Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 14)

Jarod's hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, and risers to watch for Week 14 of 2025. His list includes waiver wire outlooks and underachieving hitters so far.

Welcome back to my Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 14 of the 2025 MLB season. The focus of this article is to highlight players who could be on the verge of a breakout, citing current active hitting streaks along with recent leaders in batting average and isolated power (ISO). You will also find expected batting average (xwOBA) underachievers and overachievers for the second time this season!

In this week's edition, we'll dive into players like Yandy Diaz, Juan Soto, and Brenton Doyle. You'll not only find out who is hot at the plate, but also which hitters deserve better results based on their expected stats, or who might be on the verge of a cold spell.

Last week, Brooks Lee and Ben Rice were a couple of good callouts who kept on hitting. So, let's take a closer look at our breakout watch to help your fantasy baseball teams heading into Week 14. You might find a potential waiver wire target or some worthy DFS plays!

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Hit Streak Leaders

Data through 6/25

We have a new leader this week after Brooks Lee went hitless last Saturday, although he promptly started another streak on Sunday. There are some other intriguing names on this list, including Jo Adell, who can hit for power but typically has a lot of swing-and-miss that leads to hitless games. He, too, is now riding an eight-game hit streak.

Yandy Diaz (15 games)

At 86 percent rostered, you won't grab Yandy Diaz off of many waiver wires, but his 15-game hit streak is one piece of the puzzle that has propelled Tampa Bay to a 24-9 record since May 20, putting them just one game behind the Yankees for first place in the division.

Of course, the pitching staff, Junior Caminero, and others have been good, too, but let's focus on Diaz. The veteran not only has a 15-game streak, but he's also hit safely in 20 of his last 23 games, going 39-for-95 (.411) over that time, including six doubles, one triple, and five home runs.

DOUBLE DOWN DÍAZ pic.twitter.com/1JP1LJ3M6E

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 21, 2025

Now with a .289/.340/.468 slash line on the year, the 33-year-old can be considered more frequently in Tampa Bay hitter stacks for DFS as he's on pace for 20-plus home runs, which will easily surpass last year's total of 14, and should help boost his RBI totals.

(Update: Diaz went 0-for-3 with a walk on Thursday, ending his hit streak.)

Tyler Freeman (12 games)

Tyler Freeman was included in my Week 11 article, so if you were able to grab him off the waiver wire and ride this hot stretch, congrats! The 26-year-old is now riding a 12-game hit streak, which is coming on the heels of an eight-game streak before it, going 29-for-71 (.408) in the last 23 games.

Although it hasn't included a ton of power production in the form of extra-base hits (seven) and RBI (eight), it has included 14 runs and six steals (two caught stealing also).

But can it continue? Well, for a career .241 hitter, he won't stay this hot for long. However, the right-handed slugger has 11 walks to just nine strikeouts in 128 plate appearances this year, so his 91.3 percent contact rate should ensure he'll keep putting the bat on the ball, and as long as he's walking around the current rate of 8.6 percent, then more steals should follow.

Freeman is available in 85 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and his eligibility at both SS and OF makes rostering him all the more appealing.

(Update: Freeman went 0-for-3 with a walk on Thursday, ending his hit streak; however, it's worth noting that he hit leadoff for the Rockies.)

Highest Batting Average Last Seven Days

Data through 6/25, minimum 13 at-bats

Donovan Solano (.550 BA)

You might not have noticed that Donovan Solano -- who is playing for his fifth different team in the last five years -- has been swinging a hot bat lately, but that's what this article is for!

The 37-year-old hadn't done much with his sporadic playing time through June 9, hitting .181 with zero home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored in his first 38 games, but since then he's gone 14-for-28 (.500) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and three runs scored in his last eight games.

DONNIE DOES IT AGAIN! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/YKneEMApSt

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 22, 2025

With Rowdy Tellez recently released and out of the picture, Solano has started at first base in four of the Mariners' last five games, with Luke Raley starting the other one. Raley has mainly been playing outfield, though, so it is basically Solano's job for now.

At just two percent rostered in Yahoo! leagues, the right-handed hitter is available to help out fantasy managers who can use a hot bat. The veteran is also dual eligible at both 1B and 3B, adding to his fantasy appeal.

(Update: Solano went 1-for-3 with a walk on Thursday)

Highest ISO Last Seven Days

Data through 6/25, minimum 13 at-bats

It's not surprising to see Eugenio Suarez with six extra base hits over the last week, but hitting for average is -- he's hot right now, but also day-to-day with a hand injury. Hopefully, he can return to the lineup with a vengeance.

I outlined Ben Rice in last week's article, and he's hit well since then, including a double, a triple, and two home runs. He's still in the Underachievers graphic below and should continue to perform well, as he has been a victim of bad luck. He continues to hit the ball hard.

Juan Soto  (.652 ISO)

I outlined Juan Soto as an xSLG underachiever in my Week 10 article, and stated, "...this is going to turn around sooner rather than later... specifically in the power department."

Since then, he's hitting .325 with 10 home runs, although five of those home runs have come in the last week alone.

And guess what? He's still at the top of the graphic shown in the Underachievers section below, with the single most significant difference between wOBA and xwOBA, so opposing pitchers had better look out because there is plenty more room to run.

Dominic Canzone (.643 ISO)

Dominic Canzone was hitting well at Triple-A Tacoma before his call-up on June 9, going 18-for-53 (.340) in his last 13 games for the Rainiers and blasting 13 home runs in a total of 45 games played.

The 27-year-old has continued that solid piece of hitting in the majors, going 12-for-41 (.293) with two doubles and four home runs over his last 13 games with the Mariners, including a two-homer game this past week.

The 450-foot home run he hit in his first game after being recalled came off the bat at 115.9 mph, which would be one of the 20 hardest hit balls in the majors this season, so he has some legit pop.

SEA - Dominic Canzone 2-run HR (1)

📏 Distance: 450 ft
💨 EV: 115.9 mph
📐 LA: 25°
⚾️ 95.7 mph four-seam fastball (ARI - RHP Jeff Brigham)
🏟️ Would be out in 30/30 MLB parks

SEA (4) @ ARI (4)
🔺 9th#TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/gkT5ahvFVO

— MLB Home Runs🚀 (@MLBHRs_) June 10, 2025

The left-handed hitter has earned the starting role in right field in three straight games before heading to the bench on Wednesday. If he can continue to get regular at-bats, there will be plenty more extra-base hits in his future.

Even though he was a .208 hitter in 341 major league at-bats coming into this year, a significant jump in contact rate from 71.7 percent through 2024 to 84.3 percent in 2025, along with a much better than average 12.8 percent strikeout rate, appears to indicate he's taken a step forward.

Managers in very deep and AL-only formats could consider rostering the third-year pro, who is available in nearly all Yahoo! leagues. If he goes cold, cut him and move on.

(Update: Canzone went 1-for-4 with a run scored on Thursday, and hit out of the fifth spot in the order)

Most Steals Last Seven Days

Data through 6/25

Sam Haggerty  (three SBs)

Sam Haggerty has been in the lineup a little bit more frequently lately, although that doesn't explain his three steals over the last week. All three of those steals came in the same game after coming on as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of an extra-innings win for the Rangers last week.

However, it showcases the type of speed he possesses, and if he can earn more playing time, it would undoubtedly lead to more stolen bases.

The 31-year-old is 8-for-24 (.333) since June 18, a period of eight games that includes six starts. That stretch includes a double, a triple, five runs scored, and six walks (four strikeouts) in addition to the three steals.

Keep an eye on his playing time as he could become a viable waiver pickup, but also note that he's been hitting in the first two spots in the order in his starts, which would also make him a potential DFS play as well in games where the Rangers have high implied run totals.

xwOBA Underachiever

Data through 6/25

At the beginning of the season, this section examined hitters due for a bounceback in batting average, followed by an analysis of hitters with significant discrepancies in xSLG. This week, I'll take a look at hitters with some of the most significant differences in wOBA and xwOBA.

Brenton Doyle (.248 vs. .310)

After hitting a solid .260 in 2024 with 23 home runs and 30 steals, fantasy managers were hoping for more of the same in 2025. Instead, the former fourth-round draft pick has recorded a .194 batting average with five home runs and eight steals.

That's a 10 HR and 17 SB pace to go along with a subpar batting average, not to mention he's on pace for just 50 RBI and 50 runs scored. Is there any hope? With the state of the Rockies' offense, the RBI and run totals are unlikely to improve significantly, but there are reasons for optimism related to the other statistics.

The 27-year-old's BABIP stands at .246, well below his career rate of .293. His contact rate, chase rate, swinging-strike rate, and barrel rate all clock in better than last year's numbers. His hard-hit rate of 46.8 percent is almost six percent better than 2024, and is in the 72nd percentile in all of baseball.

Brenton Doyle huge home run to cut the lead to 24 pic.twitter.com/qzhz0WJAoT

— alex (@highlightheaven) June 25, 2023

Finally, the 6-foot-3 slugger's average exit velocity (EV) through May 31 was 89.9, but in June it has risen to 93.7 percent. All of this helps explain why his expected stats (xBA, xSLG, xwOBA) think the results should be better than they have been.

Look for the speedy outfielder to pick it up at the plate, which in turn should help raise his batting average and increase his stolen base output the rest of the way.

(Update: Doyle went 1-for-3 with a solo home run on Thursday)

xwOBA Overachiever

Data through 6/25

Ernie Clement (.333 vs. .295)

All good things must come to an end, and as much as I don't want to admit it, being a proud Ernie Clement manager, unfortunately, the 29-year-old has been so hot that he'll likely regress in the coming weeks.

What he has done over the last month has been extraordinary. The right-handed hitter has recorded 14 multi-hit games in his previous 24 games, going 39-for-96 (.406) during that span, including 10 doubles and three home runs.

He hit a solid .263 in 2024 with a good 87.6 percent contact rate. The contact rate isn't much different this year, sitting at 86.4, but his BABIP is .332 compared to a career rate of .280, while his chase rate is one of the worst in the league, coming in at the sixth percentile.

He doesn't strike out much, but he also rarely walks, and with an xBA of .269 and an xwOBA that is 38 points lower than his actual wOBA, look for Clement to cool.

That's not to say he can't still be useful, as he can still be a solid fantasy contributor who is also eligible at 1B, 2B, 3B, and SS, so fantasy managers can use him to plug holes in their lineups.

(Update: Clement went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored on Thursday)

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