Every MLB Team's Best-Kept Secret for 2026 Season

What makes someone a "best-kept secret"? That's perhaps in the eye of the beholder—it could be someone that the general public doesn't know at all, a player that's better than given credit for or someone that has revived their career after being previously written off.

To be clear, this article is written from a national perspective. If you follow a team 162 games a season, you're probably not going to be shocked by the selection for the club you root for. Hopefully, though, this helps fans to know who to keep an eye on from the 29 teams they don't root for.

With all that acknowledged, here's every MLB team's best-kept secret for the 2026 season.

AL East

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New York Yankees: Ryan Weathers

While he's at times had trouble staying healthy, the Yankees were intrigued enough by the 3.74 ERA Ryan Weathers posted over 24 starts for the Miami Marlins between 2024 and 2025 to trade for him this past offseason. The lefty is in the starting rotation to begin the season, and struck out seven Seattle Mariners over 4.1 innings in his Yankees debut. We'll see what his role is when Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return from the injured list, but right now, Weathers is an important piece for Aaron Boone's club.

Toronto Blue Jays: Jesús Sánchez

Considering the Blue Jays played into extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series last year, most names on the Toronto roster are familiar to the baseball viewing public. Jesús Sánchez was acquired in an offseason trade that sent Joey Loperfido to the Houston Astros. The 28-year-old outfielder has a .777 career OPS against right-handed pitching, so he's going to be a useful platoon piece for John Schneider.

Baltimore Orioles: Anthony Nunez

As the Orioles try to build their bullpen around closer Ryan Helsley, Anthony Nunez is going to be a name to watch for Craig Albernaz's club. Acquired in last summer's deal that sent Cedric Mullins to the New York Mets, Nunez has struck out five batters in his first two innings of MLB work. The 24-year-old righty posted a 2.06 ERA and attention-grabbing 13.2 K/9 across three levels of the minors last season.

Tampa Bay Rays: Ryan Pepiot

Hip inflammation has forced Ryan Pepiot to open the season on the injured list, but he proved to be very serviceable across 167.1 innings last year, posting a 3.86 ERA. If Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan stay healthy, the Rays could have a pretty good rotation. Length is going to be their biggest issue, and Pepiot should be able to provide that when he returns.

Boston Red Sox: Greg Weissert

Perhaps Greg Weissert came onto your radar as Team Italy's closer during the World Baseball Classic. Since joining the Red Sox in 2024, Weissert has been very effective, pitching to a 2.97 ERA across 134 games. Alex Cora has one of the top bullpen duos at his disposal with Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock. Weissert, though, is capable of taking down high-leverage innings when one of those two is unavailable.

AL Central

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Cleveland Guardians: Erik Sabrowski

Quietly, Erik Sabrowski turned in a 1.84 ERA across 33 MLB appearances a year ago, helping the Guardians to overcome the midseason loss of Emmanuel Clase and still win the AL Central. The 28-year-old lefty hasn't allowed a run over his first four appearances of 2026, and is set to be a major part of a bullpen headlined by Cade Smith and Shawn Armstrong.

Kansas City Royals: Noah Cameron

The Royals have a chance to have one of the best starting pitching staffs in the AL, particularly if Noah Cameron can build off of a rookie season where he posted a 2.99 ERA across 24 starts spanning 138.1 innings pitched. After finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2025, Cameron will be a part of a high upside staff with Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo and Kris Bubic.

Minnesota Twins: Taj Bradley

Taj Bradley's talent has always been apparent, but after he posted a 5.05 ERA across 27 starts a year ago between the Rays and Twins, he probably fell off the radars of a lot of people. Still only 25, though, Bradley is off to a strong start during his first full season with the Twins. With his fourseam fastball averaging 97.1 mph, Bradley has struck out 12 batters and pitched to a 0.87 ERA in his first two starts of 2026.

Detroit Tigers: Brant Hurter

There are quite a few big names on the pitching staff of Detroit, with Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest among those just in the bullpen. Brant Hurter is another one to know in the arm barn, if you don't already. Between 2024 and 2025, Hurter pitched to a 2.49 ERA across his first 53 MLB appearances. If he's able to continue to pitch at that level, A.J. Hinch is going to have a bevy of options to work with in the bullpen.

Chicago White Sox: Chase Meidroth

While the White Sox have little pitching talent, you're starting to see light at the end of the tunnel with a budding offensive core. Rightfully so, Munetaka Murakami has gotten most of the buzz so far this year, but Meidroth led off the 2026 campaign with a home run. Along with Murakami, Colson Montgomery and the currently injured Kyle Teel, there's finally something to be excited about on the South Side.

AL West

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Houston Astros: AJ Blubaugh

Dating back to last season, AJ Blubaugh has posted a 1.69 ERA across his first 14 MLB appearances. While the 4.42 FIP he has over that same period suggests some regression could be coming, his fastball-slider-changeup combination has worked for him so far. The 25-year-old has taken on a greater importance in Houston's bullpen with six-time All-Star Josh Hader opening the season on the injured list with left biceps tendinitis and Bryan Abreu getting off to a difficult start.

Texas Rangers: Jalen Beeks

Jalen Beeks is on his sixth MLB team in eight seasons, so he's not exactly an unknown. But the average fan might not be aware of how important he is as Skip Schumaker tries to lead what's seemingly an undermanned bullpen. Signed for $1.6 million in the offseason, the Rangers are hopeful Beeks can at least take down 60+ appearances for the third season in a row. And perhaps three scoreless appearances to open the 2026 campaign are a sign that a career-year is coming for the 32-year-old lefty.

Seattle Mariners: Jose A. Ferrer

While much of the focus during last December's trade between the Mariners and Washington Nationals was on catcher Harry Ford heading to D.C., Jose A. Ferrer was perhaps the piece more likely to impact the 2026 MLB season. The 4.48 FIP that Ferrer posted across 72 games for the Nats in 2025 doesn't stand out, though both his 3.56 expected ERA and 3.03 FIP suggest he was much better than his back-of-the-baseball-card stats might make you think. If three scoreless relief appearances are any indication of what's to come from the 26-year-old, the M's could have a special bullpen with Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo.

Los Angeles Angels: Jordan Romano

Obviously, Jordan Romano isn't an unknown name, as he was an All-Star in both 2022 and 2023 for the Blue Jays. However, he was injured during his final campaign in Toronto in 2024, and then was probably the worst reliever in baseball a year ago for the Philadelphia Phillies, posting a nightmarish 8.23 ERA in 49 games. Still, the Halos signed him for $2 million in the winter, and he hasn't allowed a run in three games so far. Romano, 33, is part of a long-in-the-tooth Halos bullpen that also includes 33-year-old Robert Stephenson, 37-year-old Drew Pomeranz and 39-year-old Kirby Yates. At least until Ben Joyce returns to the mound, Romano is as good of a candidate as any to take down high-leverage innings given his overall resume.

Athletics: Hogan Harris

Led by Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson, the Athletics have a playoff-caliber lineup. Their problem is they have one of the least talented pitching staffs, made worse by the fact that Sutter Health Park is one of the worst stadiums to pitch at in the majors. To put it simply, the A's need some arms to emerge, and Hogan Harris could be one in the bullpen. Utilizing mostly a 95 mph fastball and 74.8 mph curveball, the 29-year-old Harris has a 2.92 ERA in 73 games since the start of the 2024 campaign.

NL East

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Miami Marlins: Liam Hicks

The Fish are red hot out of the gates, with three early home runs from catcher Liam Hicks a major reason why. If Hicks proves to be more like the guy who posted a .778 first-half OPS a year ago than a .605 OPS after the Midsummer Classic, he could help the Marlins to be a sneaky wild-card team in 2026.

Atlanta Braves: Mauricio Dubón

While Ha-Seong Kim continues to recover from January surgery on a torn tendon in his right middle finger, Mauricio Dubón has taken on greater importance than expected for the Braves as their starting shortstop. Even once Kim returns, Dubón—acquired in a trade with the Astros this past offseason—his ability to play in the outfield might mean he backfills the loss of Jurickson Profar for the season. Dubón is also insurance at second base if Ozzie Albies gets hurt.

Washington Nationals: Cade Cavalli

A former first-round pick, Cade Cavalli isn't an unknown name. But more than three years removed from Tommy John surgery, there are some early signs Cavalli could be getting back to form. After posting a 4.25 ERA in 10 starts a year ago, Cavalli has a 2.79 ERA and zero home runs allowed over his first two outings of 2026. It might be time to put the 27-year-old back on your radar.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin Crawford

When you're a former first-round pick and your dad, Carl, was a four-time All-Star, it's hard to be too under the radar. But it's hard on a team with so many established stars to find anyone that isn't a known commodity, and despite a walk-off single to cap an incredible first week in the majors, Justin Crawford is still just getting his feet wet at the majors. He's likely to become a polarizing player because he's had success at every level of the minors, despite high ground ball rates. The 22-year-old has what feels like a staggering 66.7 percent ground ball rate over his first five MLB games, but is also hitting .412 in that period.

New York Mets: Carson Benge

Another rookie former first-round pick on a star-studded team, Carson Benge is off to a slow start as New York's starting right fielder against right-handed pitching. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old doubled 25 times, drove in 73 runs and posted an .857 OPS across three levels of the minors last season, earning him the No. 29 spot on Joel Reuter's preseason countdown of the top 100 MLB prospects for B/R. He's definitely worth watching this season.

NL Central

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Milwaukee Brewers: Angel Zerpa

Acquired in the surprising December trade that sent outfielder Isaac Collins to the Royals after a strong rookie season, Angel Zerpa makes an already-strong bullpen even better. He's logged 60 or more appearances in back-to-back seasons, and seemingly only scratched the surface of his potential. He had some nasty appearances in the World Baseball Classic for Team Venezuela, and has opened his Brewers tenure without allowing a run in a trio of games. If the 26-year-old lefty has a breakout 2026 season, look out, because the Brewers already have Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill at the back end of their bullpen.

St. Louis Cardinals: Riley O'Brien

Without much fanfare, Riley O'Brien posted a 2.06 ERA across 42 games for the Cardinals a year ago, an out-of-nowhere breakout in his age-30 campaign. He seems to have picked up where he left off last season, with four scoreless appearances so far in 2026. He won't even become eligible for arbitration until 2028 and can't become a free agent until after the 2030 season, so if O'Brien keeps pitching like this, his controllability will make him a coveted piece before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Isaac Mattson

In 44 appearances out the bullpen for the Buccos last season, Isaac Mattson pitched to a 2.45 ERA. Led by reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, the Pirates are going to have a strong rotation. Mattson's ability to match what he did a year ago will help to determine whether Don Kelly's club has the bullpen to compete for the postseason.

Cincinnati Reds: Sal Stewart

A first-round pick in 2022, Stewart has a 1.042 OPS in his first 24 MLB regular-season games, dating back to last season. Even over such a small sample size, that's enough to get your attention, especially for a team that's starved for power production outside of Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez. With Ke'Bryan Hayes at the hot corner, Stewart is entrenched at first base with the Reds. If he's anything like what he's shown to be offensively early in his career, that's fine.

Chicago Cubs: Caleb Thielbar

Definitely the oldest name on this list, the Cubs re-signed Caleb Thielbar for $4.5 million this winter after the lefty had a career-year at age 37. Across 67 games for Craig Counsell's squad last season, Thielbar posted a 2.64 ERA. He's going to be a key piece again this year in getting the ball to closer Daniel Palencia.

NL West

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Los Angeles Dodgers: Edgardo Henriquez

It's hard for someone with two World Series rings to be a hidden gem, but despite making six postseason appearances the last two Octobers, Edgardo Henriquez only has only appeared in 26 regular-season games. In those 26 games, he's posted a 2.31 ERA and 3.10 FIP, which likely means a much larger role is coming for the 23-year-old.

San Francisco Giants: Daniel Susac

A former first-round pick by the A's that the Giants acquired after the Twins selected him in the 2025 Rule-5 Draft, Susac went 3-for-3 with a walk in his first MLB start on Thursday. It's unclear exactly how frequently he's going to be able to play as he's behind Patrick Bailey, but if he reaches base four times every time he starts, it's going to force the Giants to get creative.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Jordan Lawlar

Jordan Lawlar is a first-round pick, so his name is certainly familiar to most MLB fans. However, he's had kind of a winding journey to this point, as he reached the majors at 20 years old in 2023, but has played less than 50 games. Not only does he have a .956 OPS early in 2026, but he's transitioned from the infield to left field. The early returns in left field have been very good, as he robbed Freddie Freeman of extra bases on the opening weekend of the season.

Colorado Rockies: Kyle Karros

Kyle Karros' offense has yet to come around at the MLB level, but he did hit .301 with an .874 OPS across three levels of the minors a year ago. He also posted three defensive runs saved and four outs above average in just 343.1 innings at third base in the majors a year ago, so perhaps he's next in line in a recent trend of excellent fielders at the hot corner in Denver. The son of former NL Rookie of the Year Eric Karros is someone to watch this year.

San Diego Padres: David Morgan

David Morgan posted a 2.66 ERA across 41 appearances a year ago, and has taken down five frames to begin the 2026 season. The Padres already have a great bullpen duo with Mason Miller and Adrián Morejón that will get even better when Jason Adam returns from quad surgery. If the 26-year-old Morgan proves to be a key cog as well, the Padres will have the best bullpen in baseball.