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Can Michael Busch Build on Last Year's Success?
Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch broke through as a regular in 2024 and emerged as a solid fantasy starter in 2025. He posted a .261/.343/.523 slash line with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 78 runs scored, and four stolen bases. He was able to reduce his strikeout rate from 28.6% in 2024 to 23.5% in 2025 while increasing his barrel rate from 11.2% to 17.1% and his hard-hit rate from 39.9% to 47.3%. While he had lopsided platoon splits last year, struggling against southpaws, manager Craig Counsell said earlier in spring training that Busch has earned the right to play full-time and is not expected to be platooned to start the year. Busch's power production is excellent at his current ADP, and he is a legitimate bat to add once the elite options are gone at 1B. He's the No. 12 1B in RotoBaller's rankings, and his ADP is climbing based on the expectation that he'll be in a full-time role to start the season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
