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Zach's fantasy baseball prospect sleepers and outfield draft values for 2025. These rookies and young studs are hidden gems with upside based on their ADPs.
Outfield is a unique position in fantasy baseball since every MLB team plays multiple outfielders in every game. Fantasy baseball leagues treat the outfield spot very differently than every other position as a result, and you need a unique strategy on how to build your roster at that position. One useful strategy is often to target top fantasy baseball prospects ready to break through and establish themselves as viable fantasy options.
Whether you have stacked elite options at the top of your depth chart as a core of your team or neglected it until late in the draft, finding late-round hidden gems is critical to success for a 162-game grind. Even if your outfield is fully stocked, a breakout performer can also be great for trade value later in the season.
Since outfield is so deep, there is no shortage of options at the end of drafts, and many of them are top prospects that bring lots of potential. I've included my top five hidden gems in this post. Most are going undrafted or extremely cheaply in many leagues and may even start the season in Triple-A. Be sure to understand how your league allows you to stash minor leaguers on the bench or inactive list, and at least keep a very close eye on these players on the waiver wire as the season gets underway.
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Jerar Encarnacion, San Francisco Giants
If you're looking for a hidden gem of a specific color and shopping for straight power, check out San Francisco prospect Jerar Encarnacion. Encarnacion flashed plenty of power on his rise through the Marlins farm system but his batting average was very low and he only made it to the majors for a 23-game stretch in 2022.
In 2023, he was in Triple-A all year and crushed 26 homers but only hit .228.
He signed as a free agent with the Giants before the 2024 season and had a totally different year. In 33 games in Triple-A, he still hit 10 homers but added a .352 AVG with a .454 wOBA. He was called up for 35 games last fall and hit five home runs while hitting .248. His metrics are strong, though, and his xwOBA of .348 is much more promising than his .301 wOBA.
Jerar Encarnacion is not only a sleeper breakout candidate, but could be the one to break San Francisco’s 30-HR drought
In 2024, Jerar demolished AAA pitching:
(Percentiles)
.448 wOBA (100th)
.411 xwOBA (100th)
94.7 Avg EV (100th)
108.9 90th% EV (100th)
57.1% HardHit (99th) pic.twitter.com/qm3lZXtBso— Kick Dirt Baseball (@KickDirtBB) February 25, 2025
This spring training, Encarnacion is battling for a role on the Giants' roster, but the power potential he brings is clear. He has been using the opposite field more this spring as well and is off to a hot start.
At 27 years old with no options remaining, Encarnacion would have to stay on the roster all season or be passed through waivers. At some point, the Giants should see if he can deliver production to go with his eye-popping metrics.
Tirso Ornelas, San Diego Padres
Encarnacion earned his shot with the Giants in part due to a massive season in the Mexican Pacific Winter League last year, and the Padres are hoping it can give their own slugging outfield prospect a boost coming into this year.
Tirso Ornelas is trying to play his way onto the San Diego roster as a corner outfield bat that brings good power. He has been in the organization since 2017 when he was just 17, but he has made his climb through the minors and picked up some good momentum over the last year.
Ornelas hit 23 home runs last season in 128 games for the El Paso Chihuahuas in Triple-A with a .297 AVG, .200 ISO, and .376 wOBA. In the Mexican Pacific Winter League for the Charros de Jalisco, he hit a .289 AVG with seven home runs and nine stolen bases in 48 games.
He has carried over that momentum into the early part of spring training, going 8-for-19 (.421 AVG) in his first nine games with four doubles, a home run, and a fun .553 wOBA. It's definitely "fun with a small sample size" to some degree, but it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Ornelas forces his way into playing time ahead of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe who were brought in to replace the departed Jurickson Profar.
Tirso Ornelas belts this solo dinger 418 feet!
The @Padres prospect is now 3-for-7 this spring. pic.twitter.com/d7yQeH9JhM
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 24, 2025
Even if he starts in El Paso again, Ornelas could get the call early if the Padres have production problems from the outfield or run into injuries again.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, Minnesota Twins
Rodriguez has all the things we've come from Minnesota's prospects over the past few seasons--both positive and negative. He has a ton of raw potential and can do everything well at the plate including absolutely crushing the ball with power metrics off the charts.
The downside, though, is like many of the Twins' other prospects, Rodriguez can't seem to stay healthy and on the field.
He's not been able to do anything in spring training after suffering an ankle sprain just before camp, and the team is being cautious with rushing him back since he is also recovering from offseason thumb surgery.
Over the last three seasons, Rodriguez has been limited to 195 games out of 398 possible games in the minors. Last year, he played 47 games in the minors and hit for a .280 AVG with nine home runs, nine stolen bases, and a .460 wOBA. In his healthiest season, he had 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 99 games in High A in 2023.
In 47 games last season EmManuel Rodriguez ran an average exit velocity of 94.7 mph. The only big leaguers with a higher figure in 2024 (min. 100 BBE):
Aaron Judge: 96.2 mph
Shohei Ohtani: 95.8 mph
Oneil Cruz: 95.5 mph pic.twitter.com/WjV974gTN2— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) February 12, 2025
If he's healthy, he could definitely contribute to the Twins at some point this season. He's a watch more than a stash at this point in standard leagues, but I love his potential upside enough that I still think he's a late-round gem to consider in the outfield, even if he does need more polishing than the other options in this list.
Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox
Many experts regard Anthony as the No. 1 hitting prospect in baseball, and he has proven that he is loaded with potential in his time in Triple-A. The lefty is still just 20 years old, but he hit a .344 AVG with three home runs, five stolen bases, and a .439 wOBA in his 35 games with the Worcester Red Sox last summer. He finished 2024 with a .291 combined AVG in 119 games in the minors with 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases.
The primary reason Anthony is still most often available after 70+ outfielders have gone off the board is that he does not have a clear path to playing time. The Red Sox already have Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, Wilyer Abreu to fit in the outfield, and Alex Bregman's arrival filled the DH and infield spots as well.
The Sox won't have Anthony with the team unless he's playing every day and continuing to progress. Anthony could easily start the season in Triple-A and stay there until an injury or trade occurs.
One potential opportunity for Anthony is that Abreu will not likely be ready to start the season since he has been battling an illness in spring training. If Abreu's illness creates an opportunity, Anthony looks ready to knock the door down and seize a regular role.
MLB's No. 2 overall prospect Roman Anthony making plays on both sides of the ball@RedSox | @RedSoxPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/Z6ckIunf7e
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 25, 2025
He is a versatile and balanced hitter who brings both power and speed, and he'll be a great boost to the Boston lineup, which looks like it will be a very productive place to hit this season. If you can grab Anthony late enough that he is on your bench as a stash or can be used when he gets the call, he appears ready to produce meaningful fantasy numbers when he arrives in Boston.
Evan Carter, Texas Rangers
With lower expectations, Evan Carter could emerge as a great upside gem if healthy -- and still has lots of room to grow as a prospect even though he officially surpassed "rookie" status last season.
Carter is still a great value even though you won't be able to wait on him until the end of the draft. He is still just 22 and is hopefully heading into his first full season in the MLB after being limited to 45 games last season by a stress reaction in his back.
He was a hot name heading into last season after making a splash in 2023 and helping the Rangers win the World Series. His results weren't great in 2024, but part of that was likely due to his issues with his back. He hit a .188 AVG with five home runs and a .278 wOBA after posting a .306 AVG with five homers and a .435 wOBA in 23 regular-season games at the end of 2023.
Before being called up in 2023, he showed speed potential as well with 26 stolen bases in 108 minor league games. He hasn't run much in the majors, but that could come with time as he settles into a regular role.
Carter would have cost you an early-round pick last year but his ADP this year is well below 60. He's a classic "post-hype sleeper," especially since he has been limited this spring due to illness. Here's what he had to say coming into spring training:
Listening to Evan Cater describe his back issues last season is fascinating. Carter noted how he feels like he's back to his 2023 form 👀 #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/G5VH297BrE
— Kane McCutchen (@Kane_McCutchen6) February 18, 2025
Maybe his breakout will just be delayed a year. At his current cost, it's worth a shot to find out.
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