Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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8.
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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26.
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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38.
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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170.
Brandon Pfaadt
SP
Brandon Pfaadt delivered a mixed performance in the 2024 season, recording an 11-10 win-loss record over 32 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He pitched 181.2 innings, with a 4.71 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts. The ERA is entirely misleading as his xERA was 3.78 and xFIP was 3.58. Pfaadt demonstrated exceptional control, issuing only 42 walks throughout the season, and he maintained an average exit velocity of 88.8 mph, a hard-hit rate of 36.8%, and a barrel rate of 6.9%. While these aren't great, they are an improvement on his debut in 2023. Pfaadt is an intriguing SP4 with the upside for more.
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191.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
LF,DH
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. delivered a solid fantasy season in 2024, recording 18 home runs, 75 RBIs, 72 runs scored, and seven stolen bases over 133 games. His .279/.322/.435 slash line aligns closely with his career averages. Notably, Gurriel's 18.3% strikeout rate marked a career best, placing him in the 70th percentile among MLB hitters. However, his 5.2% walk rate remains below league average, potentially limiting his on-base percentage. As he enters his age-31 season, Gurriel is expected to maintain his role as Arizona's primary left fielder, offering consistent power and batting average contributions for fantasy managers.
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211.
Jake McCarthy
LF,CF,RF
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212.
Gabriel Moreno
C,DH
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227.
Justin Martinez
RP
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274.
A.J. Puk
RP
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357.
Eduardo Rodriguez
SP
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359.
Pavin Smith
1B,RF,DH
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439.
Jordan Lawlar
2B,3B,SS,DH
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444.
Geraldo Perdomo
SS
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448.
Kevin Ginkel
RP
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537.
Ryne Nelson
SP,RP
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574.
Ryan Thompson
RP
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607.
Trey Mancini
1B
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769.
Adrian Del Castillo
C,DH
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776.
Alek Thomas
CF
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926.
Gus Varland
RP
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1032.
Yilber Diaz
SP
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1118.
Tyler Locklear
1B
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1135.
Drey Jameson
RP
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1153.
Brandyn Garcia
SP,RP
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1169.
Kyle Amendt
RP
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1218.
Trevor Richards
RP
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1225.
Blaze Alexander
2B,3B,SS,OF
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1281.
Andrew Saalfrank
RP
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1339.
Cristian Mena
SP
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1353.
Tommy Henry
SP
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1371.
Blake Walston
RP
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1495.
Bryce Jarvis
RP
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1559.
Aramis Garcia
C
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1627.
Jorge Barrosa
LF,CF
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1630.
Tim Tawa
1B,2B,LF,CF
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1662.
Albert Almora Jr.
RF
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