For Yahoo Fantasy baseball leagues using a head-to-head points format, there are nine hitter and eight pitcher scoring categories. The default for these leagues have three outfielders, two utility spots and eight pitcher spots. Some deeper formats have five outfielders, one utility spot, and nine pitcher spots. Make sure to check your league scoring and roster format before the draft.
There are no negative points for hitters, with a few instances for pitchers, as seen in the default scoring below.
A quick overview of the scoring system for Yahoo Fantasy baseball points leagues.
We ran the Yahoo points scoring through the projections, and it spat out these players as values and targets in this format. Generally speaking, power hitters seem to stand out in this format because of the value for home runs, leading to 14.2 points per homer when we include one run and a run batted in (RBI). Those hitters with power and speed blends should fare well, with hitters that score highly in walks and on-base percentage being sneaky values.
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We’ll present a few categories of players to target for Yahoo points league formats. You can see the top-30 hitters and pitchers based on the Yahoo points scoring settings below, before we dive into the player-level analysis.
Here’s a look at the top-30 hitters and pitchers based on Yahoo points league scoring.
Power Hitters
Kyle Schwarber, OF, Phillies
Since the Yahoo points scoring doesn’t have negatives for strikeouts, Kyle Schwarber stands out as a significant value. After running the Yahoo points league scoring into the projections, Schwarber ranks as the seventh-best player. That’s mainly because Schwarber averaged over 40 home runs, with projections showing that again in 2026, with nearly 100 runs and RBI.
Here’s a graphic displaying Phillies OF Kyle Schwarber’s bat speed distribution over the past three seasons.
Nearly all the advanced metrics for power have been elite for Schwarber, including an 11.7% barrel per plate appearance rate, 77.3 mph bat speed and 77.1% fast swing rate (percentage of swings at 75 mph or faster). A home run is worth four times the points compared to a single and the career 14.2% walk rate helps add to the floor and ceiling. Schwarber dominates in leagues where on-base percentage is a category, like in the Yahoo points scoring format. It doesn’t hurt that Schwarber has outfield eligibility in Yahoo leagues.
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Brent Rooker, OF, Athletics
Like Schwarber, Brent Rooker has shown consistent power and four-category production. Rooker projects for over 30 home runs and 180-190 runs plus RBI. Interestingly, Rooker’s batting average fell from .293 (2024) to .262 (2025), mainly because of the hit rate (BABIP) falling from 36% to 30%. However, Rooker’s plate discipline improved with a career-best contact rate (75%). Since Rooker continued to hit the ball hard, he seemed to earn his actual batting average, given a .268 expected batting average (xBA) in 2025.
Here’s a look at how Athletics OF Brent Rooker’s batting stance has shifted from 2024 to 2025.
Rooker maintained his above-average bat speed (73.6 mph) and fast swing rate (35.7%) while continuing to barrel up the ball at 9-10% of the time. It’s somewhat under the radar, but Rooker made batting stance adjustments in 2025. The darker foot spots in the visual above indicate where he starts in his batting stance, then the lighter gray is what he does with his feet when the pitcher releases the pitch.
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He had his lowest intercept point in terms of inches in front of the plate, suggesting he was working on pitch recognition. Meanwhile, Rooker used a more open stance from 3 degrees open in 2023 to 13 degrees in 2024 to 17 degrees in 2025. Theoretically, it could allow him to recognize other pitch types and adjust his plate approach, which was somewhat evident by making more contact.
Here’s a look at Athletics OF Brent Rooker’s wOBA progression by season.
Specifically, Rooker showed improvements against breaking and offspeed pitches in 2024 and 2025. That’s evident by Rooker averaging a wOBA over .310 against breaking (.317 wOBA, .308 xwOBA) and offspeed (.383 wOBA, .355 xwOBA) pitches in 2025. For context, Rooker posted an underwhelming wOBA against breaking (.243 wOBA, .266 xwOBA) and offspeed (.255 wOBA, .275 xwOBA) pitches in his breakout 2023 season. Yes, Rooker smashes fastballs, but opposing pitchers will adjust when a hitter finds success.
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Rooker seems like a discounted version of Schwarber, and another valuable power hitter to target in Yahoo points leagues.
Rafael Devers, 1B, Giants
If you were sleeping under a rock, like me, you might have missed that Rafael Devers reached a career-high in plate appearances (729 plate appearances), second-most home runs (35) and one of his best overall seasons in 2021. The projection systems expect some regression for Devers to something closer to 2024 (28 HR, 87 R, 83 RBI), including 30-35 HR and 180 runs plus RBI.
Here’s a look at Giants 1B Rafael Devers’ chase rate by season.
That might not scream value based on the Yahoo points leagues, but he had a 15.2% walk rate in 2025, nearly six percentage points higher than his career average (9.5%). Devers showed more patience in 2025, leading to a career-low chase rate (25.2%) and swing rate (47.2%). For context, Devers’s chase and swing rates were five percentage points below his career average. It could be an outlier or a concerted approach change, though we tend to side with the latter.
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With Devers chasing less often, we want to highlight the significantly open stance in 2024 (67 degrees open) and 2025 (65 degrees open), compared to 2023 (53 degrees open). That’s notable because Devers would intercept the ball at 14.3 inches in front of the plate, leading to a higher pull rate (41.1%) in 2023. We saw Devers lower his pull rate to 34.1% (2024) and 37.7% (2025), with his intercept point being cut in half to 6-7 inches in front of the plate over the past two seasons (2024-2025). That’s further evident in the visual below, showing the batting stances from 2023 and 2025.
Here’s a look at Giants 1B Rafael Devers’s batting stance in 2023 vs. 2025.
We’re highlighting Devers’s batting stance changes because that theoretically allows him to avoid being way out in front and chasing pitches. It seems like an actionable plate approach change over the past two seasons.
Devers continued to show the near-elite power skills, with a 9.2% barrel rate, yet his bat speed fell to 71.6 mph and the fast swing rate dipped to a career low (19.8%). His bat speed went down about 1 mph in each season from 2023 to 2025, but his fast swing rate fell significantly from 27.9% in 2024. That’s interesting because we often find hitters who post higher barrel rates also have higher bat speeds.
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The first base position can turn ugly quick, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Nick Kurtz, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Devers and Freddie Freeman going inside the top-50 picks in Yahoo leagues. It’s somewhat of a top-heavy position and Devers projects like a priority target at the position in points leagues.
4-5 Category Contributors
Randy Arozarena, OF, Mariners
Randy Arozarena has consistently posted 20/20 seasons in each of the past five years. From 2021 to 2025, only José Ramírez reached the 20/20 mark in five consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, Bobby Witt Jr. and Shohei Ohtani posted a 20/20 season four times in a five-year span. Arozarena might not be a first-round caliber player, but he can still produce power and speed like one of the better hitters.
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The projection systems have Arozarena for another 20/20 season while possibly being able to replicate the 2025 season. He has shown that he can draw walks by not chasing often, evidenced by his 25% chase rate, three percentage points below the league average. Arozarena hits the ball hard with a 6.9% barrel rate while showing above-average bat speed around 72-73 mph.
Though stolen bases aren’t as valuable as home runs, Arozarena has shown a productive category profile, with batting average being the main risk. Thankfully, Arozarena provides a serviceable OBP to provide a consistent floor to build upon.
Seiya Suzuki, OF, Cubs
Seiya Suzuki had one of his best seasons with the Cubs, reaching career bests in plate appearances (651), home runs (32) and RBI (103). He has strong plate discipline without chasing (21.1%) and making contact (78.1%). That, plus a double-digit walk rate in three consecutive seasons, makes him a prime points-league target in Yahoo.
Here’s a look at the bat speed chart for Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki.
Suzuki’s career-high 10.6% barrel rate supports the peak home runs in 2025. Furthermore, Suzuki had his bat speed (73.4 mph) and fast swing rate (37.2%) show slight improvements in 2025 from previous seasons. He isn’t a complete zero in stolen bases, especially considering he remains an underrated athlete. Suzuki boasts an above-average Sprint Speed (76th percentile), yet he struggled to convert stolen bases (64.2%). It’s probably fair to expect something between 8 and 10 stolen bases in 2026 with quality production across the board.
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In Yahoo points leagues, Suzuki can be an outfielder to wait on based on the above-average skills in multiple categories.
Dansby Swanson, SS, Cubs
We talked about Arozarena going 20/20 over the past five seasons. Dansby Swanson was close to 20/20 in three seasons, including 2022 (25/18), 2024 (16/19) and 2025 (24/20). With Swanson’s balanced profile of power and speed while hitting in the middle of the lineup, there are multiple paths for fantasy points. There’s some risk in Swanson’s profile with the declining OBP and a below-average contact rate (71%). That’s similar to Swanson’s career contact rate (73%), but that’s 3-4 percentage points lower than the league norm.
Thankfully, Yahoo points scoring doesn’t ding hitters for strikeouts like other formats. Swanson barrels up the ball at an above-average rate (7.8%), with a mediocre bat speed (70.7 mph). He sells out for pull-side power, with a pull rate at 46% over the past three seasons. However, Swanson’s launch angles can be an issue, given his 17-18% pulled air rate, slightly above the league average (16.7%). The data suggests Swanson should hit 20+ home runs, though there will be inconsistencies.
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We should expect 15 stolen bases for Swanson, though 20 feels reasonable again, especially considering his stolen base opportunity rate jumped to 14-15% over the past two seasons. That coincides with the stolen base rules changing in recent years. It helps that Swanson converted 86% of his stolen base attempts over the past two seasons, eight percentage points higher than his career average.
There’s a 40-point gap in projected value for Swanson as the 117th ranked player based on the Yahoo points scoring, compared to a Yahoo ADP around 160. The shortstop position is relatively deep, but you should make Swanson a target.
High-Strikeout Starting Pitchers
Dylan Cease, SP, Blue Jays
One of the more surprising pitchers that popped up as potential value selections at starting pitcher was Dylan Cease. Strikeouts (+3) and earned runs (-3) can balance themselves out. There are negative points for walks (-1.3) and hits (-1.3), which can be an issue for Cease, given the career ball rate (38%) and hit rate (32%).
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However, the 200+ strikeouts over five straight seasons already gives him over 600 fantasy points. Like Arozarena, Cease has been consistent by generating strikeouts. Cease has been the only starting pitcher with 200 or more strikeouts in five consecutive seasons since 2021. A few pitchers reached that mark three times over the past five seasons, including Corbin Burnes (2021-2023), Gerrit Cole (2021-2023), Kevin Gausman (2021-2023), Aaron Nola (2021-2023), Freddy Peralta (2023-2025) and Zack Wheeler (2021, 2023-2024).
Here’s a look at Blue Jays SP Dylan Cease’s swing and miss percentage by season.
Cease reached a career-best swinging-strike rate at 16%, with an elite slider, eliciting a 21.3% swinging-strike rate. That’s nearly five percentage points higher than the league average for slider swinging-strike rate. We could see a bump up in wins (+8) on a better team (Blue Jays), which feels like a touchdown scored and something that can be hard to predict. Cease projects as a top-40 player, making him one of the top early values at starting pitcher for Yahoo points leagues.
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Jesús Luzardo, SP, Phillies
After having a mountain of injuries in 2024, missing over 100 days on the injured list, Jesús Luzardo threw a career high in innings (183) in 2025. When healthy, Luzardo can be a dominant arm with an above-average 14.2% swinging-strike rate. The slider (17.5%) and changeup (19.2%) lead Luzardo’s arsenal in swinging-strike rate, similar to his career averages on both pitches at 19.7%. It’s probably fair to regress Luzardo’s 15 wins (120 points) and 216 strikeouts (648 points) since those were career bests. Even if we regress it slightly like the projections suggest, he’s still a high-end starting pitcher that projects like a three-round value. Please stay healthy.
Relievers for Saves
Devin Williams, RP, Mets
After a rough season with the Yankees (4.79 ERA, 3.05 xERA) and 18 saves in 22 chances, Devin Williams signed with their National League rival in the Mets. Williams’s swinging-strike rate was elite at 18%, similar to his career average with poor luck causing awful ratios (56% strand rate), over 20 points below his career norm. The changeup swinging-strike rate hovered around 21-22% (2023-2024), but fell 2-3 percentage points to 19.2% (2025).
Here’s a look at Mets RP Devin Williams’ average arm angle by season.
There have been rumblings about Williams tipping pitches. That can be seen by the significant difference in his arm angle when throwing the four-seam (27.4 degrees) and changeup (16 degrees) over the past two seasons (2024-2025). When there’s a nine-degree gap in arm angle for two primary pitches, hitters will pick up that to predict pitches. What’s wilder is that Williams’s four-seam (31.2 degrees) and changeup (18.5 degrees) had an even wider margin (13 degrees) in arm angle by pitch.
Here’s a look at the Mets RP’s horizontal movement vs. average inches by season.
The overall arm angle dropping by two degrees in 2025 align with the additional arm-side movement via four-seamer (+1 inch). Meanwhile, Williams’s changeup dropped two inches more in 2025 (44.3 inches) compared to 2024 (42.3 inches). The stuff is nasty and the projections expect Williams to convert 30+ saves with ratios closer to his expected ERA metrics.
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Sometimes, relievers can be undervalued in points leagues since the volume of strikeouts aren’t favorable. However, saves (+8) have the same worth as wins (+8), so there could be sneaky value in prioritizing Williams as a bounce-back reliever for saves.
Aroldis Chapman, RP, Red Sox
Maybe it’s recency bias, especially since Aroldis Chapman’s 2.74 xERA suggests regression from his actual ERA (1.17). However, Chapman saving over 30 games for the first time in 2025 since 2021 seems to have the projections expecting him to log another 30 saves in 2026. Chapman’s strikeout skills, given the elite 19.3% swinging-strike rate provided optimism after alternating with 13.2% (2022) to 18.1% (2023) and 13.7% (2024).
Here’s a look at Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman’s swing and miss percentage by season.
His four-seam still possesses above-average induced vertical break at 18.5 inches with elite extension (97th percentile). The Red Sox didn’t add any relievers of note during the offseason, giving him a chance to repeat 2025 with 30+ saves and a projected ERA close to the expected ones. Chapman ranks as a top-50 player in Yahoo points scoring, with an ADP around pick 100. In Yahoo points leagues, we’ll want to secure a high-end closer because they’re undervalued based on the draft market.