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Chris Clegg's top first base fantasy baseball prospects to know for 2025 drafts. His 2025 1B fantasy baseball prospect sleepers and draft targets for redraft.
It is time to begin prep for the 2025 fantasy baseball season. We here at RotoBaller are here to help! Fantasy baseball prospects can play a major role in helping your redraft teams win. They are a risky demographic, but if they pan out, you will reap major rewards.
While the first base position is fairly shallow on the MLB side, there are no obvious prospects that will contribute right out of the gate. Though, if you play in a deeper redraft format like a 50-round draft and hold league, this position is full of prospects who could spend the second half of the season with their respective teams.
Let's discuss the top first base prospects you need to know for 2025 fantasy baseball. The top first-base prospects for 2025 to know for redraft!
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First Base Fantasy Baseball Prospects for 2025
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Age 22, 6-foot-5/250, A+
After mashing 33 home runs in 2023, Caglianone followed it up with an impressive 35 in 2024 while improving all significant metrics. The slash line ended at .419/.544/.875, and he improved his walk rate from 5.3 percent in 2023 to 18.4 percent in 2024. All the while, he cut his strikeout rate from 18 percent to 8.2 percent.
The gains were real. Caglianone made contact at a near 80 percent mark, with an impressive 91 percent in-zone rate. He covers the plate exceptionally well with his long levers and fights off pitches with ease.
The biggest knock is a 38 percent chase rate. While it is very high and one of the highest marks in the draft, Cagalinone will naturally run higher chase rates with his long levers. If he swings less, we may see some improvements there, but that remains the biggest question in his profile.
The power is undeniable. Surprisingly, his average exit velocity is 93.8 mph, not as high as Travis Bazzana or Charlie Condon's. However, he also has fewer games in front of a TrackMan, as Florida uses Yakkertech. The 90th percentile, still incredibly impressive at 111.7 mph, and his max exit velocity of 121.7 was among the best in college baseball.
Caglianone has received a non-roster invite to Spring Training. There is a strong chance he could spend over half the season in the Majors, which does help his 2025 value. With a current ADP of 722, Caglianone is a solid buy in deep redraft leagues.
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Cags cut his chase rate significantly in the 2nd half of the AFL season while putting up impressive EVs, hitting a ball north of 117 mph. He is aggressive but makes a ton of contact, even on pitches out of the zone. pic.twitter.com/IM2t1s9Adv
— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) November 18, 2024
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B, Miami Marlins
Age 21, 6-foot-1/185, AAA
Deyvison De Los Santos is the most interesting profile in the minors, in my opinion. He is among the hardest players to evaluate, as his profile and performance tell two different pictures.
On the one hand, De Los Santos slashed .294/.343/.571 with 40 home runs and 67 extra-base hits this season. It was one of the most impressive performances in 2024 of any minor leaguer, yet it is easy to sit and question- how did he do it?
It was an interesting season for De Los Santos, starting with last offseason. The Diamondbacks left De Los Santos unprotected for the Rule 5 draft, and the Guardians plucked him. De Los Santos was returned to Arizona and then traded to Miami.
It is impressive that De Los Santos continued to hit all year despite poor contact and extreme chase rates. In Double-A the contact rate sat at 62 percent. In Triple-A, the number did improve to near 65 percent, with a 77 percent in-zone contact. The chase rate was one of the worst in the minors, sitting around 45 percent.
On the flip side, De Los Santos had a 109 mph 90th percentile exit velocity near the peak of all minor league hitters. His max exit velocity- an impressive 116 mph.
There are still major long-term concerns about whether or not De Los Santos will hit enough to get to his elite power. The chase rate is a major issue, as well as issues with contact against breaking balls. Maybe De Los Santos is an enigma and able to enjoy a long career of 30+ home run seasons, but he will need to improve contact skills and plate discipline.
The Marlins have a big opening at first base, and De Los Santos should be primed to spend ample time in the Majors. His ADP of 428 leaves a little margin for error, and while the profile has risks, you can get plenty of power by drafting Deyvison De Los Santos.
Deyvison De Los Santos returned from the development list on July 14 and is hitting .313/.339/.548 w/ 6 HR since.
His upper half is staying square through impact and he is keeping his hands inside more consistently. All two-hand finishes. Some changes to keep an eye on.#DBacks pic.twitter.com/pbwrw72hO3— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) August 19, 2023
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Oakland Athletics
Age 22, 6-foot-5/235, AA
If you want one of the safest profiles from the 2024 draft, it is Nick Kurtz. In all three seasons at Wake Forest, Kurtz has hit and hit some more. He finished his college career with 61 home runs in 164 games, including 22 this season in 54 games. Having a strong eye at the plate, Kurtz finished his Wake career with a .510 OBP and 189 walks to just 130 strikeouts over 784 plate appearances.
The pressure on the bat to play first base is a high threshold to reach. Just look at other highly drafted first basemen over the years. It is one reason teams shy away from this demographic. However, Kurtz has all the intangibles needed to be successful. He hits the ball extremely hard, makes excellent swing decisions, makes plenty of contact, and has for his entire college career.
The lefty's average exit velocity of 94 mph ranked in the 98th percentile among college hitters, and his 111 mph 90th percentile exit velocity ranked in the 100th percentile. He makes plenty of contact, posting an overall mark near 80 percent and an in-zone rate near 87.
Kurtz’s sub-14 percent chase rate puts him in the elite group with others like Bazzana and Wetherholt. The question is, is Kurtz too passive? Is a 30 percent walk rate too high? I would say yes. His zone-swing percentage is pretty low, and while that can change, you would like to see him get a bit more aggressive.
The pro debut checked every box you want to see, even in a small sample. Reaching Double-A, Kurtz slashed .368/.520/.763 with more walks than strikeouts and seven extra-base hits. The contact skills carried over to pro ball, and Kurtz's hard-hit numbers with wood were also strong, having a 90th percentile exit velocity north of 109 mph.
While the Athletics have Tyler Soderstrom locked in at first base, they will likely go the Jacob Wilson route with Kurtz, who should be up in June or July. While Kurtz is a draft and hold play only in drafts, he makes for a good value pick in deeper formats.
Nick Kurtz (1B-OAK) smoked an opposite-field home run last night and had three hits and a walk in the process. pic.twitter.com/m0xA6puoXC
— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) October 31, 2024
Tyler Locklear, 1B, Seattle Mariners
Age 24, 6-foot-2/210, MLB
A second-round draft pick out of VCU in 2022, Locklear hit the ground running in Single-A Modesto post-draft. In 2023, he missed time due to injury, but Locklear accumulated 375 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A, posting a .288/.405/.502 slash with 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases. After putting together a respectable minor league season in 2024, Locklear struggled in his brief cameo in the Majors.
Locklear has a funky pre-swing setup with his hands high and a bat-waggle similar to Gary Sheffield's. It causes Locklear to have impeccable timing regarding his load and swing.
While having high-end contact skills in college and his pro debut, Locklear has seen those numbers take a step back each of his last two seasons. His overall contact rate between Double-A and Triple-A was a concerning 68 percent, and the struggles carried over into his MLB debut.
The power is plus as Locklear posted a 107.1 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and gets power to all fields with ease. Locklear hits some towering home runs to the pull-side and is comfortable spraying doubles to the gaps, especially on outside pitches.
Locklear has seen his chase rate rise as he has moved up levels. He also struggled against breaking balls and changeups, having a sub-60 percent contact rate on those pitch types in Triple-A. Being a first base only, there is pressure on the bat, but Locklear has the power to play. The question is, will he make enough contact?
Locklear sits in a weak-side platoon with Luke Raley at the moment, but there is a path to more playing time, especially in the DH role where Mitch Haniger, who is often injured, is slated to start. It may be a slower burn for Locklear, but given his 700 ADP in draft and hold leagues, you can do a lot worse at that pick.
For over 1,000 prospect reports like these, be sure to check out my personal site, The Dynasty Dugout!
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