Dillon Dingler, C, Detroit Tigers
Dingler went 3-6 with 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K on two hard hit balls. Dingler has been a luxurious surprise for fantasy given both his ability to hit for average and power at a position that sometimes feels like it has none. Dingler now has four multi-hit games in a row, going 9-19 with 3 HR and 6 RBI. He's slashing .278/.341/.536 on the year. Make no mistake - this isn't an accident. Dingler's .453 xwOBACON, .519 xSLG, 11.6% Barrel rate, and 21.5% Pull Air are not only great, but are elite on a position-adjusted basis. His main knock is that solid-ish lineup provides only limited upside in the R/RBI department, but I'm not going to be picky about him in 2027.
Ronald Acuna Jr, OF, Atlanta Braves
Acuna went 2-5 with 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI on four hard hit balls. You cannot count this guy out when he plays. I know he just came back from injury, but before the injury, he had a 14% barrel rate .440 xwOBACON and 14% walk rate. Acuna has been a frustrating fantasy player ever since his insane 2023, he's still only 28 and the raw talent is for sure still there. He has 10 HR and 15 SB thru only 63 games this year. I'm hoping enough fantasy managers have been soured to where we can get a discount in 2027.
Dylan Cease, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Cease went 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 10 K, only allowing five hard hit balls. Cease is clearly in the running for the Cy Young award this year. His 2.77 xERA is a career second best and his 36% K rate is a career best. Cease's four seamer and slider were always well-performing pitches. And while they certainly have taken a step forward this year, the introduction of the changeup has likely done wonders for Cease. His 11% usage rate on the cambio is the second highest of his career, and it has a .231 xSLG against it. It's likely helped him get extra ground balls, as his 44.7% GB rate is a career high in a full season. I really like how this is a fundamental change to the usage of his arsenal, and I therefore see no reason for any of that to change moving forward or into 2027.
Jackson Chourio, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Chourio went 1-3 with R, HR, RBI, BB on three hard hit balls. He was hurt to begin the season, and I think that played a role in lowering his hype on the year. Nonetheless, Chourio is displaying some very healthy metrics under the hood. His .412 xwOBACON, 47% HH rate, and 13% barrel rate are all career highs. His quality of contact has never been better, and he's on pace to break 20-20 this season even though missed a massive chunk. Don't let the lack of media attention fool you - Chourio is an excellent fantasy player and a target for me in 2027.
Carson Benge, OF, New York Mets
Benge went 3-6 with 2 R, 3B, RBI, K on two hard hit balls. My interest in the rookie is growing significantly, especially as we look ahead to 2027. Benge posted an .801 OPS in July, and he's slashing .273/.304/.636 so far in August. He's slightly behind pace to get to a 20-20 season, but it could absolutely happen. For me, Benge's speed and quality of contact are sneaky good for someone his age. A .279 xBA is robust, and the .403 xwOBACON and .426 xSLG means there is something here. Benge is slowly becoming a big target for me in 2027 drafts.
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