15 Pitchers Experts Love to Draft (2025 Fantasy Baseball)

When preparing for your fantasy baseball drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy baseball rankings compared to average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable players below.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Advice

RK	PLAYER NAME	TEAM	POS	BEST	WORST	AVG.	STD.DEV	ECR VS. ADP
49	Devin Williams	NYY	RP2	41	84.0	51.0	5.1	12.0
59	Edwin Diaz	NYM	RP4	43	75.0	57.9	5.8	12.0
62	Mason Miller	ATH	RP5	51	112.0	62.2	7.9	10.0
67	Raisel Iglesias	ATL	RP6	57	119.0	73.3	7.1	14.0
76	Logan Webb	SF	SP20	52	105.0	78.0	13.6	11.0
79	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	SP21	38	128.0	81.3	16.4	14.0
85	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP24	67	133.0	91.8	12.8	16.0
86	Grayson Rodriguez	BAL	SP25	62	127.0	92.2	13.9	19.0
94	Andres Munoz	SEA	RP8	64	132.0	95.1	15.7	22.0
97	Hunter Brown	HOU	SP30	64	146.0	96.9	19.4	13.0
99	Joe Ryan	MIN	SP31	57	165.0	99.2	23.8	14.0
101	Jhoan Duran	MIN	RP10	80	146.0	101.4	18.7	19.0
115	Ryan Walker	SF	RP11	67	157.0	112.4	20.5	17.0
129	Bryan Woo	SEA	SP39	88	153.0	132.7	15.7	11.0
142	Tanner Scott	LAD	RP13	107	186.0	147.9	14.7	22.0

Tyler Glasnow (LAD)

Tyler Glasnow delivered a strong performance in 2024, his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, achieving career highs in starts (22), innings pitched (134), and strikeouts (168). He posted a 9-6 record with a 3.49 ERA and an impressive 0.95 WHIP. Notably, Glasnow’s strikeout rate of 11.3 K/9 and walk rate of 2.4 BB/9 underscore his dominant presence on the mound. His Statcast metrics further highlight his effectiveness, with opponents recording an average exit velocity of 89 mph and a hard-hit rate of 40.1%. However, durability remains a concern for Glasnow. He did not pitch after August 11 due to a strained elbow that prematurely ended his season. Despite these concerns, Glasnow’s elite strikeout potential and ability to limit hard contact make him a valuable asset for fantasy managers, provided his health is closely monitored.
– Kelly Kirby

Hunter Brown (HOU)

While the exact number of fantasy managers who dropped Hunter Brown early in 2024 isn’t known, it would have been completely justified, given how he started the season. In his first eight starts, the 26-year-old had a 7.74 ERA and had allowed 21 walks in 37 1/3 innings. It was ugly. After that, though, he settled into the season and was great to spectacular the rest of the way. He struck out 179 batters in 170 innings and stopped walking everyone. Brown is the exact type of pitcher to target now that he seems to have a repertoire of pitches that works for him, including a powerful sinker that he developed last season. He has some sleeper and league-winning potential in 2025.
– Kelly Kirby

What is Fantasy Baseball?

Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.

Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success

1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring

Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.

2. Drafting Your Team Wisely

A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:

Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.

3. In-Season Management

Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.