Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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11.
Corbin Carroll
CF,RF
Corbin Carroll experienced the common sophomore slump after a standout Rookie of the Year campaign, though his performance improved in the second half of the season. Despite this rebound, he fell short of expectations tied to his first-round ADP. Carroll managed to hit 22 home runs (11 in August alone), surpassed his rookie run total with 121 scored (compared to 116 in 2023), and ended just two RBI shy of his debut season's mark. However, his slash line took a notable hit, dropping to .231/.322/.428 from .285/.362/.506. His stolen bases also declined, with 35 steals in 2024 compared to 54 the previous year, even though he played in more games. Carroll's potential as a five-category contributor remains appealing, and his final stats will likely land between his rookie and sophomore campaigns. However, fantasy managers may feel more comfortable selecting him in the second round rather than the first.
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25.
Ketel Marte
2B,DH
Ketel Marte went off in 2024, setting new career highs in home runs (36) and RBIs (95). He added 93 runs and seven stolen bases while slashing .292/.372/.560, rewarding fantasy managers who took him on draft day and catapulting him into the 2B1 position heading into 2025. Marte missed some time last season with an ankle injury and has only played in 150 or more games twice in his career, so there is some injury risk baked in. However, at age 31, he seems primed for another monster season and is one of only two second basemen capable of a 30/100/100 season. Draft him with confidence.
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33.
Corbin Burnes
SP
Corbin Burnes started 32 games for the Orioles in 2024, throwing 194 1/3 innings while striking out 181 batters. He had a shiny 2.92 ERA and 1.10 WHIP and signed a six-year contract with the Diamondbacks in the offseason. Now entering his age-30 season, there are a couple of red flags regarding the righty going forward. The biggest one is his K%, which continued its decline for the fifth year in a row. Last year's 23.1 strikeout rate moved him directly into the 50th percentile of pitchers, which is a tough pill to swallow for many fantasy managers. The good news is that his other underlying metrics remain strong, though his ERA will probably land closer to 3.4 than the 2.9 we enjoyed in 2024. Overall, Burnes is still an ace, albeit not at the same level he once was.
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69.
Josh Naylor
1B
Josh Naylor rewarded fantasy managers who drafted him in 2024. He played 152 games for the Guardians, hitting 31 homers with 108 RBIs and scoring 84 runs. Batting behind Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez definitely has its perks. Naylor is now in Arizona to be the slugging first baseman in the order behind Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte. While 30 home runs might be too lofty of an expectation, Naylor should land in the 25/80/90 range in 2025, and he should see some improvement in his .249 batting average, which was suppressed due to an outlier BABIP of .246. He leads the second tier of first basemen that you can have for a cheaper cost in the middle rounds.
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89.
Zac Gallen
SP
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154.
Eugenio Suarez
3B
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179.
Brandon Pfaadt
SP
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190.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
LF
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248.
Gabriel Moreno
C
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266.
Jake McCarthy
LF,CF,RF
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271.
Merrill Kelly
SP
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273.
Justin Martinez
RP
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323.
A.J. Puk
SP,RP
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374.
Ryne Nelson
SP
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381.
Pavin Smith
1B,LF,RF
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386.
Jordan Lawlar
SS
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403.
Eduardo Rodriguez
SP
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425.
Adrian Del Castillo
C
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435.
Jordan Montgomery
SP
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474.
Kevin Ginkel
RP
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