MLB Players To Watch For The Week Ahead

Jarod's fantasy baseball watch list - hitters, pitchers, and relievers he's keeping an eye on for March 31 - April 6 (2025). Hot bats, good matchups, pitchers on a roll, and more.

Welcome to another baseball season and to my weekly Players to Watch for the Week Ahead series for 2025 as we look ahead to the week of March 31 - April 6. In this article, I'll be looking at players like Rafael Devers, Dylan Crews, Jackson Jobe and several others.

For those who are not familiar, 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. Or, as is more so the theme in this week's article, players who are ice cold.

Looking ahead to this week's action, we've got some big fantasy names still looking for their first hit of the young season, some exciting young pitchers taking the mound for the first time in 2025 (potentially twice), and a couple of relievers whose jobs may be in jeopardy (yes, already!)

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Players to Watch: Hitters

Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox

Rafael Devers experienced a fairly significant dip in contact rate with a corresponding increase in strikeout rate in 2024, but it was thought to be related to nagging injuries that he dealt with throughout the year.

Fully healthy to begin 2025, and a switch to designated hitter should have helped him focus more on putting the bat on the ball. However, that hasn't been the case so far.

After two more strikeouts on Sunday, the three-time All-Star now has a total of 12 strikeouts through 16 at-bats and has yet to collect his first hit of the campaign. Sadly, the 12 strikeouts through the first four games of the season are a new record.

The left-handed slugger only logged 14 at-bats during Grapefruit League play, five of which resulted in a strikeout, so perhaps there's still some rust to shake off. Supposedly, he's made a change to his batting stance, which manager Alex Cora believes could be the culprit, but how long will they let this continue (if it does)?

Hopefully, we don't have to see an IL stint, although with the way Roman Anthony has begun the minor league season, maybe that wouldn't be so bad short-term if the prospect were to fill in at DH.

Assuming Devers is fine, as you'll see in the table below, Wednesday brings an opportunity to get back on track against Zach Eflin -- a pitcher whom he is 5-for-11 off of lifetime with four extra-base hits, including two homers.

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

Devers' record-breaking struggles may have overshadowed Dylan Crews' struggles. The 23-year-old struck out three times on Sunday, now with eight strikeouts through his first 11 at-bats. He, too, has yet to record a hit.

Fantasy managers may want to pay even closer attention to this one, as Crews' leash might be quite a bit shorter than Devers'. If he continues to struggle, the Nationals may send him back to the minors to get back on track.

Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals

For a position that can be tough to fill with offense, Keibert Ruiz is providing a lot of it so far. The switch-hitter is 5-for-10 (.500) with a double, two home runs, three RBI, and four runs scored through three games.

Keibert Ruiz crushes his 2nd homer in as many games 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZlzcNuNdeK

— MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2025

The 26-year-old makes a ton of contact, with a career contact rate of 87.4 percent, a low 6.5 percent swinging-strike rate, and just an 11.0 percent strikeout rate.

Ruiz doesn't boast a big barrel rate, just 4.3 percent for his career, but has hit 31 home runs over the last two seasons combined, and he looks well on his way to double-digit HR again.

The counting stats haven't piled up in previous seasons, which tends to keep him from becoming very fantasy relevant, but the Venezuelan batted cleanup on Sunday, something he did only 19 times in 2024.

If he can slot in the four-hole more, then this could be his most productive fantasy season yet, and he's rostered in just 28 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Josh Smith, Texas Rangers

With Josh Jung (neck) going on the IL again, right around the time he did last season as well, don't forget about what Josh Smith did while the Rangers were missing their third baseman in 2024.

From April 2 when Smith logged his first start of the season at third base through July 29 when Jung eventually returned, Smith slashed .285/.381/.454 with 32 extra-base hits (20 2B, one 3B, 11 HR), seven stolen bases, a .366 wOBA, and a 141 wRC+.

For managers in need of a two-week rental without a solid replacement in mind, Smith might just fill in admirably once again, and he's available in over 90 percent of leagues.

Key Matchups: Hitters

These hitters caught my eye when looking over 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 sometimes there isn't enough matchup history worth looking at, there is frequency with these, and with frequency comes familiarity. These pitchers likely don't have any more tricks up their sleeves versus these batters.

Players to Watch: Starting Pitchers

Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers

Jackson Jobe will make his first start of the 2025 regular season on Monday against the Mariners. Seattle led the league in strikeouts last season, averaging 10.03 K/game. Through four games in 2025, the team has 41 K -- a 10.3 average.

MLB's fifth-ranked prospect owned a 7.16 K/9 during spring training, but a 10.08 K/9 in the minors. The former third-overall draft pick has the pedigree, and now it's time to see what he can really do. Going on Monday will likely also mean we get to see him twice this week.

Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers

There aren't many players who can say they were drafted higher than Jackson Jobe, but Casey Mize is one of them. Jobe's teammate was the first-overall draft pick back in 2018, but has seen his career derailed by injuries.

Finally healthy, the righty dazzled this spring, pitching to a 1.89 ERA (3.05 FIP), 1.00 WHIP, and recording an 8:25 BB:K over 19 innings.

Casey Mize this spring...

19 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 8 BB, 25 K
1.89 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10.7% BB, 33.3% Kpic.twitter.com/CcIu6DWgmh

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) March 26, 2025

You can't expect him to put up spring-like numbers during the regular season, but if he can come out of the gates strong, we may have a potential fantasy sleeper on our hands. He draws the start on Tuesday against the Mariners.

Kumar Rocker, Texas Rangers

Like Mize, Rocker has also dealt with injuries, but when he returned to the minors in 2024, the righty mowed down 55 hitters via strikeout in just 36 2/3 IP, and 14 more in the majors late in the year over 11 2/3 IP.

The spring season began rough, allowing 11 earned runs on 12 hits and four walks while striking out only four batters in three 1/3 innings pitched.

However, the final two appearances were much-improved, allowing two earned runs on six hits and five walks while striking out 16 over eight 2/3 innings.

Can Rocker carry that momentum into his first start against the Reds in Cincinnati on Tuesday? We will see.

Players to Watch: Relief Pitchers

David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates

(Update: David Bednar was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on April 1)

After relinquishing the closer role due to poor performance late last season, the Pirates have reinstated David Bednar into the ninth-inning role, but with the same results. The righty took the loss on Sunday after allowing a leadoff hit and then eventually allowing the runner to score on a wild pitch.

The 30-year-old has allowed at least one run to score in each of his first three appearances and has more walks than strikeouts so far (2:1 BB:K).

It's hard to imagine the former All-Star holding onto the job much longer, although the thing working in his favor is that the Pirates don't really have a closer-in-waiting.

Keep an eye on who Pittsburgh gives the next save opportunity to, and managers rostering Bednar should be on the lookout for potential replacements.

Ryan Pressly, Chicago Cubs

Like Bednar, Cubs closer Ryan Pressly could be on shaky ground as well. Pressly has made three appearances thus far, allowing three earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out just one batter over three innings of work.

24-year-old Porter Hodge, on the other hand, who has also made three appearances, has yet to allow a run on three hits and one walk while striking out five batters over three innings. Hodge recorded nine saves for the club last season, taking over as closer after Chicago removed Hector Neris from the role.

This is a situation to monitor as well, and Pressly managers may want to consider stashing Hodge if available in the event the Cubs make a switch.

Porter Hodge looked like his 2024 self yesterday against the Diamondbacks:

1.0 IP
2 K
0 R
44% Whiff%
50% CSW%
87.5 Avg EV

He shut down the Dbacks after allowing the first two guys to reach. pic.twitter.com/jfrhyCLsPy

— The Wrigley Wire (@TheWrigleyWire) March 30, 2025

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