"Daily analysis of the biggest risers and fallers in dynasty, redraft, and prospect fantasy baseball rankings for 2026-02-27."
The fantasy baseball landscape experienced some significant shifts over the past few days, headlined by Shohei Ohtani's dramatic ranking collapse and a surprising surge from Arizona reliever Kevin Ginkel. While dynasty rankings remained stable, redraft leagues saw notable movement driven by injury concerns, closer role clarity, and spring training developments.
The biggest winner this week was Kevin Ginkel, who rocketed up 33 spots from #491 to #458. The Arizona Diamondbacks reliever is entering his final season under team control and projections now have him locked in as the closer for 2026. After a strong three-year stretch as a high-leverage reliever, Ginkel's path to saves has become much clearer, making him an intriguing late-round target for managers seeking relief help.
Andrew Painter climbed 9 spots from #321 to #312 as the Phillies prospect continues to generate buzz. The top prospect is expected to make a significant impact in Philadelphia's rotation this season, though he won't be pitching in the Futures Game as the team manages his workload carefully. His strong rookie minor league campaign (5-8, 5.26 ERA) has fantasy managers optimistic about his ceiling.
Several other pitchers saw modest gains, including Joe Musgrove (up 4 spots to #216) and veteran ace Gerrit Cole (up 3 spots to #221), suggesting experts are gaining confidence in established starting pitching as spring training progresses.
Among position players, Steven Kwan rose 2 spots to #137, while Matt Chapman moved up to #145, indicating steady appreciation for proven commodities with defined roles.
The most shocking development was Shohei Ohtani's dual-role rankings taking significant hits. His SP eligibility plummeted 81 spots from #74 to #155, while his DH ranking dropped 23 spots from #5 to #28. The dramatic fall stems from workload management concerns, as Ohtani will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic or Cactus League. This conservative approach to his pitching workload is clearly spooking fantasy experts who were banking on his two-way production.
Jordan Westburg suffered the second-largest decline, falling 36 spots from #165 to #201. The Baltimore infielder's UCL tear has created significant uncertainty around his 2026 fantasy value. Reports suggest he may struggle for playing time and represents a risky draft pick, with many experts now favoring players like Noelvi Marte in similar draft ranges.
Pablo Lopez dropped 13 spots to #306, likely reflecting concerns about his recovery timeline from Tommy John surgery, despite being projected as a potential AL starting pitcher sleeper. Isaac Paredes fell 12 spots to #177, though he still carries 25-homer upside and ranks as the #20 third baseman with a projected 125 wRC+ if he remains with Houston.
Other notable declines include Blake Snell (down 3 to #102) and Brandon Woodruff (down 3 to #118), suggesting some cooling on veteran pitchers as younger arms gain momentum.
This week's rankings shifts highlight the premium being placed on roster certainty and health heading into the season. While Ohtani remains elite, his workload management is creating draft-day complications that savvy managers should monitor closely. Meanwhile, clear-cut closer roles like Ginkel's are becoming increasingly valuable in an era of committee approaches. For redraft leagues, these movements suggest it may be wise to target pitchers with defined roles over those with question marks, regardless of talent level.