Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 5)

April 26, 2025

Jarod's hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, and risers to watch for Week 5 of 2025. His list includes waiver wire outlooks and underachieving hitters so far.

Welcome to our Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 5 of the 2025 MLB season. The focus of this article is to highlight players who could be on the verge of a breakout, citing current active hitting streaks along with leaders in batting average and isolated power (ISO). You will also find expected batting average (xBA) underachievers and overachievers.

In this week's edition, we'll dive into players like Bobby Witt Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and Luke Keaschall. You'll not only find out who is hot at the plate, but also which hitters deserve better results due to their quality of contact, or who might be on the verge of a cold spell.

So, let's take a closer look at our breakout watch to help your fantasy baseball teams heading into Week 5. You might find a potential waiver wire target or some worthy DFS plays!

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Hit Streak Leaders

Data through 4/24

Bobby Witt Jr. (16 games)

To see Bobby Witt Jr. on a hit streak leaderboard is no surprise, and the Royals played a doubleheader on Thursday in which Witt collected a hit in each contest, stretching his streak to 16 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. sends one the other way for an RBI single! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BvTgeQJKoH

— Baseball’s Office (@baseballsoffice) April 24, 2025

What is a bit of a surprise is that the 24-year-old has just two home runs over the first 114 plate appearances, which is a 12-homer pace if given 700 PA like he tallied last season.

With back-to-back 30-homer campaigns, fantasy managers will hope that the former second-overall draft pick picks up the pace.

Still, with eight steals already on the year, the 2024 All-Star is on pace for 49 steals, well ahead of last season's total of 31, so fantasy managers will gladly accept that as a trade-off for the lack of power.

The power will surely pick up, and the steals will likely level off, and the end result will likely be another MVP-caliber season nonetheless.

Jeremy Pena (14 games)

After a rough 5-for-35 (.143) start, Jeremy Pena has collected a hit in 14 straight games. The streak has raised his batting average to a more respectable .253 on the year, and with a career-best 15.3 percent strikeout rate, he is expected to continue putting the bat on the ball.

The hard-hit rate of 47.9 percent is easily a career high, and his xBA stands at .302, suggesting the 27-year-old has deserved an even better fate than what his current BA indicates. Another good sign is that he's chasing less than career norms, which translates to a career-best walk rate of 8.2 percent.

Eric Wagaman (11 games)

Now this is a name that truly deserves a closer look. It's the type of name other fantasy players may scroll right past when combing the waiver wire or setting a DFS lineup, but now you know the name, so that won't be you.

Eric Wagaman has been deployed as a first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter for the Marlins, and is now riding an 11-game hit streak. It's a streak where he's batting .366 with five doubles and two home runs, not to mention five RBI, 11 runs scored, and a stolen base.

The 27-year-old is striking out at just a 13.9 percent rate and -- like Pena -- has an xBA (.324) that suggests he's hitting the ball better than his BA indicates (.274).

3) Eric Wagaman - MIA

When Wagaman swings at pitches in the zone, he makes solid contact, and that is a recipe for success. His more selective approach seems to be working, and he should be staple at the top of the Marlins lineup this season! pic.twitter.com/7upxcmuJYy

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 22, 2025

Highest Batting Average Last Seven Days

Data through 4/24, minimum 13 at-bats

Wyatt Langford (.533 BA)

Wyatt Langford is scorching hot right now. As long as he stays on the field, my prediction that he would lead the Rangers in home runs and steals should come to fruition.

Paul Goldschmidt (.478 BA)

There was a lot of talk of the decline of Paul Goldschmidt in the preseason after consecutive years of diminished statistics, but he sure looks revitalized in New York, at least for the time being.

The power hasn't returned yet, but his contact rate of 79.4 percent is the highest it has been since 2020, and his strikeout rate of 20.0 percent is the lowest it has been since 2021.

The former MVP is slashing .383/.433/.489, and over the last week, he has gone 11-for-23 (.478). The one home run on the season leaves you wanting more as a fantasy manager, but with a .404 wOBA and 171 wRC+, the 7x All-Star is providing a solid return on investment based on where he was being drafted.

Zach McKinstry (.474 BA)

Detroit's Swiss Army knife, Zach McKinstry, continues to produce, going 9-for-19 (.474) over the past week, including two three-hit performances mixed in there.

The left-handed hitter is slashing .311/.416/.459 on the season with a .383 wOBA and 157 wRC+. A strong 15.6 percent walk rate buoys the sterling .416 OBP.

If you're going to criticize, it's that with being on base so much, it should probably have led to a few more steals, having stolen 16 bags in each of the past two seasons, but with only one steal to his name in 2025.

If that production picks up, he'll be even more valuable, and speaking of value, the 29-year-old is eligible at 2B, 3B, SS, and OF on Yahoo!, giving managers plenty of flexibility to fill daily lineup holes.

Highest ISO Last Seven Days

Data through 4/24, minimum 13 at-bats

Rowdy Tellez (.692 ISO)

We won't get too deep in the weeds on Rowdy Tellez as he barely met my arbitrary threshold of 13 at-bats minimum over the last week, going 4-for-13 (.308) over the previous week. Still, if you're looking for some DFS pop, three of his four hits registered as home runs, and there's reason to believe that there's more where that came from.

Jordan Beck (.688 ISO)

Jordan Beck's stats are skewed by Thursday's doubleheader in which the 24-year-old hit three homers between the two games. The 24-year-old has always shown promise as a former top prospect, but it hasn't yet translated to the major league level.

Jordan Beck with THREE home runs today in Colorado's doubleheader.#Rockiespic.twitter.com/WQfbDAoPjQ

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) April 25, 2025

That is until Thursday, however, those were his first home runs of the season. The 6-foot-2 slugger came into Thursday with a 0.0 percent barrel rate, so this performance came out of nowhere.

Still, perhaps this is the beginning of a hot stretch for Beck, so season-long and DFS managers should take note. He's available in nearly all Yahoo! leagues for the taking in the event this surge continues, and Colorado is at home for the next six games.

Most Steals Last Seven Days

Data through 4/24

Luke Keaschall (5 SB)

When you look up this data, most names on the list aren't surprises, but one name stands out, and that is Luke Keaschall. The Twins recently promoted their third-ranked prospect, and he's hit the ground running -- literally.

Luke Keaschall has recorded 5 stolen bases through the first 5 MLB games he has appeared in.

That is tied for the most stolen bases since at least 1901 😱 pic.twitter.com/hdJ5chmqu7

— MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2025

In addition to collecting a hit in his first six big league games, the 22-year-old has stolen five bases thus far, four of which came in two multi-steal games.

The right-handed hitter is rostered in just 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so he's still widely available and is eligible at 1B, 2B, and OF, providing some added value for fantasy.

xBA Underachiever

Data through 4/23

Dylan Crews (.195 vs. .283)

Those who drafted Dylan Crews were mortified to see him get off to such a horrific start to the season, going 5-for-47 (.106) over the first 13 games with 18 strikeouts (36.7 percent) and no extra-base hits.

However, since then, the former first-round draft pick has gone 10-for-30 (.333) with four XBH (three HR), and maybe most importantly -- one strikeout (3.2 percent).

His xBA suggests there's even more upside as well, so fantasy managers should remain patient with the youngster, as a 15/30 season is still possible.

xBA Overachiever

Data through 4/23

Pavin Smith (.397 vs. .298)

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