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Judge had some noise surrounding his status during spring training around lingering pain from the toe injury after the incident with the right field wall at Dodger Stadium. Those concerns were not exactly assuaged when Judge had a .180/.315/.348 slash line a month into the regular season with three home runs. He hit three homers in one week toward the end of April and went on to hit 52 more the rest of the season and put up a Ruthian .349/.484/.768 slash line the rest of the season while driving in 133 runs and scoring 114 while chipping in nine steals. In a year where homers were down overall in the league, Judge nearly matched his 2022 season. About the only thing Judge has never done is have consecutive 50-plus homer seasons, but that is nitpicking. It will be interesting to see what happens should Juan Soto not return in free agency, as Soto's presence on base was a contributing factor in Judge setting a new career high in RBI.

Progress is not always linear, but Witt has been on an upward trajectory since breaking into the big leagues as the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in baseball in 2022. He improved upon all three elements of his slash line once again in 2024, adding nearly 60 points to his batting average to lead the majors at .332. At age 23/24, Witt played in all but one game for the Royals, earning his first All-Star selection and leading Kansas City to its first postseason appearance since 2015. He totaled 234 runs-plus-RBI while reaching 30 homers for a second straight season. The one area of decline was in the stolen-base department, as he fell back to 31 steals after totaling 49 the year prior. He was caught stealing 12 times in 43 attempts, but Witt ranked at the top of the sprint speed leaderboard at 30.5 ft/sec. Amazingly, there's still upside if he can improve his efficiency on the basepaths, and regardless he's already an elite fantasy producer. Despite a modest supporting cast, Witt should arguably be considered right alongside Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge at the very top of 2025 fantasy drafts.

Ramirez shored up his Hall of Fame case with what very well could have been a 40-40 campaign if not for a rainout on the final day of the regular season. The third baseman was an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year (sixth overall) and helped lead Cleveland to the ALCS. He's as durable as they come; Ramirez played in 158 games in 2024 and has now reached at least 152 games in seven of the last eight full MLB seasons. While he's been in the majors for over a decade, Ramirez is still just 32 years old, so he's not at the age where one might suspect the skills could drop off the table. There was some giveback with his walk rate last season, which led to a 21-point drop in OBP, and the batted-ball numbers don't jump off the page. That said, Ramirez is great at pulling flyballs, and his run production improved significantly last season with help from Steven Kwan and others around him. Fantasy managers should be thrilled to have to settle for Ramirez in the first round.

Henderson, through his age-23 season, already has more homers than Freddie Freeman, David Wright and Francisco Lindor had through their age-23 seasons. He has more runs scored at this age than Derek Jeter and Fernando Tatis Jr. Simply put, he has been everything that was expected of him and then some through two-plus seasons in Baltimore. Nearly every measure across the board has improved year over year with nary a hiccup to be found. Despite the unfriendly confines to the opposite field, Henderson had 23 of his 37 homers at home. The power waned in the second half of the season, as his slugging percentage dropped from .584 to .447. His struggles, along with Adley Rutschman's, were a big reason why Baltimore ended up in the wild-card spot and bounced in two games without a whimper. The second-half slump will likely be motivation for him as he works out all winter and prepares for another full season of play a taxing position. He is a first-round talent and will be one for the foreseeable future barring injury.

Santander could not have written a better script for his 2024 numbers as he heads into free agency. The switch-hitting slugger hit a career high 44 homers while also setting career highs in runs and RBI despite Lord Walltimore stealing a handful of homers from him. Santander signed a long-term deal with Toronto, where he'll likely shift between the outfield and designated hitter. It's roughly a neutral park shift for Santander, who will now bat behind Vladimir Guerrero, but fantasy managers should view 2024 as a well-timed career year for Santander. He'll be adjusting to living in a new city, with new coaches and big expectations, so a step back to his pre-2024 levels seems likely. Still, he's on the short list of hitters projected by all projection systems to surpass 30 homers in 2025 and he should do so without tanking your batting average or on-base percentage.

Toronto was once again a disappointing club, especially offensively, but the blame cannot be placed on Guerrero. His 2021 numbers were inflated by the minor-league parks Toronto played in that season, yet the combination of his reputation and that season was the perfect storm to push his valuation through the roof. Last season saw him finish as the top first baseman and as a top-15 overall hitter in fantasy for a club that finished last in the division and led the league in stranding runners. Guerrero drove in 103 runs and nearly scored 100 runs despite the lack of a consistent supporting cast around him, and conditions are not likely to change heading into 2025 outside of potentially a healthy Bo Bichette in the lineup. Guerrero is a free agent after the 2025 season and could command a king's ransom in a trade this winter or on the open market a year from now. The rededication to his conditioning certainly helped him have a MLB-stadium career year in 2024 and there is no reason to think he cannot at least repeat that success in 2025.

After enjoying a career year in 2023 recording a 126 wRC+, Garcia turned in his worst season, posting a 92 wRC+. He continued to sting the ball with 87th percentile hard-hit rate and 85th percentile barrel rate, but both lagged the previous year's near-elite levels. Garcia fanned at the same clip, but he was less patient, perhaps from pressing. Garcia eclipsed triple digits in runs and RBI in 2023, buoyed by his success and the Rangers scoring the third most runs in the league. Last year, the club dropped to 18th with Garcia registering career lows in runs and RBI. Totaling 25 homers and 11 steals in an off year speaks towards Garcia's floor. Reverting to 2023 is a big ask, but splitting the difference and matching 2022's level is a reasonable expectation, plus the Rangers offense should be more productive.

Alvarez set career-high marks in games played (147) and plate appearances (635) while clearing 30 homers for the fourth consecutive year. He suffered a right knee sprain during the final week of the 2024 regular season, but Alvarez was able to return for the wild-card round. It's almost scary what Alvarez has been able to do with his strikeout rate, lowering it to just 15 percent last season while keeping his Statcast page crimson red with elite batted-ball numbers. He has a long history of knee problems, including double knee surgery in August of 2020, but Alvarez has few peers when on the field, ranking behind only Aaron Judge in wRC+ (165) over the past four seasons. Alvarez retains outfield eligibility after making 53 starts in left field, but he should continue to see most of his time at designated hitter. Taking advantage of the bigger bases and new rules limiting pickoff attempts, Alvarez added six steals last season, after coming into the campaign with two career steals. Fantasy managers would probably prefer he not run at all given his injury history.

After underwhelming throughout the vast majority of the regular season, Rodriguez caught fire again late to reach 20-20 for the third straight year to begin his MLB career. Arbitrary endpoint warning: Rodriguez sat with a .660 OPS, 11 homers and 40 RBI on the morning of Aug. 28. He would go on to slash .349/.386/.597 with nine homers and 28 RBI over his final 29 games, though it wasn't enough to drag the Mariners and their bottom-10 scoring offense to the postseason. He was efficient on the basepaths, but his attempts dipped, in particular after he returned from an IL stint due to a right ankle sprain. Rodriguez struggled against offspeed pitches to the tune of a .173 average and .199 xBA last season, but he made up for it to an extent by punishing fastballs. While his strikeout and walk numbers have not shown any tangible improvement in his three years in the league, and he looked more like a star than a superstar in 2024, it's important to remember he's still just entering his age-24 season.

Duran built on his breakthrough 2023 season by walking more while fanning less. It was the third straight season with an improved strikeout rate and second consecutive with a better walk rate. A career high barrel rate helped Duran lead MLB in both double and triples, elevating his stead in points and Best Ball formats. He faded down the stretch, posting a 61 wRC+ in September, after ranging between 102 and 193 the prior five months. Fatigue may have been the season considering the only games Duran missed were in August due to a two-game suspension for an audible homophobic slur. This was the only blight on a season where Duran captured down ballot MVP votes. He rebounded from adversity before and is likely to do it again. The safe play is pulling back from a career year, but Duran has the skill set to keep getting better.

Pick a stat, any stat, it doesn't matter. Counting stat, ratio, whatever. It was a personal best for Rooker. His 28.8 percent strikeout rate was still too high and is a concern since it's rare for a player to repeat a career year. Moving out of the Coliseum and playing in Sutter Health Park, the home field for Triple-A Sacramento River Rats should help assuage regression. After the season, it was reported that Rooker experienced soreness in his right arm for most of the season, ostensibly explaining why Rooker appeared exclusively at DH after only 14 games in the outfield. Rooker is expected to be 100 percent in the spring. He'll start the season with UT-only designation but should pick up outfield eligibility. The initial UT-only status could render a buying opportunity, helping buffer the likely fall off from last season. Rooker inked a five-year, $60 million extension with the Athletics in January, which should put an end to any trade chatter for the foreseeable future.

Devers delivered a typically productive season, albeit dampened by lingering soreness in both of his shoulders, costing him the last eight games of the year. The shoulder issues were not reflected in his numbers, with Devers nearly matching the previous season's performance. Though, he took a slightly different path, with his highest strikeout rate since 2020, but more walks and his highest barrel rate since 2021. Devers chased less; his contact in and out of the zone dipped, perhaps due to his aching shoulders. He's expected to be fully heathy in the spring. His glove at the hot corner remains an issue, with his -9 defensive runs saved marking eight straight seasons where Devers was a below average defender. Moving to first base, or even DH, could be in the works, but for at least one more season, Devers checks in as one of the most consistently productive third basemen.

Like many other Rangers hitters, Semien struggled last season. The difference between Semien and most of his teammates is Semien's game is subject to more variance, and his underlying metrics were nearly identical to his recent levels, he simply didn't enjoy the same outcomes. Barrel rate, hard-hit rate and strikeout rate were typical. The only small change was a small drop in launch angle, generating fewer flyballs, resulting in Semien's fewest homers in a full season since 2018. He also failed to steal double digit bases for the first time ever in a full season, but running often wanes in an off year. After missing just one game the prior three seasons, Semien was out for a whooping three. Semien is now 34 years old, so expecting a seventh consecutive full season with over 700 plate appearances is aggressive. He's still one of the best at a weaker position, but Semien can't get the same plaudits for durability and reliability as he could previously.

Chisholm enjoyed the healthiest season of his career as he finally broke the 125 games played total in a season while splitting his time between Miami and New York. The games played was not the only career high as he also set a new high in every counting category as well as batting average and strikeout rate. The change in venues from the spacious Marlins Stadium to the coziness of Yankee Stadium did wonders for Chisholm, as he hit 11 of his 24 homers in the 46 games with the Yankees while also stealing 18 of the 40 bases. We have known for some time what Chisholm is capable of while on the field, but the time lost in 2021-2023 due to multiple injuries impacted his value. He now gets to play the final two seasons of his arbitration years in a much better stadium and lineup than what he experienced in Miami and the cost of acquisition this winter will rise accordingly. The decision fantasy managers must make: Is the juice worth the squeeze given how much time the talented player has missed over the past four seasons? The 3B and OF eligibility is a nice added bonus.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Pete Alonso and Matt Olson are the only first basemen to have hit more homers than Walker. Walker's 95 homers over the past three seasons, along with most of his other metrics, have been a model of consistency, and he should be able to take advantage of the Crawford Boxes after inking a three-year deal with the Astros. The 11 steals in 2023 were a surprise that was not repeated in 2024, but the rest of his stats would fit nicely into the Spider-Man meme of guys pointing at one another. Walker missed more than a month with a late July oblique injury and returned in early September to hit just three homers the rest of the season. The lost time clearly cost Walker a repeat of a 30-plus homer season, and that late overall slump (.231/.319/.423) further impacted him repeating his counting stats. We can't explain why 22 of his 26 homers came off fellow righties, but if you are a fantasy manager who likes to bucket their options for drafts, Walker is a solid option provided that Alonso, Olson, Guerrero or Freeman don't make it back to you in a snake draft, or the acquisition cost on that quartet is too high for your liking.

Skubal performed at a Cy Young level over 80.1 innings in 2023 following his return from flexor tendon surgery, but many questioned how many innings he would be able to handle in 2024. The southpaw ended up running away with the AL Cy Young Award, shattering all expectations and leading Detroit to its first postseason appearance in a decade. He totaled 192 innings during the regular season -- 42.2 more than his previous career high in 2021 -- and added 19 stellar frames in the playoffs (2.37 ERA, 20:2 K:BB). A power lefty, Skubal can pull the string on a changeup that dances in unexpected ways thanks to a phenomenon now known as seam-shifted wake. He also has a slider to help against same-handed hitters, who combined to slash just .186/.238/.248 against Skubal last season. The Tigers basically took him off the table in discussions at the trade deadline and were justified in doing so, as Skubal is already an ace with the potential to be one of the best starting pitchers in baseball for years to come. If there's anything to nitpick, it might be the modest overall chase rate (77th percentile), but keep in mind his low-whiff sinking fastball is a highly effective offering.

Lopez's second year in Minnesota went much like his first, though he was a bit less effective overall with a 4.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 198:41 K:BB across 185.1 innings. He set a career high with 15 wins, but a 1.3 HR/9 was also the worst of his career. The right-hander isn't as dominant as a true ace with a 3.83 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across the past three seasons, though he's made 32 starts in each of those campaigns and has a 9.8 K/9. Lopez is a reliable fantasy asset but isn't likely to anchor most league-winning staffs unless he's able to produce closer to the 3.07 ERA he posted for Miami in 2021, which is the lone season in which he's produced an ERA below 3.60 through seven big-league campaigns. He'll turn 29 years old in March and just posted a career high average fastball velocity of 95 mph, so there shouldn't be major concerns for regression.

Gilbert is Exhibit A for changing the wins category to innings pitched. He led MLB with 208.2 frames, but despite a top five xFIP and SIERA, his nine wins matched the totals of James Paxton, Cole Sands and Jared Koenig. Gilbert's control remains his primary asset, with a 4.6 percent walk rate checking in as the fifth best among qualified pitchers last season. He was both lucky and unlucky with a fortunate .236 BABIP and snake bit 69.5 percent left on base mark. Gilbert throws six pitches, with a four-seam fastball and slider leading the way in both quality and quantity. In today's landscape where five-and-fly is a solid outing, Gilbert logged 26 of 33 starts of at least six stanzas. Durability is an ally with his 97 starts and 585 innings since 2022, both ranking as fourth most in MLB. Gilbert should be in play for those wanting an ace.

Crochet's career trajectory has been anything but traditional as he made his MLB debut for the White Sox in 2020 without first playing in the minors, and he transitioned to the starting rotation in 2024 without having previously made a professional start. The left-hander was dominant despite being on the worst team in the history of MLB, and he finished the campaign with a 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 209:33 K:BB over 146 innings. Chicago elected not to trade him at the summer deadline and heavily monitored his workload across the final three months of the season, during which he never pitched more than four innings. He also labored in those final 14 starts with a 4.84 ERA, but those struggles aren't a major surprise given it was his first season as a professional starter. The Red Sox acquired Crochet for a package of prospects this winter, so he'll be pitching his home games in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the game but should also get much better run support and defense than the White Sox gave him a year ago.

Valdez has settled in as the ace of Houston's staff over the past few years, and that trend continued in 2024 as he posted a 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 169:55 K:BB across 176.1 innings. A 3.36 xERA and 3.08 xFIP indicate he may have been a bit fortunate with the results, but those numbers are still strong and aren't anything to be concerned about. The left-hander's 16.2 percent K-BB% is solid if not a bit underwhelming for a pitcher of his caliber, as he continues to rely on inducing grounders (60.6 percent groundball rate). Valdez's recent track record of availability and effectiveness give him a strong floor, but his ceiling is more limited than the top-tier fantasy pitchers due to the lower strikeout totals.

Cole missed nearly the entire first half with elbow nerve inflammation but came back to make 17 starts, albeit not at the same level of dominance he had pitched at from 2018 through 2023. Cole's 25.4 percent strikeout rate and 17.9 K-BB% were his lowest rates since leaving Pittsburgh and the strikeout rate has now worsened each of the past four seasons. Perhaps it was the rust of missing so much early time as his walk rate was also his worst since 2018. Most of Cole's other measures held up well enough, but seeing his average fastball velocity dip below 96.0 mph for the first time in seven seasons is a bit unsettling. The velocity dip and the health scare are the first two signs of Cole showing he is not a machine in recent memory, which could make him a bit of a bargain in non-Gotham markets this winter.

Castillo, for all his abilities, has been rather inconsistent in recent seasons. He has made 30 or more starts in three of the past four seasons and in five of the last six full seasons, but he has just twice won 12 or more games, and his ERA has had a 1.3 run variance. The 2024 season was not his best effort, as a hamstring injury shut him down for good in mid-September. Sixteen of his 25 home runs were of the solo shot variety, yet he still had his highest ERA of the past three seasons. The related issue was a decline in strikeouts, as the 24.3 percent strikeout rate was three full percentage points down from his 2022 and 2023 efforts, and his lowest since that troublesome 2021 season with Cincinnati. A look at the numbers show the changeup, once his signature pitch, was arguable his worst pitch. Castillo is now primarily a fastball and slider guy, and while the four-seamer and slider duo has served him well the past two seasons, he needs a third pitch to re-emerge, as lefties were entirely too comfortable against him in 2024. This is not the making of a fantasy ace.

Ragans proved he could handle a full-time workload as his 32 starts tied for ninth most while his 186.1 innings were 12th highest in MLB. His effectiveness did not suffer as demonstrated by the 15th lowest xFIP and 11th best SIERA among qualified hurlers. It may have been variance and not fatigue but Ragans' walk rate and xFIP in September were his highest monthly marks. He didn't change his repertoire from the previous season with his change-up again being one of the league's best. However, the change-up was Ragans' second best offering with his four-seam fastball rated a tick better according to Fangraphs Pitch Value. However, his slider lost effectiveness, yielding upside if Ragans can recapture its Pitch Value without dropping elsewhere. Just 27 years old, Ragans checks all the boxes for a fantasy ace.

All pitchers and catchers rely upon PitchCon to use their signals; Bassitt uses a full keyboard. The righty has yet to come across a pitch classification he does not like, as he has thrown eight different pitch types over each of the past two seasons. What he lacks in velocity he makes up for with creativity, as he will throw all eight offerings to both righties and lefties to keep them guessing. The problem for Bassitt in 2024 was that hitters were not as disrupted in their timing of his sinker (.327 BA) or changeup (.321 BA), as they were in 2023 when they hit .220 and .189 off those same pitches. Bassitt leaned on his sweeper to hold righties to a .234 batting average with four homers on the season, but his cutter was the only member of his octet arsenal that did anything to prevent lefties from doing even more damage than the .305 average and 14 homers inflicted onto Bassitt's stat line. He has made 30 or more starts in each of the last three seasons, even as his ERA has worsened each of the last five seasons. The 2024 season was the first time his WHIP was an issue, but it was also the first time since his early years Bassitt was this hittable. He can still volume his way to strikeouts, but his fading fastball is becoming an increasing issue with each passing season.

The left-hander was limited to 14 starts due to injuries in 2023, but he stayed mostly healthy last season and finished with a 3.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 166:57 K:BB over 174.1 innings (29 starts). Fried has made at least 28 starts in four of the last five 162-game seasons, so availability hasn't been a consistent concern since he established himself in Atlanta's rotation. With that said, he's topped 180 innings just once in his big-league career, so he shouldn't exactly be considered a workhorse. Fried's 23.2 percent strikeout rate was on par with his career average as he continues to rely on inducing grounders (58.8 percent groundball rate), so his fantasy ceiling can be a bit limited compared to other marquee starters. That means he's a bit more reliant on the defense behind him than many top-level starters. Fried inked a long-term deal with the Yankees, who ranked 10th in outs above average last year, although it's fair to apply a slight free agent tax on him for his first year in a new pressure-packed situation.

For the second straight year, Kirby had the lowest walk rate among qualified starters. He got off to a rocky start with an eight-run blowup in his second outing of the year and a 4.33 ERA through his first 11 starts. However, Kirby then turned in nine consecutive quality starts from June 9 to July 26. Water usually finds its level, and Kirby's 3.53 ERA at the end of the year was pretty much right in line with the underlying skills (3.58 xFIP, 3.56 SIERA). He's now reached 190 innings in back-to-back seasons and is a huge piece of the best rotation in baseball. The only problem is that Kirby still has not shown any growth with his strikeout rate, which has hovered right around 23 percent in each of his three seasons in the majors so far. It's not out of the question that the right pitch-mix tweak could unlock another level with the punchouts, but that's purely conjecture at this point.

Gausman had a health scare during spring training when he developed a shoulder problem, which caused him to slide in some fantasy drafts. The right-hander avoided the injured list, however, and ultimately made 31 starts and threw 181 innings for the Blue Jays. Unfortunately, Gausman didn't look like the same guy, with his strikeout rate plummeting nearly 10 percentage points down to 21.4 percent. His velocity fluctuated from start to start and was down almost a full mph overall, and Gausman also didn't have the same feel for his trademark splitter, seeing his whiff rate on the pitch drop to easily a career-low 33.5 percent. Gausman did have three 10-strikeout games in 2024, offering hope that the swing-and-miss is still in there. However, it's fair to wonder whether he can rediscover it on a consistent basis in his age-34 season.

Berrios had us worried for awhile, but he ended up with a rather valuable fantasy season considering his surrounding circumstances. Berrios won 50 percent of his starts, which is outstanding considering he played for a last-place team that won 74 games all season. He began the season with a phenomenal April in which he won four of his first seven starts, never allowing more than two earned runs in any of them. He came back to Earth against Philadelphia where he allowed eight earned runs and then went on to have a rough close to the first half, which saw him allow 11 homers over his last eight starts before the break. Berrios sliced more than a full run off his 4.01 first half ERA by stepping up his strikeout rate nearly five full percentage points and ceased hitting batters as 12 of the 13 batters he hit in 2024 came before the break. The 30-plus homers on the season predestined him to a higher ERA, as only Robbie Ray has pitched to an ERA below 3.50 despite allowing 30 or more homers in recent seasons. Berrios is no longer the strikeout guy he was in his earlier years, but he is fifth in innings worked since 2021, trailing only Nola, Webb, Wheeler and Burnes. We would be asking a lot of Berrios to go out and win another 50 percent of his starts for a team that is likely going to be a noncontender once again, but he hasn't missed a start in eons, and you just cannot buy that type of volume these days. If you take some pitching upside risks early in the draft, Berrios is an excellent volume play to help offset the earlier risks.

In eight games in 2024, Brown was 1-4 with a 7.71 ERA and a 5.52 FIP, and he allowed 21 walks and 8 homers in 37.1 innings of work. Many, including the staffer writing this outlook, dropped him after the terrible start. Brown then went on to close the month of May with two quality starts with 12 strikeouts, three walks and just a single homer against the Angels and Mariners. Brown then did for you what he wasn't doing the first third of the season and went 10-4 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.12 WHIP along with a 18.4 percent K-BB percentage the rest of this season. Brown credited time spent with Ryan Pressly and Alex Bregman on approaching his game plan and batters, but the addition of a sinker in late May certainly helped, as it gave Brown a pitch that moved into righties and away from lefties. By season's end, the sinker was Brown's primary pitch, and the league struggled to square up most of his offerings after May. Only that sinker had an actual batting average against over .250, and Brown used six different pitch types to righties and lefties, keeping them on their toes. Houston has some changes to its overall roster, but Brown's significant step forward in 2024 in the face of some early statistical adversity has certainly raised his draft profile. Dare we say dark horse Cy Young candidate?

An artificially high ERA masks Kikuchi's best season since coming overseas. His 4.05 ERA is almost a run higher than estimated by a 3.20 xFIP and 3.30 SIERA. An MLB career-high 28.0 percent strikeout rate and career-low 6.0 percent walk rate generated the league's sixth best K-BB% among qualified hurlers. Kikuchi's 1.28 HR/9 was also a personal best in a full season since leaving Japan. He was especially impressive after being dealt to the Astros as Kikuchi registered a 2.70 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over 10 starts. Kikuchi didn't alter his pitch mix or distribution, but he did take a tick or two off his changeup and curveball, increasing the delta from his 95.5-mph four-seam fastball. Optimism is warranted, but Kikuchi will turn 34 years old in the middle of the season and is more likely to take a step back than repeat last year's exploits. He signed a three-year deal with the Angels -- a clear step down in team context -- so his fantasy price tag will be reasonable relative to how he pitched down the stretch in 2024.

Raleigh's 34 homers led all catchers. His 91 long balls since 2022 are 18 more than the next backstop. However, Raleigh's power comes at the expense of batting average. He's fanned at a 28 percent clip over the past two seasons, and his 50 percent flyball rate in that span suppresses BABIP. Volume is usually a benefit, except with batting average. Still, playing more than most non-catchers is a huge boon to his counting stats. Raleigh is one of the best in the league behind the plate, so he's going to continue to log more playing time than others at the position. Raleigh's skills are stable, so if you construct a roster to absorb his batting average, Raleigh's counting stats yield a huge edge. An above-average walk rate boosts "Big Dumper" in points and OBP formats.

Perez has now hit at least 20 homers in each of the last eight full seasons, a streak last seen by a catcher when Brian McCann had a similar run from 2008 to 2016. McCann went on to hit 37 homers over the course of his final three seasons, as all those years of volume catching caught up to him. It is a lesson that Kansas City has given credence to, as Perez has kept his games played at catcher between 77 and 91 since a recent peak of 124 games in 2021. Perez retains his first base eligibility, as the Royals look to keep his bat in the lineup while keeping him fresh as long as possible. The effort was well-intended, but the Midwest summer heat is tough, and Perez saw his 125 first half wRC+ fall to 101 in the second half of the season. William Contreras was the only catcher to outproduce Perez in fantasy value last season, and we see little reason why Perez will not once again attempt to best that list in 2025. This time around, his ADP is not going to be a triple-digit number.

Baltimore efforted to have Rutschman's bat in their lineup as much as possible as Rutschman played in 90 of the 96 games before the break while hitting .275/.339/.441 and providing stalwart defense behind the plate when he was not DH'ing. Perhaps the volume of play caught up with him, as Rutschman limped to the finish line with a .207/.282/.303 second half and was non-existent in Baltimore's quick exit from the playoffs. It is troubling to see the young hitter's slugging percentage in decline each season he has been in the big leagues as well as a disturbing trend in his production against righties. His wRC+ against righties has declined roughly 40 points versus the prior season each of the last two seasons, and while we are not forecasting him slipping any further against righties, a 45.8 percent flyball rate against righties did him no favors in a dead-ball year and helps explain the 27-point drop in his batting average.

O'Hoppe was limited to 51 games in 2023 due to a torn labrum in his shoulder, but he stayed mostly healthy last season and played in a career-high 136 contests. He clubbed 20 homers and had a .244/.303/.409 slash line with 56 RBI and 60 runs scored, but he may have deserved some better results with a 46.3 percent hard-hit rate that led to a .256 xBA and .470 xSLG. O'Hoppe had reverse splits with a .743 OPS against right-handed pitching compared to a .592 OPS versus lefties, but there's reason for optimism he'll rebound there since he hit lefties well during his time in the minors. Now entering his age-25 campaign, O'Hoppe's offensive production isn't near the top of the position, but he's a solid fantasy option that carries upside while heading into just his second full MLB season.

Diaz took over as Houston's primary backstop in 2024 and hit 16 homers with a .299/.325/.441 slash line in 148 games, with 99 of those starts coming behind the plate. He was unable to recreate the 23 home runs and .846 OPS he posted in 2023, but the regression isn't a major surprise since he's now handling the most demanding defensive position after previously working as the secondary option. He was also much more productive in the second half of 2024 as he got more comfortable with the added defensive responsibilities. It wouldn't be surprising if Diaz cracks the 20-homer plateau in 2025, and there's plenty of potential for counting stats given Houston's strong lineup. He should again be a reliable fantasy catcher with enough upside to be one of the better producers at the position.

Langeliers was the Athletics bell cow catcher for the second straight season. His 137 games and 534 plate appearances were both career highs while his 131 appearances behind the plate were second most in MLB. Fewer strikeouts and more plate appearances from hitting higher in the order fueled personal bests in homers, runs and RBI. He features above average, but not elite quality of contact, but even with the improvement, his strikeout rate is high. Despite poor defense, the Athletics are committed to Langeliers with no one in the pipeline to challenge him for playing time. His power will play anywhere, though Langeliers could benefit from leaving The Coliseum. Just 27 years old, he could continue to improve his strikeout rate, but is best considered a plus power, low average backstop hitting in the meat of a less potent lineup.

Whether it was World Series hangover, simple regression or a combination of the two, Heim experienced a sharp decline in performance last season. The switch-hitting catcher easily led the position with 95 RBI in 2023 while adding 18 home runs, but those numbers fell off in 2024 to 59 and 13, respectively. Heim's hard-hit rate fell to a career-low 36.4 percent, his barrel rate dropped to a career-worst 5.9 percent and his pull rate dipped significantly to 38.3 percent last season. When you add in that he's a fly ball hitter and the ball didn't travel as well league-wide in 2024, that means lots of lazy flyouts. Heim was again much worse after the All-Star break (.527 OPS) than he was before it (.644 OPS) and now has a career .579 OPS in the second half versus a .732 OPS in the first half. A scaled back workload would make sense, and that's expected to happen after the Rangers brought in Kyle Higashioka to share time with Heim.

Wells had a breakout full-season debut to the point where he was hitting cleanup for the Yankees down the stretch of the season. Wells had a history of strong strike-zone judgement in the minors, as he was always willing to accept walks and pull homers, but his rookie debut in 2023 lacked the plate discipline. The 2024 season was a return to that discipline with stellar defense behind the plate led by stellar framing work. Wells did better at the plate as the season went on with a 113 wRC+ in the second half compared to a 97 wRC+ in the first half (100 is average). Eight of his 13 homers came on the road, which dispels the assumption the lefty took advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium. Wells did have extreme troubles against lefty pitchers though with a 59 wRC+. The Yankees did attempt to limit his exposure to lefties throughout the season, but two extra base hits in 77 plate appearances against lefties outlines the hard cap on Wells's upside. His defensive framing and blocking endears him to the pitchers, but overexposure to lefties will hurt his overall fantasy production. Wells is not another Matt Nokes, but there's also a case here where Wells follows a Kevin Maas path at the plate, which was fun while it lasted.

Jansen missed the first couple weeks of the 2024 season due to a fractured wrist but stayed mostly healthy for the rest of the campaign, though he played in just 92 games between the Blue Jays and Red Sox due to a .205/.309/.349 slash line and nine homers. It was just the second time in five full-length seasons in the big leagues that he's played in more than 90 games, and the offensive struggles were a major drop-off from the .805 OPS he posted from 2021-23. His track record both defensively and offensively prior to 2024 netted Jansen a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Rays. He's atop the depth chart, but the Rays will likely manage him carefully throughout the season in an effort to keep him off the injured list. Even if he rediscovers his prior offensive form, Jansen has a limited realistic fantasy ceiling due to his proven inability to push for 400 plate appearances (career-high 384 in 2019).

Jeffers recorded career-highs in games played (122) and home runs (21) as he avoided previous injury issues and served as Minnesota's primary catcher. Jeffers stirred All-Star game talk with a hot start where he hit 12 home runs with a .892 OPS though his first 51 games. He faded in the second half by hitting seven home runs with a .632 OPS in his final 47 games. Jeffers had shown above-average power his previous few seasons, but his hard-hit, exit velocity and other power metrics declined despite his home run totals. He still had above-average bat speed (67th percentile per Baseball Savant), so there's hope for a rebound. Jeffers also took a step back behind the plate where his pitch framing and other defensive metrics were below average. Still, the Twins will count on his bat as power source as the team's primary catcher again. However, Minnesota is dogmatic about sharing playing time between two catchers behind the plate, which limits his counting stats upside.

Wong enjoyed a breakout in 2024, posting a career-best .280/.333/.425 line with 13 home runs, 52 RBI, eight steals while improving with runners in scoring position. Congratulations to all the fantasy managers who had Wong on their rosters, but they should prepare for a correction in 2025. Much of the catcher's improvement was fueled by a BABIP that hovered in the high 300s for the first half of the season. A correction began in the second half, when his .696 OPS was more in line with his career mark entering the season. The 28-year-old backstop far exceeded his expected line, but there was growth as a hitter; Wong chased fewer balls and made more contact in the zone. He's a good athlete and saw time at second (four starts) and first base (10 starts). Wong could be the long-term No. 1 after Boston traded highly regarded prospect Kyle Teel in the deal to acquire starter Garrett Crochet.

The veteran backstop filled a major role for Atlanta in 2024 due to starter Sean Murphy battling injury and ineffectiveness, though the organization still declined d'Arnaud's $8 million club option for 2025. It didn't take long for him to latch on with a new team, as his two-year, $12 million pact with the Angels was one of the first notable deals of free agency. Logan O'Hoppe is coming into his own as the Halos' primary backstop, but the 36-year-old d'Arnaud will provide veteran depth and stability. He clubbed 15 homers and had a .738 OPS in 99 contests during 2024, and he's likely to see more playing time than your typical No. 2 catcher in Anaheim. He likely couldn't handle an everyday role at this stage in his career anyway, but d'Arnaud could have some viability as a streaming option or for fantasy managers in two-catcher or deeper leagues.

Garver joined the Mariners on a two-year, $23 million contract in December of 2023, and he played in a career-high 114 games during his first year in Seattle. He's battled injuries for much of his career but was able to stay healthy in 2024, though his playing time was still limited due to a .172/.286/.341 slash line and 30.9 percent strikeout rate. Garver clubbed 15 home runs as he totaled double-digit long balls for the fourth straight campaign and had a 12.6 percent walk rate, but that was the extent of offensive positives for him in 2024. He made 25 appearances behind the plate and 83 at designated hitter, and he's unlikely to see much more action at catcher in 2025 with Cal Raleigh establishing himself as one of the best at the position. Garver had an .826 OPS in 209 games across the previous three seasons before the down year, but the inconsistent availability throughout his career limits the upside even if he rebounds at the plate in 2025.

It would be worrisome if 2022 ends up being Kirk's offensive peak, but it is certainly looking that way after a second consecutive disappointing season at the plate. He did not hit his second homer of the season until June, and his third did not come until August. By season's end, Kirk had managed to score just 23 times despite a .319 OBP and 386 plate appearances. The last player to score so few runs with that playing time was Miguel Cabrera over the last two seasons of his career, as he scored a total of 46 times over that two-year span. Kirk continues to have excellent strike-zone discipline and puts the ball in play, which is why he is in the top 20 for grounding into double plays despite much fewer plate appearances than those in front of him on that list. Kirk remains an excellent defensive presence behind the plate with his framing and blocking abilities, even as the league takes liberties running against him with 60 or more steals allowed in each of the last two seasons. The starting catcher job is his to keep, as the organization does not have anyone banging down the door, especially with the departure of Danny Jansen. The opportunity is there for Kirk, but he needs to end this two-year run of disappointing production.

Sanchez inked a one-year contract with Milwaukee for 2024 and split his playing time between catcher and designated hitter. There was no real surprise in his results, as he clubbed 11 home runs but had a .220/.307/.392 slash line and 27.1 percent strikeout rate. He's hit 30 homers despite inconsistent playing time over the past two seasons, but he doesn't have much upside outside of the power production. Sanchez's .717 OPS against lefties wasn't great, but his past success versus southpaws could mean he still receives some opportunities as a platoon option. He inked a one-year, $8.5 million deal with Baltimore, where he'll serve as Adley Rutschman's backup and a designated hitter option against opposite-handed pitching.

Toronto was once again a disappointing club, especially offensively, but the blame cannot be placed on Guerrero. His 2021 numbers were inflated by the minor-league parks Toronto played in that season, yet the combination of his reputation and that season was the perfect storm to push his valuation through the roof. Last season saw him finish as the top first baseman and as a top-15 overall hitter in fantasy for a club that finished last in the division and led the league in stranding runners. Guerrero drove in 103 runs and nearly scored 100 runs despite the lack of a consistent supporting cast around him, and conditions are not likely to change heading into 2025 outside of potentially a healthy Bo Bichette in the lineup. Guerrero is a free agent after the 2025 season and could command a king's ransom in a trade this winter or on the open market a year from now. The rededication to his conditioning certainly helped him have a MLB-stadium career year in 2024 and there is no reason to think he cannot at least repeat that success in 2025.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Pete Alonso and Matt Olson are the only first basemen to have hit more homers than Walker. Walker's 95 homers over the past three seasons, along with most of his other metrics, have been a model of consistency, and he should be able to take advantage of the Crawford Boxes after inking a three-year deal with the Astros. The 11 steals in 2023 were a surprise that was not repeated in 2024, but the rest of his stats would fit nicely into the Spider-Man meme of guys pointing at one another. Walker missed more than a month with a late July oblique injury and returned in early September to hit just three homers the rest of the season. The lost time clearly cost Walker a repeat of a 30-plus homer season, and that late overall slump (.231/.319/.423) further impacted him repeating his counting stats. We can't explain why 22 of his 26 homers came off fellow righties, but if you are a fantasy manager who likes to bucket their options for drafts, Walker is a solid option provided that Alonso, Olson, Guerrero or Freeman don't make it back to you in a snake draft, or the acquisition cost on that quartet is too high for your liking.

Burger clubbed 63 of the quietest home runs over the past two seasons, including 14 last year at loanDepot Park, which squashes right-handed power. Burger's 84th percentile barrel rate helped, though his .814 road OPS was significantly better than his .705 home mark. After getting dealt to Texas this offseason, he'll be in for a massive upgrade in home cooking, as Globe Life Field is the fourth-best park in the game for righty power. Burger seemingly sells out for power with 86th percentile bat speed and a 25.9 percent strikeout rate last season. That said, he's fanned at a lower clip each of the past three years. If Burger adheres to the Khris Davis plan, he'll hit the same .250 he's posted the last three seasons. He sports eligibility at first and third, adding to his appeal, but he's likely to see most of his action at first base since the Rangers traded away Nathaniel Lowe and signed Joc Pederson.

Go ahead, pinch your thumb and index finger together and shake it in the air. Italian Breakfast was a big part of the surprising Kansas City offense until he broke his thumb attempting to catch a throw from Lucas Erceg, which went into Jeremy Pena running to first. Pasquantino missed the rest of the regular season but still managed to drive in 97 runs with 19 homers. Pasquantino hit 19 homers in his first 558 major league plate appearances across 2022 and 2023 and then duplicated that effort in his third season while continuing an excellent approach at the plate. Fully solving lefties is the last piece of this puzzle, because he is truly at his best when righties are on the mound. The concerns heading into 2024 with Pasquantino coming off shoulder surgery were alleviated with his results, and the winter off should allow the thumb injury to fully heal. As long as Pasquantino can remain slotted behind Bobby Witt and in front of Salvador Perez, he is in the best possible spot for this lineup and should easily drive in 100 runs and push to 30 homers. Despite the incomplete season, he finished in the top 10 for first basemen, and his acquisition cost for 2025 drafts will be high.

The fall for Goldschmidt in 2024 was precipitous, but it actually began the year prior. Goldschmidt got off to a hot start in the first two months of 2023 following his NL MVP 2022 campaign, but since June of that year he's accumulated just a .250/.320/.413 batting line over 1,094 plate appearances. His strikeout rate last season jumped up to a career-high 26.5 percent, while his walk rate bottomed out at a career-low 7.2 percent. Also worrisome is that Goldschmidt struggled versus fastballs for the second year in a row after previously destroying them throughout his career. Given that he's now 37, it seems as though he's simply not capable of catching up with the heater anymore. Goldschmidt will get a shot to bounce back in the Bronx after signing a one-year deal with the Yankees. He did sport a healthy 49.6 percent hard-hit rate when he made contact, so perhaps there might be a little juice left in his bat.

The veteran first baseman split the 2023 campaign between Milwaukee and Pittsburgh and had a .747 OPS with 23 home runs, 86 RBI and 78 runs in 146 games as he revitalized his career, and he put up similar numbers for Minnesota in 2024 with 23 long balls, 71 RBI, 63 runs and a .238/.328/.420 slash line in 150 contests. It's Santana's second straight season with an OPS over .700, and he's hit at least 18 homers in each of the past 13 full-length seasons and has a double-digit walk rate in every year of his career. There's a growing risk of decline since Santana will turn 39 years old in April, but for the most part he's been a reliable lower-tier first baseman in fantasy. However, his .240 batting average in 2023 was his highest since 2019, and he could be a drag in that category since often derives a lot of real-world offensive value from his keen eye and on-base percentage. Santana is back in Cleveland on a one-year deal for 2025, and pitcher-friendly Progressive Field could slightly depress his upside.

Diaz still hit the baseball harder than most players in the league did in 2024, but not at the same frequency he did during his career-best 2023 season. Even more concerning may be the fact his GB/FB ratio was its lowest of the past four seasons as he fell back into the familiar trap of too many groundballs. Diaz was at his best in 2023 when he hit .326 off fastballs and .387 off breaking balls but those measures fell to .287 and .278 respectively in 2024. Perhaps Diaz felt the pressure of needing to generate offense for a team which struggled to score runs most of the season as his O-Swing% was the worst of his career. The surrounding cast's struggles particularly ate into Diaz's runs scored, as he scored 40 fewer times in 2024 and drove in 13 fewer runs despite 21 extra plate appearances and a career-high 145 games played. Diaz is entering the final year of his three-year extension with Tampa Bay and could very well be dealt before the 2025 season begins if the club is confident enough in what Jonathan Aranda showed in September.

After a slow first week, Casas found his stroke, batting .268/.359/.625 in the 16 games before being felled by torn cartilage in his left ribcage. He returned after missing nearly four months, posting a .239/.333/.433 line. A 33.3 percent strikeout rate in that span indicates Casas' timing was off from the extended absence while his 11.8 percent walk rate to end the season suggests he was less patient than usual. Casas' quality of contact was in sync with the previous season. Casas was supposed to record fewer strikeouts last season, but the injury derailed those plans. Instead of having evidence that Casas took the next step, we're still betting on the come. There's no denying potential power. It's still unclear whether Casas will be a four-category monster, or a batting average risk. He also needs to show he can play 150 games. Caveat emptor; the market isn't likely to discount Casas.

Vaughn picked the wrong year to significantly up his fly ball percentage. The first baseman's 45.8 percent fly ball rate in 2024 was more than 10 percentage points higher than his career mark coming into the season and his barrel rate was also a three-year high. And yet, he still fell shy of the 20-homer mark and also sported a sub-.700 OPS. Vaughn was a victim of the average fly ball distance and home runs were down across baseball, and it's always possible those marks go back up in 2025. However, Vaughn reverting back to being a ground ball hitter is also a distinct possibility. Ultimately, we have more than 2,000 plate appearances of evidence that Vaughn is simply an average hitter at a position usually reserved for big bats, and he's also part of the worst offense in baseball.

After breaking out with a 33-homer season in 2021, Mountcastle has seen that total continue to fall every year since then down to just 13 in 2024. Part of the dip has been related to injuries, as he's made four trips to the injured list since the start of the 2022 campaign and has averaged fewer than 500 plate appearances across the last two seasons. Another culprit has been the cavernous left field at Camden Yards. Mountcastle has seen his fly ball and pull rates drop each of the last three years and for the first time in his career hit more balls to right field than left field in 2024. If it was a conscious change related to the dimensions at OPACY, Mountcastle can feel free to now revert back to his old swing after the Orioles elected to move the fence back in a bit. The new left-field dimensions still won't be as favorable as they were pre-2022, but they'll certainly give Mountcastle a better shot to bounce back in the power department.

Aranda's 2024 was a potpourri of events. He had a fantastic spring but broke a finger near the end of it and that short-circuited his start to the season. He made it to the major league roster in May when the Rays were dealing with injuries but went back down in early June and wasn't seen again until the end of August. His time in Triple-A Durham was unlike his previous season as an oblique strain there limited his playing time and his ability to hit for power. Even more concerning was that he lost his contact abilities, with a career-worst 32.6 percent strikeout rate. The only true upside to his season was how he closed it, as he showed some surprising pop down the stretch with five doubles and five homers after his final promotion. Most of his batted ball metrics trended in a positive direction as the season closed, and the temporary home for the Rays in 2025 should be a good fit for Aranda. He is out of options, so he is a lock to make the team as long as he isn't traded in the offseason. The 1B-only eligibility makes him truly only draftable in the draft-and-hold formats or deeper mono-league formats, but there are enough late signs of growth from him for managers to remain intrigued for 2025.

France's numbers have been in steady decline and he faces an uncertain future in Major League Baseball. The Mariners designated him for assignment in July, a little over two years after he represented Seattle in the All-Star game. Tough business. Cincinnati brought him in and France took advantage of the comfy confines of Great American Ball Park to boost his batting average, but it was a largely forgettable run nonetheless. His limited defensive utility puts a ton of pressure on his bat. When he's not hitting, it becomes tough to justify keeping him on a big-league roster. He'll compete for a platoon role at first base this spring after signing with the Twins.

Schanuel's profile for a first baseman is unusual, much like his batting stance. He's displayed a mastery of the strike zone early on in his big-league career, having put up an 11.2 percent walk rate, 17 percent strikeout rate and 89.5 percent zone contact rate in 2024. On the flip side, Schanuel's 25.4 percent hard-hit rate and 3.5 percent barrel rate is more befitting of a backup middle infielder. It also doesn't help that many of Schanuel's batted balls are hit in the dirt, as his 30.6 percent fly ball rate ranked 119th out of 129 qualifiers. He can still be a useful player for the Angels given his on-base ability, but it's difficult to imagine Schanuel ever becoming a 20-homer hitter without a swing adjustment.

T-Mobile Park has swallowed up hitters in the past but Raley thrived there during his first season in Seattle, putting up a .901 OPS with 15 of his 22 long balls at home. The left-handed hitting Raley made just two starts versus southpaws all season, but he was a regular against righties and cranked 20 homers off them in just 373 plate appearances. With a career 31 percent strikeout rate, Raley is prone to droughts, and his counting stats will lag as a platoon player who will often be pinch-hit for late in games. That said, Raley does enough in the power and speed department versus righties to make him a handy deep-league option, especially with the added value of multi-position eligibility.

Torkelson had a good 2023 campaign and all of his expected stats suggested his numbers should have been better, leading to many predicting a true breakout last season for the 2020 No. 1 overall pick. Instead, Torkelson took a huge step backward, getting demoted to Triple-A Toledo in early June following a .201/.266/.330 start. He rejoined the Tigers in August and flashed some promise that month, but a .677 OPS in September and a 45.8 percent strikeout rate in seven playoff games had fantasy managers scratching their heads again. All told, Torkelson's hard-hit rate went from the 94th percentile to the 45th percentile and his barrel rate went from the 89th percentile to the 37th percentile, all while his strikeout rate went up. He's still just 25, but anyone betting on a Torkelson bounce-back in 2025 would be making a bet purely on pedigree, as there wasn't much positive to glean from 2024. He also isn't guaranteed a spot on the big-league roster with Colt Keith moving to first base and Gleyber Torres taking over at second base.

Like many other Rangers hitters, Semien struggled last season. The difference between Semien and most of his teammates is Semien's game is subject to more variance, and his underlying metrics were nearly identical to his recent levels, he simply didn't enjoy the same outcomes. Barrel rate, hard-hit rate and strikeout rate were typical. The only small change was a small drop in launch angle, generating fewer flyballs, resulting in Semien's fewest homers in a full season since 2018. He also failed to steal double digit bases for the first time ever in a full season, but running often wanes in an off year. After missing just one game the prior three seasons, Semien was out for a whooping three. Semien is now 34 years old, so expecting a seventh consecutive full season with over 700 plate appearances is aggressive. He's still one of the best at a weaker position, but Semien can't get the same plaudits for durability and reliability as he could previously.

Westburg had a solid sophomore campaign in the Charm City despite Lord Walltimore stealing some homers from him. Westburg, in fact, loved hitting at home where he hit .303 with half of his homers there compared to a .228 average on the road. Westburg was at his best at home against righties, which is the exact opposite of what we would expect from a righty hitter in Baltimore, but the numbers back it up. His percentile rankings are heavily red despite both his bat speed and chase rate being near the bottom third of the league, and his swing and miss rate and walk rate were in the bottom 20th percentile. Westburg suffered a broken hand after being hit by a pitch on July 31, which nearly cost him the rest of the season. Westburg made it back in spirit with a week left in the season, but went 5 for 32 with one extra base hit when factoring in the two games of the postseason. Westburg should be 100 percent this spring and should hit near the top of the lineup as he looks to build upon his successful 2024 campaign while remaining dual eligible at second and third on draft day.

Altuve was an everyday presence in the lineup last season after being limited to 90 games in 2023, though he wasn't as productive at the plate with a .789 OPS being his worst full-season mark since 2013. He still delivered 20 homers and 22 steals, which was his best work on the basepaths in seven years, but it's fair to wonder if Father Time is starting to catch up to him. Altuve will turn 35 years old in May, and it's worth noting that his .264 xBA and .406 xSLG were each 30-plus points lower than the actual figures. He has significantly outperformed those expected stats throughout his MLB career, but it's more of a concern as he moves through his mid-30s. Altuve is still a decent bet for a high batting average, another 20-20 campaign and strong counting stats in 2025, but the risk of a fall-off is increasing with each passing season.

Torres closed out the final six weeks of the 2024 regular season on a heater in slashing .313/.386/.454 over his final 39 contests after the Yankees moved him back to the leadoff spot. It was too little, too late in terms of his overall fantasy impact last season, however, as Torres finished the campaign with 10 fewer home runs, nine fewer stolen bases and nearly 100 fewer points of OPS from the previous season. It was an ill-timed walk year, and unfortunately inconsistency has been a staple during Torres' career. Torres does still offer plus power potential at second base, but with 15 homers in 2024 and nine in 2021, there are no assurances there, particularly when factoring in his departure from Yankee Stadium to Detroit.

Keith inked a six-year, $28.64 million contract extension with the Tigers last January, which ensured his spot on the Opening Day roster even as he had yet to play an inning in the big leagues. The youngster had stretches when he looked like one of Detroit's better hitters, specifically in May - when he had an .881 OPS - and July - when he collected a 1.048 OPS and clubbed seven homers. Keith was pretty dreadful in the four other months and also did very little during the Tigers' surprising postseason run. The 23-year-old's 87.8 mph average exit velocity and 5.6 percent barrel rate were both well below average, but a 19.8 percent strikeout rate and .305/.352/.366 line versus southpaws for the left-handed swinger was encouraging. Keith could take a step forward in 2025, but he'll always be held back to some degree by being a lefty hitter at Comerica Park. The Tigers are moving him to first base following the signing of Gleyber Torres, so Keith will have gain dual-position eligibility early in 2025 after exclusively playing the keystone as a rookie.

After breaking out to the tune of 14 homers and 14 steals in just 69 games as a rookie, Gelof endured the dreaded sophomore slump last season. He struggled mightily with strikeouts, fanning an AL-worst 188 times, which resulted in a 56-point drop in batting average to .211. Gelof showed signs of recovery in June only to post OPS marks below .700 in each of the final three months. The Athletics had nothing to lose and kept Gelof on the field at second base, affording him the opportunity to rack up 17 homers and 25 steals across 547 plate appearances. Gelof and the rest of the A's will be playing their home games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento in 2025 -- home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League -- which would seem to bode well for the offense. The pressure will be on for Gelof to bounce back and prove he should be considered part of the organization's long-term future.

Gimenez has developed into one of the game's best defenders at any position. Unfortunately, he regressed at the plate in 2024 for the second straight season, managing a lousy .638 OPS and wRC+ of 83 while popping only nine home runs. He also ranked in the bottom 10 percent in baseball both in hard-hit rate (28.5 percent) and walk rate (4.1 percent) for the second year in a row. Gimenez was not a lost cause in fantasy, however, thanks to 30 stolen bases and a 15.3 percent strikeout rate which allowed him to keep his head above water in the average department. The left-handed hitting Gimenez was dreadful versus southpaws in 2024 (.574 OPS) and looks like more of a bottom-third of the lineup hitter, but his defense ensures his spot in the everyday lineup. For fantasy, think of him as a stolen-base specialist and consider anything else he might provide to be a bonus.

The top pop-up prospect of 2024, Campbell slashed .329/.437/.551 with 20 home runs, 24 steals and a 20 percent strikeout rate in 115 games across the top three levels of the minor leagues. Selected with the No. 132 overall pick in 2023, Campbell signed for just under $500K and now he has a chance of winning a spot on the Opening Day roster in 2025. While Campbell received 25-plus starts at shortstop, center field and second base last year, it's pretty clear that second base is where he fits on this roster, where David Hamilton is the top incumbent and Vaughn Grissom also hopes to figure into things. Campbell has a much higher ceiling than Hamilton or Grissom and may not be a short-term downgrade, so it would make sense for the Red Sox to break camp with Campbell if they think he's ready, as he could net them a Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick. There aren't any obvious flaws with Campbell, although 2024 was his first year hitting for notable power -- he had a higher slugging percentage last year than he did at any stop as an amateur. If he looks like the same player in spring training, momentum will build in the redraft market, and he's already a locked in top-10 dynasty prospect.

India's time with the Reds has come to an end following a November trade to the Royals. The National League Rookie of the Year in 2021, India hit .247/.343/.393 over the subsequent three seasons. He reached a career-high 151 games last season after battling injuries over the prior two years, including plantar fasciitis. India was openly critical of how the team assessed the injury to his plantar fascia in 2023 and called out the losing culture last season, which set the table for his departure from the organization. While the change of scenery was needed, the move to Kansas City comes with a huge park downgrade. He packs a decent power-speed combo, but he's also a HBP magnet, adding to his injury risk. This will be a prove-it year for the second baseman as he looks to re-establish himself in a new league.

Lowe is entering a crossroads with Tampa Bay as the guaranteed years of his contract extension are over and he is now playing on a year-to-year basis on two club options. 2021 remains the high-water mark for Lowe's career, as he has struggled with injuries in each of the past three seasons. He has several measures in the 80th percentile or better but the swing and miss rates limit the batting average ceiling as Lowe has failed to hit over .250 since 2020. Lowe is about as steady as they come statistically, but his medical issues have included an oblique strain, a toe infection, a finger injury, a fractured kneecap, and a stress reaction in his back in recent seasons. The club did use him at first base while his foot bothered him this past summer and perhaps that becomes a new full-time home for him should Yandy Diaz get traded. Lowe's fantasy value would further decline moving off second base unless he solves his health troubles and/or finds a better home park.

Tampa Bay has long been infatuated with players who hit the ball hard, feeling they can perhaps coach them through their other flaws. Morel is the latest, if not most extreme of that archetype after they acquired him in the Isaac Paredes deal from the Cubs at the July deadline. Morel is a known-known in that he has plenty of power but struggles to make contact while struggling even more so in the field where he has yet to find a permanent defensive home. Morel's numbers plummeted after the deal with just three homers in 190 plate appearances, two of which came in his first week with the Rays. Morel's strikeout rate improved by five full percentage points while his walk rate also improved, yet those are the only positives to take away from what can only be viewed as a step back in his third full season. Many stars take the step forward in their third full year, so perhaps Morel can do so now in his first full season with Tampa Bay. The dual eligibility of second and third base is a nice added bonus for this high risk/high reward pick.

Holliday was not included on the Orioles' Opening Day roster even after a big spring, but he didn't have to wait long for a promotion, getting the call on April 10. He was back in the minors before the end of April after going 2-for-34 with 18 strikeouts in 10 games and stayed there for the next three months. Holliday experienced some initial success upon his return to the O's, but he was dreadful for the final six weeks and by the end of the regular season was no longer a regular. The skills which made Holliday arguably the top prospect in baseball were still on display at Triple-A Norfolk, but he simply looked overmatched in his first taste of the majors, with a 33.2 percent strikeout rate particularly worrisome. Holliday isn't the first top prospect to struggle in his first exposure to big-league pitching, and odds are things will click for him sooner or later. Less certain is whether he'll be handed a job out of spring training next year.

Rengifo's wRC+ increased for the second consecutive season, but he was limited to 78 games with three IL visits. The first was for an illness with the others due to wrist inflammation. He underwent season-ending surgery to correct the issue in early August but is expected to be 100 percent in the spring. Rengifo's game is putting the ball in play. By design or otherwise, last season Rengifo increased his contact, hitting more line drives and grounders. His average benefited, but at the expense of power. However, with new manager Ron Washington wanting the club to run, Rengifo obliged with 24 bags, six more than he totaled in his first 448 games. He qualifies at second base and third base with the chops to dabble at shortstop. Rengifo will likely focus on the keystone this season, hitting at or near the top of the order. He'll still run, but with 37th percentile sprint speed and a 77 percent success rate, Rengifo will be challenged to match last season's pace.

Massey was plagued by a recurring ligament sprain in his back last season which held him to 100 games played for the Royals and limited him to designated hitter duty in others. When on the field, Massey produced new career highs with a .190 ISO and 102 wRC+ while cutting his strikeout rate down to just 15.7 percent. He also graded out well defensively for the second year in a row. Massey does his best to get the most out of his fairly limited power with a career 44.2 percent fly ball rate and 52.8 percent pull rate. Unfortunately, Kauffman Stadium is among the most difficult in baseball for left-handed power. The 27-year-old's lack of base stealing chops puts a lot of pressure on his bat, and there might not be enough juice there. When you add in the back problems and Jonathan India added to the second-base mix, you'd have to squint pretty hard to envision Massey having a major fantasy impact.

The Red Sox called up Hamilton from Triple-A Worcester early in April when Trevor Story sustained a shoulder injury. The utility infielder wasn't expected to be a regular, but Story's injury lingered, and Vaughn Grissom's groin/hamstring left a hole at second base that was never adequately filled. Hamilton answered the call, playing 56 games at shortstop and 36 at second base. His walk rate wasn't as good as in the minors, but an elevated BABIP allowed Hamilton to take advantage of his base-stealing prowess - he finished second on the team with 33 steals in 98 games. His season ended in late August due to a fractured finger, but Hamilton made a greater impact than his .248/.303/.395 line might suggest. The club is expected to go with a Story/Grissom middle infield, so Hamilton will have to win a utility backup role. Red Sox manager Alex Cora is unlikely to waste a roster spot on a pinch-running specialist.

Ramirez shored up his Hall of Fame case with what very well could have been a 40-40 campaign if not for a rainout on the final day of the regular season. The third baseman was an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year (sixth overall) and helped lead Cleveland to the ALCS. He's as durable as they come; Ramirez played in 158 games in 2024 and has now reached at least 152 games in seven of the last eight full MLB seasons. While he's been in the majors for over a decade, Ramirez is still just 32 years old, so he's not at the age where one might suspect the skills could drop off the table. There was some giveback with his walk rate last season, which led to a 21-point drop in OBP, and the batted-ball numbers don't jump off the page. That said, Ramirez is great at pulling flyballs, and his run production improved significantly last season with help from Steven Kwan and others around him. Fantasy managers should be thrilled to have to settle for Ramirez in the first round.

Devers delivered a typically productive season, albeit dampened by lingering soreness in both of his shoulders, costing him the last eight games of the year. The shoulder issues were not reflected in his numbers, with Devers nearly matching the previous season's performance. Though, he took a slightly different path, with his highest strikeout rate since 2020, but more walks and his highest barrel rate since 2021. Devers chased less; his contact in and out of the zone dipped, perhaps due to his aching shoulders. He's expected to be fully heathy in the spring. His glove at the hot corner remains an issue, with his -9 defensive runs saved marking eight straight seasons where Devers was a below average defender. Moving to first base, or even DH, could be in the works, but for at least one more season, Devers checks in as one of the most consistently productive third basemen.

Chisholm enjoyed the healthiest season of his career as he finally broke the 125 games played total in a season while splitting his time between Miami and New York. The games played was not the only career high as he also set a new high in every counting category as well as batting average and strikeout rate. The change in venues from the spacious Marlins Stadium to the coziness of Yankee Stadium did wonders for Chisholm, as he hit 11 of his 24 homers in the 46 games with the Yankees while also stealing 18 of the 40 bases. We have known for some time what Chisholm is capable of while on the field, but the time lost in 2021-2023 due to multiple injuries impacted his value. He now gets to play the final two seasons of his arbitration years in a much better stadium and lineup than what he experienced in Miami and the cost of acquisition this winter will rise accordingly. The decision fantasy managers must make: Is the juice worth the squeeze given how much time the talented player has missed over the past four seasons? The 3B and OF eligibility is a nice added bonus.

Bregman is coming off the worst season of his career, but there is reason for optimism, especially after signing with the Boston Red Sox. Last year, his quality of contact was among the best in his career with a personal best Hard-Hit rate and fourth highest average exit velocity. His .264 BABIP was unfortunate, and a 6.9 percent walk rate was about half of its usual level. Regression alone should drive a rebound, but batting in Fenway Park is ideal for his fly ball tendencies. It would help if Bregman could revert to his extreme pull approach as he's sent fewer balls to left field each of the prior three seasons. Bregman's defense at the hot corner is above average, though Red Sox manager Alex Cora claims he could be a Gold Glove second baseman. Adding the keystone to his eligibility would be a bonus. Be it at second or third, expect Bregman to be in the lineup nearly every day, hitting in the meat of a potent offense.

Caminero's 2024 debut came much later in the season than fantasy managers had hoped for when drafting him prior to the season. Tampa Bay premier prospects are always delayed by service time manipulation, but Caminero's progress was twice disrupted by left leg injuries which led to him playing just 53 games in Triple-A and eventually 43 games at the big-league level. The overall numbers were not nearly as impressive as what he did in 2023, but the quad and hamstring injuries never allowed him to get into much of a rhythm. It is important to remember he already has over 200 plate appearances at the big-league level before his 22nd birthday, as he will not turn 22 until early July. The sample sizes remain too small to draw any conclusions, but Caminero has six of his seven homers against righties while his batting average against righties is nearly 100 points below what he has done against lefties. Caminero should be with the Rays for the entirety of the 2025 season as long as his body holds up, but expect more growing pains.

After playing just 70 games in his first two seasons due to a myriad of injuries, including two torn ACLs, Lewis looked set to become a star. Alas after hitting a home run on Opening Day, he pulled up with a hamstring injury and missed 58 games. He returned on fire at the plate by hitting nine home runs with a .984 OPS in 23 games when he returned. He then missed two weeks with adductor strain. When he returned in late July, he slumped at the plate for the first time of his career and had an underwhelming second half of the season. He hit just .207 with six home runs and a .620 OPS over his final 56 games. Whether it was not being used to the wear of a long season or bad luck (.248 BABIP over that stretch), Lewis looked mortal at the plate for the first time. He also struggled at third base (-2 Defensive Runs Saved) with the Twins giving him some time at second base for a likely move there in 2025. Lewis also did not attempt to steal any bases due to injury concerns despite decent speed. Still, he hit 16 homeruns in 82 games and posted a 108 wRC+ and was well above average in most advanced batted-ball metrics. He could bounce back with some better luck and a move to second base as he's enter his prime as he'll turn 26 next season.

After a breakout 2023 with Tampa Bay and a good start to 2024, Paredes was shipped to the Cubs over the summer prior to the trade deadline. The move returned him to the team that drafted him back in 2015, though he never actually played for Chicago during that previous stint, as he was traded to Detroit as a prospect in 2018. Paredes struggled a bit initially in his debut for the Cubs, and his OPS across 52 games with his new team was just .632, compared to the .792 OPS he posted in 101 games for the Rays. Still just 25 years old, Paredes should be able to get back on track in 2025. He popped 20 home runs and recorded a .739 OPS as a 23-year-old back in 2022, then followed that up with 31 long balls and an .840 OPS a year later. Paredes also tallied an impressive 98 RBI during that 2023 campaign. The young infielder is just a .232 career hitter and may never make huge strides there, but he's already displayed good power potential at the MLB level, and that's where he should be able to once again make his mark in 2025. Being traded to Houston should allow Paredes to boost his power numbers since he's a pull hitter that will now have the advantage of the Crawford Boxes.

Jung had a productive rookie campaign in 2023 with 23 home runs and a .782 OPS in 122 games, but his season was derailed by wrist issues in 2024. He was sidelined for four months after suffering a fracture in early April, and he underwent tendon release surgery in October after missing the final week-plus of the regular season. Jung played in just 46 games and had a .264/.298/.421 slash line with seven homers and 16 RBI, but the numbers are a secondary concern to the injury situation. He also missed about six weeks due to a thumb issue in 2023 and has played in just 168 of 324 possible regular-season games across the past two seasons. Jung is entering his age-27 campaign and still has plenty of upside -- his power potential is obvious with 35 long balls in his first 805 plate appearances -- but he's a risky fantasy asset until he can show an ability to stay on the field.

Garcia finished third in the American League in steals last season with 37 in 39 attempts. However, he managed just a .231 average, seven homers and 58 RBI in 626 plate appearances. The Royals' Opening Day leadoff man, Garcia ended up making 101 starts in the leadoff spot, but he fell to the bottom third toward the end of the year and it will be tough to justify returning him to the top of the order if he doesn't improve significantly upon his .281 on-base percentage. Garcia makes consistent contact but is allergic to walks, and his offense graded out as 31 percent worse than league average by wRC+ last season. His contributions on the bases make him very much relevant in fantasy leagues with rotisserie scoring, but less so in points and OBP leagues. Entering his age-25 season, Garcia has eligibility at both second base and third base.

Mayo has logged two seasons of excellence at Triple-A before turning 23 this December, but he failed in his first cup of coffee with the big club. A scouting and developmental success story that the organization takes a lot of pride in, Mayo has been on a steady incline as a dynasty asset since he received a seven-figure bonus after going in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. He is a passable defender at third base and moves well for his 6-foot-5 frame, but long-term in Baltimore, Mayo makes the most sense at first base. He slashed .293/.372/.592 with 25 home runs, four steals and excellent hard-hit data (33.7 Hard%, 13.3 Soft%) in 93 minor-league games but .098 with 22 strikeouts, four walks and zero extra-base hits in 46 MLB plate appearances. After logging a 71.5 percent contact rate in the minors, he made contact at just a 56.7 percent clip in the majors. It was a humbling debut for the hulking corner infielder, but his youth and track record scream "buy low" in dynasty and redraft.

Detroit has started to embrace a youth movement, and Jung's time to get in on the fun could be coming soon. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut in 2024, posting a .241/.362/.304 slash line across 34 games. He mostly served in a reserve capacity, however, as the Tigers used the likes of Matt Vierling, Andy Ibanez and Zach McKinstry at third base, which is where Jung figures to break in. The 2022 first-round pick posted a .939 OPS across 47 games for Double-A Erie in 2023, then recorded an .831 OPS in 91 games for Triple-A Toledo last season, so there is plenty of offensive upside here. Now that he's gotten his feet wet in the majors, Jung could be primed for a more regular role, depending on how the team wants to deploy the versatile Vierling. The Tigers have youngsters Spencer Torkelson, Colt Keith and Trey Sweeney already locked into infield roles, along with Riley Greene, Parker Meadows and Wenceel Perez in the outfield. Jung would give the team one more intriguing player with a high ceiling, and fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his playing time.

Rojas was the Mariners' Opening Day third baseman last season and came out of the gate firing on all cylinders with a .938 OPS, three home runs and two stolen bases in April. Unfortunately, he then proceeded to slash just .208/.285/.301 over the final five months and was non-tendered as a result. Rojas did grade out superbly on defense for the second straight year, but he also posted a .641 OPS for the second year in a row and again ranked as a below-average runner. He's a versatile defender with a career 10 percent walk rate, but Rojas has never had much power and if the speed continues to go in the wrong direction as he enters his 30s, it's difficult to see a path to fantasy relevance. He should receive plenty of opportunities after signing a one-year deal with the White Sox, and he's a likely trade candidate with a strong first half in 2025.

Between Josh Jung's wrist problems and Corey Seager getting nicked up, Smith finished third on the Rangers with nearly 600 plate appearances last season. He wound up winning the American League's Silver Slugger award at the utility spot, although the vast majority of Smith's production came in the first half when he collected an .861 OPS while slugging 10 of his 13 home runs. He had just a .565 OPS after the All-Star break, and Smith's .304 xwOBA versus his actual .323 wOBA suggests there was some good fortune involved. Smith should fill a super utility role again in 2025, although it's unlikely he'll play as much as he did in 2024. He'll be eligible at shortstop and third base out of the gate and could pick up additional eligibility, which is useful in deeper formats.ULL

Urias' 100 games and 301 plate appearances were his lowest since 2021. Part of the reason was an IL stint for a right ankle sprain, but he played less with the slew of young Orioles infielders taking over. Urias played primarily at third base, with short stretches as a regular. At the plate, his 115 wRC+ tied for his career best, fueled by an 18.3 percent strikeout clip, his lowest in the majors. A career high flyball rate helped him pop 11 homers, just the second time he's reached double-digits. Urias' quality of contact is below average, so he relies on volume. However, he's earmarked to serve in a reserve capacity, though he can play all four infield spots. Urias begins the season only eligible at third base, but he's likely to add others, putting him in play as a mixed league reserve.

Moncada's tenure with the White Sox ended with a whimper, as he was limited to just 12 games last season because of an adductor strain. Injuries were a common theme for the infielder during his final three years in Chicago, with Moncada averaging just 69 games and 278 plate appearances during that span. Moncada did enter the offseason with a clean bill of health and is somehow still just 29, but the reality is he's been a worthwhile fantasy contributor for just one season in his career and that came in 2019 when offense was booming across the league. He's expected to begin the season as the Angels' primary third baseman after inking a one-year, $5 million contract, but he'll be a gamble for fantasy managers, both in terms of production and availability.

Progress is not always linear, but Witt has been on an upward trajectory since breaking into the big leagues as the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in baseball in 2022. He improved upon all three elements of his slash line once again in 2024, adding nearly 60 points to his batting average to lead the majors at .332. At age 23/24, Witt played in all but one game for the Royals, earning his first All-Star selection and leading Kansas City to its first postseason appearance since 2015. He totaled 234 runs-plus-RBI while reaching 30 homers for a second straight season. The one area of decline was in the stolen-base department, as he fell back to 31 steals after totaling 49 the year prior. He was caught stealing 12 times in 43 attempts, but Witt ranked at the top of the sprint speed leaderboard at 30.5 ft/sec. Amazingly, there's still upside if he can improve his efficiency on the basepaths, and regardless he's already an elite fantasy producer. Despite a modest supporting cast, Witt should arguably be considered right alongside Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge at the very top of 2025 fantasy drafts.

Henderson, through his age-23 season, already has more homers than Freddie Freeman, David Wright and Francisco Lindor had through their age-23 seasons. He has more runs scored at this age than Derek Jeter and Fernando Tatis Jr. Simply put, he has been everything that was expected of him and then some through two-plus seasons in Baltimore. Nearly every measure across the board has improved year over year with nary a hiccup to be found. Despite the unfriendly confines to the opposite field, Henderson had 23 of his 37 homers at home. The power waned in the second half of the season, as his slugging percentage dropped from .584 to .447. His struggles, along with Adley Rutschman's, were a big reason why Baltimore ended up in the wild-card spot and bounced in two games without a whimper. The second-half slump will likely be motivation for him as he works out all winter and prepares for another full season of play a taxing position. He is a first-round talent and will be one for the foreseeable future barring injury.

Seager's tenure with the Rangers has been wildly successful so far, as he led the club to a championship in 2023, winning World Series MVP for a second time, and has now been an All-Star in all three seasons with Texas. However, he's done little to distance himself from the sketchy health reputation he developed during his time with the Dodgers. He underwent sports hernia surgery in September, which kept him from reaching 125 games played for the third time in four seasons. Granted, the shortstop played in even fewer games (119) in 2023 when he was the runner-up for regular-season MVP, and he still reached 30 homers last season despite the missed time. With a brilliant .290/.360/.512 slash line across his decade in the majors, Seager is well established as an absolute menace from the left side. Prospective fantasy managers will want to bake in an IL stint or two and may want to prioritize stolen bases with subsequent draft picks depending on the scoring format, given the 30-year-old is essentially a zero in the category.

Pena has failed to build upon a promising rookie season from 2022 which also featured ALCS and World Series MVP honors. He's been a reliable stats accumulator from a fantasy perspective, however, making him a solid starting option even at a robust position in shortstop. Pena finally began to take advantage of that elite sprint speed in jumping up to 20 stolen bases in 2024, and it's possible there's more in the tank there if he's able to refine his technique (he has just a 69 percent success rate over the last two seasons). He also cut down on the strikeouts for the second year in a row with a rate of just 17.4 percent in 2024, making Pena a solid bet for batting average even as he's a super aggressive hitter. While not a standout in any area, Pena makes for a viable option at shortstop once the bigger names are off the board.

There were fewer high-profile busts in 2024 than Bichette. Bichette's 2024 season was ruined by a calf injury and later a finger injury that required offseason surgery, so even when he did play, the results were terrible. Bichette was coming off a three-year run of volume peaking with the nomadic 2021 ballpark situation, which helped his overall numbers, as every counting category for him has since declined each of the past four seasons. You know things were tough for Bichette when he hit .225 on the season after never hitting below .275 at any level of professional baseball before that. Bichette is entering the final year of full team control with Toronto. A fully healthy Bichette could hit leadoff in 2025, which could help him produce somewhere along his 2022-2023 span of production. The 2021 season simply is not repeatable because the run environments in Dunedin and Buffalo were contributing factors, which are no longer in play, as Rogers Centre, even with its new configurations, is much more neutral. The 2024 season was terrible, but you should look to pounce if you see his market value is too heavily affected by recency bias.

The 24-year-old shortstop took a major step forward during his sophomore campaign in 2024 and finished with 23 homers, 30 steals and a .761 OPS in 155 games. He also provided plus-11 Defensive Runs Saved, though his range was limited with minus-five Outs Above Average. Neto was drafted during the first round of the 2022 Draft and has only 287 professional games under his belt, so he could continue to improve as he matures. He's a cornerstone piece up the middle for the Angels and got more starts in the two-hole than any other spot in the lineup last year. Early-November shoulder surgery clouds his status for Opening Day, and it could prevent him from achieving what otherwise seemed likely to be another 20-20 season.

Volpe was a disappointment in his sophomore season, losing more than a third of his homers despite nearly 90 more plate appearances on the season. His defense deservedly keeps him in the lineup every day, and his speed somehow allowed him to accumulate half of his plate appearances in the leadoff spot despite a .293 OBP both overall as well as when he hit first in the lineup. Who are we to judge since the club made it to the World Series? We only bring it up because Volpe's run scoring total will likely decline if the Yankees find a better fit for leadoff, as Volpe's speed makes him a better fit to lead off a 1980's Yankee lineup than it does a modern day one. That would leave us with his steals as his most redeeming quality, and 12 of those came from the leadoff spot. Volpe did improve his strikeout rate, yet it, his walk rate and his ability to lay off pitches out of the zone all remain below league average. Beware the Yankee tariff, because the pinstripes make this player appear better than he actually is at this moment.

The Padres decided before this past season to play the defensively-superior Kim at shortstop full-time and shift Xander Bogaerts to second base. Unfortunately, Bogaerts was forced to move back to short in mid-September after Kim suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury which eventually required labrum surgery. Kim's recovery is expected to drag on after Opening Day, and he will enter 2025 with fantasy eligibility only at shortstop on most platforms. A late start to the season and the fact that he's returning from major shoulder surgery could impact his already-middling power. The good news is Kim should remain a nice source of stolen bases when he makes his debut after signing with Tampa Bay, where he'll get a ballpark bump after leaving Petco.

Correa showed last year he can still be a star at the plate as Minnesota's starting shortstop, but struggled again to stay healthy. Correa had just a 95 wRC+ in 2023 as he battled plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Fully healthy at the start of the season, Correa hit .308 with a .896 OPS in the first half and was named to the AL All-Star team. After struggling against fastballs for the first time in his career in 2023 (-5 Run Value per Baseball Savant), he bounced back with a .425 wOBA against fastballs (+5 run value). All his success came to a halt just before the All-Star break when Correa was sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He was able to return in September, hitting .325 with a .960 OPS in 11 games. He was clearly not moving at full speed when he returned, but rest and rehab in the offseason should have him ready for spring training. He showed he still has above-average power (70th percentile in Avg. Exit Velocity and 71st in Hard-Hit Rate) and an outstanding eye at the plate (155 wRC+) along with premium defense. However, his foot issues along with long-term concerns about his ankle (a plate inserted in his ankle from a 2014 injury scared off teams from signing him in 2023) make him a major injury risk.

After appearing in 23 MLB games in 2023, Rocchio got more extended run with Cleveland in 2024 as the team's primary shortstop. The 23-year-old looked like a glove-first player who offered a little speed on the bases but was mostly inconsistent as a hitter. Rocchio ended up finishing the year with a .614 OPS, eight home runs and 10 stolen bases in 143 games. Looking ahead, he once again projects as the team's top option at short, and on a club that values defense and solid fundamentals, Rocchio should be able to hold onto the job. He has shown flashes of more offensive promise in the minors, so there may also be some room for growth in his game as well. For the time being, Rocchio isn't the most exciting fantasy option, but the playing time should be there and he's worth keeping an eye on if his production starts to trend upward.

Crawford was perhaps the biggest disappointment amongst a host of them in Seattle's position player group last season. Out of 169 players to accrue at least 450 plate appearances, Crawford ranked 163rd with a .625 OPS, which was nearly a 200-point drop from his .818 mark in 2023. Crawford's offensive performance in 2023 is the clear outlier in his career, particularly from a power perspective, so a repeat in 2024 wasn't expected. The fall was alarming, though, particularly against right-handers, with the left-handed batting Crawford slashing a paltry .173/.283/.282 versus righties. A modest bounceback in 2025 is likely, especially if the Mariners give Crawford another shot in the leadoff spot. That said, Crawford's fantasy ceiling is limited even if things break right.

Story endured a third consecutive injury-marred year and has played a season's worth of games (163) in a Red Sox uniform since signing with them in 2022. In 2024, it was a shoulder injury suffered in early April - it appeared to be season-ending - but the shortstop worked the rehab hard and returned in September. In 26 games, Story batted .255/.340/.394 with two home runs, 10 RBI and six steals. A.L. pitchers were still a puzzle for Story, whose 31.1 strikeout percentage was the third consecutive season north of 30 percent, and his hard-hit rate fell off the cliff to a career-low 29.5 percent. In addition to the toll injuries have taken, Story is entering his age-32 season, so expecting an appearance of the Colorado version of Story may be too much at this stage. However, he could still be an effective bat from the right side, which Boston desperately needs after Tyler O'Neill's departure.

Wilson rarely strikes out and is a big-league caliber defensive shortstop. Beyond that, he may not bring much to the table. The No. 6 overall pick in 2023, Wilson has only needed around 25 games at each of the three highest levels of the minors en route to his big-league debut just after the All-Star break. He quickly suffered a hamstring strain that kept him out until late-August, so he didn't end up playing enough to exhaust his prospect eligibility. Wilson struck out just over 10 percent of the time at High-A and Double-A and he struck out 4.3 percent of the time at Triple-A and 9.7 percent of the time in the majors. He is an elite contact hitter, but he is also aggressive at the dish, and he needs the pitcher to make a mistake for him to get a ball he can drive out of the park. He had a poor 24.4 percent hard-hit rate and a 22.2 percent soft-hit rate in the minors, and of his eight pro homers in 107 games, three came in the Pacific Coast League bandbox in Las Vegas and one came in the hitter-friendly road park at Amarillo when he as at Double-A. Wilson is hit-over-power to the extreme, and there's little evidence that there's more than 10-15 homer juice in his bat at peak. He's also attempted just eight steals in pro ball, with zero attempted steals in 28 games in the majors. Wilson should play every day and help your batting average while potentially hurting you everywhere else.

A prospect who is more highly thought of by some real-life prospect rankers than those who focus on fantasy value, Montgomery has yet to hit above .250 at Double-A or Triple-A, and he has less foot speed/stolen base upside than the typical acclaimed shortstop prospect. The biggest selling points are opportunity - the White Sox seem set on shoehorning him in as their shortstop of the future - power and on-base percentage. His poor showing as an age-appropriate player at Triple-A (.214/.329/.381 triple-slash, 88 wRC+, 28.6 K%) should be weighed more heavily than his 1.167 OPS, three home runs and 6:10 K:BB in 11 Arizona Fall League games, although the AFL showing does at least give those rostering him in dynasty leagues and 2025 draft-and-hold leagues some hope. In a healthy organization, Montgomery would probably debut as a third baseman, but he's ticketed for shortstop work on the South Side. In OBP leagues, he should have a solid run as a power-hitting middle-infield option, but in batting average leagues, there's no guarantee he produces enough to be someone you want in your starting lineup.

Baez's move to Detroit has been a disaster and 2024 may have marked the low point. The shortstop batted .184 with a career-worst .515 OPS and mustered only six home runs and 37 RBI across 80 games. A hip injury eventually shut Baez down, and he underwent surgery in early September. The veteran should be ready for 2025 and the organization has said he will have a role with the team, but it's possible that he shifts to the bench. Rookie Trey Sweeney took over when Baez went out, and though the former predictably endured some struggles as a young player, he's much more in line with the rest of Detroit's youth movement. Baez has three years and $73 million remaining on his contract, so he won't be cut, while a trade also feels unlikely unless Detroit is willing to eat a decent amount of salary. The most likely scenario has the 31-year-old back with the team, and it's also quite possible he starts again on Opening Day. However, the Tigers are unlikely to show much patience with Baez, and fantasy managers should look elsewhere until further notice.

Judge had some noise surrounding his status during spring training around lingering pain from the toe injury after the incident with the right field wall at Dodger Stadium. Those concerns were not exactly assuaged when Judge had a .180/.315/.348 slash line a month into the regular season with three home runs. He hit three homers in one week toward the end of April and went on to hit 52 more the rest of the season and put up a Ruthian .349/.484/.768 slash line the rest of the season while driving in 133 runs and scoring 114 while chipping in nine steals. In a year where homers were down overall in the league, Judge nearly matched his 2022 season. About the only thing Judge has never done is have consecutive 50-plus homer seasons, but that is nitpicking. It will be interesting to see what happens should Juan Soto not return in free agency, as Soto's presence on base was a contributing factor in Judge setting a new career high in RBI.

Santander could not have written a better script for his 2024 numbers as he heads into free agency. The switch-hitting slugger hit a career high 44 homers while also setting career highs in runs and RBI despite Lord Walltimore stealing a handful of homers from him. Santander signed a long-term deal with Toronto, where he'll likely shift between the outfield and designated hitter. It's roughly a neutral park shift for Santander, who will now bat behind Vladimir Guerrero, but fantasy managers should view 2024 as a well-timed career year for Santander. He'll be adjusting to living in a new city, with new coaches and big expectations, so a step back to his pre-2024 levels seems likely. Still, he's on the short list of hitters projected by all projection systems to surpass 30 homers in 2025 and he should do so without tanking your batting average or on-base percentage.

After enjoying a career year in 2023 recording a 126 wRC+, Garcia turned in his worst season, posting a 92 wRC+. He continued to sting the ball with 87th percentile hard-hit rate and 85th percentile barrel rate, but both lagged the previous year's near-elite levels. Garcia fanned at the same clip, but he was less patient, perhaps from pressing. Garcia eclipsed triple digits in runs and RBI in 2023, buoyed by his success and the Rangers scoring the third most runs in the league. Last year, the club dropped to 18th with Garcia registering career lows in runs and RBI. Totaling 25 homers and 11 steals in an off year speaks towards Garcia's floor. Reverting to 2023 is a big ask, but splitting the difference and matching 2022's level is a reasonable expectation, plus the Rangers offense should be more productive.

Alvarez set career-high marks in games played (147) and plate appearances (635) while clearing 30 homers for the fourth consecutive year. He suffered a right knee sprain during the final week of the 2024 regular season, but Alvarez was able to return for the wild-card round. It's almost scary what Alvarez has been able to do with his strikeout rate, lowering it to just 15 percent last season while keeping his Statcast page crimson red with elite batted-ball numbers. He has a long history of knee problems, including double knee surgery in August of 2020, but Alvarez has few peers when on the field, ranking behind only Aaron Judge in wRC+ (165) over the past four seasons. Alvarez retains outfield eligibility after making 53 starts in left field, but he should continue to see most of his time at designated hitter. Taking advantage of the bigger bases and new rules limiting pickoff attempts, Alvarez added six steals last season, after coming into the campaign with two career steals. Fantasy managers would probably prefer he not run at all given his injury history.

After underwhelming throughout the vast majority of the regular season, Rodriguez caught fire again late to reach 20-20 for the third straight year to begin his MLB career. Arbitrary endpoint warning: Rodriguez sat with a .660 OPS, 11 homers and 40 RBI on the morning of Aug. 28. He would go on to slash .349/.386/.597 with nine homers and 28 RBI over his final 29 games, though it wasn't enough to drag the Mariners and their bottom-10 scoring offense to the postseason. He was efficient on the basepaths, but his attempts dipped, in particular after he returned from an IL stint due to a right ankle sprain. Rodriguez struggled against offspeed pitches to the tune of a .173 average and .199 xBA last season, but he made up for it to an extent by punishing fastballs. While his strikeout and walk numbers have not shown any tangible improvement in his three years in the league, and he looked more like a star than a superstar in 2024, it's important to remember he's still just entering his age-24 season.

Duran built on his breakthrough 2023 season by walking more while fanning less. It was the third straight season with an improved strikeout rate and second consecutive with a better walk rate. A career high barrel rate helped Duran lead MLB in both double and triples, elevating his stead in points and Best Ball formats. He faded down the stretch, posting a 61 wRC+ in September, after ranging between 102 and 193 the prior five months. Fatigue may have been the season considering the only games Duran missed were in August due to a two-game suspension for an audible homophobic slur. This was the only blight on a season where Duran captured down ballot MVP votes. He rebounded from adversity before and is likely to do it again. The safe play is pulling back from a career year, but Duran has the skill set to keep getting better.

Bucking the traditional prospect path, Langford made the Rangers' Opening Day roster in spring training 2024 and debuted in the big leagues after just 44 games in the minors. The fourth overall pick in 2023, Langford struggled out of the gates last season, posting a .588 OPS through his first 31 MLB games before a right hamstring strain put him on the injured list. He would bat .300 or higher in two of the final fourth months while adding eight homers in September to bring him up to a 110 wRC+ for the season. On the strength of 98th percentile sprint speed, Langford stole 19 bases in 22 attempts. While it wasn't the Rookie of the Year campaign many expected, he showcased a highly advanced plate approach for a 22-year-old (20.6 K%, 9.2 BB%). His strong finish should renew excitement heading into 2025. A step forward could easily vault Langford into the top 15 among fantasy outfielders.

Either advanced metrics aren't capturing what drives Bellinger's success, or he's been fortunate for three seasons. Since 2022, Bellinger has outperformed his xwOBA. Two years ago, it was by a whopping 53 points then last season the delta fell to 21 points. Bellinger sports the combination of mediocre quality of contact with a low strikeout rate, leading to variance. If true, the regression monster and Lady Luck will have words, so don't be surprised if Bellinger's numbers tumble. Durability is also an issue with 130 games played each of the past two seasons, and an average of 125 spanning the past four years. Bellinger's stolen bases dropped last season, though his 82 percent success rate (9-for-11) bodes well for a return to double digits. He could also see a power boost thanks to the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium after being traded to the Bronx. Someone is likely to draft Bellinger's name brand and inflated stats. Don't get in their way.

Cowser revamped his swing, specifically to better handle heat. The early returns opened eyes in the spring and Cowser broke camp. He continued mashing in early April, taking over every day in left field. Cowser experienced a couple of slumps, temporarily costing playing time, but he always recovered and posted a 120 wRC+ in his freshman campaign, finishing a close second for AL Rookie of the Year. A 90th percentile barrel rate and 77th percentile hard-hit rate covered up a high 30.7 percent strikeout rate. Cowser's splits facing southpaws need work, but his defense should fend off a platoon. There's still a logjam in the Orioles infield but Cowser's path is clear to continue chasing fly balls in left field. A fractured hand suffered in the playoffs is expected to be fine in the spring. The arrows are pointing up, with contact his main Achilles heel.

Thomas' power fell off significantly in 2024 following his 28-homer breakout in 2023, but he was still able to turn in a top-30 outfielder season for fantasy managers thanks in large part to a career-high 32 stolen bases. The 29-year-old notched 28 of those 32 thefts with the Nationals, a team which was one of the most aggressive in the league on the basepaths. Thomas stole just four bags in six tries following a trade to the Guardians, so his running game outlook is a little cloudy as he heads into his first full season in Cleveland. At the plate, Thomas got off to a horrid start after the trade to the point that he wasn't even an everyday guy anymore. However, he finished strong with seven homers in September and another two in the playoffs. He should be viable in deeper leagues either way, but Thomas' ultimate ceiling in 2025 could depend on how much he and the Guardians want to run.

The Home Run Derby curse is mostly pseudo-science, but Arozarena is doing his best to disprove that line of thought. Arozarena was arguably on the best run of his regular-season career in 2023 prior to the derby, but he was terrible after it, and the 2024 season was mostly an extension of the same. Arozarena did get to another 20-20 season, and only he and Jose Ramirez have done that each of the past four seasons, but Arozarena has now had 926 post-derby plate appearances and has a .219/.332/.382 slash line with 27 homers and 32 steals. It was long expected the Rays would deal Arozarena in his expensive years, but the move to Seattle was a terrible one for his run production, and he hit five homers in 54 games after the trade. The puzzling part with Arozarena is the increased strikeout rate does not come from him chasing out of the zone, but instead because his in-zone contact rate has declined now for three consecutive seasons. He has become a more disciplined hitter these days, but his struggles against fastballs in 2024 (.221 vs .282 in 2023) were extremely concerning. The volume should once again be there, but at what cost?

There were signs that Springer was approaching a production cliff in his career, but nothing truly pointed to him having this type of falloff. Springer posted the worst batting average of his full-season career by nearly 40 points and failed to reach 20 homers in a full season for the first time since 2015 when he appeared in just 102 games. The walk rate and the contact rates remained constant, yet Springer's bat appeared at times as if it still had a weighted doughnut on it. Springer has made a career of feasting off fastballs, but hit just .241 against fastballs in 2024 and .192 against non-fastballs. He no longer has the juice to get into the elevate-and-celebrate crowd as his groundball to fly-ball ratio has dropped from 0.70 in 2021 to 1.54 this past season. His 50.7 percent groundball rate was the highest of his career, while his 39.8 percent pull percentage was a continuation of the 2023 struggles. His contract will guarantee him playing time in Toronto, but where that playing time comes in the lineup is anyone's guess. He no longer profiles as a top-of-the-lineup hitter, so his production could be further impacted hitting down in the lineup as Toronto either looks to make one final push in the Vlad era or begins a tear-down after multiple disappointing seasons. Springer is absolutely on his descent down the aging curve and appears to be in a rapidly accelerating phase at this time.

Trout had another season sabotaged by injury in 2024. This time it was a torn meniscus in late April which required surgery, and just as he seemed to be nearing a return, Trout suffered another tear in the same meniscus and needed season-ending surgery in August. Trout clubbed 10 home runs and also stole six bases - matching his total from the previous four seasons combined - in 29 games before getting hurt, showing that he's still capable of being a fantasy difference maker if he can stay off the IL. The three-time MVP has said he'd be fine with moving to an outfield corner or serving as a designated hitter in 2025 if it helps keep him healthy, and at this point such a move might be a necessity. Trout's fantasy draft price will never be lower, but so will the level of certainty.

Ward offered some rare stability amidst another dud of a season from the Angels. The 31-year-old showed no ill effects from a scary incident which ended his 2023 campaign when a hit by pitch in the face resulted in multiple fractures, setting career highs in home runs, RBI and games played. Ward's 13 percent barrel rate and 90.9 mph average exit velocity also represented full-season highs. If anything, Ward underperformed relative to his batted ball data, as his .351 xwOBA was 26 points higher than his actual .325 wOBA. Ward appears likely to be held back by his supporting cast again in 2025, although a healthy season out of Mike Trout would certainly help. While he doesn't offer standout production in any area, Ward was a top-40 outfielder in 2024 and it's reasonable to think he could finish in that range again.

Wallner entered 2024 viewed as the starting left fielder after a breakout 2023 season. However, he looked so lost at the plate during spring training that he was quickly demoted to the minors in mid-April after going 2-for-25 with 17 strikeouts. It took him awhile to find his stroke in the minors, but he was finally called back up July 7 and hit .282 with 12 home runs and a.945 OPS the rest of the season. Wallner has tremendous power, ranking in the top 20 batters in baseball last season in both Average Exit Velocity and Hard Hit % (per Baseball Savant) for batters with at least his much playing time. His power has come with a high strikeout rate (36.4%) and low contact rate (56.8%) that make him prone to long slumps. While he draws a decent amount of walks (9.2%) he may have been lucky the last two seasons with a high BABIP (.389) and HR/FB rates (21.7%). He also struggles against lefties (career .510 OPS vs. LHP) which likely limits him to a platoon. While he lacks range in the outfield he has one of the best outfield arms in the majors. With the departure of Max Kepler, he'll get a shot to be the starting right fielder, likely in the strong side of a platoon. He could hit more than 30 home runs if he can improve against lefties and avoid prolonged slumps.