Jeff Zimmerman’s 2026 Bold Predictions

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For all the rankings mentioned in those bold takes, I will use our 12 end-of-season fantasy values from the Auction Calculator.

1. The baby gloves come off, and the Nationals allow James Wood to break the MLB strikeout record.

Last season, the Nationals limited Wood’s plate appearances later in the season (average 105 PA in the first three months, 94 PA over the last three). Even with the throttling of playing time, Wood missed tying the total by just two strikeouts.

It’s time the team lets him have the crown he deserves.

2. Hunter Brown will not be a top 40 SP while being drafted in the top 10.

My issue with Brown is his second-half decline, which was hidden by a 2.43 ERA. He didn’t struggle so much as just not be elite. First off, his strikeouts were down.

Additionally, he could not maintain his fastball velocity.

Even at the lower production level, Brown is fine, but not someone I want anchoring my staff.

3. Of the pitchers being drafted in the top 450, Nolan McLean will be the biggest WHIP drag.

WHIP often gets overlooked when evaluating pitching, and is effectively ignored when the pitcher has a respectable ERA. The pitchers with the biggest divergence between a low ERA (good for baseball teams) and WHIP (irrelevant for baseball teams) are high-walk, high-groundball pitchers.

Last year’s “winner” was José Soriano with a 1.40 WHIP (65% GB%, 4.2 BB/9) over 169 IP. His WHIP did as much ratio damage as a 4.93 ERA.

McLean fits the profile with a 3.0 BB/9 (36% Ball%, 3.3 equiv BB/9) and 61% GB%. McLean has always struggled with walks with a 3.9 BB/9 over all levels of the minor leagues.

4. Ryan McMahon will out-homer Nick Kurtz.

Now, for the three people left who didn’t close the article or go to the comments to say I’m full of crap, my take is that Kurtz overperformed and McMahon underperformed. Breaking both down to the simplest components of making contact and hitting the ball hard, they are nearly identical. Besides the pair, I’ve included some similar players for comparison.

The four comps averaged out to 31 HR and a .251 AVG. While expanding the search out several years, several of Khris Davis’s (career 69% Contact%, 46% Contact%) seasons came out as comps.

5. Agustín Ramírez is back in the minors by the season’s end.

Ramirez is going to have to improve his catching skills because, even on the Marlins, a .287 OBP isn’t going to play at first base or DH. As the league adjusted to him, his OPS just kept hitting new lows.

From August 17th until the season’s end, he only posted a .623 OPS.

6. Jesús Luzardo, Nathan Eovaldi, and Kyle Bradish will all be top-15 starting pitchers.

Each of these arms have the talent to be an Ace, it just comes down to health. I have each one with a 50% chance of making it the whole season. So, for all three to go off, my odds are: 50% x 50% x 50% = 12.5%, or a one-in-eight chance. Probably the best odds on any of my picks.

7. Ceddanne Rafaela becomes a 30/30 bat and will be a top-10 bat.

No deep analysis here, this take is all gut. He took a major step forward last season with improvements in Contact% (70% to 75%) and Barrel% (7.5% to 9.2%). I see him continuing to grow.

8. Only one of Nolan McLean, Chase Burns, Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlittler, Trey Yesavage, and Bubba Chandler will be a top-40 starting pitcher.

FOMO is taking over, and these unproven prospect arms are being drafted before showing they can perform over an entire season. They aren’t likely to have the innings and consistent results to perform up to their costs.

I’m sure one will take off, but guessing which one is just a roll of the dice. That said, the pitcher I like the most to be in the top-40 is Burns, and it’s not close.

9. If only counted as a pitcher, Shohei Ohtani will be a top-5 starting pitcher.

From June 16th (Ohtani’s first appearance) until the season’s end, his 28.2% K%-BB% was the second among all starters (min 40 IP). And he led the league (32.8% K%-BB%) from August 1st on. Some pitchers will beat him on volume and WINZ, but I suspect Ohtani will have the best ratios of any starting pitcher.

10. Cody Ponce 폰세 is the best starting pitcher for the Blue Jays.

I like Ponce and had to find a more interesting way to show it than a top-30 ranking. In this year’s The Process, I projected him for a 7.2 K/9, 1.14 wHIP, and 3.40 ERA (similar to Max Fried’s projected stats) as the best pitcher ever to come over from Korea. Also, I’m not sure any of the arms in the Jays rotation are any better.