Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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15.
Yordan Alvarez
LF
Yordan Alvarez set a career-high by playing in 147 games this season. He showcased his power with 35 home runs, complemented by 88 runs scored, 86 RBIs, and a career-best six stolen bases. Alvarez posted an impressive .308/.392/.567 slash line, ranking within the Top 7 across several key offensive categories in all of baseball. While his walk rate dipped from 13.9% to 10.9%, his strikeout rate also improved, reflecting a continued ability to make selective, quality swings. Although stolen bases won't be a significant part of his game, Alvarez remains a reliable contributor in four key categories, cementing his status as a strong first-round option heading into 2025.
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46.
Jose Altuve
2B
Jose Altuve bounced back from his injury-plagued 2023 and played 153 for the Astros in 2024. He hit 20 home runs and stole 22 bases, the most since 2017. However, he is now entering his age-35 season, and we need to ask if the decline is in store sooner rather than later. His expected stats suggest Altuve experienced more luck than usual last season. His xBA was .262, compared to his final line of .295. Hix xSLG is perhaps even more concerning, dropping below .400 for the first time since 2015. The chances of him reaching 20 steals again seem low, but he can still get to the 15 mark fairly easily. Second base remains a difficult position to fill, so Altuve still has plenty of value. But don't pay for the player of yesteryear in case Father Time arrives early in 2025.
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56.
Framber Valdez
SP
Framber Valdez continued his steady ways in 2024, starting 28 games and pitching 176 1/3 innings. He finished the year with a 2.91 ERA and 1.11 WHIP and struck out 169 batters. Valdez lives and dies by the ground ball, sitting in the 99th percentile in the ground ball rate at 61.7%. There is nothing particularly wrong with Valdez, though when he gets hit, he gets hit hard, and his xERA was a half-run higher at 3.41. The trick with him in fantasy is simply that he doesn't strike out as many batters as other pitchers drafted in the same vicinity. He does offer the safest floor, so depending on where else you want to take your risks, Valdez may be a worthwhile SP2 anchor to your staff.
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57.
Josh Hader
RP
Josh Hader signed his deal with Houston in the offseason and then went out and showed why he'd earned it. The 30-year-old appeared in 71 games, pitching exactly 71 innings and securing 34 saves while blowing only four. He struck out 105 batters and ended with a 3.80 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. He still had a walk rate of 9%, but this was a vast improvement compared to his 13% rate in 2023. He maintains a superb K% (37.8), and batters still only hit .173 against him. The Astros are perhaps not the juggernaut they once were, but they have a top 5 closer with the ability to save 35+ games. When the initial run of closers begins, Hader will be among them and worth a pick if you want to target relievers early.
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79.
Christian Walker
1B
Christian Walker has been chronically undervalued for most of his career. Over the past three years, he has been a model of consistency, though an oblique injury cut into his production in 2024. He was traded from Arizona to Houston in the offseason, where he will bat in the middle of the order and provide protection for Yordan Alvarez. While he is heading into his age-33 season, Walker should be the fifth first baseman off the board in most drafts and should provide similar production to the four above him at a much cheaper cost.
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97.
Hunter Brown
SP
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.
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107.
Yainer Diaz
C,1B
Yainer Diaz became the Astros' starting catcher in 2024, which put a dent in his power numbers given the physical responsibilities of playing the position more regularly. In 148 games, he hit 16 homers with 84 RBI and 70 runs while slashing .299/.325/.441. For some, the catcher position in fantasy is about finding someone who isn't going to hurt you, and Diaz offers that, particularly in batting average. His xBA was the exact same as his actual, and he has a career average of .291. It's possible that the 26-year-old could cross the 20-homer mark in 2025, but you should draft him for his average and RBI potential.
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153.
Isaac Paredes
1B,3B
Isaac Paredes delivered a solid fantasy performance in 2024, hitting 19 home runs, driving in 80 runs, and scoring 64 times across 153 games split between the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs. His .238/.346/.393 slash line remained in line with 2023's numbers. Paredes's average exit velocity of 85 mph and a 27.1% hard-hit rate suggest some caution regarding drafting him for potential power. A 16.4% strikeout rate aligns with his career norms, but his 11.9% walk rate indicates a keen eye at the plate. The Astros' Minute Maid Park, with its short left-field porch, should complement Paredes' pull-heavy approach, potentially boosting his home run totals.
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163.
Jeremy Pena
SS
Jeremy Peña delivered a solid fantasy season in 2024, compiling 15 home runs, 70 RBIs, 78 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases over 602 at-bats. His .266/.308/.394 slash line aligns closely with his career averages and his 17.1% strikeout rate marked a significant improvement from previous seasons. However, Pena's 3.8% walk rate remains low, potentially limiting his on-base potential. With elite sprint speed in the 97th percentile, his stolen base contributions are likely to continue. As he enters his age-27 season, Peña's consistent production and speed make him a good choice for your SS or MI slots.
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198.
Spencer Arrighetti
SP
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227.
Ronel Blanco
SP
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274.
Cam Smith
3B
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387.
Bryan Abreu
RP
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388.
Chas McCormick
LF,CF,RF
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422.
Hayden Wesneski
SP,RP
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469.
Jake Meyers
CF
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579.
Mauricio Dubon
1B,2B,3B,LF,CF,RF
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626.
Luis Garcia
SP
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647.
Taylor Trammell
LF
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665.
Brice Matthews
3B,SS
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684.
Bryan King
RP
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736.
Lance McCullers Jr.
SP
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785.
Jacob Melton
CF
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789.
Zach Dezenzo
1B
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794.
Victor Caratini
C,1B
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813.
Ryan Gusto
SP
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851.
Forrest Whitley
RP
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868.
Brendan Rodgers
2B
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909.
Tayler Scott
RP
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1028.
Kaleb Ort
RP
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1045.
Shay Whitcomb
3B
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1066.
Ryan Johnson
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1078.
Bennett Sousa
RP
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1084.
Luis Contreras
RP
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1095.
Cristian Javier
SP
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1102.
Steven Okert
RP
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1122.
Nick Hernandez
RP
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1184.
Miguel Castro
RP
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1186.
Colton Gordon
SP
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1198.
Logan VanWey
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1252.
Blake Weiman
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1255.
Rafael Montero
RP
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1289.
Shawn Dubin
RP
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1298.
AJ Blubaugh
SP
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1336.
J.P. France
SP
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1549.
Cesar Salazar
C
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1569.
Cooper Hummel
LF
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1614.
Jesus Bastidas
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1619.
Pedro Leon
RF
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1671.
Quincy Hamilton
CF
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1679.
Kenedy Corona
OF
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