Launch Angle: Does it matter? There is a need to hit the ball high in order for it to travel over the fence, but Barrel Rate plays into it, as does playing time and team context, of course. Looking forward to 2026, here's 5 hitters near the top of MLB in Launch Angle Average in 2025.
Willy Adames SS SFG
Despite Milwaukee's Ivory Tower letting Willy fly to the heavy air in the Bay, Adames continues to Launch. Adames has parlayed his 21.2 Degree Average Launch Angle into 26 dingers, liking falling just short of the 32 he hit in homer-friendly MKE back in 2025. He keeps his Barrel Rate solid at 12.8% but beyond a solid BB% of 11, the underlying numbers point to Adames growing old with the support of key metrics. He's likely to be a safe bet for 20 plus homers in 2026, but the guy we saw in 2024 who hit over 30 HR with 20 SB and a batting average of .250...he may be fading into the San Francisco fog. But don't let that get you discouraged, Adames still should be a solid SS for HR in 2026, just don't overpay for something like the 2024 version.
Danny Jansen C MIL
Despite a second only to Cal Raleigh average launch angle of 25 degrees, Jansen has yet to jack the ball with considerable force for the Brewers. He Barrels at just 8% of the time and languishes at a 28th Percentile Hard Hit Rate, which may explain the lack of distance on his batted balls despite the top-tier launch angle. His .201 BA and minimal OPS of .600 supports his lack of pop. If searching via Launch Angle, it's safe to say that Jansen is elite and that may translate to more home runs in 2026 at a thin Catcher position. Keep an eye on where he lands as he's not likely to catch in Milwaukee.
Cedric Mullins OF NYM
Mulling over Mullins, he's the rare OF who might be better in fantasy than reality. You can almost bank on 20 HR and 20 SBs, but the guy carries at .221 BA and a low OPS of .707 as September begins to shake off the leaves of 2025. Here's hoping for 2026 that Cedric's top 5 Launch Angle average of 23 degrees leads to continued homers. He's a name most managers save till late in the draft, so don't hesitate to grab him as your last starting OF, as the counting stats will rarely let you down as long as you can stomach the low BA.
Miguel Vargas 3B CHW
Another unexpected name near the top of the Launch Angle list, Vargas swings with an average 23.4 Degree angle over the course of 2025. However, despite 500 PAs, Vargas has left the Southside yard just 14 times this season. He brings a decent Square Up percentage of 30% and a solid 22% Chase Rate, making the floor not too full of holes. Vargas will be entering his age 26 season in 2026, so the path to improvement could lead through high Launch Angle continuance, which might mean more homers ahead. He's more of a stash and wait bench guy in Mixed Leagues, but if he sticks with a bad team like CHW, he could be a decent volume play in AL-Only.
JJ Bleday OF ATH
A trend is developing among the high Launch Angle Average guys: low batting average. Bleday is squatting around .215 on the season in concert with his 22 degree average of Launch. He's got an unlucky 7% Barrel Rate and only a 39% Hard Hit Rate, it's really a case of failure to launch for Bleday here in 2025. Back in 2024, he jacked 20 HR with a passable OPS of .761, though it took over 600 PAs to get there. So what does that mean for 2026? His age 27 season just happened and we know the pop is present but it will depend upon playing time if he can provide much value. Keep an eye where he ends up and if it's on a bad team or if he owns the strong side platoon, consider stashing for your bench. He could be poor man's Joc Pederson.
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