Top 20 2nd Basemen for 2025 Fantasy Baseball

One super quick word about the top 20 2nd basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball and all the 2025 fantasy baseball rankings, each ranking appears insanely long and it is, but I imagine in a lot of leagues guys won’t have eligibility, because I’m using the extremely lax Yahoo position eligibility (five games started). Without further ado because this post is longer than the combined length of the Gutenberg Bible and Steve Guttenberg’s IMDB page, I mention where tiers start and stop and all projections are mine and cannot be reproduced without the express written consent of Major League–Damn, I’m being told I did not have the express written consent to use MLB’s warning. It was expressly written for them. You guys! Here’s Steamer’s 2025 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Hitters and 2025 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Pitchers. Subscriptions are up and running, and you can already get Rudy’s Draft War Room. Anyway, here’s the top 20 2nd basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball:

NOTE: All my 2025 fantasy baseball rankings are currently available on Patreon for the price of a Starbucks coffee, if you get one of those extra grande frappuccino jobbers. Don’t wait for the rankings to come out over the next month, and get them all now.

NOTE II: Free agents are marked as such and not yet projected. They are ranked for where they’re currently worth drafting.

NOTE III: To watch us discuss my 2nd basemen rankings:

1. Mookie Betts – Already went over him in the top 20 for fantasy baseball.

2. Ozzie Albies – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Semien. I call this tier, “We’re Thelma & Louise jumping into Snookered Canyon.” The 2nd basemen tiers are a mess. I’m embracing it. I tried to fight it for a long time (37 seconds), but, ya know what, eff it. This is the first time I can’t make heads or tails of the top of a position. Things start to form below into coherent tiers, but this top tier until Semien, is a mess. This tier is the top, but they are either coming off a terrible season and I like them or a great season and I don’t like them. That’s not super coherent! My brain has been jingo-jango’d, but let’s go! Sometimes things don’t make sense.

As for Albies, the worst thing you can do is just write a guy off after having a terrible season. You’re gonna miss the bounce back. Or so I was told at this winter seminar at the Ramada in Parsippany, NJ for Saberhagenmetrics. The 2nd worst thing you can do is trust a guy coming off a terrible season only to get fooled twice. We don’t want to be Thelma & Louise jumping off Snookered Peak into Snookered Canyon. I ain’t trying to risk it all for the biscuit and lose again, how’sever — Ugh, that stupid how’sever — I’m willing to get back in on Albies. We’ve seen this before from him. His 2021: 30/20. His 2022: 8/3. His 2023: 33/13. His 2024: 10/8. It makes no sense, but he fractured his toe in April, then fractured his wrist right after the All-Star Break. He returned with a few games left in September and homered. Hey, we’re looking for anything here that he’s healthy. It gives the impression that Albies is great because he’s ranked right after Betts, well, okay, he is, but there’s a wide gulf between the top two. On the map, the gulf between the two is labeled, Snookered Canyon. 2025 Projections: 91/27/82/.267/15 in 571 ABs

3. Ketel Marte – I still can’t believe he hit 36 homers last year. It’s like a fever dream. A fever dream that has you like, “I don’t believe I took peyote, but I must’ve because I’m seeing Ketel Marte with more power than all but nine other players last year, and just missed Kyle Schwarber’s home run total of 38, and the Schwarbomb didn’t even have a bad year. Oh, and Ketel hit .292 with a .299 BABIP, he should’ve hit around .270 as he also had his highest K% at 18.2 and he stole seven bags. All in barely 500 at-bats in 136 games? What kind of peyote is this that has me recapping Ketel stats? What a weird trip.” Yeah, I hear that. I cannot abide by Ketel. This tier is basically Saberhagenmetrics at its finest. Think we all get too hung up with guys just did. That’s part of the equation, but think about going into last year. You thought Ketel was a 22-25 HR guy with iffy speed, solid if unspectacular average and was headed into his 30’s. He just had a career year, where none of his peripherals make sense, and you’re not bought in? Think you’re headed into Snookered Canyon. 2025 Projections: 91/25/80/.272/7 in 519 ABs

4. Jose Altuve – [looking out over Snookered Canyon] I can see all the way from here until the next tier… [steps forward, accidentally bumps into Altuve, who I didn’t realize I was looking over, and he falls into Snookered Canyon, bouncing off Aging Players’ Peak] …Oops. So, I don’t know when Altuve is going to finally age out of being good, but, much like Freddie Freeman, the signs are starting to show themselves. His Hard% is pretty putrid, and awful stealing percentages. Kinda like Semien below (or Freeman), Altuve tends to play in a lot of games and his counting stats should buoy his free fall into Aging Players’ Peak. 2025 Projections: 91/22/62/.278/17 in 593 ABs

5. Marcus Semien – “You’re putting Semien into Snookered Canyon,” sounds like George talking in euphemisms to Seinfeld. “Jerry!” screaming like Costanza, “She let me put Semien into her Snookered Canyon!” Any hoo! I’ve seen bad peripherals then I’ve seen Semien. Playing 160-ish games a year takes the sting out of Semien’s disappointment [slowly crosses legs] but how long can you count on that? He’s 34 years old and he’s aging in all the worst ways. I nearly dropped him down to Bogaerts range of the draft, but he was 4th for 2nd basemen last year on the Player Rater, and I can see how 95/20/70/.240/10 has value, but–[crashes through door like Kramer]–I’m out! I put Semien in Snookered Canyon!  2025 Projections: 92/20/67/.233/10 in 604 ABs

6. Jordan Westburg – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Rengifo. I call this tier, “Take my love, my beating heart and just be nice.” This whole tier is guys who I loved last year and love again. Most of them were solid too, but one didn’t play baseball as he tried to get a food truck business going. The truck was like the Dumb and Dumber truck, but instead of giant ears, it had giant, permed, hairy heaps of spaghetti flapping under a bowl of chili and why didn’t he just stay in Cincy if he was going to do that? Freakin’ McLain, man. You can’t serve that crap to anyone outside of Cincy. You gotta know better!

As for Westburg, he was a sleeper last year, and that might’ve worked out better than any of my other sleepers. It’s between him and Josh Naylor, I think. I’m trying to remember my last season sleepers without inadvertently remembering my James Outman sleeper. [slips the needle into the part of my brain where my bad sleepers reside] Extract! So, Westburg’s Statcast sliders are gorgeous. Better than I thought they would be, if being honest. Here:

I cut out his sprint speed for space reasons, but that was in the 91st percentile, so excellent too. Okay, back to the batted ball profile. Do you know how hard you have to be hitting the ball to have a .281 xBA and blue on K% and BB%? He had the 36th highest HardHit% and 30th best barrel rate. It was Ketel Marte, Kyle Tucker, Christian Walker then him. 48th best exit velocity with a 13.1-degree Launch Angle. It’s all chef’s kiss stuff. Righties in Camden were a tough lift, literally, but the fences were moved in to basically original Camden dimensions, and things could be great for righties there again. Westburg’s projections 22/15/.275 sound like baby Gunnar to me. Call him Gaga-Googoo Henderson. 2025 Projections: 74/22/82/.273/12 in 527 ABs

7. Brice Turang – Pat Murphy, not the bartender at your favorite watering hole but the manager of the Brewers, seems content with putting Turang in the 9-hole, which is the reason why I didn’t write a Turang sleeper. Also, I didn’t think he would be much of a sleeper, if being honest. He just went 7/50/.254. As my Jewish grandmother would say, “What’s to sleep?” I don’t know, Oma. It’s kinda like me saying Tyler, the Creator put out a great album last year. Yeah, man, he did, but he’s had two of the best albums of the last five years so, yeah, we’re not doing no durs here. This is a No No Durs Zone. 2025 Projections: 68/6/63/.256/42 in 531 ABs

8. Matt McLain – Now that he’s done chasing his dreams of being on The Great Food Truck Race with Tyler Florence and getting back to business on the field, we are once again going full hog into McLain–[intern whispers into ear]–Really? That’s what full hog means? Hmm…Anyway, last year I trusted McLain more than Elly, until he suffered setback after setback. First, he had a stress reaction of his rib, then that somehow became shoulder surgery. He hit for power in the AFL, and seems back to normal. Can’t say I’m hundred percent saying McLain is safe, but I like the price (if it’s around here) and want the upside gamble that he continues off his 16/14/.290 rookie year. 2025 Projections: 82/19/77/.265/18 in 564 ABs

9. Luis Garcia Jr. – Already gave you my Luis Garcia Jr. sleeper. It was written while singing Toto’s Africa. 2025 Projections: 69/20/74/.279/26 in 505 ABs

10. Andres Gimenez – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Traded to the Jays. Ooh, Andres Gimenez trade gives the Jays’ double play combo of Gimenez/Jimenez. Pour one out for Buck Martinez. So, Gimenez moving from the Guards to the Jays, and people are saying the Mets won the Francisco Lindor trade, but who’s to say? Gimenez has great contact (15.4%) and is hopefully leading off now, unless Springer has naked photos of John Schneider–oh my God, I just shuddered out of my skin. A little help! I accidentally shedded my Earth skin!” And that’s me quoting me!  2025 Projections: 86/12/61/.274/32 in 587 ABs

11. Nico Hoerner – Not sure why I suddenly become a giant fan of Nico, but it happened. I farkin’ love me some 7/35 guys. Put all the 7/35 guys in my Amazon Wishlist and don’t let me hear they’re sold out. Throw in how Hoerner is a neutral .275 hitter, and now I’m cackling. Pat Murphy didn’t just cuck Craig Counsell for his team, but they’re both ding-dong merchants that can’t figure out that their 45-steal guy with solid contact should be hitting leadoff. 2025 Projections: 79/8/53/.277/34 in 579 ABs

12. Bryson Stott – Good as time as any to point out the obvious. The top tier of 2nd basemen is a mess, but there are a ton of interesting options after you’ve spent Semien [raises eyebrow]. This tier is sexy as all get-out and the next one has some options and after and after. There’s a lot of 2nd basemen to draft. Could see a scenario where I’m out on all the first couple (unless Albies or Betts are there) then grab one or two guys in this tier and one from the next. While the top 100 overall in ADP might not have a ton of 2nd basemen, there might be a 2nd baseman drafted every other pick in the 101-200 range. As for Stott, well, at least the Phils have Trea Turner in the two-hole where Stott should be, unlike Hoerner and Turang, two guys who are just victims of bad lineups. Turang>Hoerner, but Hoerner=Stott, if that’s how word math works. 2025 Projections: 66/12/61/.271/33 in 512 ABs

13. Luis Rengifo – If Rengifo gets 550 ABs, he’s gonna go 20/45 and be Jarren Duran. Yeah, I said it. What I haven’t said: Can’t believe we’ve gotten this far into the rankings and I haven’t jumped on my “Why to ignore ADP” soapbox yet. People start drafting in November, which is cool, I am not a hater, but it’s before anyone is signed, before playing time is sorted, before lineups are locked in, so many things. ADP means nothing. It’s barely worth the grain of rice you write it on. The only thing that’s important about it is: If, say, Rengifo, is being drafted five rounds after I have him ranked, then wait a round or two. As long as you get who want, I don’t mind waiting, but the longer you wait for ADP, which means nothing, than the bigger chance someone steals a guy from you. So, you are risking a guy over nothing. 2025 Projections: 69/12/67/.279/28 in 421 ABs

14. Xander Bogaerts – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Castro. I call this tier, “Squirts.” If your team construct works, then give me these squirts. Does that rhyme? How about this: If it squirts, you know it works. That better? Hmm, no? Okay, here goes: There’s nothing better than the ketchup squirts, after a hot dog with the works. Better? No? Hmm…Well, these squirts are worth drafting if your team construct works. I don’t care if it rhymes or not.

As for Bogaerts, his best case scenario is last year’s Profar. I know, that doesn’t sound terribly terrific, but 20/10/.280 in 600 ABs has huge value. Like top 25 overall value. So, why not rank him higher? He played in 111 games last year with 428 ABs, and he looks like he’s growing into a worse albatross contract than Kris Bryant’s. Think I’m exaggerating, but the Padres have Bogaerts until 2033! That is so crazy. If you want to gamble on counting stats, then Bogaerts squirts. Does that rhyme? No? Hmm… 2025 Projections: 71/16/64/.261/10 in 505 ABs

15. Luis Arraez – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

16. Willi Castro – I rostered Willi in one league — ‘rostered Willi’ sounds like a euphemism, but I don’t know what for — and he was surprisingly valuable for runs (89) while being so incredibly yawnstipating. You say runs are dumb, and I should go take a nap, but joke’s on you, I’m writing this while sleeping and Castro was 12th overall for 2nd basemen last year, while being 4th for runs on Player Rater. 2025 Projections: 81/10/52/.252/16 in 521 ABs

17. Jackson Holliday – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Norby. I call this tier, “Squirts B. Gone.” So the last tier was more a tier of “if you need ’em, then you got ’em.” The squirts, they works. A smoke’ em if you got ’em of fantasy baseball. This tier is back to “maybe these suckers don’t works like the squirts but they’re a ton more interesting.”

As for Holliday, I was thinking how Jacky Hollyday would definitely be a female name. Was that his mom’s name? Did Matt Holliday marry a Jacky? Ya know what’s kinda funny about Holliday? Prior to last year, projections loved him. He was as can’t miss as can’t miss can be. Now the projections are saying he’s Kevin Newman Jr. He had a whopping 190 ABs, and dealt with injuries and now he’s terrible. Ha, okay. Not saying he bounces all the way back, but it would seem to me that is more likely than becoming Kevin Newman Jr. You ever see Mike Trout’s first year up? Not his official rookie year, but the one where he hit .220 in his first 123 ABs. My bigger problem with Holliday is he doesn’t have loud fantasy category attributes. At his peak, he might be 22/10/.300, which is awesome, but it’s not top 20, unless he gains way more power. 2025 Projections: 63/15/67/.257/12 in 437 ABs

18. Maikel Garcia – Already gave you my Maikel Garcia sleeper. It read like the world’s tastiest diner menu. 2025 Projections: 71/6/64/.266/34 in 567 ABs

19. Connor Wong – Already went over him in the top 20 catchers for 2025 fantasy baseball.

20. Ceddanne Rafaela – Pretty sure if Rafaela was in another home park, I’d be a little less interested. His plate discipline is a little cringe and his Statcast sliders are a little blue. Think there’s more speed there than his 19 steals last year and he’s young and maybe he can add some power. He’s slightly more about ADP than he is about what is possible, but what’s possible isn’t bad in itself. Ceddamn! Talking in riddles! Just mean that at worse, he’ll return this value because of power/speed. At best, maybe more, but the batted ball profile didn’t have me wanting to write a sleeper post, I’ll say that. 2025 Projections: 67/17/71/.241/24 in 520 ABs

21. Connor Norby – Already gave you my Connor Norby sleeper. It was written half-cocked on vanilla extract. 2025 Projections: 71/24/76/.239/12 in 559 ABs

22. Zack Gelof – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Ortiz. I call this tier, “Check out the big brain on Grey!” Okay, now I’m less enthusiastic. Hey, we had a good run! The tier name refers to how I think a younger Grey would’ve reacted to this tier of players. I think that giant dummy would’ve liked some of these guys. In fairness to that big ol’ idiot Younger Grey, some of the guys in this tier are fine in deeper leagues (think 15 team mixed or deeper). In those leagues, you just kinda have to do things based on team construct that aren’t always ideal, i.e., your team is low on power and speed and okay on average? Maybe you try Gelof.

As for Gelof, I think he’s made a deal with the devil for projections systems to give him 20/20 for the 2nd year in a row, even though he still hasn’t done it. I’ll tell you one person who won’t be giving him 20/20 projections–[devil pokes me in ribs]–Okay, fine.  2025 Projections: 66/21/73/.216/26 in 529 ABs

23. Jonathan India – Here’s what I said when he was traded, “Former podcast host and current writer at Baseball America, Geoff texted me and was like Rays should trade for India because of their newly-acquired short porch, and I was like who are they sending spices? And he blocked my number. Instead of the Rays, India went to the Royals, which is Gandhi erasure. It also is “India’s got upside in a decent park” erasure. India’s numbers look so similar to Willi Castro, that’s why I’m just gonna call them collectively Curry Catsup.” And that’s me quoting me! 2025 Projections: 86/16/56/.251/13 in 554 ABs

24. Tyler Fitzgerald – [whispering so Mr. Prorater doesn’t hear me] Fitzgerald’s 15/17/.280 in only 96 games is very intriguing, but–“Did someone say a partial season’s stats?” Jesus Christ. “Fitzgerald can go 30/30 in a full season!” Sure, if the Giants have one game go into extra innings for three weeks and he gets an extra 150 ABs. He looks capable of stealing 25 bags, and that’s not nothing, but he looks like the most likely to be exposed as a flash in the pan too. If he’s there in a deep league, sure, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him hit .220 by May 15th and people are dropping him in shallower leagues. 2025 Projections: 61/16/57/.233/24 in 446 ABs

25. Colt Keith – Starting to question prospect evaluators for the Tigers. When they see a 350-foot fly ball off a Tigers prospect’s bat, do they think it’s a home run? I ask because I see a lot of Tigers hitters come up with huge projected power, and then hit 15-20 homers.  2025 Projections: 64/17/73/.273/5 in 531 ABs

26. Brandon Lowe – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

27. Brendan Donovan – Kinda hitter who even if Marmol starts him vs. lefties, you likely shouldn’t in your fantasy league, so the stats are kinda same as Colt Keith, but upside might be a tad lower and you’re gonna miss out on some of his stats if you play him correctly. One positive is that he shortens his name to BDon because he likes fantasy sports and sarcasm. 2025 Projections: 66/15/71/.282/5 in 571 ABs

28. Gleyber Torres – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Tigers. About time Detroit made a pact with Union Gleyber. Stay woke! Hard to be Gung Ho about this. Wokka wokka wokka! Javy Baez, Gleyber Torres…they must be mad they never got some Starlin Castro. So, Tigers just tried the poor man’s Gleyber, and decided to boost up. Who’s the poor man’s Gleyber? You might know him as Gio Urshela. This seems like a terrible move all around for him, but maybe he builds up his value and gets the heck out of Detroit next year. It is a not a good park and only made worse by the lineup.” And that’s me quoting me! 2025 Projections: 76/17/58/.262/5 in 591 ABs

29. Jake Cronenworth – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

30. Thairo Estrada – Here’s what I said when he signed with the Rockies, “There’s literally no way I’m getting roped in by a Rockies player ever again–Hold up, he went 12/23/.271 in San Fran in only 495 ABs and he’s now in Coors at the age of 29? Okay, after Thairo, I will never be roped in by a Rockies player ever again. Though, Zac Veen is kinda interesting…” And that’s me copying and pasting me! 2025 Projections: 64/15/71/.267/17 in 519 ABs

31. Joey Ortiz – Nearly wrote a sleeper post for Ortiz, then I realized I just wanted to read his stats and nap. He went 11/11/.239 last year and I…[falls asleep] 2025 Projections: 74/15/66/.256/16 in 512 ABs

32. Otto Lopez – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Rodgers. I call this tier, “Banging the ol’ cabeza on the ceiling.” These guys are fine, good, I don’t mind them, but they also seem to be limited by their upside. Oh, and there’s a shizzton of 2nd basemen to draft. These guys aren’t great for every league, but these guys are also better than they have any right to be considering how late we are in the ranks.

As for Ottoman, you know I barely remember the Grey who hated guys who hit for a decent average. A foolish guy that guy was. I now appreciate someone who can hit .280 with some speed. Only real problem for Ottoman is he might struggle to get to the top of the Marlins’ lineup. Save your derision, their lineup is not that bad. Unless Xavier Edwards flames out or gets hurt, then Ottoman is like the people on the bus who go up but not down. 2025 Projections: 61/10/51/.282/25 in 519 ABs

33. Michael Massey – Here’s how I rank: I write all the names, then put them in order. Interesting! So, sometimes I’ll get a guy who I place at, say, 45th overall for a position, then move him up to, say, 25, then down to 32, then up, then down, then–Well, you get the point, and that guy was Massey. He’s a tough guy to rank because on his surface, he stole only one bag last year — blech — and only hit 14 homers and .259. Not super exciting! But if he’s sitting right in front of Witt vs. righties and great contact and solid speed, if he uses it, and he starts to open eyes. This is not ranked super high, so I still have questions with India there, but I like Massey way more after digging in on him. 2025 Projections: 67/16/51/.266/10 in 478 ABs

34. Hyeseong Kim – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Dodgers. Saw someone write that he could hit at the top of the order, and to that I say, sure, if Ohtani, Betts and Freeman are all injured. By the way, during this Christmas break, I was in Palm Springs with Cougs and Mother Cougs out at a restaurant that had an elevator (Nobu). Any hoo! We’re exiting and Mother Cougs has a cane, so gingerly, and I’m tending to her because I’m the best son-in-law. Coming onto the elevator was four people, very tall, and I only noticed the very tall blonde girl because she stepped aside for us, and the other people were so tall I didn’t even bother to look that high up. So, we get back to the valet and there’s a Rolls SUV and I joked that they pulled my car around already and the valet says, “Ha, this is Freddie Freeman’s, did you see him by the elevator.” No! I did not! Because I was tending to my mother-in-law! Nice guys finish last! Okay, back to Hyeseong Kim. His name won’t at all be confusing in comments when people abbreviate his name. This Kim won’t bat vs. lefties. Last year, the 25-year-old hit 11 HRs, stole 30 bags and hit .326 with a .841 OPS and .383 OBP. His near-namesake smoked most of those numbers in the KBO, for comparison’s sake. Ha-Seong Kim peaked at 30 HRs, 33 SBs and hit .306 (in different seasons). Here, that became 14/25/.250-ish. By the way, people holding out hope for Pages, Outman or Rushing, the Dodgers will never play their prospects or they just sux like Lux.” And that’s me quoting me! UPDATED: Dave Roberts said he could open the year in the minors. Sadly, the “he” there means Hyeseong not Dave. This is non-committal, but you have to read the writing on the wall and it says, “Not good.” 2025 Projections: 45/5/41/.262/18 in 379 ABs

35. Spencer Horwitz – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

36. Gavin Lux – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Traded to the Reds, or as Kendrick Lamar would say, “Dodgers not like Lux.” As I theorized last year, how much would it take to buy off prospect writers to make them say nice things about your prospects? $2K? Maybe a thou? So, what if you paid them to say nice things about your prospects then traded them? I’m not convinced this is not what the Dodgers are doing. Something super fishy about how well-respected their prospects are and how awful they all turn out. Lux goes to a marginally better park (but not that much better), and worse lineup and can’t play anywhere but 2nd, which is where McLain should play.” And that’s me quoting me! This halfway decent ranking for Lux — still not great, by the by — is based solely on his 2nd half — 7/2/.304 in 181 ABs. His speed is very meh, and I don’t see incredible power incoming, but 17/7/.280 feels within the realm of possibilities. 2025 Projections: 48/13/51/.279/4 in 311 ABs

37. Brendan Rodgers – UPDATE: Signed with the Astros. That’ll cover for the partial loss of Alex Bregman. It’ll cover Al Breg. Now they just need an -ex -man. Maybe they can sign Wolverine. Supposedly, the Astros want Altuve to try the outfield, which sounds bad for him and them, but it helps move Yordan to DH, so maybe that’s a push. 2025 Projections: 49/12/56/.261/1 in 404 ABs

38. Jose Caballero – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Aranda. I call this tier, “Oh hecks yeaaaaaaaah!!! [2 seconds later] Or this guy on waivers?” The tier name refers to your feeling on these guys when they’re hot vs. someone else who is hot on waivers. You’ll love these guys at points this year, but I doubt for the whole year.

As for Caballero, I think his 9/44/.227 season last year being a barely top 20 2nd basemen season on the Player Rater says a lot, and being less valuable than, say, India by a lot ($10.2 vs. 6.2). You think 44 steals is more valuable than it is, when it comes with four other terrible categories. That’s SAGNOF messing with your mind. He’s equally one-note vs. righties and lefties too. Can’t imagine Cash gives him anywhere close to 500 plate appearances again either. 2025 Projections: 36/6/31/.220/32 in 341 ABs

39. Kristian Campbell – Already gave you my Kristian Campbell fantasy. It was written while eating Boo Berry cereal. (I love that shizz.) 2025 Projections: 62/14/66/.274/18 in 414 ABs

40. David Hamilton – There’s going to be times during the 2025 season when I’m absolutely nuts for Hamilton. Screaming, “Not gonna waste my shot” at passersby and dueling people with my shiv, er, and say brr. You’re gonna love him too at times. To draft him just randomly and think he’s going to be someone who you want to roster all year is crazy. 2025 Projections: 44/6/31/.243/28 in 297 ABs

41. Christopher Morel – If he’s platooning out when righties are pitching and still hitting sub-.200, then the Morel of the story is Pain. And if you think he’s playing every day, I have a bridge to Steinbrenner Field to sell you that is called Dave Winfield Sucks Bridge. Poor Dave, kinda screwed up Big Stein named the bridge to the stadium that. 2025 Projections: 39/16/41/.217/7 in 341 ABs

42. Caleb Durbin – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Traded to the Brewers. Oh, and they have Oliver Dunn, Joey Ortiz, Tyler Black, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick–Freddy Peralta is absolutely going to be traded this July for Luisangel Acuña. There is no question about it. So, Durbin is 5′ 6″ and looks up to Altuve, literally. He has 1,216 minor league plate appearances, which is absurd. Why do the Yankees even draft players? Just ask other teams what they want them to develop. Durbin prolly would’ve been better than Gleyber last year, but Yanks refuse to promote anyone. He went 10/29/.287 with a 9.9 K% in 310 Triple-A at-bats. My guess is he’ll fall into a platoon with one of their seventeen other middle infidels.” And that’s me copying and pasting me! 2025 Projections: 41/8/40/.271/15 in 302 ABs

43. Isiah Kiner-Falefa – Israel Diner Falafel is made of chickpea, which gives me the runs, so that he’s slated to hit leadoff for the Pirates makes perfect sense. Thanks for joining me for my Ted Talk. 2025 Projections: 61/7/36/.261/12 in 481 ABs

44. Amed Rosario – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Nats. It’s not hard to be a hater, but it’s hard to be consistent about my hate, which I try to be. I hate teams that do nothing so it doesn’t completely square the circle to also hate teams that do make moves, but the Nats moves really annoy me. Play Yepez, not Nathaniel Lowe. Play Jose Tena, not Amed Rosario. Play anyone but Josh Bell. Don’t you know you have Brady House? Nats made a mess of their playing time this offseason.” And that’s me quoting me! 2025 Projections: 43/5/33/.276/18 in 354 ABs

45. Jose Tena – Before I rank guys, I write their name and occasionally I’ll write next to a guy a brief thought to discuss when I come back to blurb them. For Tena, I wrote, “Brady House replacing?” Jose’s playing time is Ten…[pinkie to mouth]…uous. If I knew Tena was getting 500+ ABs, I’d be excited for him, but a Nats’ beat writer said last year that House could be in line for a promotion in September. It didn’t happen, but neither will Tena is my guess. 2025 Projections: 34/8/38/.241/15 in 302 ABs

46. Oswaldo Cabrera – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

47. Jonathan Aranda – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2025 fantasy baseball.

48. Nolan Gorman – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the end of the list. I call this tier, “Shizzy Shizzshizz.” This tier’s name means–Well, you know.

As for Gorman, his K% went from 31.9% to 37.6% year-over-year and I might’ve scored only a perfect 16,000 on the SATs, but Gorman’s trending the wrong way and is gonna be in the minors soon if morale doesn’t improve. 2025 Projections: 33/14/36/.194/3 in 266 ABs

49. Jorge Polanco – UPDATED: Re-signed with the Mariners. This is coming off a year of 16/4/.213 and I would’ve thought there’s no bigger, “Let’s try a different scenery to see if we can’t put the jumper cables on this old automobile to see if it can at least take us to the store where we can’t afford the eggs,” but apparently I was wrong. They wanted to be reunited. Looking at Polanco’s numbers and I see little reason for optimism — Ks up, and what’s worse is he wasn’t chasing. He just can’t catch up to pitches anymore. Oh, and a knee injury he can’t seem to shake. An emoji wearing a Mariners hat that is smiling so hard it begins to cry. 2025 Projections: 47/15/54/.228/3 in 447 ABs

50. Jeff McNeil – Saw he received a $50 million deal last year, and I’m not one to begrudge a person their bag but that made me guffaw onto the floor and scream, “I am ROFL’ing!” UPDATE: Out for 3-4 weeks with a strained oblique. DJ LeMahieu and Jeff McNeil should start an underground club called, You Don’t Have To Go Home, You Can Stay Here, and never close it, so they have to be there to manage it 24/7, which would open at-bats for prospects. Unfortch, McNeil (and DJ) aren’t entrepreneurial and will return at some point, so I’m fine with draft flyers like Luisangel Acuña, Brett Baty (taking reps at 2nd) and others, but your enthusiasm might be short-lived. 2025 Projections: 41/10/46/.243/5 in 404 ABs

51. Nick Gonzales – I’m reminded of Brad Pitt playing Billy Beane, “If Nick Gonzales is a good hitter, then why hasn’t he been good?” 2025 Projections: 58/12/60/.263/6 in 404 ABs

52. Brooks Lee – What do I have against Brooks Lee? Did I fall asleep on Strunk & White open to the page that said kill all your adverbs? When I see Brooks Baldwin projected for better stats, it worries me some. When I see Lee’s best attribute is his range on the field, it worries me more. He did hit well in Triple-A, so there might be something here or he loses time to one of six other guys Baldelli magically makes appear. 2025 Projections: 42/12/46/.261/4 in 412 ABs

53. Christian Moore – Already gave you my Christian Moore fantasy. It was written while thinking about why Doritos are so damn good. 2025 Projections: 36/12/33/.234/3 in 304 ABs

54. Vaughn Grissom – The Red Sox might have, like, 17 too many middle infielders. That also works if you’re having speech-to-text read it to you as the Red Sox might have 172 middle infielders. How about Bednar for Grissom and Hamilton? Can I talk that into existence? 2025 Projections: 31/5/28/.271/5 in 175 ABs

Omitted but considered: Daniel Schneemann, Max Schuemann, Marco Luciano, Kody Clemens, Pablo Reyes, Josh Rojas, Jose Fermin, Leo Rivas, Miguel Rojas, Blaze Alexander, Dylan Moore, Ronny Mauricio, Lenyn Sosa, Nick Yorke, Edouard Julien, Richie Palacios, Jared Triolo, Orelvis Martinez, Will Wagner, Mauricio Dubon, Adael Amador, Brandon Drury, Thomas Saggese, Curtis Mead Jorge Mateo, Edmundo Sosa, Romy Gonzalez, Whit Merrifield, Davis Schneider, Santiago Espinal, Casey Schmitt, Juan Brito, Travis Bazzana, Jose Iglesias, James Trianos, Brett Wisely, Ryan Bliss, Nicky Lopez, Vidal Brujan, Brooks Baldwin, Chris Taylor, Aaron Schunk, Nacho Alvarez Jr., Leo Jimenez, Andy Ibanez, Nick Loftin, Tim Tawa, Coco Montes, Kyren Paris