Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 27)

September 26, 2025

Jarod's hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, and risers to watch for Week 27 of 2025. His list includes waiver wire outlooks and underachieving hitters so far.

Welcome back to my Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 27, the final one of the 2025 MLB regular 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 recent leaders in batting average, stolen bases, and isolated power (ISO).

This week, we'll check in on some hot names like Drake Baldwin, Alec Bohm, and Ben Rice. We'll also take a look at a couple of guys who are putting up some surprising stolen base numbers over the last week.

Who should fantasy managers look to grab off the waiver wire for the final stretch or even plug into their DFS lineup this week? Let's check it out below!

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Hit Streak Leaders

Data through 9/24

Alec Burleson (nine games)

Alec Burleson is riding a nine-game hit streak, with his batting average now standing at .293 on the year, which is good for 10th-best in the majors. His wRC+ sits at 126, easily the best of his career.

During this nine-game hit streak, the 26-year-old is 16-for-35 (.457) with four doubles, a home run, six RBI, five runs scored, and he's even been hit by pitches twice.

ALEC BURLESON WINS IT! pic.twitter.com/9bSWan1di7

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 26, 2025

The Cardinals wrap up their season in Chicago, facing Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Jameson Taillon as it stands now. If that holds true, while he's 0-for-9 off of Rea, the left-handed slugger is a combined 9-for-25 (.360) off of Assad and Taillon to finish the year, including three doubles and two home runs.

Burleson is available in over half of Yahoo! leagues and is eligible at both 1B and OF.

Brendan Donovan (eight games)

Brendan Donovan has found the power stroke during his eight-game hit streak, roping seven of his 32 doubles (22 percent!) this season in the last five games alone, plus one home run. He's also tallied five RBI and seven runs scored during the hit streak.

Brendan Donovan's FIFTH double over the last two games! pic.twitter.com/BrtCvpMJ6N

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 25, 2025

Donovan has had success against all three pitchers coming up for the Cubs, going a combined 15-for-40 (.375) with one double and one home run. He's also never struck out against Taillon in his 22 career at-bats against him (Burleson just once in 17 ABs).

The 28-year-old is available in over 40 percent of leagues, and is also eligible at 2B, 3B, SS, and OF.

Drake Baldwin (eight games)

You'll notice Drake Baldwin's name in the ISO graphic down below, but he's on this list, too. During his eight-game hit streak, the former third-round draft pick is 12-for-36 (.333) with three doubles, one triple, and three home runs, plus 11 RBI and nine runs scored.

Drake adding to his ROTY campaign 👏#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/qEWLXS63xe

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 24, 2025

Currently listed with second-best odds for NL Rookie of the Year and ranking as the 10th-highest scoring catcher in fantasy despite only playing in 121 games, somehow, he's still only rostered in 45 percent of leagues.

The Braves will play Pittsburgh in Atlanta over their final three games and will avoid Paul Skenes, so look for him to keep rolling.

Highest Batting Average Last Seven Days

Data through 9/24, minimum 13 at-bats

Daylen Lile and Romy Gonzalez are both in the above graphic, and both were highlighted in the Week 25 Breakout Watch article.

Alec Bohm (.500 BA)

Alec Bohm has been on fire the last five games, going 11-for-22 (.500) with three doubles and two home runs, tallying six RBI and five runs scored along the way.

BOHM RUN!!!! pic.twitter.com/wG22NY0PHO

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 25, 2025

The 29-year-old was even moved up in the order, batting third in the last two contests. He can be found in over 30 percent of leagues for managers trying to make one last push in points leagues, eligible at both 1B and 3B. His ascension in the order will also make him more appealing in DFS formats.

Ryan O'Hearn (.462 BA)

Ryan O'Hearn carried his 2024 momentum into 2025, putting up similar but better numbers than last year. The left-handed hitter set career bests in home runs (17), RBI (62), runs scored (63), and is on the verge of playing in the most games he's ever played in for a single season.

And he's ending the year in style, currently riding a six-game hit streak, during which time he's gone 12-for-24 (.500) with a double, a home run, and eight RBI. The 32-year-old hits both left-handers and right-handers well, and even drew the start against a lefty this past Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2 slugger is only 31 percent rostered and is eligible at both 1B and OF.

Highest ISO Last Seven Days

Data through 9/24, minimum 13 at-bats

Ivan Herrera is down here at the bottom of the above graphic, and I outlined the case for his breakout back in Week 25's article.

Blaine Crim (.632 ISO)

Blaine Crim spent most of the season in the minors, terrorizing pitchers at Triple-A. The 28-year-old belted 21 home runs in 109 games, all while slashing .281/.370/.494 between the Texas and Colorado organizations.

The right-handed slugger had a brief debut in May with Texas and went hitless in 11 at-bats, however, it has been a different story for Colorado. The former 19th-round draft pick has hit in 10 of his 11 games there, going 11-for-38 (.289) during that stretch.

Blaine Crim - Colorado Rockies (5)
pic.twitter.com/e34Lp8IWia

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 25, 2025

Over his last six games, he's belted four home runs, driven in seven runs, and scored six times. The big home run swing will come with an above-average rate of strikeouts, but managers looking for a last-minute power boost could give Crim a look.

On the downside, he heads to notoriously home run unfriendly Oracle Park to finish out the year, but hey, those homers could be doubles, too.

Most Steals Last Seven Days

Data through 9/24

Although it is just two steals, Austin Martin shows up on this list again after I called him out in the Week 23 and Week 26 articles.

Michael Harris II (four SBs)

It's a little too late for the Braves' offense to come alive, but for fantasy, it's perfect timing for the team's players who can help deliver fantasy championships. Michael Harris II is one of those players right now.

The former NL Rookie of the Year had an excruciating first half, then got red-hot after the All-Star break, only to go ice-cold for most of September. However, over his last four games, the left-handed slugger is 8-for-17 (.471) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored.

He's also swiped four of his 20 stolen bases (20 percent) on the season during this stretch. Harris' most-recent hot stretch can be attributed to an adjustment he made at the plate, so there's reason to think this bountiful run of production can keep going for the final handful of games.

Colton Cowser (three SBs)

With a 49th-percentile sprint speed, Colton Cowser isn't exactly fleet of foot, but he did set a career high in stolen bases this season with 14 of them. The 25-year-old stole four in the last five games he's started, so there seems to be something to this.

The former first-round draft pick is not exactly hot at the plate, going 5-for-24 (.208) over his last seven games, but four of those five hits have gone for extra bases (one double, three home runs) and he's also drawn four walks.

Managers looking for a Hail Mary in the stolen base department could give the 32-percent rostered Cowser a look.

wRC+ Leaders Sept. 14 - Sept. 24

Dominic Canzone and George Valera are some intriguing names on this list, but their production has been isolated to a couple of big games rather than consistent output, so instead, we'll highlight the guy below.

Ben Rice (230 wRC+)

Over his last 12 games, Ben Rice is 18-for-41 (.439) with seven doubles, a triple, and one home run, along with eight RBI and six runs scored. Eight of those hits have come in just his last three games.

Rice is Nice 🍚

Grand Slam for Ben! pic.twitter.com/QVPlv2cn77

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 21, 2025

The 26-year-old bats up and down the lineup, but typically fifth or higher, making him usable most days in DFS. That is, when a right-handed pitcher is on the mound. He's hitting .212 with a .754 OPS and 103 wRC+ against LHP this year, but owns a .269 batting average, .851 OPS, and 139 wRC+ against RHP.

The 6-foot-2 slugger is only available in 30 percent of leagues, but if he can be had, the left-handed hitter is eligible at both 1B and C.

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