Relief pitcher is not only the most volatile position in baseball, but his fantasy value can vary the most depending on depth and league format. Either way, finding these late relief gems can go a long way toward a successful fantasy season. Last year, Aroldis Chapman and Daniel Palencia came out of the late rounds to provide a decisive championship advantage. Whether you’re looking for saves, a middle reliever for holding leagues or plotting the next closers in line, we have seven sleepers who could outperform their draft price.
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ADP data from the NFBC Online Championships in February
2026 Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Sleepers
Clayton Beeter – Washington Nationals (NFBC ADP: 307)
The Nationals traded Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners this offseason, leaving the team’s role in the ninth inning after Ferrer finished the season with 11 saves. As things stand, Beeter appears to be the favorite to open the season at closer. The 27-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Yankees last season and posted a 4.26 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings. However, he had made two appearances with New York before joining the Nationals and allowed six runs in those two outings. Beeter made 24 appearances with Washington, posting a 2.49 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 21 2/3 frames. He has the makings to be an excellent high-leverage reliever. The challenge for Beeter has always been throwing strikes. Even during his impressive run with the Nationals over the past two months, he posted a 16.7% walk rate. Limiting free passes would certainly help his cause in closing out games. Still, his strikeout potential and save potential make him a good dart thrower late in drafts.
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Kirby Yates – Los Angeles Angels (NFBC ADP: 297)
Yes, Yates is 38 years old and coming off a 5.23 ERA while battling soft tissue injuries through 41 1/3 innings with the Dodgers. Yet he’s just one season removed from a 1.17 ERA and 33 saves with the Rangers in 2024. And despite the disastrous performance, there were still things to like under the hood. Yates maintained a strong strikeout rate of 29.2% and a swinging strike rate of 16.5%, better than his mark of 15.2% in 2024. He also reduced his walk rate from 11.8% to 9.6%. There was also a clear marker of when his performance dropped last season. Through the first month and a half, Yates looked a lot like his 2024 self, striking out 31 batters to just five walks over his first 18 1/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA. He gave up three runs on May 17 and landed on the injured list with a strained right hamstring. Yates never made it from there, hitting the IL twice more with back and hamstring issues. Despite the age concerns, he enters the season as perhaps the healthiest closing option to open the year for the Angels, as late-inning prospect Robert Stephenson reportedly dealt with a nerve issue in the offseason, putting his readiness for Opening Day in doubt. Considering the strikeout ability we’ve seen behind the disappointing box stats, Yates is worth a dart throw for late-draft saves with some upside if he can recapture some of that 2024 magic.
Grant Taylor – Chicago White Sox (NFBC ADP: 331)
It’s pretty easy to dismiss Taylor when looking at his surface stats during his time with the White Sox last season. He recorded a 4.91 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 36 2/3 innings. However, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not delving a little deeper into his intriguing skills, which tell a whole different story. The 23-year-old right-hander has been incredibly unlucky on balls put in play, with an inflated .420 BABIP. He struck out 54 batters for an excellent strikeout rate of 34.4% and a K-BB rate of 24.8%. His ERA metrics suggest his talent level was more consistent with an ERA below 3.00. This came after posting a 1.01 ERA and 36.6% strikeout rate over 26 2/3 innings in Double-A. Not only was he prolific when it came to missing bats, but he also took away the power of opposing hitters, allowing no home runs in either level.
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With Seranthony Dominguez stepping in as the primary closer, Taylor is unlikely to be deployed in a one-inning role that would put him in line for a share of the saves. Instead, he will likely be used versatile across multiple innings with the goal of reaching 100 innings. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him end up with a handful of saves and pick up a few wins while collecting 120 strikeouts, which would make him very valuable regardless of the format.
Matt Svanson – St. Louis Cardinals (NFBC ADP: 359)
One of the ambiguous situations in the league, Riley O’Brien and Jojo Romero finished the season sharing the Cardinals’ stopping chances. Although both had solid seasons on the surface, their underlying skills suggest regression, with K-BB rates of 11.6% and 10.2%, respectively. The starters’ struggles could open the door for Svanson, who has flashed top skills in the St. Louis bullpen and produced incredible numbers in his first full season. The 27-year-old right-hander posted a 1.94 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. Unlike O’Brien and Romero, Svanson finished with a strong K-BB rate of 20.5%. The Cardinals may struggle to rack up a lot of save opportunities, but keep an eye on Svanson as one of the most talented in waiting.
Garrett Whitlock – Boston Red Sox (NFBC ADP: 358)
After several seasons battling injuries and role ambiguity, Whitlock emerged as one of baseball’s best high-leverage relievers after a stellar 2025 season. He posted a 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 91 strikeouts in 72 innings while recording 24 strikeouts and seven wins. Those 91 strikeouts were among the top 10 in baseball among relievers behind a career-high 16.3% swing strike rate, with his sinker, slider and changeup all generating whiffs. As Boston’s primary setup man, Whitlock is a great late option in holding leagues given his stable ratio, volume, and strikeout potential. And while Aroldis Chapman’s role in the ninth inning is assured, Whitlock is one of the highest priority players in waiting given that Chapman enters his season at age 38.
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Justin Sterner – Athletics (NFBC ADP: 333)
The Athletics have struggled to fill the ninth-inning void left by Mason Miller after his trade to the Padres at last season’s deadline. Six different relievers recorded saves, and none with more than four. Sterner is a leading candidate to take the lead in save chances in 2026. After posting a mediocre 3.67 ERA in the first half, he really found his groove after the All-Star break, especially over the last two months. Starting in August, he posted a 1.40 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and 33/4 K/BB ratio for a stellar 29.9% K-BB rate that was tenth in baseball among relievers during that span. If Sterner can maintain the 16.3% strikeout rate in the second half, as well as the excellent walk rate, there’s a good chance he’ll work his way into a wide-open closer role in Sacramento.
Bryan Baker – Tampa Bay Rays (NFBC ADP: undrafted)
Baker is another easy reliever to overlook based on 2025 surface stats. He posted a 4.06 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 68 2/3 innings with the Orioles and Rays. Sure, the Rays have a reputation for savvy moves and excellent pitching development. And the underlying skills point to better results for Baker. The 31-year-old right-hander struck out 83 batters last season for a strikeout rate of 30.3% while delivering just a 6.2% walk rate for a strong K-BB of 24.1%. Some ERA metrics, including a 3.08 xFIP and a 2.74 SIERA, further suggest he was much better than the 4.06 ERA he produced. The Rays should use a tighter committee. Manager Kevin Cash named Griffin Jax, Edwin Uceta and Garrett Cleavinger, along with Baker, as pitchers who could get the nod for save chances. Uceta was hampered by a shoulder issue early in camp. And Cleavinger is currently the only projected lefty in the bullpen. If Uceta were to miss time, Baker could be the biggest beneficiary of save chances next to Jax.
