Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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4.
Jose Ramirez
3B
While it may seem unbelievable, Jose Ramirez remains underrated. The 32-year-old third baseman seems to fly under the radar every year, and every year, he simply does what he's been doing pretty much since he came into the league. In 2024, he tied his career high in home runs at 39, drove in 118, scored 114, and stole 41 bases. His OBP took a small dip (.335), but his average settled exactly on his career number of .279. Still, it is guaranteed that in at least one league you're in, everyone will look past him anyway. Imagine ignoring the guy who came within one homer of being the first third baseman in history to post a 40/40 season. Coming out of the first round of your draft with Jose Ramirez is one of the safest plays you can make in 2025 fantasy.
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43.
Emmanuel Clase
RP
Emmanuel Clase fell just short of leading MLB in saves for the third year in a row. He still closed 47 games for the Guardians, setting the team's single-season record. Clase threw 74 1/3 innings with a microscopic 0.61 ERA and 0.66 WHIP. Clase offers a devastating combo of cutter/slider that keeps opposing batters off balance and unable to make good contact. He also doesn't walk people. However, he doesn't strike many out (K% of 24.4), but the trade-off is well worth it to have the top closer on a good team. Clase is RP1 in 2025, and it's not close.
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82.
Tanner Bibee
SP
Tanner Bibee was one of the most anticipated starting pitchers coming into 2024, and he delivered a fantastic season. He started 31 games, pitching 173 2/3 innings and striking out 187 batters on his way to a 3.47 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. That being said, some concerning underlying numbers make him a bit risky in 2025. Bibee gave up 1.14 HR/9, and his fastball proved to be extremely hittable. Opposing batters slugged .476 off the pitch with an xBA of .283. A four-seamer with those numbers can spell trouble, particularly against teams that face him more often. Bibee should have good win equity in 2025, but he is much better seen as an SP3 than the ace of your fantasy staff.
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123.
Steven Kwan
LF
Steven Kwan's 2024 season was shortened by injuries, restricting him to 122 games, but he remained highly productive when on the field. He took a step forward in power, launching 14 home runs while scoring 83 runs as a key piece atop Cleveland's lineup. Fantasy managers drafting the 27-year-old will be looking for a repeat of his stellar .292/.368/.425 slash line. While he may not be the flashiest player, Kwan's disciplined approach-rarely striking out or chasing bad pitches-makes him a model of consistency at the plate.
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165.
Lane Thomas
CF,RF
Lane Thomas saw a dip in power from his 2023 campaign, but he compensated with speed, swiping 32 bases while still delivering 15 home runs. Slated to hit in the heart of Cleveland's lineup, he has the potential to reach a 20-homer, 25-steal season. That combination makes him a valuable target in AL-only and deeper mixed leagues.
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190.
Gavin Williams
SP
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249.
Nolan Jones
LF,CF,RF
Nolan Jones entered 2024 with plenty of hype, making him a popular early-round draft pick. Unfortunately, that excitement didn't translate into results. Limited to just 79 games due to injury, he struggled to build on his impressive rookie campaign, managing only three home runs and five stolen bases after posting a 20/20 season in 2023. His slash line took a significant hit, falling from .297/.389/.542 to .227/.321/.320, and he contributed just 28 runs and 28 RBIs. Outside of Luis Robert, Jones was arguably the biggest fantasy disappointment of the year. Looking ahead, a reasonable expectation is production somewhere between his stellar rookie numbers and his 2024 struggles-perhaps a 15/15 season. However, drafting him based on his 2023 breakout could set you up for disappointment.
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306.
Kyle Manzardo
1B
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308.
Bo Naylor
C
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332.
Carlos Santana
1B
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354.
Cade Smith
RP
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358.
Shane Bieber
SP
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391.
Jhonkensy Noel
RF
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406.
Luis L. Ortiz
SP,RP
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469.
Brayan Rocchio
SS
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496.
Joey Cantillo
SP,RP
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508.
Ben Lively
SP
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516.
Tim Herrin
RP
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586.
Logan Allen
SP
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599.
Triston McKenzie
SP
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605.
Hunter Gaddis
RP
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617.
Paul Sewald
RP
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626.
Jakob Junis
SP,RP
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671.
Matt Festa
RP
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710.
John Means
SP
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728.
Will Brennan
LF,CF,RF
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748.
Gabriel Arias
2B,3B,SS
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752.
Daniel Espino
SP
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825.
Austin Hedges
C
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827.
Chase DeLauter
CF,RF
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849.
David Fry
C,1B,LF,RF
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945.
Doug Nikhazy
SP
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956.
Parker Messick
SP
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986.
Erik Sabrowski
RP
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997.
Nic Enright
RP
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1004.
Travis Bazzana
2B
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1014.
Trevor Stephan
RP
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1030.
Juan Brito
2B,3B,SS,RF
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1044.
Andrew Walters
RP
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1057.
Sam Hentges
RP
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1075.
Slade Cecconi
SP,RP
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1086.
Franco Aleman
RP
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1093.
Andrew Misiaszek
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1105.
Johnathan Rodriguez
RF
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1112.
Daniel Schneemann
2B,3B,SS,CF,RF
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1149.
Richard Palacios
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1170.
Cody Bolton
RP
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1222.
Angel Martinez
LF,CF
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1264.
Matt Wilkinson
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1303.
Vince Velasquez
SP
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1320.
Luis Frias
RP
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1385.
Parker Mushinski
RP
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1407.
Kolby Allard
SP,RP
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1557.
Dom Nunez
C
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1604.
Christian Cairo
SS
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1652.
Petey Halpin
CF
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1653.
George Valera
RF
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