5 Early-Round Fantasy Baseball Draft Picks Experts Love (2025)

Fantasy baseball drafts involve looking through player rankings, comparing projections and monitoring average draft position (ADP). But another way you can get ready for the big day is by looking at an ideal draft from an experienced player.

Below you will find my perfect fantasy baseball draft. The goal here is to use NFBC ADP (since March 1st) to craft a well-rounded team that can compete in each of the 10 categories — batting average, runs, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, wins, saves, ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. We’ll use NFBC ADP because it’s the most active platform but with a more standard format: 12-team league with 1-C, 1-1B, 1-2B, 1-3B, 1-SS, 1-MI, 1-CI, 3-OF, 1-UTIL, 2-SP, 2-RP, 3-P and five bench spots.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at my perfect fantasy baseball early-round draft picks. We’ll go with the second slot because that’s my preferred pick for this season.

The Perfect Fantasy Baseball Draft

Round 1, 2nd overall: Bobby Witt Jr. (SS – KC) | 1.56 ADP

Bobby Witt Jr. put up a .332 batting average with 125 runs, 32 home runs, 109 RBI and 31 stolen bases in his age-24 season. We’ve seen the Royals superstar top out at 49 steals (2023), so there’s a high upside for speed here. Witt sometimes goes first overall, but his NFBC ADP since March 1st is 1.56, so there’s a 50-50 chance he’d be available here.

Round 2, 23rd overall: Bryce Harper (1B -PHI) | 22.72 ADP

Bryce Harper is a safe pick due to his lengthy track record. The Phillies slugger has put up a .280+ batting average, 30+ home runs and seven or more stolen bases in two of his last four seasons. The elite plate discipline (12% walk rate and 21.9% strikeout rate in 2024) and strong batted-ball metrics (10.4% barrel rate) are still there. It’s also nice getting a batting average asset with home run upside who chips in with rare speed at first base.

Round 3, 26th overall: Logan Gilbert (SP – SEA) | 27.25 ADP

Logan Gilbert registered a 3.23 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 220 strikeouts in 208.2 innings last season. The Mariners righty improved his strikeout rate from 24.5% to 27.4%, resulting in an impressive 3.19 SIERA. This is a dependable ace with projected volume and the ability to miss bats, playing in the most pitcher-friendly environment in Seattle.

Round 4, 47th overall: Josh Hader (RP – HOU) | 48.75 ADP

It’s a good idea to lock in an elite closer because you don’t want to be too reliant on chasing saves during the season. Josh Hader has one of the best track records in MLB, putting up 33+ saves in five of his last six seasons, including a 36% or better strikeout rate in each of those years. Expect more of the same for Hader in 2025.

Round 5, 50th overall: Ozzie Albies (2B – ATL) | 63.59 ADP

Don’t be afraid to reach on Ozzie Albies, who is a five-category contributor at a suppressed fantasy baseball ADP due to an injury-plagued 2024 season. This is a 28-year-old second baseman in an elite lineup with two 30+ home runs and 10+ stolen bases seasons in the last four years. There have been injury issues at times, but he’s healthy now, so take the plunge.