X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

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

Trevor Megill - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

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.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

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.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers10 mins ago

Bryce Hall Re-Signs With Buccaneers
Stephan Jaeger14 mins ago

Looks To Continue Momentum At Valspar Championship
Evan Mobley28 mins ago

Will Play On Tuesday, Barring A Setback
Thomas Detry31 mins ago

Aims To Regain Form At Valspar Championship
Detroit Lions36 mins ago

Lions Re-Sign Pat O'Connor
Kris Dunn44 mins ago

Returns To Starting Five
Los Angeles Rams45 mins ago

Rams Agree To Terms With Nate Landman
Pascal Siakam45 mins ago

In Danger Of Missing Another Contest
Brandin Podziemski50 mins ago

Returning On Tuesday
Tim Jones51 mins ago

Vikings Add Tim Jones To Receiver Room
Myles Turner57 mins ago

Off The Injury Report For Wednesday
Damian Lillard58 mins ago

Will Play On Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo1 hour ago

Cleared For Tuesday
Mecole Hardman1 hour ago

Signing With Packers
Tyrese Haliburton1 hour ago

Questionable For Wednesday Night
Gary Trent Jr.1 hour ago

To Play On Tuesday
Rondale Moore1 hour ago

Visits With Jets
Stephen Curry1 hour ago

Resting On Tuesday Night
Jon Gray2 hours ago

Rangers Place Jon Gray On 60-Day Injured List
Zach Dezenzo2 hours ago

Exits Early On Tuesday
Jason Delay2 hours ago

Optioned To Minors
Patrick Corbin3 hours ago

Joining Rangers
Slade Cecconi3 hours ago

To Open Season On Injured List
Craig Kimbrel3 hours ago

Signs With Braves
LaMelo Ball3 hours ago

Downgraded To Unavailable Versus Atlanta
Jayson Tatum3 hours ago

Sidelined On Tuesday
Romy Gonzalez3 hours ago

Undergoing MRI On His Oblique
Clint Capela4 hours ago

Not Playing Tuesday Versus Hornets
Richard Fitts4 hours ago

A Virtual Lock For Opening Day Rotation Spot
Aroldis Chapman4 hours ago

Appears To Be In-House Favorite For Saves
Shea Theodore4 hours ago

Returns To Practice Tuesday
Kristian Campbell4 hours ago

The Favorite For Second Base Job?
Trae Young4 hours ago

Available For Tuesday's Matchup With Hornets
Yu Darvish4 hours ago

Day-To-Day With Elbow Inflammation
William Karlsson4 hours ago

Nearing Return
Arthur Kaliyev4 hours ago

Done For The Year
John Gibson4 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
Thatcher Demko4 hours ago

To Join Team For Upcoming Road Trip
LaMelo Ball5 hours ago

Downgraded To Questionable For Tuesday
Jung Hoo Lee5 hours ago

MRI Shows No Structural Damage For Jung Hoo Lee
Conor Garland5 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday
Max Scherzer5 hours ago

Blue Jays Hoping Max Scherzer Can Pitch In A Game This Weekend
Clarke Schmidt5 hours ago

To Throw Live Batting Practice On Thursday
Dylan Strome5 hours ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Corey Kispert5 hours ago

Out For Rest Of Season After Thumb Surgery
Paul Goldschmidt5 hours ago

Expected To Return Later This Week
Chayce McDermott5 hours ago

Throws On Tuesday
Grayson Rodriguez5 hours ago

Throws Up To 75 Feet On Tuesday
Gunnar Henderson5 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice On Tuesday
Shay Whitcomb7 hours ago

Optioned To Minor-League Camp
David Moore7 hours ago

Re-Signing With Panthers
Yordan Alvarez7 hours ago

Scratched With Sore Thumb, Expects To Play On Wednesday
Jauan Jennings7 hours ago

Could Be 49ers WR1 To Begin Next Season
Masyn Winn7 hours ago

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
San Francisco 49ers7 hours ago

49ers Likely To Add Running Back In NFL Draft
Najee Harris8 hours ago

Chargers Eyeing Explosive Complement To Najee Harris In 2025 NFL Draft
Shane Zylstra8 hours ago

 Heading Back To Detroit
Seattle Seahawks8 hours ago

Dillon Radunz Visiting With Seahawks
Minnesota Vikings8 hours ago

Jeff Okudah Signing With Vikings
Mattias Ekholm8 hours ago

Cleared For Tuesday's Contest
Zach Hyman8 hours ago

Returning On Tuesday
Russell Wilson8 hours ago

Browns Unlikely To Land Russell Wilson
John Klingberg8 hours ago

Not Playing On Tuesday
Justin Thomas8 hours ago

Continues To Spark But Hopes To Keep It Lit At Innisbrook
Alexander Romanov8 hours ago

Not Facing Pittsburgh On Tuesday
Tyler Seguin8 hours ago

Progressing In Recovery
Miro Heiskanen9 hours ago

Could Miss Opening Round Of Playoffs
Michael Kim9 hours ago

Looks To Rebound At Valspar Championship
Aaron Rodgers9 hours ago

Makes Sense For Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles9 hours ago

Brandon Graham Calls It A Career
Tom Kim10 hours ago

Looking For Putter Form At Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard11 hours ago

Looking For Form At Valspar Championship
Jericho Sims11 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Regular Season Following Thumb Surgery
Ben Griffin11 hours ago

Needs To Find Ball-Striking Form Ahead Of Valspar Championship
Bradley Beal11 hours ago

To Sit Out At Least One Week Of Action
Stephen Curry12 hours ago

Could Be Rested Tuesday
Trey Murphy III12 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of 2024-25 Campaign
Tommy Fleetwood12 hours ago

Looks To Keep Short But Successful Run Going At Innisbrook
LaMelo Ball12 hours ago

Probable Tuesday
Eric Cole12 hours ago

Needs To Find A Spark At Innisbrook
Sam Burns12 hours ago

Looks To Rebound At Valspar Championship
Filip Gustavsson15 hours ago

Stops 28 Shots In Victory
William Nylander15 hours ago

Busy On Monday
Auston Matthews15 hours ago

Scores Twice, Adds Helper In Victory
Jake Allen15 hours ago

Leads The Way On Monday
Andrei Vasilevskiy15 hours ago

Shuts The Door Against Philadelphia
Jack Quinn15 hours ago

Dishes Out Two Helpers
San Francisco 49ers22 hours ago

Siran Neal Signing With 49ers
Cleveland Browns23 hours ago

Browns Could Be Desperate Enough To Trade Up For Cam Ward
Raheem Mostert23 hours ago

Expected To Be No. 2 Back In Vegas
Stefon Diggs24 hours ago

Raiders Could Target Stefon Diggs
Michael Gallup24 hours ago

To Visit With Seahawks
Andrei Svechnikov1 day ago

Could Return To Action Thursday
Dustin Wolf1 day ago

Faces Maple Leafs Monday
Roman Dolidze1 day ago

Extends His Win Streak To Three
Marvin Vettori1 day ago

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Will Zalatoris1 day ago

Has Been Consistent At Least In 2025
Carson Young1 day ago

Makes The Cut In Second Straight Tournament
Xander Schauffele1 day ago

Struggles At The PLAYERS Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard1 day ago

Misses First Cut In 2025
Lucas Glover1 day ago

Produces Another Strong Showing At The PLAYERS Championship
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

Finding Stride Heading To Valspar Championship
Corey Conners1 day ago

Finishes Tied For Sixth At The PLAYERS Championship
Luke Clanton1 day ago

Secures PGA Tour Card At Cognizant Classic
Blades Brown1 day ago

Set To Make Fourth PGA Tour Start In 2025
Cameron Young1 day ago

A Loose Cannon On Florida Swing
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Secures Third Top-10 Finish
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos1 day ago

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Chidi Njokuani1 day ago

Scores TKO Win At UFC Vegas 104
Kurt Holobaugh1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez1 day ago

Wins Decision At UFC Vegas 104
Cody Gibson1 day ago

Submitted At UFC Vegas 104
Da'Mon Blackshear1 day ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brendson Ribeiro1 day ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Vegas 104
Diyar Nurgozhay1 day ago

Suffers His First Loss
MMA1 day ago

Seung Woo Choi Suffers First-Round TKO Loss At UFC Vegas 104
Kevin Vallejos1 day ago

Finishes Seung Woo Choi In Debut
Tyler Reddick1 day ago

Solid Performance Is Derailed By Late Pit-Road Issues At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Struggles End In A Disappointing Exit Late At Las Vegas
Josh Berry1 day ago

Impressively Earns First Cup Series Win At Las Vegas
AJ Allmendinger1 day ago

Scores First Top-10 Finish Of Season At Las Vegas
Kyle Larson1 day ago

Leads The Most Laps, But Settles For A Top-10 Finish At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain1 day ago

Obtains A Hard-Fought Top-Five Finish At Las Vegas
Daniel Suarez1 day ago

Scores Career-Best Finish At Las Vegas, But Falls Short Of Winning
NASCAR2 days ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecks At Las Vegas But Shows Promising Speed
Alex Bowman2 days ago

Recovers From Loose Wheel To Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric2 days ago

Wins Stage 1, But Loose Wheel Foils Victory Bid
William Byron2 days ago

Loses Las Vegas Race On Strategy But Expands Points Lead
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Earns Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish At Las Vegas
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Chase Elliott3 days ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
William Byron3 days ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Roman Dolidze5 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori5 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani5 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos5 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh5 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez5 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson5 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro5 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Stefon Diggs - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Stefon Diggs Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Stefon Diggs enjoyed a nice first season with the Houston Texans before he tore his ACL in Week 8. The veteran receiver was playing on a one-year deal and has yet to be signed by another team this offseason. Diggs enters his age 31 season in 2025 and has shown some signs of decline in […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

The NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

The 2025 NFL offseason continues to march forward as free agency enters its second week. Believe it or not, a few well-known veterans remain unsigned. One such player is former Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen. He did not have his best season in 2024, and the Bears ultimately chose not to re-sign him. Allen […]


Nick Chubb - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Nick Chubb Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

NFL free agency has entered its second week. Believe it or not, a few well-known veterans remain unsigned. One such player is former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. After missing most of the 2023 season with a major knee injury, Chubb returned to the Browns’ lineup at midseason. However, he struggled mightily upon his […]


Kenneth Walker III - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Kenneth Walker III - 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

At times, the dynasty fantasy football marketplace can feel like the Wild West. Player values move up and down based on any significant (or insignificant) transactions, news items, or social media posts. With that said, we must always think about how certain players should be valued. What’s a player’s current value? Are they overvalued or […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Busts: Overvauled AFC Draft Avoids

There are 16 teams in the AFC (obviously) meaning that there are plenty of players in that conference that will bust, obviously. Identifying them isn't easy, of course, but since it's my job to research fantasy football as much as possible and deliver you the best possible content, I'll try anyway. I want you to […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Who is the Dynasty RB1 for Fantasy Football: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ashton Jeanty 2025 Outlooks

The fantasy football world is seeing a change in the running back position. The 2017 NFL Draft class produced several elite fantasy football running backs. Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Joe Mixon have been three of the top fantasy running backs since their rookie seasons. Meanwhile, James Conner, Aaron Jones, Kareem Hunt, Dalvin Cook, and […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Quarterback Sleepers: Undervalued Trade, Draft Targets (2025)

Pretty much every NFL season features quarterbacks breaking out for the first time. It's a big advantage for you in dynasty fantasy football to get out ahead of the breakouts and identify the players early. A revolving door of breakout QBs on your roster can give you plenty of leverage in trades, as you can […]


Kaleb Johnson - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Drafts: Best, Worst Picks In Rounds 1-4

You don't want to draft the below players, trust me. There are busts in every year's rookie class, and while some of them are tough to predict, others show clear signs that they aren't worth their capital. Many players have great fortune in college, playing on great teams that elevate their production and thus the […]


Matthew Golden - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Draft

2025 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Rankings: Top 5 Rookies

Last year’s wide receiver class was one of the best in recent history, totaling three top-10 picks and seven prospects coming off the board in the first round. Many have called this year’s class a massive downgrade compared to last year’s unit. Yet, the 2025 wide receiver draft class has several impressive prospects. There might […]


Brenton Strange - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire, TE Streamers, NFL DFS

Winners and Losers of 2025 NFL Free Agency in Fantasy Football

NFL Free Agency has been quite the frenzy. At RotoBaller, we track it all for you right here! It might not always feel like it, but there have been a ton of impactful moves. And with every move comes a fantasy football impact, right? This article takes a look at some of the top winners […]


Jaylen Wright - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Breakouts: Running Back Sleepers For 2025

The running back position is in constant flux in Dynasty fantasy football, as depth charts are constantly shuffled around, teams often decide to move on from productive players and replace them with cheaper or younger options, and players have their first good seasons in their careers. We're mostly concerned with that last point -- RBs […]


Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]