Struggling Fantasy Baseball Hitters to Start the 2026 Season

After discussing 10 of the top-performing fantasy baseball hitters to start the season, let's go over some struggling fantasy baseball hitters.

We will focus on notable fantasy hitters, not guys who barely are rostered.

We will cover pitchers later in the week, so check back for those articles!

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Kyle Manzardo - Cleveland Guardians

Manzardo started the season owned in over 30% of fantasy leagues, and with standard league upside, but he's struggled and is now rostered in just 18% of leagues.

Across 10 games and 38 plate appearances so far, Manzardo has just two hits (both singles). He has an RBI, one run scored, four walks and 12 strikeouts.

Right now, he's not a viable fantasy asset in any leagues, and he's droppable in most leagues. Keep rostering him in really deep leagues, but try to avoid starting him in all formats until his bat heats up.

Keep tabs on him, but for the time being, Manzardo is not a very good fantasy asset.

Noelvi Marte - Cincinnati Reds

Marte was rostered in more than 80% of leagues when the season started. He's down to 29% today.

In six games and 14 plate appearances, Marte has a single for his only hit. He has no RBIs, one run scored, two walks and six strikeouts.

Not only is he not producing at the plate, but he's also not playing every day. He's been one of the top draft busts in the early going, and he'll continue to be dropped until he turns things around a bit.

He's worth watching, but right now, he's only worth rostering in really deep leagues, and he's not startable in those leagues.

Trevor Story - Boston Red Sox

Story is at 71% rostered right now. He was close to 90% at the start of the regular season.

Across 10 games and 47 plate appearances, Story has six hits, including one double and one home run. He has four RBIs, a run scored, no walks and 17 strikeouts.

Health has been the biggest issue for Story over his career. Usually he's produced when on the field, but it hasn't happened so far this year.

He's still rosterable in some standard leagues, but if his struggles continue, he'll be droppable. It will take a couple more weeks of struggles to make him droppable in deeper leagues.

There's reason to expect better results in the future, so he could be a buy-low trade candidate. With plenty of fantasy shortstops available, I'm not crazy about acquiring Story, unless you part with guys you could drop otherwise.

Marcell Ozuna - Pittsburgh Pirates

Ozuna hasn't started his Pirates' tenure strong. He has two singles over eight games and 35 plate appearances. Ozuna has no RBIs, one run scored, four walks and eight strikeouts so far.

Ozuna regressed hard in 2025, and many thought a change of scenery would help his cause, even though he was on a worse offense. Well, he's struggled so much in the early going that he's only rostered in 17% of leagues - he started the year closer to 40%.

He's worth tracking in case he heats up, but for now, he's not worth rostering or starting in many leagues. Ozuna is likely only eligible at a designated hitter or utility spot, so that also hurts his fantasy value.

Wyatt Langford - Texas Rangers

Langford is still rostered in 96% of leagues, but he's trending down after a slow start to the year.

Across 10 games and 44 plate appearances, Langford has seven hits, including two doubles and two triples. He has two RBIs, three runs scored, a stolen base, no walks and 12 strikeouts so far.

He's never really developed into the big-time player he was touted to be as a prospect. Many thought he'd break out in 2026, but the early signs aren't positive.

Langford is becoming droppable in some standard leagues, especially because there's a ton of fantasy outfielders to pick from. Keep rostering him in deeper leagues, and hope he turns things around here at some point.

Josh Naylor - Seattle Mariners

Naylor has dropped to 95% owned, after starting the year at 100%.

He has five singles over 11 games and 48 plate appearances. Naylor also has just two RBIs, no runs scored, four walks and five strikeouts.

He was great in 2025, but has regressed hard to open the 2026 season. There's time to turn things around, but it's hard to keep rostering Naylor, especially because there's a ton of fantasy first baseman you could replace him with.

Now could be a time to buy low on him if you believe in him in the long run yet. It shouldn't cost a lot because of the position he plays and the start he's had. Make the move now before he heats up, as it's bound to happen.

Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners

Raleigh is still owned in all fantasy leagues, but extended struggles could eventually lead to fantasy owners dropping him.

In 11 games and over 47 plate appearances this season, Raleigh has six hits, including two doubles and a home run. He has five RBIs, two runs scored, a stolen base, six walks and a whopping 20 strikeouts.

It's been a slow start to the year for the borderline first-round pick. Raleigh has never been one to hit for a high average, but he erupted as a slugger in 2025, and it turned him into a high-end draft pick.

He's looking like a big-time bust early on, but his numbers should improve in time. Now is a time to look into buying Raleigh low, but I'd still be cautious, as he simply could be headed toward a down season.

If you are lacking at catcher though, Raleigh is a good buy-low candidate early on.

Caleb Durbin - Boston Red Sox

Durbin is trending back up a bit after some better results at the plate, but he's still only rostered in 40% of leagues - after being near 65% to start the year.

He has four hits, including a double, over his nine games and 34 plate appearances so far - two of those hits came last night. Durbin also has an RBI, run scored, two walks and six strikeouts.

Durbin looked solid with Milwaukee last season, but has struggled to start his Boston tenure. He still has some deep-league value, and as I said earlier, he's trending back up after some better hitting of late.

Keep tabs on him and be ready to add him back in deeper leagues and some standard ones. The time to buy low probably has passed, but if you don't believe in him for the long run, then wait for him to regain some value, then look to sell him off.

Jakob Marsee - Miami Marlins

Marsee is rostered in 71% of fantasy leagues right now. He was over 90% to kick off the season.

Across 10 games and 44 plate appearances so far, Marsee has four hits, including a double and triple. He has two RBIs, five runs scored, a stolen base, five walks and 14 strikeouts.

Marsee did some nice things in a 55-game MLB stint in 2025. Many saw him breaking out in 2025, and I was among them. He's started slow, but I'm not giving up all hope yet.

He's replaceable in standard leagues for the time being, but I'd watch him in case his bat heats up. Marsee can be a daily starting option when going right, and I think he gets back to that level at some point in 2026.

So now is a good time to buy him low, but that's more so for deeper leagues. Just wait until he's dropped if you want to add him in a standard league.

Julio Rodriguez - Seattle Mariners

Rodriguez is another Mariner who is struggling early on. Like Raleigh, he's yet to be dropped in any leagues, and I doubt it ever happens - unless injuries hit.

Across 11 games and 48 plate appearances, Rodriguez has six singles. He has two RBIs, four runs scored, five walks and 14 strikeouts - he's yet to steal a base, and has been caught once.

Health concerns and inconsistent results held Rodriguez back a bit in terms of being a top-end draft pick. He still went pretty early though, so his start to the season is a bit concerning.

Better days are ahead, so now is a good time to buy low on Rodriguez. He should be pretty affordable after his slow start and seeing that he's at a loaded fantasy position.