RADIO
Jarod's fantasy baseball watch list -- hitters, pitchers, and relievers he's keeping an eye on for May 5 - May 11 (2025): hot bats, good matchups, pitchers on a roll, and more.
Welcome back to my weekly Players to Watch for the Week Ahead series for 2025 as we look ahead to the week of May 5 - May 11. In this article, I'll look at players like Coby Mayo, Royce Lewis, Max Fried, and others.
For those unfamiliar, I like to take a look around the league and pick out some players to discuss who might be under-owned in redraft leagues, potential DFS candidates, players returning from injury, or some names that are just flat-out hot.
Looking ahead to this week's action, we've got a prospect call-up, a hitter collecting extra-base hits, a pitcher off to a phenomenal start, and more!
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Fantasy Baseball Players to Watch: Hitters
Coby Mayo, Baltimore Orioles
What I'm Watching: A successful second stint in the majors?
Coby Mayo was recalled by the Orioles on Saturday for his second stint at the major league level. With 88 career home runs and a .917 OPS in the minors, the Orioles' second-ranked prospect (MLB No. 12) was supposed to bring a big-time power stroke with him when he arrived.
However, the 6-foot-4 slugger went 4-for-41 (.098) in 2024 with no home runs and a 47.8% strikeout rate. Teammate Jackson Holliday showed that the first taste of the majors can go poorly, but that success can still be had.
So will this time be different for Mayo? He was starting to heat up at Triple-A Norfolk prior to Saturday's call-up, but so far, he's gone 0-for-5 with a walk with the big league club. The O's take on the Twins and the Angels this week, with the latter owning the fifth-worst team ERA this season.
What does your perfect weekend at the ballpark look like?
For @Orioles prospect Coby Mayo, it was reaching base safely in nine straight appearances spanning four games for the @NorfolkTides: https://t.co/DJC7QwoWZB pic.twitter.com/j08pxHWfeS
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 14, 2025
The former fourth-round draft pick is available in over 80 percent of leagues for those who hope he can get on a roll this week.
Javier Baez, Detroit Tigers
What I'm Watching: Extra-base hit streak
Javier Baez didn't begin the season poorly, hitting .268 over the first 17 games, but he tallied just three extra-base hits during that time. All three of those hits were doubles.
However, since moving to center field, the 32-year-old has gone 14-for-38 (.368) in 10 games, and has collected an extra-base hit in seven straight games in which he started (0-for-1 as a pinch hitter mixed in there), including four doubles and three home runs.
With the move to center, the two-time All-Star gained OF eligibility on Yahoo! in addition to 3B and SS, adding to his fantasy appeal.
Still only rostered in less than 40 percent of leagues, there's a good chance you can still grab him in your league, and he could be a staple in DFS lineups to begin the week as the Tigers begin a three-game series in Colorado on Tuesday against a beleaguered Rockies pitching staff.
Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins
What I'm Watching: Return from IL
Royce Lewis has played nearly a season's worth of games across three years in the majors, putting up a .268 AVG with 33 HRs, 104 RBI, 81 runs, and six stolen bases in 152 career games. It is what fantasy managers hope a single-season stat line would look like if he were healthy for an entire year.
Throwback to Royce Lewis's FOURTH grand slam of the 2023 season. pic.twitter.com/n0oddbedB1
— The Twins Almanac (@TwinsAlmanac) March 31, 2025
In my Bold Predictions article before the season began, I predicted that Lewis would play in 140 games. Before the season began, the 25-year-old promptly torpedoed that forecast, landing on the IL before playing a single game in 2025.
Bold predictions, though, usually don't come to pass because they have only a sliver of a chance of happening. It's unfortunate for a player with so much talent to say that it's almost a certainty that he'll play in less than 140 games.
The former first-overall draft pick is expected to be activated from the injured list on Tuesday, May 6, with 127 games left to go. Chances are, he'll play in far less than that. However, even with all that gloominess, he should be exciting to watch.
He is still rostered in 81 percent of Yahoo! leagues. You likely can't get him off the waiver wire, but he should start making his way into DFS lineups this week.
Key Matchups: Hitters
These hitters caught my attention when I reviewed batter vs. pitcher matchups. Most of these guys are already rostered in a majority of leagues, so you aren't running out to snag them off the waiver wire, but they could be targets for your DFS lineups.
While there isn't always enough matchup history to look at, there is a frequency to these, and with that comes familiarity. These batters have a history of collecting extra-base hits in these matchups, some with multiple home runs against the opposing hurler.
Fantasy Baseball Players to Watch: Pitchers
Max Fried, New York Yankees
What I'm Watching: Looking to start 7-0
After a rough first start to begin the season in which he did not factor into the decision, Max Fried has been fantastic, picking up the win in six consecutive starts to begin the season with a 6-o record.
During those six starts, the lefty has allowed just three earned runs over 40 innings pitched, good for a 0.68 ERA. He also recorded a 0.83 WHIP and a 17.1% K-BB% over that stretch.
Max Fried has his 6th career 10+ strikeout game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j6nZI7unNp
— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2025
The two-time All-Star has a tough test when he takes on the Padres at home in his next turn through the rotation, a team that has the 10th-best batting average versus LHP.
Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
