angeles Angels

Trout is another injury-prone player who is off to a red-hot start.

In six contests and over 29 plate appearances, Trout has six hits, with two being homers. He also has three RBIs, five runs scored, two stolen bases, nine walks and six strikeouts so far.

He played in 130 games last season, which was his most games since 2019. Trout can still be a high-end fantasy asset when healthy, and he appears to be bouncing back after a down 2025 campaign.

Trout is the ultimate risk vs. reward guy. He can impact the game in several ways when healthy, and that leads to big fantasy marks. Or he could get injured and miss a large chunk of the season, which would of course decimate his fantasy value.

If you feel like taking a little bit of a gamble, Trout is someone to target, especially if you need help in the outfield. If you are set in the OF, then selling Trout high now makes sense too.

It all comes down to how you view Trout, so assess your situation and make the best call for your squad in the long run.

Brandon Lowe - Pittsburgh Pirates

Lowe started the season owned in most leagues, and he's even closer to 100% rostered after a hot start.

He has six hits over five games and 22 plate appearances. Lowe has three homers and a double, plus has walked more times (4) than he's struck out (3). Lowe also has four RBIs and three runs scored.

Lowe is with a new team, and shining early with his new squad. His career numbers are not nearly as good, but when healthy, he can flash some pop and be a pretty good fantasy asset.

At a weaker fantasy position, I'd recommend holding Lowe and getting the most value out of him that you can. If you don't believe in him in the long run though, selling him high soon makes plenty of sense too.

Again, second base is a weak fantasy spot, so I'd understand targeting him in a trade. Being a waiver wire add for some owners, his asking price won't be too high, and he could prove to be a good long-term pickup, so give him some consideration.

Shea Langeliers - Athletics

Langeliers is coming off a breakout 2025 season, so many are intrigued to see how he's going to fare in 2026. So far, it looks like Langeliers could repeat last year, or maybe even improve.

In five games and over 21 plate appearances, he has four homers and seven total hits. Langeliers has seven RBIs, four runs scored, a walk and eight strikeouts.

The primary catcher is at another tough position to find daily fantasy production, so I'm more a fan of keeping Langeliers around, especially after he delivered big last year.

It'd be tempting to sell him high, especially if someone threw a huge offer out for him. Depending on how your catcher spot sets up, I could justify trading him away, but it'd need to almost be for an overpay, or a really confident return.

Drake Baldwin - Atlanta Braves

Baldwin was a breakout candidate for me for the season after a good rookie showing in 2025.

In five games and over 22 plate appearances so far, Baldwin has three homers among his five hits, so that breakout is off to a good start. He has three RBIs, five runs scored, three walks and just two strikeouts.

His power is up, but his average and OBP are already pretty in line with last year. In time, the RBIs and other stats will increase with more games played, and that should leave Baldwin as a high-end fantasy asset.

Again, we're talking about a catcher, so that boosts his fantasy value some more. He's served as the designated hitter twice already, showing that he is going to be in the lineup pretty much every day when healthy.

That's a massive thing for a fantasy catcher, and why I liked Baldwin so much coming into the year. His fantasy value is up from the start of the season, but I'd still love acquiring him in a trade.

I think he is going to be a top-five fantasy catcher, and if he really excels and stays healthy, a high-end fantasy finish overall is doable. Get Baldwin on your rosters before it's too late.

Yandy Diaz - Tampa Bay Rays

Diaz is scorching hot to kick off the 2026 season.

In five games and over 25 plate appearances, Diaz has 11 hits, including a double and home run. He has six RBIs, four runs scored, a walk and four strikeouts.

He's coming off a big 2025 season, and has been a pretty good fantasy asset for four-plus years now. Diaz might be 34, but he still has gas in the tank and is producing daily.

His asking price in a trade is likely up, but at a loaded first base position, you might be able to acquire Diaz for cheaper than you think. 

He mostly will DH this season, meaning he has a better chance at staying healthy, and that in turn could lead to a big fantasy season. Check on his asking price, or hold him if you already roster him.