Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Targets - Closers and Relief Pitchers To Draft In 2025

Which bullpen arms should you target in 2025 fantasy baseball drafts? Mike Carter of RotoBaller analyzes five relief pitchers that you need to draft this season.

Fantasy baseball drafts are in full swing right now, and the debate over when to draft closers rages on. In early mocks and early drafts I have been in, I have been trying to anchor my relief corps with one of the top options on the board through the first four or five rounds, and then waiting until the middle teen rounds to draft a number two closer. As we know, there are few sure things when it comes to drafting closers, but I want to make sure I harness at least 60 saves with my top bullpen picks. 

Knowing your league format and knowing your opponents are imperative to your draft strategy for rostering this tough position. Keep in mind that besides saves, an effective closer can help you in the ratio and strikeout categories as well. Selecting the right closer for your team is crucial to your success in the season. 

I will share five bullpen arms with you that I think are must-haves in most fantasy leagues. Keep in mind this list can change at any time, but take a long look at these guys as you prepare for your drafts. Be sure to also bookmark our constantly-updated fantasy baseball closer depth charts for bullpens, saves, holds and more.

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Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles

There seems to be a bit of a discount on Bautista this winter, as many fantasy players seem concerned about his return from Tommy John surgery last March 2024. But there are a few things to consider here. Bautista was nearly ready at the end of the season, as you may recall.

If the Orioles had played deeper, there had been talk that he might be activated for a deep playoff run. That never came to fruition. You never know how things are going to work out, and we no doubt know that to be true in bullpens. But the last time we saw Bautista in 2023, he posted eight wins. 33 saves, a microscopic 1.48 ERA with 0.92 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts in 61 innings.

With better health and provided that his command and control come back post-surgery, Bautista is a top-5 closer in the game. After hearing from management that he is well and anticipating no restrictions for spring and a full return for Opening Day, draft Bautista with confidence.

The Orioles also reinforced the high-leverage roles by adding veteran Andrew Kittredge to veterans Yennier Cano and Seranthony Dominguez.  The bullpen should be a strength for Baltimore again in 2025.

Lucas Erceg, Kansas City Royals

Erceg will see his price go down due to the free-agent acquisition of Carlos Estevez last week. But I will say this: Erceg is the far better pitcher, and my best guess is that he will eventually have the closing job in Kansas City, even if Estevez wins the job in Spring Training. Erceg feels more like a starter than an ace reliever, as he has a four-pitch mix, and he throws each pitch more than 20% of the time.

Erceg features a four-seamer (31%), a slider (28%), a sinker (21%), and a change-up (20%). As last season developed and after he was dealt to Kansas City from Oakland, he shifted slightly more to his slider (37% in September) and slightly less to his change-up (14% in September). He had 11 saves in the last two months of the season and proved that he could do the job.

It's often said that when it comes to drafting relief pitchers, draft skills and not roles. This is a prime example where the skills shine through and the role is yet to be determined, but if given the chance, Erceg has the stuff to be a top-10 closer in major league baseball.

Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers

Lest we forget, Megill stepped into the role vacated when Devin Williams was injured last year in Milwaukee, and he was a revelation. Megill earned 21 saves in 2024, with a 2.72 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts in 46 innings. Megill is a true two-pitch player with a high-velocity four-seam fastball (thrown 72% of the time) paired with an effective knuckle curve (28% of the time).

With Williams departing for New York, Megill should step into that role and run with it. Expect some pullback in the ratios, but Megill seems to be a safe bet for 25+ saves at this time.

Keep in mind that Milwaukee has a plethora of other options and that if Megill shines in the role early on in the season, he could be traded to another team where his role may be uncertain. Milwaukee has shown that they will trade anyone at any time.

David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates

Bednar has never been cheaper than he is this season due to an ineffective 2024 campaign. Yet there is much reason to believe that much of last season was marred by recurrent injuries that Bednar tried to fight through. We are a society that makes decisions constantly based on recency bias.

Bednar still earned 23 saves last year despite a bloated 5.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. In 2022 and 2023, he posted 19 and 39 saves, respectively, with helpful ratios and a 30 percent K% over those two seasons. We can't discount the fact that 2024 was a lousy season for him. A lat strain in spring seemed to set the tone for the entire season, and an oblique injury shut him down in late June.

His K rate dropped to 22.6 percent, and his walk rate climbed to 10.7 percent, both well off his career norms. With health and the fact there is no competition for the role, look for a big bounceback season from Bednar provided he is healthy. I trust the track record of more than one aberrant bad season.

Seth Halvorsen, Colorado Rockies

Let's face facts: one caveat many fantasy players will agree to is never to roster a Colorado Rockies pitcher. While I usually agree with that, you should consider breaking that mantra and selecting Seth Halvorsen as a pitcher who can be successful at Coors Field and break the mold.

Halvorsen features a four-pitch mix, with a four-seamer and a nasty split-finger being his two most used pitches. Halvorsen got into 12 games down the stretch in 2024, won two games, and saved two more. His K% was 28.3 percent in 2024, and he limited his BB% to 4.3 percent. Granted this is a small sample size, but have you looked at the holdovers in this bullpen?

Are Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley markedly better options? With Halvorsen's ability to keep the ball down and with a 99th percentile velocity, he could be a breakout candidate as a closer this season. I will be taking him in several leagues and I think you should strongly consider him as well.

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