MLB Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 18, 2026
Last updated: Apr 17, 2026, 9:27PM | Published: Apr 17, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Saturday DFS contest kicks off at 9:05am AEST on April 18, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 18 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Saturday slate features the following match-ups:
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Toronto Blue Jays
- Miami Marlins vs Milwaukee Brewers
- New York Yankees vs Kansas City Royals
- Houston Astros vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Minnesota Twins vs Cincinnati Reds
- Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers
- Seattle Mariners vs Texas Rangers
- Athletics vs Chicago White Sox
- Los Angeles Angels vs San Diego Padres
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the best MLB fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more MLB fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Soroka (AZ, P) | $15,070 | 19.5 | 1.3 |
| Value | Kyle Leahy (STL, P) | $8,640 | 17.2 | 2 |
| Fade | Ildemaro Vargas (AZ, 2B/1B) | $9,460 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Julio Rodríguez (SEA, OF) | $7,800 | 9 | 1.2 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
C (Catcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $7,750 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $7,750 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Gary Sánchez (MIL) | $9,840 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,780 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $10,540 | 9.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,480 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jonathan Wetherholt (STL) | $10,880 | 5.9 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | John Crawford (SEA) | $5,500 | 5.5 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $14,150 | 11.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Julio Rodríguez (SEA) | $7,800 | 9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Ryan Kreidler (MIN) | $8,250 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Lane Thomas (KC) | $5,000 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $7,950 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Value | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $7,950 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Oswald Peraza (LAA) | $10,840 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luis Rengifo (MIL) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $11,300 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $6,440 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Ildemaro Vargas (AZ) | $9,460 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Luis Rengifo (MIL) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $10,400 | 9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Joshua-Douglas Naylor (SEA) | $6,620 | 7.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Ildemaro Vargas (AZ) | $9,460 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Spencer Torkelson (DET) | $7,590 | 7 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Soroka (AZ) | $15,070 | 19.5 | 1.3 |
| Value | Kyle Leahy (STL) | $8,640 | 17.2 | 2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kyle Leahy. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Michael Soroka is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Julio Rodríguez.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ildemaro Vargas is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Saturday slate closes at 9:05am AEST on Saturday. ENTER NOW!
As with all MLB DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven MLB fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the MLB Saturday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Saturday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
