These 8 MLB stars can reach new heights in 2026

Handing out preseason Real or Not verdictsLos Angeles Dodgers1dDavid SchoenfieldTakeaways from Team USA's thrilling WBC semifinal win over Dominican Republic2dESPN'Banana Brees': Former Saints QB Drew Brees and Tyler Shough take in Savannah BananasNew Orleans Saints2dKatherine TerrellMLB 2026: Handing out preseason Real or Not verdicts to 8 starsplayAaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani: Who is No
(2:34)Dave Schoenfield and Jeff Passan debate whether Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani belong at the top spot in their MLB rankings
(2:34)David SchoenfieldMar 16, 2026, 07:00 AM ETCloseCovers MLB for ESPN.com
Former deputy editor of Page 2
Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple AuthorsEmailPrintIn its simplicity, baseball's box score is perfect at measuring the basic building blocks of the game: scoring runs while trying to avoid making outs
The numbers not only evaluate a player's performance but also offer illumination into the game
Nobody saw Tarik Skubal coming two years ago -- at least, not at this level of dominance
When a relief pitcher named Garrett Crochet started on Opening Day for the White Sox in 2024, nobody envisioned him becoming one of the best starters in the game
Nick Kurtz went from first-round pick out of Wake Forest to superstar slugger in less than a year
These are the stories we love -- and that we follow through all 162 games that make up a full MLB season.What are some of the fantastical numbers that might drive the stories in 2026
His record 50/50 season in 2024 has an argument as the greatest single-season statistical achievement
Now that would be the greatest season ever
Don't tell that to Ohtani -- he's determined to have a big year on the mound."He seems like he's on a mission, pitching-wise," Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said
"Whenever we've seen him on a mission, good things happen." Catcher Will Smith agrees: "He can go out there and win a Cy Young this year
I have no doubt about that."There are some obvious roadblocks here
Ohtani is more likely to pitch once a week rather than every fifth or sixth day
With 26 weeks in the season, that's 26 starts -- and even that is assuming the Dodgers don't give him additional time off at some point.It has been done, however: Clayton Kershaw won 21 games in 2014 while making just 27 starts
Pedro Martinez won an incredible 22 games in 29 starts in 1999 (and one more in relief)
So, if Ohtani has a lights-out season and the Dodgers give him run support, winning 20 might be possible even if he doesn't make 30-plus starts.Verdict: Not Real
The problem with the Kershaw and Martinez examples is that they averaged more innings pitched per game than Ohtani will average, which leads to more decisions
The Dodgers are still going to be careful with him and will want him ready for October, so 26 starts feel like the absolute max he'll make
and a Triple CrownMore than any other all-time great hitter, Judge has made himself into a great hitter as opposed to launching straight into stardom
Yes, he has the size and strength, but it took him a long apprenticeship through college and the minors before he learned to translate that raw power into game power for the New York Yankees
He was 25 years old his rookie season -- especially old for a player who would go on to achieve his stature as one of the best hitters ever
Judge turns 34 in April, so although you might expect his decline to begin, he's such a student of the game and knows his swing and process so well that he should remain the most dominant hitter in baseball.That puts another monster season in play
He won his first batting title in 2025, hitting .331
won the batting crown in 2024 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr
It's tough to pull off.Verdict: Not Real
I'd put the odds of Judge winning the Triple Crown higher than Ohtani winning 20 games, but there's a reason Miguel Cabrera is the only hitter to have pulled it off since 1967
That's 10 more than Judge hit last year, when he got off to that ridiculous start in April and May
The fences will be closer by 9 feet in the corners and 10 feet in the power alleys (center field will remain at 410 feet)
He's entering his age-26 season, a common age for a player's best season
Add 20 points or so back to his batting average, and reaching 92 extra-base hits is in play.Paul Skenes: Sub-2.00 ERA ..

againSeason 1: 133 IP, 1.96 ERA
Season 2: 187⅔ IP, 1.97 ERASince the end of the dead ball era in 1920, only two pitchers have thrown at least 100 innings in three different seasons with an ERA under 2.00: Sandy Koufax did it in 1963, 1964 and 1966; Kershaw did it in 2013, 2014 and 2016
Note that neither of them did it three seasons in a row
Skenes can do that in 2026 for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Granted, Koufax averaged 323 innings in his three seasons and Kershaw averaged 194 in his three, whereas Skenes is aiming for his first 200-inning season -- but that also leaves less margin for error for Skenes to post a sub-2.00 ERA
In 1963, Koufax allowed five or more runs in five of his starts, including one in which he got just one out; in 1965, he allowed five-plus runs five times; and in 1966, it happened twice, in starts of just two and three innings
Skenes allowed five runs in a start just once in 2025 -- and just 45 runs overall across 32 starts.Skenes might be the perfect pitcher prototype: He's tall (6-foot-6); he throws hard (his four-seam fastball averaged 98.2 mph in 2025) and throws strikes; he utilizes seven different pitches; he's dedicated to his craft with an already legendary pregame routine; he's consistent -- in 11 months in the majors, his worst ERA has been 3.18; and he's mature and focused.Any nitpicks
His fastball spin rate is only average, so he doesn't get the ride up in the strike zone -- and thus doesn't get quite as much swing-and-miss as you might expect given his velocity
Batters still hit just .205 against his four-seamer and .220 against his sinker
What's scary is there's room for improvement: He could lower his walk rate (he was 24th among pitchers with at least 100 innings in 2025) and pitch deeper into games
And he is still learning the art of pitching: He doesn't turn 24 years old until the end of May.Verdict: Real
Again, all it takes is a couple of blow-up starts, and a sub-2.00 ERA in this era becomes difficult
However, Skenes had 12 starts last season where he allowed no runs
That total should rise in 2026 -- and I doubt there will be many, if any, five-run outings for this ace.Juan Soto: A 40/40 seasonTwo players who are not known for their speed had shocking stolen base totals in 2025: Soto swiped 38 bases in 42 attempts and tied for the National League lead, and the even-slower Josh Naylor stole 30 bases in 32 attempts
He especially ran wild on the basepaths over the final two months of the season, his 23 steals proof that swiping bases is as much about aptitude and determination as pure footspeed.Can he do it again
Well, Soto has his sights on an MVP Award -- "It's not going to be easy, but I've got to find a way to beat him," he said last month, referencing four-time winner Ohtani -- and a 40/40 season would provide a bold headline to help that happen
After a slow start in 2025 that saw him hitting .224 on May 28, the New York Mets slugger hit .285/.418/.596 over his final 105 games
If he does that for six months, we'll have an MVP debate.Verdict: Real
It might be easy to say teams will be more aware of Soto's baserunning in 2026, but they were aware of what he was doing in August and September and still couldn't stop him
I think he'll have another big year on the bases.Mason Miller: Sub-.100 batting average allowedIt's going to happen one of these years: A reliever with at least 50 innings will keep his batting average allowed under .100
Kirby Yates came closest, allowing a .113 average in 2024
Aroldis Chapman held batters to a .132 average last season with Miller not far behind at .139
Batters were 28-for-202 off Miller; they would need to go 20-for-202 to get the average down to .099.Is allowing eight fewer hits -- assuming the same number of innings -- possible
It doesn't feel like that many, right
Then consider that in his two months with the San Diego Padres, batters went 7-for-73 off Miller (including 1-for-37 in September)
Over his final four months, Miller held batters to an average of .092
On the other hand, only two relievers have consistently held batters to an average under .150 year after year: Chapman (five times) and Craig Kimbrel (five times)
Nobody else has done it more than twice.Verdict: Not Real
Considering he's this unhittable and his fastball averages 101 mph in short bursts out of the pen, it's understandable why the Padres are keeping Miller as a closer rather than making him a starter, as rumored when they acquired him from the A's at last year's trade deadline
Frankly, he's probably a little too wild to become a starter, or at least a dominant one, anyway.As for a sub-.100 average
Given that Miller averaged 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings, he's not allowing many balls in play, that's for sure
He was born in May, and Kurtz was born in March, making Fielder two months younger than Kurtz in their age-23 seasons.Verdict: Not Real
He's going to face a lot of left-handed relievers, and we need to see if those adjustments against lefties will happen this quickly
The most by a 22-year-old: 48 by Vladimir Guerrero Jr
With unreal bat speed, Caminero appears to have a bright future as one of the premier sluggers in the game.He made some improvements last year from his half-season in 2024
His average launch angle climbed from 6.8 degrees to 10.7, so he learned to loft the ball more often (although he hit a lot of balls on the ground, so there is still room for growth here)
His swing-and-miss rate dropped from 31.7% to 24.7%, so he made much more contact
All positive signs for a young power hitter.Verdict: Not Real
My only hesitation here is that Caminero is still prone to chasing out of the strike zone
Out of 146 qualified hitters, he ranked 116th in chase rate
Will pitchers figure out how to exploit that more in 2026
Will he hit to the opposite field more this season, perhaps sacrificing some power for a higher average (and fewer pulled grounders, which led to an MLB-high 31 double plays grounded into last year)