Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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13.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
1B,3B,DH
Vladimir Guerrero Jr was the top first baseman in 2024 fantasy baseball. If that surprises you, it shouldn't. The 25-year-old has demonstrated an elite ability to hit since he entered the league in 2019. Last year, in an ugly Toronto lineup, Vladdy hit 30 home runs, drove in 103, and scored 98 himself. He slashed an impressive .323/.396/.544. Some of those numbers may have resulted from an abnormally high .342 BABIP, but they're not outrageous compared to his career averages. The Blue Jays recently added some protection for Vladdy in the form of Anthony Santander, but the really good news for Vladdy is that he will be a highly coveted free agent after this season. Fantasy managers should jump all over the opportunity to take advantage of the young superstar.
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67.
Anthony Santander
RF,DH
Anthony Santander had an impressive 2024 season in his contract year, establishing career highs in games played (155), home runs (44), RBIs (102), and runs scored (91). His slash line of .235/.308/.506, combined with a notable reduction in his strikeout rate from 23.2% to 19.4%, highlighted his growth as a hitter. Now 30 years old, Santander heads to Canada on a deal with the Blue Jays and a questionable lineup around him, though Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will certainly provide RBI opportunities. Santander offers a rare combination of significant power and relatively low strikeout rates (career K% of 20.0), but questions remain about whether he can maintain his production after securing a long-term contract. While he's a reliable mid-round pick, early-round investment carries some risk, as regression could be on the horizon.
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113.
Bo Bichette
SS
Bo Bichette's 2024 season was marred by injuries, limiting him to 81 games and resulting in a career-low .225/.277/.322 slash line, with 4 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases. These figures are a stark contrast to his career averages of a .290 batting average and an .798 OPS. Advanced metrics reveal a decline in his offensive performance, with a .264 wOBA and a .303 xwOBA, indicating diminished quality of contact. Despite the setbacks, Bichette's track record suggests potential for a rebound in 2025 and could be a steal at his current ADP.
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150.
Kevin Gausman
SP
Kevin Gausman delivered a solid performance for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, recording a 14-11 win-loss record over 31 starts, with a 3.83 ERA, 162 strikeouts, and a 1.22 WHIP across 181 innings pitched. Notably, he exhibited a significant home-road split: at home, he posted a 5.02 ERA over 95 innings, whereas on the road, he maintained a more impressive 2.51 ERA across 86 innings. Gausman remained a reliable innings-eater, surpassing 180 innings for the fourth consecutive season. His consistent ability to take the mound every fifth day adds value to both the Blue Jays and fantasy managers seeking stability in their pitching rotations. Gausman's performance may hinge on his ability to regain the sharpness of his splitter and improve his home-field effectiveness. If he can address these areas, a return to his 2023 form, where he led the American League in strikeouts, is within reach. At 34, Gausman has shown resilience and adaptability, but the dropoff may be on the horizon. He is riskier than in previous years.
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165.
Andres Gimenez
2B
Andrés Giménez struggled during the 2024 season, recording a .252 batting average with nine home runs, 63 RBIs, 64 runs scored, and an impressive 30 stolen bases. While his batting average dipped from his 2022 peak of .297, his speed on the basepaths remained a significant asset. Gimenez's offensive metrics, such as a .638 OPS and a career-low .340 slugging percentage, made fantasy managers regret their high pick. His hard-hit rate declined to 27.0%, down from 37.8% in 2022. Now with the Blue Jays, Gimenez has entered that tier of infielders offering stolen bases and would go much lower in drafts if he was not a second baseman.
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167.
Jeff Hoffman
RP
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191.
George Springer
RF,DH
George Springer's biggest concern for fantasy managers is the lingering perception that he's still the player he was during his Astros days. However, at 35 years old, his skills are clearly on the decline. His stat line offers little upside-his home runs, runs, RBIs, and batting average have all dropped for three consecutive seasons, with his average plummeting to a career-low .220 in 2024. His offensive WAR even dipped into negative territory. At this stage, Springer is no more than an OF5, and fantasy managers would likely be better off targeting a player with greater potential.
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228.
Bowden Francis
SP,RP
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235.
Jose Berrios
SP
Jose Berrios's calling card is durability. The 30-year-old started exactly 32 games for the fourth consecutive year in 2024. In the 192 1/3 innings he pitched, he struck out 153 batters and ended with a 3.60 and 1.15 WHIP. He also won 16 games, which is a very high number considering the team he was playing for. Berrios's disastrous 2022 does appear to be an outlier in terms of ERA/WHIP, but his Statcast page is ugly, save for a low walk percentage (6.9%). Fantasy managers cannot expect him to win half his games again this season, but he is a perfectly serviceable SP4 or SP5 you can draft in the late rounds.
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277.
Max Scherzer
SP
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285.
Daulton Varsho
LF,CF
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308.
Alejandro Kirk
C
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317.
Chris Bassitt
SP
Chris Bassitt started 30+ games for the third year in a row in 2024, but he also suffered his second-worst career ERA at 4.16 to go along with an uncharacteristic WHIP of 1.46. The 35-year-old's strikeout rate stayed consistent at 22.2%, but his walk rate jumped over two percentage points to 9.2%. While he did manage 10 wins on a terrible team, he had trouble fooling hitters with his sinker and change-up, which is a harbinger for bad things to come. Bassitt is much more of a streamer/waiver wire pickup in 2025 than the durable innings eater fantasy managers have enjoyed in recent years.
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371.
Chad Green
RP
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453.
Ernie Clement
3B,SS
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480.
Yimi Garcia
RP
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579.
Will Wagner
2B
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603.
Yariel Rodriguez
SP
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636.
Nick Sandlin
RP
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640.
Orelvis Martinez
2B,3B
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667.
Eric Lauer
SP
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669.
Leo Jimenez
2B,SS
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673.
Ryan Burr
SP,RP
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678.
Tommy Nance
RP
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679.
Nathan Lukes
LF,RF
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744.
Alan Roden
LF,RF
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810.
Tyler Heineman
C
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861.
Erik Swanson
RP
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868.
Myles Straw
CF
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889.
Joey Loperfido
LF,CF,RF
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893.
Ryan Yarbrough
SP,RP
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991.
Ricky Tiedemann
SP
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998.
Jake Bloss
SP
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1040.
Addison Barger
3B,LF,RF
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1044.
Richard Lovelady
RP
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1077.
Davis Schneider
2B,LF
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1105.
Jonatan Clase
LF,CF
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1165.
Alek Manoah
SP
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1177.
Brendon Little
RP
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1181.
Mason Fluharty
RP
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1197.
Nick Robertson
RP
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1206.
Josh Walker
RP
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1218.
Dillon Tate
RP
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1231.
Jacob Barnes
RP
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1234.
Angel Bastardo
SP
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1310.
Amir Garrett
RP
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1323.
Zach Pop
RP
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1345.
Easton Lucas
RP
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1358.
Adam Kloffenstein
SP,RP
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1380.
Justin Bruihl
RP
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1401.
Adam Macko
SP
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1500.
Christian Bethancourt
C
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1618.
Michael Stefanic
2B,3B
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1640.
Steward Berroa
CF,RF
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