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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74.
Josh Naylor
1B,DH
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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104.
Zac Gallen
SP
Zac Gallen had a respectable but not fantastic 2024 season. The 29-year-old started 28 games and pitched 148 innings, racking up 156 strikeouts and ending with a 3.65 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Nothing in his profile stands out as "outstanding." He had a 25.1% strikeout rate, the lowest of his major league career but not terrible. The most concerning stat of 2024 is the jump in his walk rate from 5.6% to 8.7%. If he doesn't correct that area, his ratios will continue trending in the wrong direction. As it stands, Gallen is a decent addition at SP3 or SP4.
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145.
Eugenio Suarez
3B
Eugenio Suarez delivered a strong fantasy performance in 2024, hitting 30 home runs, driving in 101 runs, scoring 90 times, and adding 2 stolen bases. His .256/.319/.469 slash line aligns closely with his career .248 batting average. Suarez's power is supported by an 11.3% Barrel Rate and a .469 SLG, though his 27.5% strikeout rate remains a concern. At 33, Suarez will probably offer solid overall stats, but fantasy managers will probably need to ride out extreme ups and downs throughout the season.
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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
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
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227.
Justin Martinez
RP
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274.
A.J. Puk
RP
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275.
Merrill Kelly
SP
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357.
Eduardo Rodriguez
SP
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359.
Pavin Smith
1B,LF,RF,DH
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439.
Jordan Lawlar
3B,SS
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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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627.
Jose Herrera
C
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747.
Jordan Montgomery
SP
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749.
Jalen Beeks
RP
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768.
Anthony DeSclafani
SP
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769.
Adrian Del Castillo
C
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776.
Alek Thomas
CF
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858.
Randal Grichuk
RF,DH
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899.
James McCann
C
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909.
Tayler Scott
RP
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1003.
Shelby Miller
RP
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1029.
Kendall Graveman
RP
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1032.
Yilber Diaz
SP
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1073.
Kyle Nelson
RP
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1135.
Drey Jameson
RP
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1169.
Kyle Amendt
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1215.
Nicky Lopez
2B,SS,3B
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1218.
Trevor Richards
RP
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1225.
Blaze Alexander
2B,SS
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1281.
Andrew Saalfrank
RP
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1332.
Jeff Brigham
RP
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1339.
Cristian Mena
SP
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1353.
Tommy Henry
SP
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1371.
Blake Walston
SP,RP
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1480.
John Curtiss
RP
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1495.
Bryce Jarvis
RP
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1537.
Rene Pinto
C
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1559.
Aramis Garcia
C
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1568.
Ildemaro Vargas
2B,3B
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1627.
Jorge Barrosa
CF
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1630.
Tim Tawa
2B,CF
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