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Andy's holds league fantasy baseball sleepers and draft targets for 2025. He looks at relief pitchers to target for holds in fantasy baseball hold leagues.
When holds are an additional category in your fantasy league, you must adjust your draft board. When identifying pitchers with the potential to tally holds, you must find teams that are projected to win and have a clearly defined ninth-inning option. This will allow the setup man to consistently be put in high-leverage situations with a lead but not in the final frame.
Holds can be acquired by more than just one pitcher in a game. They will earn a hold if the relief pitcher enters the game in a non-save situation, records at least one out, and maintains his team’s lead for the next reliever. However, they will not get credited for a hold if they are the final pitcher.
Below are several options who should be near the top of the fantasy baseball holds leaderboard by the end of the 2025 season. Be sure to also bookmark our fantasy baseball bullpen depth charts to constant updates on closers, saves and holds.
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Bryan Abreu, Houston Astros
Bryan Abreu led the sport in holds last season and should be considered the top target for this category heading into 2025. Even with Ryan Pressly operating as the setup man for Josh Hader, Abreu thrived in a seventh-inning role as he tallied 38 holds.
Across 78 1/3 innings, the right-hander held a 3.10 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. He struck out batters at an elite 31.7 percent rate and generated whiffs at 34.0 percent, placing him in the 95th and 93rd percentile, respectively.
He also generated a stellar .199 xBA, which placed him in the 92nd percentile among qualified hitters.
While his four-seamer was not as effective as in 2023, his slider led the way as it generated an impressive .169 xBA, .242 xSLG, and a 39.2 percent whiff rate.
With Pressly now in Chicago, Abreu could even see his hold opportunities increase as he is the bonafide eighth-inning option in the Space City. ATC projects him to lead the MLB in this statistic once again with 22.
Yennier Cano, Baltimore Orioles
The 30-year-old tallied 34 holds last season, which tied him for the third-most in the sport. This was his second straight season, tallying at least 30+ holds operating the setup man in Baltimore.
Across 60 innings, Cano held a 3.15 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP, a decline from the 2.11 ERA and the 1.00 WHIP he held during the 2023 campaign. Despite the rise in his ratios, Cano saw his strikeout rate climb by three points (23.0 - 26.1 percent) this season. He also generated a lower xBA (.233) than the .247 xBA he generated during the 2023 season.
In addition, Cano raised his ground-ball rate by five points this past season compared to 2023. His 63.5 percent ground-ball rate in 2024 placed him in the 99th percentile.
However, Cano saw his walk rate climb by five points (4.6 - 9.6 percent) over the past season, which is why his WHIP ratio increased significantly.
Even though he may not be as effective as he was during his 2023 breakout season, he will be deployed as a key setup man alongside Andrew Kittredge on a competing Orioles roster. ATC projects him to continue to remain near the top of the holds leaderboard with 20 holds in the 2025 season, which puts him fourth among relief pitchers.
Griffin Jax, Minnesota Twins
Griffin Jax opened the season as a closer for the first month while Jhoan Duran was sidelined with an oblique strain. However, once Duran returned, Jax was typically deployed as an eighth-inning arm that saw a handful of save opportunities.
Across 71 innings, Jax tallied 10 saves with a career-high 24 holds. His holds placed him 13th-most among pitchers. However, if Jax had been the setup man the entire season, he could have placed within the top 10. This was also his second straight season, tallying at least 20 holds.
He held a strong 2.03 ERA with a 0.87 WHIP.
Beyond that, Jax generated elite metrics that placed him within an elite group of pitchers. In 2024, the 30-year-old was placed in the 99th percentile in xERA and the 96th percentile in xBA.
He generated strikeouts at an incredible 34.4 percent rate (97th percentile) and whiffs at a 37.8 percent rate (98th percentile). Jax also caused batters to chase at a stellar 38.3 percent rate (99th percentile). In addition to his strikeout upside, Jax showed strong command with a 5.4 percent walk rate (89th percentile) and generated ground balls at a 52.1 percent rate (89th percentile).
Is Griffin Jax the most underrated relief pitcher in baseball? #MNTwins #MLB
Last season, the right-hander posted a 2.03 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP across 71 innings operating in a set-up role
He held elite metrics such as:
2.37 xERA (99th percentile)
.187 xBA (96th percentile)
38.3%… pic.twitter.com/CQepjl1tpw— Andy Smith (@A_Smith_FS) January 3, 2025
Pitching on a Twins team that is considered one of the favorites to win the AL Central should provide Jax with ample opportunities to pitch in high-leverage situations with a lead. Even if Jax does not reach 30+ holds, his ratios and strikeout upside make him a must-target in this format.
Jason Adam, San Diego Padres
Jason Adam began his 2024 season with Tampa Bay but was eventually shipped to San Diego at the trade deadline, where he saw his hold count skyrocket.
From August through the end of the season, Adam tallied 12 holds, which tied him alongside David Roberston for the most in baseball. Overall, the 33-year-old tallied 31 holds with a 1.95 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP across 73 2/3 innings of work.
Fantasy managers should expect Adam to retain his setup role in 2025, pitching behind the de facto closer, Robert Suarez.
Under the hood, Adam generated an excellent .203 xBA (90th percentile) and a stellar 38.4 percent whiff rate (99th percentile). He also generated strikeouts at a strong 28.7 percent clip, which placed him in the 87th percentile.
In 2023, Adam held a higher 2.98 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. That season, the 33-year-old generated a 12.4 percent barrel rate, which was double the rate he had generated last season (6.4 percent rate).
ATC projects Adam to continue to see elite setup opportunities in San Diego as he is projected to tally 19 holds, the eighth-most in the sport.
Tyler Rogers, San Francisco Giants
Despite pitching on a team that has not made the playoffs in each of the past two years, Tyler Rogers has been an elite contributor in holds leagues. Rogers has tallied at least 30 holds in each of his previous two seasons and three of his past four.
Last season, Rogers posted a strong 2.82 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, among his career's best marks. Across 70 1/3 innings, the southpaw tallied 33 holds, which was also a career-high.
Beneath the surface, the 34-year-old generated ground balls at an elite 56.0 percent rate, which placed him in the 93rd percentile. He also limited hard contact with an excellent 31.1 percent hard-hit rate (95th percentile) and a 4.4 percent barrel rate (93rd percentile).
The 34-year-old also allowed walks at a near-perfect 2.1 percent rate but carries a very low strikeout upside with a 17.6 percent K rate (11th percentile).
Although the Giants may not be near the top of the NL West, they always deploy Rogers whenever they have a lead, making him one of the most reliable contributors to this category.
While he will not provide you much strikeout upside, his elite control and ability to limit hard contact make him a high-floor target in holds leagues. ATC projects him to tally the second-most holds in baseball (22), only behind Bryan Abreu.
🔥 Tyler Rogers = Elite SV+Holds Target 🔥
30+ holds in 3 of the last 4 seasons
33 holds in 2023 (career-high) 🔥
2.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP in 24'
56% GB rate (93rd pct) and limited hard contact
2.1% BB rate = elite control
ATC projects 22 holds (2nd-most in MLB)
High floor, low K’s,… pic.twitter.com/omHye0L1Ft— Andy Smith (@A_Smith_FS) February 7, 2025
Other Holds League Targets
- Cade Smith - CLE
- Chad Green - TOR
- Luke Weaver - NYY
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