Top prospects can have a lot of upside, but they can also sink your fantasy baseball teams if you take them too high in your draft or bid too much FAAB on them on the waiver wire.
In this article, you will find my projected top 10 fantasy baseball prospects for the 2025 MLB season. This ranking is based on a player’s projected impact for this year, not their overall prospect status. As such, players who are already on big-league rosters get a bump, while those starting in the Minors get a downgrade.
Each player on this list is still considered an MLB rookie. Do note that Roki Sasaki was not included because he was a marquee international signing. The average draft position (ADP) data is based on the National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) Main Event. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at 10 prospects who can help you win your fantasy baseball leagues this year.
Top prospects can have a lot of upside, but they can also sink your fantasy baseball teams if you take them too high in your draft or bid too much FAAB on them on the waiver wire.
In this article, you will find my projected top 10 fantasy baseball prospects for the 2025 MLB season. This ranking is based on a player’s projected impact for this year, not their overall prospect status. As such, players who are already on big-league rosters get a bump, while those starting in the Minors get a downgrade.
Each player on this list is still considered an MLB rookie. Do note that Roki Sasaki was not included because he was a marquee international signing. The average draft position (ADP) data is based on the National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) Main Event. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at 10 prospects who can help you win your fantasy baseball leagues this year.
Projected Top 10 Fantasy Baseball Prospects
Jasson Dominguez is a 22-year-old outfielder with an enticing power and speed profile. We’ve seen Dominguez record 37 and 40 stolen bases across all levels in the Minors back in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Playing in an elite lineup and favorable ballpark gives Dominguez a high ceiling for this season. We could see 15-20 home runs with 35+ stolen bases in his rookie season. When you consider the combination of prospect pedigree, current role and team context, it’s hard not to view Dominguez as the No. 1 prospect on this list.
Dylan Crews is similar to Dominguez with the stolen base upside, but the Yankee is higher on this list due to a superior supporting cast with better home park factors. Even still, Crews looks like an appealing asset as the former second-overall pick in 2023.
We saw the 23-year-old put up 12 steals in only 132 plate appearances last season, so there’s a legit 40+ stolen bases ceiling here. With that said, Crews put up a modest 115 wRC+ across all Minor League levels last year, so we could see some growing pains as a hitter, keeping him at No. 2 on this list.
Matt Shaw is entrenched as the Cubs’ primary third baseman. What’s great about this rookie corner infielder is he provides rare speed at the hot corner, swiping 31 bags in 523 plate appearances across the Minors last season.
Add in 20 home run power, and there’s a legit 20/30 upside here. It also helps that the Cubs have a vastly improved offense now headlined by a star in Kyle Tucker. Expect Shaw to be able to take his lumps as an everyday player, giving him a secure role in one of the best offenses in the National League.
Kristian Campbell won the starting second base job for the Red Sox. This is a top prospect who put up an absurd 180 wRC+ in 517 plate appearances across the Minors last season, including 20 homers and 24 steals.
You have to love the team context in playing in an improved Red Sox lineup that added Alex Bregman. The only concern here is that the Red Sox have a lot of depth and a stacked farm system. If Campbell struggles, he can easily get sent back down to the Minors. With that said, there’s 20/20 upside at a thin position here.
Cam Smith was the jewel of the Tucker trade with the Cubs. After a torrid spring training that saw the 22-year-old slash .342/.419/.711 with four homers in 43 plate appearances, expect to see him as the Astros’ starting right fielder.
This is a team that desperately needs a boost in the outfield, especially with Jose Altuve moving from second base to left field. Smith has every opportunity to run away with this job. Even with Tucker no longer in Houston, this is still a good offense that should help support Smith’s counting stats.
If this were merely a list of top prospects, Roman Anthony would be No. 1, but alas, we’re focusing on the potential impact in the 2025 season. Unfortunately, the 20-year-old phenom will start the season in the Minors.
The good news is that Anthony is an advanced hitter who put up a 149 wRC+ with a 14.6% walk rate in 540 plate appearances across Double-A and Triple-A last year. Even in a crowded outfield, Anthony is good enough to force his way into the Red Sox’s lineup if he continues to crush Minor League pitching.
Jackson Jobe has been considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball since early last season. The Tigers have awarded their prized arm with a spot in the rotation this season. While the stuff is there, we haven’t seen the strikeouts we’re looking for just yet.
Jobe put up a middling 25.6% strikeout rate in 91.2 innings in the Minors last year. Usually, we see top prospects eclipse the 30% mark at that level. It will be interesting to see if it all comes together for Jobe. If it does, the sky is the limit. But the lack of dominance so far is worth noting.
Kumar Rocker is set to start the year in the Rangers’ rotation due to injuries to Jon Gray and Cody Bradford. This is a 25-year-old righty who was dominant in the Minors last season, registering a 1.96 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with five walks and 55 strikeouts in 36.2 innings across all levels.
We saw a glimpse of what Rocker can do at the end of last year, where he posted a 25.5% strikeout rate in 11.2 innings. Playing for one of the best teams in the American League will help Rocker have a chance to rack up wins as well. There’s upside for an immediate impact here.
Bubba Chandler is only lower on this list because he’s going to start the year in the Minors. This is quite possibly the best pitching prospect in MLB right now. The 22-year-old posted a 30.9% strikeout rate in 119.2 innings across all levels last season.
Playing in a pitcher-friendly environment like PNC Park should help Chandler’s ratios. The one concern is we saw some command issues during spring training, as highlighted by four walks in only 2.1 innings. But the stuff is there to make a major impact, likely by May or June.
Like teammate Rocker, Jack Leiter is now a fixture in the Rangers’ rotation. This is a polished arm who posted a 33.3% strikeout rate in 77 innings at Triple-A last season. The concern here is that we didn’t see this translate to the Majors, where Leiter put up a 17.9% strikeout rate in 35.2 innings.
The good news is we’ve seen positive results this spring, including a 24.1% strikeout rate in 20.2 innings. This may just be the case of a young arm who needs more reps in the big leagues. We could see Leiter stick in the rotation all year.
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