Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2025

Here is Frank Ammirante of The Game Day’s updated 2025 fantasy baseball rankings to fully prepare you for your fantasy draft day.

These fantasy MLB rankings include our preseason top-300 players based on standard rotisserie leagues with the following categories:

• Hitting: Home Runs | Runs | RBI | Batting Average | Stolen Bases
• Pitching: Wins | Strikeouts | ERA | WHIP | Saves

The ranks are based on 15-team leagues with the following format:

• 2 C
• 1 1B
• 1 2B
• 1 3B
• 1 SS
• 5 OF
• 1 CI
• 1 MI
• 1 UT
• 9 P
• 10 Reserves

If your format is different (i.e. 1 C), bump down catchers, since they’re ranked higher in this list because you start two of them.

Top 300 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

These are early top 300 fantasy baseball rankings based on a rotisserie format as of Feb. 16. Positional eligibility is based on FantasyPros. Average draft position is from NFBC.

See more of our expert fantasy MLB tips:

• Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
• Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire

Catchers

• Adley Rutschman is one of my favorite catcher targets. This is a 27-year-old with prospect pedigree and untapped upside. Don’t forget that he was in the Home Run Derby two years ago. It’s clear that he wore down last season, which affected his overall numbers. With the Orioles modifying their left-field wall to make it a little more hitter-friendly, we could see a much better year from Adley this time around.
• Francisco Alvarez is worth a shot if you wait on catcher. Let’s remember that he hit 25 homers as a 21-year-old. Last season’s numbers were affected by injury. Alvarez has a lot of upside in the power department, as reflected by his 114.8 MPH max exit velocity. The only other two catchers with a batted ball of 114+ MPH were William Contreras and Willson Contreras.
• I love targeting Alejandro Kirk as my second catcher. Kirk’s defense has significantly improved, which will help keep his bat in the lineup. Now that Danny Jansen is gone, there’s a reasonable chance that Kirk sets a career-high in plate appearances. The lack of strikeouts (13.2 K%) indicates more batting average upside than what he showed last year (.253 BA).

First Baseman

• You have to like Pete Alonso’s chances at a bounce-back now that Juan Soto is on the team. Soto is virtually always on base, which should give Alonso plenty of RBI opportunities. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Polar Bear lead MLB in RBIs this season.
• The days of Paul Goldschmidt being an elite first baseman are gone, but that doesn’t mean he can’t give you solid production in what is a terrific landing spot at Yankee Stadium. Plus, it’s not like Goldschmidt was *terrible* last season, as he still gave you 22 home runs and 11 stolen bases.
• Tyler Soderstrom is one of my favorite breakout candidates this season. The A’s are playing in a much more hitter-friendly ballpark in Sacramento this year. Soderstrom hit nine homers in only 213 plate appearances in 2024. Steamer projects 25 home runs for Soderstrom this season. That’s the kind of power that can help you out later in your drafts.

Second Baseman

• Ozzie Albies is a bounce-back candidate. This is a 28-year-old with a track record, including two seasons with 30+ homers, 10+ steals, and 100+ RBI in the last four years. The Braves’ lineup remains among the best in baseball, so there should be plenty of opportunities for Albies to rack up counting stats.
• Andres Gimenez is a strong target because he provides speed with elite defense, which keeps his bat in the lineup. The former Guardian has 30 steals with 9+ homers in each of the last two seasons. With George Springer on the decline, there’s an outside chance that Gimenez can become the Blue Jays’ new leadoff hitter at some point this year.
• Jackson Holliday had a disappointing rookie year where he put up 33.2% strikeout rate in 208 plate appearances. But this is a 21-year-old mega-prospect who still has a lot of upside. Monitor how Holliday looks in spring training because there’s a legit chance that he’ll eventually fly up these ranks.

Third Baseman

• Manny Machado is one of the safest picks you can make at third base. The veteran has at least 28 homers with 90+ RBI in four consecutive seasons. We’ve also seen Machado contribute on the bases at times, with 11 steals in 2024 and 12 in 2021. If you’re prioritizing floor and track record, Machado looks like a rock-solid pick in the third round.
• Junior Caminero has a ton of power upside, set for a full season in the big leagues. We’ve seen the Rays’ top prospect tear the cover off the ball in the Dominican league, which has fired up the hype train. My only concern is that this excitement over a young talent will make him too expensive in drafts. I’m cool with Caminero in the sixth round, but any higher than that feels too rich — this is still an unproven player.
• Royce Lewis is one of the biggest injury risks in MLB — think Byron Buxton at third base. But it’s starting to look like his price is worth paying given the tantalizing power upside. You can get Lewis outside of the top-115 in NFBC drafts. I’m in at that cost because if Lewis can give you 500+ plate appearances, you’re looking at close to 30 home runs at a shallow position.

Shortstop

• I’m high on Gunnar Henderson because this is a former top prospect who just put up 155 wRC+ in his age-23 season. There’s 40-20 upside with great counting stats with the Orioles’ superstar. I’d have no problem taking Henderson ahead of Elly De La Cruz, who has a more volatile profile with his high strikeout rate.
• Willy Adames is one of the easiest fades in the draft, even at a reduced cost. This is a hitter who stole 21 bases in a contract year when he previous career-high was only eight. It’s well-known that players tend to run more when they’re playing for a new contract, so expect the speed to dry up this year. Add in a pitcher’s park in San Francisco and this is an easy pass for me.
• Speaking of contract years, Bo Bichette is trying to rebuild his value following a disastrous 2024 season. The free-swinging shortstop could get back to 10+ steals as he plays for a new contract. Expect the Blue Jays to play Bichette every day, giving him a chance to get back to 690 plate appearances and accumulate counting stats for you.

Outfielders

• Julio Rodriguez is coming off a disappointing season, but this is a 24-year-old outfielder with a 32-37 season under his belt. While you hate the ballpark in Seattle, Julio has the tools to overcome his unfriendly environment, as seen in 2022/23. Let’s remember that last year, Rodriguez was a consensus top-four pick. You can now get him at the end of the first round.
• Wyatt Langford didn’t quite live up to lofty expectations as a rookie, but he showed signs of life in September, slashing .300/.386/.610 with eight homers and seven steals. This is a polished hitter with strong plate discipline (9.2 BB% / 20.6 K%), playing in a stacked Rangers’ lineup. There’s 25-25 upside with great counting stats here.
• Seiya Suzuki looks poised for a career year. The move to full-time DH following the trade for Kyle Tucker should help Suzuki stay healthier, resulting in more plate appearances. It’s likely that Suzuki will hit behind Tucker (.408 OBP last year), which could mean more RBI opportunities. There are great batted ball metrics here, including a 115.5 MPH max exit velocity and a 91st-percentile hard-hit rate.
• Luis Robert Jr. is one year removed from a 38-home run, 20-steal season. While there’s injury risk, there’s also a good chance that Robert is traded from the dumpster fire that is the White Sox. In that scenario, Robert would likely join a much better lineup, which would give him a boost in value.
• Riley Greene just put up 135 wRC+ in 584 plate appearances in his age-23 season. This also includes an 11.0 BB% (up 2.6% from 2023), 13.4 Barrel% (+2.1%), and 43.6 Groundball% (-5.3%). Greene finished with 24 homers, but missed some time due to injury. If he can stay healthy, we could see 30+ home runs.

Starting Pitchers

• Paul Skenes is my clear-cut top pitcher, well ahead of Tarik Skubal. The Pirates’ ace just put up an impressive 33.1% strikeout rate in his rookie season. OOPSY projects a 2.55 ERA for Skenes, which is a decent bit lower than 2.74 for Skubal. Simply put, Skenes has more strikeout upside, making him the more appealing option. I have no problem reaching for him in the first round.
• Corbin Burnes is back home in Arizona following a long-term deal this past offseason. Don’t underestimate the psychological impact of being able to play at home, especially for a guy in Burnes who has a one-year old twins. This is an innings eater who is one of the safest picks in your draft. Stuff+ indicates there’s more strikeout upside than he showed last year.
• Hunter Brown is one of my top pitching targets this season. This is a former stud prospect who seemed to have finally figured it out last year. From May 11-onward, Brown put up a 3.49 SIERA with an 18.8 K-BB%. OOPSY projects an impressive 3.49 ERA for the Astros’ innings-eater. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brown become the ace of this staff.
• Spencer Strider comes at a reduced price due to injury, but reports are optimistic that he’ll be able to rejoin the Braves’ rotation in either late April or early May. This is the type of upside arm that can really take your pitching staff to the next level. I have no problem taking a shot on Strider in the seventh round. There’s a good chance that his price increases as we get closer to the season.
• I love targeting Clarke Schmidt, who put up a 3.77 SIERA and 12.2 SwStr% in 85.1 innings last year. Schmidt’s mid-season injury robbed us of a breakout season. If Schmidt can stay healthy, he could pay major dividends at his current cost. You have to love the win upside playing for a top team like the Yankees.

Relief Pitchers

• Josh Hader is my top closer because he gives you elite ratios with a top strikeout rate. While Emmanuel Clase gets more saves, he doesn’t have the same strikeout upside, which gives him a smaller margin for error. With Hader now in his second year with the Astros, I’m expecting him to be more comfortable and give us a better season.
• Tanner Scott had a phenomenal year with the Marlins and Padres in 2024. We’re getting Scott at a reasonable price right now because there were some concern that the Dodgers would also use Kirby Yates. But reports are that Scott will get the bulk of save opportunities, making him one of my top targets as my second closer.
• David Bednar looks poised for a bounce-back season. I’m deferring to track record here, as the Pirates’ closer put up a 28%+ strikeout rate in each of his previous three seasons. With Aroldis Chapman now in Boston, there isn’t an obvious candidate to supplant Bednar as closer, giving him more job security than last year.

Rookies

• I love targeting Jasson Dominguez right now because this is a hitter with power-speed upside who can move up as we get closer to the season, especially if he has a big spring and the Yankees decide to deploy him as their leadoff hitter.
• Bubba Chandler is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. It’s only a matter of time before he’s up with the Pirates to form an intriguing trio with Paul Skenes and Jared Jones.
• Chase DeLauter can easily win a job in an underwhelming Guardians’ outfield, as long as he can stay healthy. Cleveland would be wise to push DeLauter because they have a glaring hole on offense now that Josh Naylor is in Arizona.

How To Use Fantasy MLB Rankings 2025

Know your format and scoring system

Our rankings are based on a rotisserie format, so you’ll need to tweak your ranks and approaches depending on the league style.

Don’t neglect your pitching staff

While there are likely only two pitchers that will go off the board in the first round, it’s important that you take at least one starter with your first four picks. There is a lot of volatility with performance and injury risk among pitchers, so it’s essential to have depth.

Bet on 2025 MLB Futures

Looking to place a bet on top MLB Futures? Check out the latest odds by navigating the chart below.

Simply select the wager (AL/NL MVP, for example) and the sportsbook:

Be aware of position scarcity

You should not use positional scarcity as a firm guidepost, as it’s often better to simply take the best player available. But as your draft progresses, you’ll have to address weaker positions, such as third base.

Be aggressive

High-stakes players and industry experts will frequently draft a sleeper or value play ahead of their Average Draft Positions, so don’t be afraid to reach for a player if you’re particularly bullish on him.

Make a plan for closers and catchers

If you’re not going to take a top closer or catcher, then you will have to be prepared to monitor the waiver wire for relievers or go for riskier catchers. These are two unique positions that create much discussion among fantasy analysts, and you will have to decide on a preferred route.

Every draft is unique

Rankings and ADPs serve as a basis for what you may be preparing for, but no two drafts are ever the same.

Go your own way

You can use these rankings as a template, but you should have preferences as to what players you want to move up and down your draft board.

Drafting is just the beginning

Keep in mind that we will be working the waiver wire frequently throughout the season to address holes and replace injured players. The roster you finish with will likely look considerably different than the one you started with.

Draft with confidence

If you are well-prepared and don’t overanalyze takes on players, everything should go smoothly. No one has a perfect roster after the draft, especially in 15-team leagues.

Be mindful of your category needs

You want to draft a team that is as balanced as possible so that you can compete in each category. Keep track of each of your players’ projected stats so that you know where you stand in each stat. If you’re in a competition with an overall cash prize like NFBC, it’s important that your team is good everywhere. With that in mind, there will be some moments where you take a guy ranked lower on this list because of your category needs.