We’re less than a week away from the first pitch of the MLB season, with the Dodgers and Cubs set to kick things off in Tokyo. Spring training battles are wrapping up, lineups are taking shape, and fantasy managers are making their final tweaks before the grind begins. As we continue our journey through the top 100 fantasy hitters, we’ve reached the top 80—a mix of rising stars, steady veterans, and a few question marks that could make or break a season. Some players are surging up draft boards with their spring performances, while others have red flags waving like a third-base coach on a two-out double. With the countdown to real baseball nearly over, let’s dive into the second-to-last segment in our series breaking down the Top 100 Hitters for the 2025 season as we get closer to Opening Day.
61. Randy Arozarena
62. Ian Happ
64. Matt Chapman
65. Cal Raleigh
The move to Seattle certainly didn’t help Randy Arozarena, as the ball simply doesn’t fly in what has been the worst offensive ballpark over the last few years. That said, four straight years of 20/20 production should be welcome in any lineup. Happ had a solid 2024 with a 25/13 line, boosted by his best hard-hit rates in years. There’s a lot to like in what should be a strong Cubs lineup, where Happ is expected to bat leadoff and could eclipse 100 runs for the first time in his career. Contreras and Chapman offer similar value with .250-.260 averages and 25-homer power. Contreras gets the nod due to his positional advantage, playing first base with catcher eligibility, though Chapman will chip in a few steals. Wrapping up this tier is another catcher suffering in the Seattle marine layer. Raleigh will hurt your average, but if you planned well in the early rounds, you can overlook that in favor of 35 homers and 100 RBIs.
66. Luis Robert Jr.
67. Riley Greene
68. Anthony Volpe
69. Will Smith
70. Triston Casas
This tier is filled with players who could significantly impact the fantasy landscape but there’s an emphasis on “could.” Luis Robert Jr. has as much talent as anyone on this list, as seen in his 2023 season (38 homers, 20 steals). However, he took a big step back in 2024, playing just 100 games and posting a disappointing 14/23 line with a .224 average. Riley Greene took a step forward in 2024, ranking in the top 15% of the league in most power metrics, leading to a 24-homer breakout. He doesn’t offer much speed, but the rest of his profile hints at even more upside. Volpe is still just 23 years old as he enters his third MLB season. He improved his plate discipline and baserunning efficiency last year but put the ball on the ground too often. However, the Yankees are committed to him, and a 20/30 (or better) season in 2025 isn’t hard to imagine. Will Smith has settled in as an above-average catcher, though not quite the superstar many hoped for. Expect 20 homers, a .260 average, and solid counting stats which is strong production for a catcher but nothing groundbreaking. Finally, there’s Casas, who has elite barrel rates and patience, signaling the potential for a breakout. However, he needs to be more aggressive at the plate to take the next step.
71. Willy Adames
72. Mark Vientos
73. Cody Bellinger
74. Adolis García
75. Xander Bogaerts
This tier is mostly made up of players I’m avoiding in drafts this season, but at some point, their value becomes too tempting to ignore—despite their concerns. Adames’ 21 steals in 2024 are unlikely to repeat now that he’s left Milwaukee. He also posted his highest flyball rate ever last year, making it fair to wonder if his 32-homer season was an outlier. His career numbers suggest a return to the 20-homer range rather than a repeat of 2024. Vientos has serious power but struggles with plate discipline, posting below-average contact rates and frequently chasing pitches out of the zone. He has a clear blueprint for being exploited by pitchers. Bellinger remains an enigma as his performance has fluctuated wildly in recent years, making him a risky investment. The upside is still tempting, though. Both Adolis and Bogaerts offer slightly lower ceilings but more stable floors. Adolis should bounce back after an unusually low BABIP and slight regression in quality of contact.
76. Yainer Diaz
77. Ezequiel Tovar
78. Kerry Carpenter
79. Josh Jung
80. Bo Bichette
This final tier is mostly about potential. Diaz and Bichette have both taken a slight step back in value since last season, as they haven’t been able to replicate their breakout performances. They’re still valuable, but their peak seasons may be behind them. On the other hand, we may not have seen the best of Jung or Carpenter yet. Carpenter impressed in 2024, belting 18 homers with a .284 average in just 87 games. If you extrapolate that power over a full season, you’re looking at a potential 30-homer bat. Even more intriguing? Carpenter posted an 18% barrel rate which is an elite mark that would have trailed only Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Giancarlo Stanton, and Juan Soto among qualified hitters. Jung, meanwhile, had an injury-riddled 2024, but his 2023 power profile looked a lot like Teoscar Hernández or Nick Castellanos with room for even more upside. Tovar is another intriguing young hitter. Playing in Coors Field helped him reach 25 homers in 2024, but his limited hard contact makes him tough to project moving forward.
