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Three fantasy baseball prospects sleepers, rookie pitcher draft values for 2025. Read the fantasy outlooks for Quinn Mathews, Rhett Lowder, Zebby Matthews.
Rookie starters rarely make a big splash in year one, but there is a talented crop of pitchers set to start in the minor leagues that could be impactful.
Quinn Mathews, Rhett Lowder, and Zebby Matthews are all interesting fantasy baseball prospects this year, but which of these three can be considered "sleepers" at their current ADP?
Should you draft Quinn Mathews, Rhett Lowder, or Zebby Matthews in fantasy baseball? Read the draft recommendations and 2025 fantasy outlooks for each prospect below.
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Quinn Mathews Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 365
Current ADP: ~381
Quinn Mathews could wind up in the big leagues sooner rather than later. He quickly rose through the minor league ranks in his first full pro season, jumping from Single-A to Triple-A in six months. Mathews did struggle a bit in Triple-A to end the year, as he had a 6.48 ERA and 22 strikeouts in four starts.
Okay fine, here's just bunch of silly swings thanks to Quinn Mathews. pic.twitter.com/X1kcxApYoD
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) January 14, 2025
However, the left-hander should find himself in the majors by this summer. Mathews had a combined 2.76 ERA and 202 strikeouts at all four levels last season, and he could help a Cardinals team that needs some end-of-rotation options in 2025.
He's been sharp this spring with nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings. The Red Birds need pitching help, especially from the left side as Matthew Liberatore has been a disappointment and Steven Matz is just a placeholder at best.
Rhett Lowder Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts - with your last pick
Current ADP: ~600
The 22-year-old made quick work of the minors and earned six starts for the Reds down the stretch last season.
Cincinnati took the pitcher with the seventh-overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft but did not make his professional debut until 2024, starting out in High-A but spending the bulk of the season at Double-A before making one start at Triple-A on his way to the big leagues.
Over those 22 minor league starts, the righty posted a 3.64 ERA (3.18 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, and a 19.9% K-BB%. As one might expect, strikeouts did not come as easy in the Show (17.2% K%), and the command wasn't so sterling (10.9% BB%).
The product out of Wake Forest minimized damage, though, allowing just four earned runs (zero HR) in 30 2/3 IP, good for a 1.17 ERA to go along with a 1.27 WHIP.
Rhett Lowder, Wicked 86mph Slider. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/hilz1kwEfh
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 11, 2024
Unfortunately, even though Lowder showed well in the majors, there currently isn't a rotation spot for him, with Hunter Greene and Brady Singer locking down the front end, along with lefties Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott holding down the back end.
Nick Martinez is the fifth starter and is a righty like Lowder, but the Reds brought him back on a one-year deal after a career year in 2024, so he'll surely get a shot to have a successful repeat, even at age 34.
At some point, however, another opportunity will present itself for Lowder to reinsert himself back into the rotation, and fantasy managers should be ready to pounce, even if it means taking him very late in a deep league draft.
Zebby Matthews Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~380
Current ADP: ~415
The right-handed fireballer has been the best pitching prospect in camp with fellow youngster David Festa having a much tougher go of it so far.
Matthews has 12 strikeouts in nine innings so far without allowing an earned run and sporting a WHIP of just 0.54.
Zebby Matthews is carving so far this spring.
He's up to 9.1 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts.
Wednesday's outing was his best yet ⤵️https://t.co/PvrnuqXhw1 pic.twitter.com/bXxpxuil5L
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 13, 2025
Matthews sits 95-96 on his fastball and has a full arsenal of pitches to complement it with a cutter, slider, changeup, and curveball. He's not a lock to make the opening-day rotation, but he could be the first call-up when Minnesota needs a fresh arm, especially if he continues to pitch well at Triple-A.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft?
Below are some popular preseason searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for Jackson Jobe, Bubba Chandler, Noah Schultz compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Draft tool to run your own draft comparisons, up to four players at once:
Dj Herz or Rhett Lowder
Porter Hodge or Zebby Matthews
David Festa or Zebby Matthews
Dl Hall or Rhett Lowder
Jared Jones or Quinn Mathews
Spencer Torkelson or Rhett Lowder
Andrew Painter or Rhett Lowder
Bo Naylor or Zebby Matthews
Bobby Miller or Zebby Matthews
Drew Rasmussen or Rhett Lowder
Frankie Montas or Quinn Mathews
Hayden Birdsong or Zebby Matthews
Jacob Degrom or Zebby Matthews
Jarren Duran or Rhett Lowder
Kumar Rocker or Zebby Matthews
Luis Gil or Quinn Mathews
Luis Gil or Rhett Lowder
Luis Gil or Rhett Lowder
Luis Gil or Rhett Lowder
Matt Shaw or Rhett Lowder
Max Meyer or Quinn Mathews
Max Meyer or Rhett Lowder
Max Meyer or Rhett Lowder
Mitch Spence or Zebby Matthews
Nick Lodolo or Rhett Lowder
Paul Skenes or Rhett Lowder
Quinn Mathews or Zebby Matthews
Rhett Lowder or Zebby Matthews
Ryan Weathers or Quinn Mathews
Ryan Weathers or Rhett Lowder
Tarik Skubal or Rhett Lowder
Triston Mckenzie or Rhett Lowder
Tyler Anderson or Rhett Lowder
Tyler Mahle or Quinn Mathews
Zebby Matthews or Quinn Mathews
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