Happy Thanksgiving everyone and welcome back to the Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 series. If this the first time for you to read one of these series entries, then welcome aboard.
Ranking outfielders can be tricky because a host of left fielders can also play right field, or center field, or heck, somewhere in the infield. Thus, some of the players you see in the rankings here you will see again over the next two weeks or have already seen, but they just may be ranked higher or lower compared to these rankings.
This position is heavy on players under the age of 30. Out of the 50 players I ranked, only 14 of them are 30 years old or older. Despite the youth, the position still has a lot of depth. You can get a pretty solid player from Tier 3 and even Tier 4 if a few of the players ranked there can rebound after poor seasons.
Overall, this is a position where I am counting on some very young players with high upside to actual reach that upside.
That said, let’s get on with the rankings.
Just Missed the Cut
Rob Refsnyder had a really solid season for the Red Sox in 2024. He hit 11 homers and drove in 40 runs while slashing .283/.359/.471. But his career slash line is .253/.341/.372 and the 11 homers beat his career high by five. So he is an injury replacement value player.
Eddie Rosario, Sam Hilliard and Adam Duvall all have some power in their bats, but that is really all they deliver at this point in their careers.
Seth Brown twice hit 20 or more homers in a season and he has hit 14 homers in each of the last two seasons. But his SLG has fallen each year since he slugged .480 in 2021 and his career slash line is .228/.292/.426. The fact he can play left and right field as well as first base is what gives him value.
Top Prospects
- Roman Anthony
- Josue De Paula
- Owen Cassie
- Drew Gilbert
- Charlie Condon
TIER 5
RANK | PLAYER | 2024 TEAM | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
50 | Joey Loperfido | TOR | 25 |
49 | Austin Martin | MIN | 26 |
48 | Davis Schneider | TOR | 26 |
47 | Dylan Moore | SEA | 32 |
46 | Nick Gordon | MIA | 29 |
45 | Sal Frelick | MIL | 24 |
44 | Alex Verdugo | NYY | 28 |
43 | Andrew Benintendi | CWS | 30 |
42 | Will Benson | CIN | 26 |
41 | Mauricio Dubon | HOU | 30 |
A Pair of Jays and a Twinkie
Joey Loperfido shot through the Astros system thanks to his powerful bat and was part of the trade between the Blue Jays and Astros that sent Yusei Kikuchi to Houston at the trade deadline. Loperfido can play left and center field and hit 52 homers in 290 career minor league games to go with 69 steals. But he had issues with strikeouts and that has carried over to his brief MLB career as he had a 36.3% strikeout rate this past season with a 5% walk rate.
Davis Schneider sports a great moustache and can play both left field and second base. He can also hit the ball with power as he had 13 dingers in 135 games. But after having a 5.7% home run rate in 35 games in 2023, that number dropped to 2.9% this past season to pair with a 31.7% strikeout rate. Schneider, however, has a good eye with a 10.4% walk rate. The question is he closer to the player we saw in 2023 or the one who took the field in 2024? I don’t think he is the 2023 player, but I think he is better than the .191/.282/.343 player we saw this past year.
Austin Martin was the fifth player selected overall in the 2020 draft by the Blue Jays and is a former top 100 prospect. But so far, he has not been able to live up to the hype that surrounded him. In 280 minor league games he has hit only 15 homers to go with a .261/.397/.363 slash line. Now a member of the Twins, Martin slashed .253/.318/.352 in 93 games to go with seven steals. But he hit only one homer, but he can play second, left and center field. Versatility is bonus when it comes to players ranked in this tier.
Just Wish He Had Power
I like Sal Frelick. He doesn’t strike out much (15.3% career strikeout rate), has a solid career walk rate of 9% and can steal some bases as he had 18 in 2024 and 25 in 202 career games. The problem with Frelick is he doesn’t hit for power. He hit only two homers in 2024 in 524 plate appearances and has five in his 202 career games. But he can play all three outfield spots and he can provide some steals, and that is why he has some value.
Jack of All Trades
Maurico Dubon’s real value is the fact he can play anywhere on the field. He started 44 games in left, 18 in center, 13 at second base, 11 in right field, nine at first and third base and three at short. And he does all this while not hurting you at the plate. He slashed .269/.296/.361 this year with four homers and 47 RBI and his career slash line is .261/.296/.378. Not great numbers, but really good for someone who can fill in at multiple positions on your team.
TIER 4
RANK | PLAYER | 2024 TEAM | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
40 | Willi Castro | MIN | 27 |
39 | MJ Melendez | KC | 26 |
38 | David Fry | CLE | 29 |
37 | Jake McCarthy | ARI | 27 |
36 | Nolan Jones | COL | 26 |
35 | Jesse Winker | NYM | 31 |
34 | Jarred Kelenic | ATL | 25 |
33 | Chas McCormick | HOU | 29 |
32 | Luke Raley | SEA | 30 |
31 | Matt Wallner | MIN | 27 |
Leveled Off
MJ Melendez is a former top 100 prospect who showed great promise when he hit 18 homers and drove in 62 runs as a rookie in 2022. But he has never improved on those numbers, hitting 16 homers in 2023 with 56 RBI and then adding 17 homers and 44 RBI in 2024. At this point, what you see with Melendez is what you get – 17 homers and 55 RBI with a .220/.300/.400 slash line.
Like MJ Melendez, Jake McCarthy teased dynasty owners in 2022 when he slashed .283/.342/.427 with eight homers, 43 RBI and 23 steals in 2022 as a rookie. But he has not improved those numbers since. He regressed in 2023 before bouncing back this past season with a .285/.349/.400 slash line with eight homers, 56 RBI and 25 steals in 124 games. His 162-game average is .270/.338/.388 with nine homers, 53 RBI and 34 steals. If he can approach those numbers, be happy and have him for outfield depth as he plays all three outfield positions.
The third person who appears to have defined himself is Jarred Kelenic. He looks to be a player (over 130 games or so) who will hit 15 homers and drive in 50 runs with 10 steals while slashing in the .240/.300/.390 range. He can play both left and center, so he is a good depth player but at this point that is all I would expect from him.
Who is the Real Chas McCormick?
In his first two seasons with the Astros, Chas McCormick averaged 114 games with 14 homers, 47 RBI and four steals with a .250/.326/.425 slash line. Then came 2023. That is when he broke out and hit 22 homers, drove in 70 runs, stole 19 bases and slashed .273/.353/.489.
Then came 2024. In a lost season for McCormick that actually saw him demoted to the minors for a little while, McCormick slashed .211/.271/.306 with only five homers, 27 RBI and eight steals in 94 games. His strikeout rate increased while his walk rate decreased to a career low 6.4%. When he finally figured things out in September (.391/.417/.435), he broke his hand seven games into the month and was done for the season. I have no idea which McCormick is the real McCoy, but for now split his output from 2021/22 and what he did in 2023 and be happy if he reaches those numbers.
What is the Celling?
Matt Wallner has never played in more than 76 games in a season. If he can manage to appear in 130 or more, he would not be ranked in this tier. In 76 games in 2023, Wallner hit 14 homers, drove in 41 runs and slashed .249/.370/.507. This past season in 75 games he went 13/37/.259/.372/.523. In 169 career games he has hit 29 home runs and driven in 88 while sporting a .251/.366/.500 slash line. If you believe 2025 is the year Wallner finally appears in 130-140 games, then move him up these rankings and grab him.
TIER 3
RANK | PLAYER | 2024 TEAM | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
30 | Bryan De La Cruz | PIT | 28 |
29 | Daulton Varsho | TOR | 28 |
28 | Trevor Larnach | MIN | 28 |
27 | Michael Conforto | SF | 32 |
26 | Brandon Marsh | PHI | 27 |
25 | Christian Yelich | MIL | 33 |
24 | Brendan Donovan | STL | 28 |
23 | Randy Arozarena | SEA | 30 |
22 | Tyler O’Neill | BOS | 29 |
21 | Jasson Dominguez | NYY | 22 |
Simply Solid Players
Trevor Larnach, Brandon Marsh and Brendan Donovan are all basically the same player. They will all hit around 15 homers and drive in 60 or so runs. Marsh has a bit more speed, Donovan drives in more runs, while they all slug around .420.
The value in these three players is you basically know what to expect from them and they should offer quality depth on your team or be a decent starter in super deep leagues.
The First of the “Prospects”
Jasson Dominguez is still classified as a rookie, or in many dynasty leagues, a prospect thanks to only having 87 career at-bats. In those at-bats, Dominguez has struggled to the tune of a .207/.310/.437 slash line with six homes and 11 RBI to go with six steals. But there is no denying his skill set. He can hit for power, has above average speed and is going to help in your slash line as well. In 353 career minor league games, Dominguez has 47 homers, 189 RBI and 102 steals with a .274/.373/.444 slash line – and he doesn’t turn 22 until Feb. 7.
There should be a spot in the outfield for Dominguez next season, and you should make a spot on your roster for him. The only reason he is not ranked higher is I am not sure when he will start producing at the levels expected of him.
TIER 2
RANK | PLAYER | 2024 TEAM | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
20 | Taylor Ward | LAA | 30 |
19 | Heston Kjerstad | BAL | 26 |
18 | Heliot Ramos | SF | 25 |
17 | Steven Kwan | CLE | 27 |
16 | Jurickson Profar | SD | 32 |
15 | Lourdes Gurriel Jr. | ARI | 31 |
14 | Brandon Nimmo | NYM | 32 |
13 | Alec Burleson | STL | 26 |
12 | Ian Happ | CHC | 30 |
11 | Evan Carter | TEX | 22 |
The Second of the “Prospects”
The amount of top prospects bubbling up from the Baltimore system is insane. Heston Kjerstad is still classified as a rookie/prospect in most leagues thanks to coming in at 129 at-bats. In those 129 career at-bats with the Orioles, Kjerstad has six homers and 17 RBI with a .248/.336/.411 slash line.
There is nothing left for him to prove in the minors. In 249 career games on the farm, Kjerstad has a .304/.387/.524 slash line with 42 home runs and 153 RBI while posting decent 21% strikeout rate. While a small sample size, his career Average EV in the majors is 90.7 MPH with a Hard Hit% of 46.5%. The MLB averages in those two areas are 88.4 mph and 39.3%.
He is four years older than Dominguez, so if you want to move Dominguez ahead of Kjerstad, I can understand that. But Kjerstad shouldn’t be overlooked and will likely help your team sooner than Dominguez will.
The Old Guard
Jurickson Profar, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Brandon Nimmo are likely not going to help you five years down the road, or even three. But for next year and 2026, they should still provide winning statistics.
Profar is coming off the best season with career highs in homers (24), RBI (85) and slash line (.280/.380/.459). I don’t think Profar duplicates those numbers next season, but I also think he has made adjustments to his game to provide more power on a consistent basis. The numbers will likely drop a bit, but I think he can be a useful player for at least the next two seasons.
Gurriel is somewhat overlooked in the fantasy world. His 162-game average is 24 homers and 89 RBI with a .279/.324/.461 slash line. Three times he has topped 20 homers in a season and he fell short of that by two this year in 133 games. What I like about Gurriel is I know what to expect from him. It’s nice to load up on prospects with high ceilings, but it is also nice to get a player who is consistent, and that is Gurriel.
Nimmo is another player who is just a consistent source of production. He will hit 20 homers (a few more, a few less, but in that range) and drive in 65 to 70 runs in most years, though he had 90 RBI this past season, a career high. Nimmo also added steals to his game, setting a new career high with 15. His previous high was nine in 2018. The RBI and steals may not be matched next year, but he should provide a 20-70-10 line with a .260/.370/.420 slash line.
Counting on a Rebound
Evan Carter exploded onto the MLB scene in 2023 when he slashed .306/.413/.645 with five homers, 12 RBI and three steals in 23 games for the Rangers. He then went on to slash .300/.417/.500 with one homer, six RBI and three steals in 17 postseason games. All of this at the age of 20.
But 2024 was not kind to Carter. He did not play in a single game after May 26 due to a stress fracture in his back. And when Carter was on the field, the back was obviously a problem as he slashed .188/.272/.361 with five homers, 15 RBI and two steals.
Two months of bad baseball, however, should not discourage you from going after Carter. When healthy he can hit for power and average and add speed. I fully expect him to bounce back and hit 17 to 20 homers with 15 or so steals, which will establish his floor and not his ceiling.
TIER 1
RANK | PLAYER | 2024 TEAM | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
10 | James Wood | WAS | 22 |
9 | Wyatt Langford | TEX | 23 |
8 | Spencer Steer | CIN | 27 |
7 | Bryan Reynolds | PIT | 28 |
6 | Colton Cowser | BAL | 25 |
5 | Riley Greene | DET | 24 |
4 | Teoscar Hernandez | LAD | 33 |
3 | Jarren Duran | BOS | 28 |
2 | Jackson Chourio | MIL | 21 |
1 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | 27 |
The Ceiling is High with These Two
James Wood was one of the players the Nationals received when Juan Soto was traded to San Diego. It has taken a while, but the trade is starting to pay off for Washington. Wood debuted for the Nationals this year and in 79 games he slashed .264/.354/.427 with nine homers, 41 RBI and 14 steals. Wood had an outstanding month of August for the Nationals, slashing .302/.407/.479 with three homers, 15 RBI and nine steals – providing a glimpse of what he can do on the field. It is not going to be a surprise to see Wood go 20/85/20 next year and only improve on those numbers as he matures.
In 2023 Wyatt Langford was graduating from Florida as one of the top players in the NCAA. A year later, he was in the lineup for the Texas Rangers. While he did not win Rookie of the Year or come close to winning the award, he proved he belongs in the majors and that he will only get better. In 134 games he hit 16 homers, drove in 74 runs and stole 19 bases and slashed .253/.325/.415.
Langford was at his best during the final month of the season when he slashed .300/.386/.610 to go with eight homers, 20 RBI and seven steals. Like Wood, I would be stunned of Langford doesn’t reach at least 20 homers, 85 RBI and 20 steals and become a key member of your team for years.
The Young Studs
Spencer Steer, Bryan Reynolds, Colton Cowser and Riley Greene are great players to grab and park in left field when building your team. Steer ranked second in RBIs (92) and stolen bases (25) among left fielders last year and tied for 14th in homers (20). I expect his power numbers to improve thanks to his home ballpark while he continues to steal bases.
Reynolds tied for fifth among left fielders in home runs (along with Cowser and Greene with 24), was fourth in RBI with 88 and tied for 11th in steals in 10. The numbers he produced in 2024 are par for the course for him. Since 2021 he has hit 24, 27, 24 and 24 homers, driven in 90, 62, 84 and 88 runs and slashed .276/.352/.472 during that time period.
Cowser finished second in the AL ROY voting this season after hitting 24 homers and driving in 69 runs while stealing nine bases and slashing .242/.321/.447. I don’t think it is too early to rank Cowser sixth overall as his power is real and his slash line should creep toward his minor league career numbers of .298/.420/.489. I think what he did this past season is his floor and the power should increase over the next few years.
Greene finally had his breakout season in 2024 as he slashed .262/.348/.479 with 24 homers and 82 RBI in 137 games. Since debuting in 2022, Green’s OPS+ has gone from 97 to 119 to 133 this season. He may not reach 30 homers during his career, but he gets on base at a .350 clip and provides a solid, steady bat in your lineup.
Still Producing
Whether he is playing in Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles or any other ballpark, Teoscar Hernandez produces. This past season for the Dodgers saw him slash .272/.339/.501 with 33 homers and 99 RBI. Since 2021, his average season is 147 games, 29 home runs, 96 RBI, nine steals and a .273/.327/.486 slash line. He does strike out a lot as he has a career 29.6% strikeout rate. But he also has a 5% home run rate.
The only thing keeping him from being ranked higher is the fact he will be 33 on Opening Day in 2025. If I am selecting a left fielder for the future, Hernandez is not one of them. Buf if I only care about right now and 2026 as well, you can only find one other left fielder who can match his stats.
The Speed Factor
Jarren Duran played most of his games in center field for the Red Sox in 2024, but his 83 games in left makes him a very solid player to slot into that position. Appearing in 160 games this year, Duran churned out a season in which he scored 111 runs, hit 21 homers, drove in 75 runs and stole 34 bases – a number that leads all left fielders.
Duran is not going to be a home run hitter, but he is good for 20 a year. What helps his stock is the fact he should regularly top 30 steals per season while slashing .290/.345/.485 every season.
Living Up to the Hype
Milwaukee fans were waiting for the day Jackson Chourio would join the Brewers after hitting 22 homers and drive in 91 runs and steal 44 bases between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023 as a 19-year-old.
Chourio broke camp with the Brewers this past season and after a sluggish start, he did not disappoint his fans. He finished the season with a .275/.327/.464 slash line with 21 homers, 79 RBI and 22 steals. And as the season progressed, Chourio got better and better. He slashed .243/.294/.384 with nine homers, 35 RBI and 10 steals in the first half (covering 85 games). Over his final 63 games, he slashed .310/.363/.552 with 12 home runs, 44 RBI and 12 steals.
What’s up next for Chourio? Don’t be shocked to see him knocking on the door for a 30-100-30 season in 2025 and beyond.
One of the Best
When it comes to hitting, Yordan Alvarez is simply one of the best in the majors. His power is off the charts. As a rookie in 2019 he hit 27 homers in 87 games. Since 2021 his home runs totals have been 33, 37, 31 and 35 and his RBI totals have been 104, 97, 97, 86. His career 162-game average is 42 homers and 120 RBI.
But Alvarez is more than just a home run hitter. He is also a top-notch hitter. His career batting average is .298 and twice he has hit over .300 in a season (2022, 2024). His career slash line is .298/.390/.583. Most sluggers struggle with strikeouts. Not Alvarez as his career strikeout rate is 20 percent and over the last three seasons it has been 18.9%, 18.6% and 15% while his walk rates have been 13.9%, 13.9% and 10.9%.
About the only thing Alvarez doesn’t do is steal bases, though he did add a career-high six this year. So he hits for power, hits for average and drives in runs – making him the top-ranked left fielder.
Come Back Next Week
Thanks for reading and come back next week for the top 50 center fielders.
Previous Rankings
Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Relievers
Top 100 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Starting Pitchers
Top 40 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Catchers
Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – First Basemen
Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Second Basemen
Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Shortstops
Top 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Third Basemen
To be honest, Jakkers, i’m not sure if this is a re-draft, keeper, or dynasty list.
Wood and Langford are clearly top five dynasty assets in left field. Their ceiling and trajectory are very exciting — 1st round potential. Many pundits place them in their top 20 overall dynasty assets. To have guys like Steer, Cowser, and Reynolds in front of them is not the state of mind that leads to victory in dynasty. To place Teoscar ahead of all of those names is a re-draft mentality.
There are a million ways to approach dynasty leagues. Some just load up on all the top prospects / young players and hope for the best.
Others take a three-year view, others look five years into the future
Over the years I’ve morphed into a hybrid of the above. At some positions like shortstop and center field, I want the best young talent as possible.
At other positions, like second base and left field, I’ll pick and choose between the best right now and who may be the best in five years.
I literally explained my Hernandez ranking. If you’re an owner in the win now mode and don’t care about 2027 or beyond, he’s a great player to have.
Steer and Reynolds are steady players who you know what you will get and are young enough to produce for years. Lots of dynasty owners love those players.
For you, you are thinking long term at every position. I understand that. In that case, slide Langford, Cowser and Wood up and hope they live up to the hype.
Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving Jakkers! Thanks for doing these lists they are very helpful. Trying to decide on holding or dropping Nolan Jones in a 16 team Dynasty league. Only a LFer in 2025, any chance he bounces back to any thing close to his 2023 season?
That is the big question with Jones, isn’t it? Breakout year in 2023 and then a complete flop this season.
With where I rank him, I’m obviously not counting on him bouncing back. That said, I wouldn’t give up on him, especially if you have a solid left fielder on your roster. If you do, Jones becomes a great player to stash with the hopes he does bounce back.
Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading.
Kinda surprised not to see Dylan Crews on this list. Top draft pick, nice swing, 12 steals in an abbreviated 2024 debut and a clear path to playing time. Why isn’t he in your Top 50?
Not sure where plays (or Delauter) but this is a LF only list.
Delauter only played in left four times this past season, double digits in center and right. Thus not listed here.
Crews did not play any games in left field. He started 28 games in right field, three in center.
He will be talked about in the right fielder rankings.