Here is my draft day cheat sheet for 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. You can see which players I’m targeting in many draft sas well as a round-by-round target breakdown to help gauge average draft position (ADP) value. Use this to build your own fantasy baseball cheat sheet using our cheat sheet creator tool.
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Fantasy Baseball Draft Cheat Sheet
I am preparing for my first year participating in Tout Wars, which means I am also preparing for my first trip to New York, a trip I’ve just never gotten around to taking. Both are intimidating in their own ways, but I have to say that Tout Wars wins out by a wide margin.
A 15-team salary cap draft with some of the most accurate fantasy baseball experts? Are they sure they have the right person?
After a small panic attack, I made some decisions. “I have to have a perfect strategy,” I told myself upon receiving the invite. “I shall study to great depths to achieve this magnificent goal!”
It turns out my study habits are exactly as they were in high school. Ergo, it is the week of the draft, and I have finally gotten around to creating my draft day cheat sheet and outlining a general strategy for 2025 fantasy baseball. We are all who we are.
Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets by Position
Here’s a look at my favorite targets by position:
Catchers: William Contreras, Willson Contreras, Yainer Diaz, Shea Langeliers
First Base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Matt Olson, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jake Burger
Second Base: Ozzie Albies, Jordan Westburg, Matt Shaw
Third Base: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Manny Machado, Eugenio Suarez
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Francisco Lindor, Ezequiel Tovar, Zach Neto
Outfield: Juan Soto, Jarren Duran, Jackson Merrill, Brent Rooker, Dylan Crews, Heliot Ramos, JJ Bleday
Starting Pitchers: Logan Gilbert, Michael King, Hunter Brown, Bryce Miller, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hunter Greene, Sandy Alcantara, Seth Lugo, Brandon Pfaadt
Relief Pitchers: Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Felix Bautista
Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets By Round (12-Team League)
1st: Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto
2nd: Francisco Lindor, Jarren Duran, Jazz Chisholm Jr.
3rd: Jackson Merrill, Logan Gilbert, Manny Machado
4th: Cole Ragans, Corey Seager, Dylan Cease
5th: Yanier Diaz, Brent Rooker, Ozzie Albies
6th: Michael King, Ryan Helsley, Brenton Doyle
7th: Jordan Westburg, Pablo Lopez, Bryce Miller
8th: Felix Bautista, Spencer Schwellenbach, Bryan Reynolds
9th: Joe Ryan, Hunter Brown, Hunter Greene
10th: Shea Langeliers, Vinnie Pasquantino, Triston Casas
11th-15th: Bo Bichette, Ezequiel Tovar, Logan O’Hoppe, Xavier Edwards, Steven Kwan, Jasson Dominguez, Sandy Alcantara, Eugenio Suarez, Cristopher Sanchez, Lane Thomas, Ryan Pepiot
16th-20th: Seth Lugo, Brandon Pfaadt, Zach Neto, Heliot Ramos, Spencer Arrighetti, Zach Eflin, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., MacKenzie Gore, Lucas Erceg, Gavin Williams, Matt Shaw, Clay Holmes, Jonathan India, Nick Lodolo
21st-25th: Walker Buehler, Jesus Sanchez, Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs, Matt Wallner, JJ Bleday, Grant Holmes, Roman Anthony, Parker Meadows
Post-300 ADP: Ryan Weathers, Jose Caballero, Griffin Jax, DJ Herz, Max Meyer, Wilyer Abreu, Miguel Amaya, Spencer Horwitz, Ben Brown, Jesus Tinoco
Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid Near ADP
- Elly De La Cruz (ADP 4.5)
- Ronald Acuna Jr.(ADP 28)
- Jacob deGrom (ADP 55)
- Cody Bellinger (ADP 92)
- Mike Trout (ADP 98)
- Carlos Rodon (ADP 137)
- Reynaldo Lopez (ADP 151)
2025 Fantasy Draft Strategy/Advice
Creating a one-size-fits-all strategy doesn’t work in fantasy baseball because of all the potential categories, rosters, H2H vs. roto, etc. I’m in leagues with 10, 12, 14, and 15 teams, and only two use the standard 5×5 scoring. Some of them have straight-forward rosters, while others have specific outfield positions (LF, CF, RF). A couple of them use two catchers, which adds a quirk that can change the entire draft board significantly. Some are a regular snake draft, and some are salary cap leagues.
The point is that your league may be the quirkiest of the bunch, and the great news is that our Draft Wizard tool will help you strategize with your exact categories and scoring. Syncing your league is the easiest way to dominate your league.
What kind of hitters do I want?
In 2025, I see pitching as deep, which meI willg to focus on getting three hitters right off the bat who are projected to get in the neighborhood of 30 HR, 100 runs, and 100 RBI. According to our projections, 19 players are projected for 30 or more home runs. However, one of them, Jake Burger, has an ADP of 114. It’s essential to know small things like this – having someone with these numbers to target in the 9th or 10th Round can be more important than one of the 14 going in the first, second, or third rounds.
Another aspect of this year’s hitting landscape is that I am interested in guys with higher batting averages or on-base percentage floors. This number is often overlooked or punted in 2H lees, but it can be a strength. Good things happen to batters who get on base. I think I read that somewhere once.
The Depth of Pitching
I will have no shares of Paul Skenes unless he falls to the second Round… which he will only do in an 8-team league. I have shares of Tarik Skubal in keeper leagues, but otherwise, I’m not targeting either of them at their ADP. One of my strategies this season is that I won’t consider a pitcher until at least the fourth Round, and even that might be pushing it. The fourth Round currently puts you in the Dylan Cease, George Kirby, Cole Ragans, and Blake Snell territory. I am fine with any one of them as my SP1.
Another area of pitching that I’m looking at more closely is the guys who demonstrate year-in and year-out consistency and/or durability. “Anyone can get hurt at any time” is an absolute truth for sure. But there is also the saying, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
There will be no Jacob deGrom shares anywhere near my teams. I am willing to be wrong about him, but I’m not willing to ride that ride in 2025.
There are plenty of pitchers projected to get 30+ starts. Does that mean I’m targeting Ryan Feltner? No. Not all 30-start pitchers are created equal. But it also means I’m not going after Tyler Glasnow, who started a career-high 22 games last season.
As for closers, deciding how heavily invested you want to be in saves is essential. If your goal is to lock it down, going after two stud closers feels like the best way to get there. In my drafts so far, I have drafted many of the “next in line” guys who will help my ratios and probably get more save opportunities than anticipated. Relief pitchers are messy and my least favorite position to research. I would like to nab one of Andres Munoz, Felix Bautista, or Jhoan Duran, all of whom have ADPs right around 100. But I’m also okay with playing the waiver wire for the category, too.
Final Thoughts
Whatever strategy you decide on, you have to be willing to pivot to a degree. Just be careful not to get so far away from the goal that you are left without a plan by the sixth Round.
Cheat sheets are your best friend on draft day. Mock drafting is the love of your life.
I wish you all the best in your drafting and helping you dominate throughout the season!
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