Even with all of the (espresso-fueled) energy of the World Baseball Classic this week, we can’t forget there are still meaningful Spring Training games and position battles happening. In many ways, these games happening on small Spring Training fields across Florida and Arizona are much more meaningful for what we need to know this season.
In the aggregate, Spring Training stats are mostly meaningless, but things like playing time, usage, and lineup spots can be useful information. Players who are buzzy and end up with tremendous or terrible springs are also hard to ignore.
There are still several big names yet to debut in Spring Training, and many names may not see the field at all until the regular season (curse you, hamate bone!). But most players are 15 or so games into 2025 Spring Training, including many of the fringe fantasy baseball pieces who are fighting for a job and playing time. This piece will look at some MLB fantasy assets that have seen their fantasy value rise and fall in the first three weeks of Spring Training games.
ADP is taken from the past seven days of NFBC drafts.
Spring Training Risers
Matt McLain (2B), Cincinnati Reds – NFBC ADP: 159.7
All Matt McLain has done during spring training is hit .607 with five home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.846 OPS. It’s been a crazy good start for a player who was largely written off after a down 2025 after he missed 2024 with injuries.
Last season, McLain was a consensus top-100 pick after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 14 bases in two-thirds of a season in 2023. He also hit. 290 that season and slugged .507, and managers were hoping for a repeat. In 2025, those numbers plummeted to .220 and 343, respectively, which tanked his draft capital.
McLain has shown this spring that the power is back, and he is also striking out in fewer than 10% of his plate appearances. If he keeps this up, he is going to end up being drafted inside the top 150 before the end of spring training. Just in the last two weeks, his ADP has dropped to pick 160. Smart managers should take advantage.
JJ Wetherholt (2B), St. Louis Cardinals – NFBC ADP: 228.2
The presumptive starter at second base for the St. Louis Cardinals is having quite the Spring Training so far. He is hitting .263/.500/.579 with two home runs, two stolen bases, and an 8:4 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Those kinds of numbers will definitely work for fantasy baseball, especially for a player going after pick 200 in drafts. The question is, can he keep this up in the regular season?
Wetherholt has fewer than two full minor league seasons under his belt, but is going to turn 24 this season after dominating AA and AAA last year. At those two stops combined, Wetherholt hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 496 plate appearances. He will be on the Opening Day roster and should get the first Cardinals’ plate appearance of the season. There might be a learning curve at first, but these offensive skills are too talented to keep him from eventually breaking out.
Tanner Bibee (SP), Cleveland Guardians – NFBC ADP: 178.7
If we call Tanner Bibee’s 2024 his breakout season, then we have to classify 2025 as a regression. After a 3.47 ERA and 9.7 K/9 in 2024, Bibee’s numbers fell to 4.24 and 8.0, respectively, in 2025. He still won 12 games and was a workhorse with 182 innings, but fantasy managers are hoping for better results in 2025. So far this spring, he is delivering.
Bibee has a sparkling 0.71 WHIP and 2.13 ERA in 13 innings. He has struck out 11 batters and hasn’t issued a single walk all spring. Bibee admitted last year that he made multiple mechanical adjustments, which helped point him in the right direction, and it has carried over so far. In four September starts, Bibee struck out 26 batters in 27 innings and had a 1.30 ERA.
Spring Training Fallers
Michael Busch (1B), Chicago Cubs – NFBC ADP: 126.7
Michael Busch’s slow start to Spring Training is especially worrisome for fantasy managers after he has hit .200/.333/.350 with no home runs and 10 strikeouts in 22 plate appearances this spring. Busch was able to cut his strikeout rate down to 23.5% last season, and he did hit 34 home runs, so there is room for much improvement.
But in 2025, Busch struggled significantly against lefties, slashing just .207/.274/.368 with a 27.4% strikeout rate. In contrast, he was elite against righties with a 151 wRC+. The Cubs have Matt Shaw in a utility role specifically to platoon with players like Busch. We should remain wary that the Cubs will eventually find a way to limit Busch’s exposure to lefties.
Mark Vientos (1B/3B), New York Mets – NFBC ADP: 397.6
While Mark Vientos was a top-100 pick last year, his ADP has plummeted to around pick 400 overall for the 2026 season. His .077/.143/.154 line in Spring Training is just part of the problem. The Mets heavily rebuilt their infield by acquiring Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco. This has blocked Vientos from an everyday role at third base or first base, leaving him primarily as a bench option.
After a 27-homer breakout in 2024, Vientos regressed in 2025, hitting just .233 with 17 home runs in 121 games. His struggles against right-handed pitching (.226 AVG) and fastballs (.236 AVG) have raised concerns about his long-term ceiling. Now with Bo Bichette, Francisco Lindor, and Marcus Semien locked into positions, he will have to battle for some occasional days at first and DH.
Taj Bradley (SP), Minnesota Twins – NFBC ADP: 359.8
Across the highest levels of minor league competition in 2022, Taj Bradley dominated. He posted a 2.57 ERA and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings across 28 starts, and his Major League debut came the very next year. After putting up ERAs of 5.59, 4.11, and 5.05 the last three years, the Tampa Bay Rays decided they had enough and shipped him to Minnesota. Eager for a chance to prove himself with a new squad this spring, Bradley has not impressed.
Bradley has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP across 14 innings this spring, which is even more disappointing with the opportunity in front of him. With Pablo Lopez out and Joe Ryan dealing with back issues, Bradley has a rotation spot to start the season. But it remains to be seen if he can keep it. Fantasy managers are largely out on Bradley now, with this ADP falling past pick 350.
Sorry for the long post, but looking for some thoughts…
16 team, ESPN, daily lineups, H2H categories. 11 x 11 categories….
AB, H, R, HR, RBI, BB, SB, AVG, OBP, SLG, Fielding Pct.
IP, ER, K, QS, W, L, SV, HLD, ERA, WHIP, K/9
12 keepers, count as 1st 12 rounds of the draft.
Agustin
Freeman
Keaschall
Westburg
Abrams
LF – Isaac Collins
CF
RF – Beavers
Util – Weatherholt
BN – Trout, Arraez, Santander
SPs – Bradish, Chandler, Bubic, Cameron, Shane Smith, Schwellenbach, J. Lopez, Senga, Manaea, Ryne Nelson, McGreevy, Sproat.
RPs – Palencia, Uribe, Whitlock, Romero
We have 2 P, 5 SP, 2 RP spots available each day.
Current keeper leaning:
Agustin, Freeman, Keaschall, Westburg, Abrams, Beavers, Weatherholt
Bradish, Bubic, Chandler, Smith, Schwellenbach.
Thoughts if that makes the most sense based on the league settings?
Worth keeping one of the closers over someone? If so, who?
Worth keeping another SP or one of the closers, over Beavers?
Any thoughts on keepers would be much appreciated!
In a keeper league who do you prefer longer term: McClain or Bazzana?
Would you draft any of these players?
Yankees – Carlos Lagrange Rays – Joe Boyle Red Sox – Johan Oviedo Orioles – Coby Mayo Blue Jays – Eloy Jimenez Guardians – Parker Messick Angels – Oswald Peraza Astros – Mike Burrows Rangers – Aaron Zavala Tigers – Jace Jung Twins – Mick Abel Royals – Mason Black White Sox – Miguel Vargas Athletics – Tommy White Mariners – Brennen Davis Mets – A.J. Ewing Braves – Reynaldo Lopez Phillies – Andrew Painter Cubs – Jefferson Rojas Giants – Bryce Eldridge Padres – Nick Castellanos Diamondbacks – Jordan Lawlar Reds – Matt McLain Cardinals – Joshua Baez Brewers – Kyle Harrison Pirates – Jhonstynxon Garcia Nationals – Brady House Marlins – Graham Pauley Rockies – Charlie Condon Dodgers – Hyeseong Kim
Thank you!!!
Good list of deep dart throws.
Thank you!
I’m drafting Matt McLain late very often. Same with Coby Mayo
Gonna need 2B in a keep forever. Speculating on the availability as final keepers aren’t in yet. It came to my attention that Arraez might be a *poor man’s* Hoerner? I know the SBs are a difference maker for sure, but otherwise pretty close giving Arraez a small boost in HRs.