Later-Round Relief Pitcher Sleepers

RotoBaller's closer fantasy baseball sleepers for relief pitchers in the later rounds of 2025 drafts. These are sneaky fantasy baseball RP value picks with upside.

Today we're looking at some later-round fantasy baseball relief pitchers and closer draft sleepers -- lower-cost draft targets for fantasy managers who are waiting for saves in the later rounds. If you are in a league with 12 or more teams, it's essential to nab a few closers in the later rounds who could potentially help in saves.

Finding those hidden gems in the later rounds is essential, and today, we list five relief pitcher draft values who could produce for your fantasy teams this season. Are their fantasy baseball ADPs undervalued? Will they make significant fantasy contributions and become priority late-round starting pitcher draft targets? Read on to see our take.

Our editors have hand-picked these specific MLB players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the five outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2025 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today to start reading all of our in-depth 2025 player outlooks and many other premium articles and tools, including Team Sync, the Live Draft Sync assistant, Custom Rankings Service, and so much more – available exclusively in our 2025 Draft Kit.

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A.J. Puk, Arizona Diamondbacks

After beginning the 2024 season as part of the Marlins starting rotation, A.J. Puk ended the year as a key part of the Diamondbacks bullpen. Early struggles and injury meant Puk started just four games before reverting to a relief role in Miami. He then excelled in Arizona following the July trade.

In 27. 1/3IP, Puk had a (0-1) W-L record, 1.32 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 43 Ks, and two saves. Puk also tallied seven holds for the Diamondbacks. Puk's 29.9% K% last year ranked in the 90th percentile, and this is why he should factor into high-leverage situations in 2025.

Absolute filth from A.J. Puk to secure the save. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/0K9RpxcIJm

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 21, 2024

Puk's 9.5% BB% (27th percentile) will cause some concern. But that was largely down to his struggles as a starter. Puk had a 5.1% BB% as a reliever in 2024. Being a leftie with elite strikeout numbers does mean the Diamondbacks will utilize Puk in key moments of games.

We probably won't see Puk used exclusively as a closer, a role likely to be shared with Justin Martinez. But with excellent strikeout numbers, excellent ratios, and a prominent role in the later innings of games, Puk will tally enough saves to warrant rostering in any fantasy league.

-- Jamie Steed - RotoBaller

Chris Martin, Texas Rangers

Veteran right-hander Chris Martin signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers this offseason. The 38-year-old posted a 3.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts while racking up 17 solds (saves and holds) over 44 1/3 innings for the Boston Red Sox in 2024.

His 1.7 BB% was elite and a career-best last season. It will be Martin's second stint with the Rangers, posting a 3.84 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 84 games from 2018-2019. The Rangers don't have a top option out of the bullpen, and currently, Martin is the favorite to close.

However, Martin has never been a full-time closer but will have the opportunity to handle ninth-inning duties for Texas unless they bring in a veteran closer during spring training. Cutter projections are on board with Martin closing and are projecting the veteran with 19 saves and 10 holds while posting a 3.03 ERA across 60 innings in 2025.

Martin is basically free right now with an NFBC ADP of 393 and could be an absolute steal at the price tag (RotoBaller RP29 ranking) as long as the Rangers don't sign a traditional closer before Opening Day.

-- Brad Camara - RotoBaller

Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan has reportedly re-signed with the team on a one-year, $6 million contract after being non-tendered earlier in the offseason. It wound up saving the team around $2.5 million versus the projected arbitration amount.

This may not have been necessary if Finnegan's second half had looked like his first. The 33-year-old had 23 saves and a crispy 1.98 ERA to go with a 39:12 K:BB over 36 ⅓ IP in early July, earning an All-Star trip. But from July 4 on, Finnegan posted a 5.93 ERA (4.85 FIP) with a subpar 21:12 K:BB across 27 ⅓ IP.

Nationals, RHP Kyle Finnegan reportedly agree to deal, per multiple reports including @MLBNetwork insider @JonHeyman. pic.twitter.com/koff5CuDZA

— MLB (@MLB) February 25, 2025

Opponents delivered a .337/.404/.490 slash line against him after the Midsummer Classic. On the whole, his 2024 seasonal stat line (3.68 ERA/1.34 WHIP) looks close to 2023's result (3.76 ERA/1.30 WHIP), but finishing on such a sour note left fantasy managers and the Nats reeling.

Fantasy teams should look to Finnegan for early saves while recognizing he'll be a likely trade candidate again. ATC projects him for a 4.03 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with just under a strikeout per inning as his RotoBaller rank jumps to around pick 200 with the relatively secure role. While one shouldn't expect greatness, this is likely Finnegan's ninth inning to lose and he's often proven capable.

-- Nick Mariano - RotoBaller

Seth Halvorsen, Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies right-hander Seth Halvorsen has some helium going this draft season. Halvorsen debuted with the Colorado Rockies in the last part of the 2024 season, appearing in 12 games, earning two wins and a save, and posting a 1.46 ERA, a 0.81 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.

The young pitcher from the University of Tennessee impressed with a 100 MPH average fastball velocity, which is in the 99th percentile in MLB. He showed a 28.3%K% with a paltry 4.3%BB%.

Halvorsen features a three-pitch mix, using a split-finger and a slider while getting high groundball percentages with those pitches. Keeping the ball down and getting lots of ground balls is a key to pitcher success in the thin air of Denver, where he will pitch his home games.

Many pundits have already anointed him as the closer, but he is just in the mix right now for saves. Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley are also part of this equation. If he wins the job, he could be a candidate for 20+ saves with good ratios and some strikeouts

-- Mike Carter - RotoBaller

Calvin Faucher, Miami Marlins

Miami Marlins reliever Calvin Faucher ended 2024 getting regular save chances, and he may continue in the closer's role in 2025. He pitched 53 ⅔ innings last season, posting a 3.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts. His 11.1% walk rate ranked in the 14th percentile, being the main contributor to inflating his WHIP.

Still, he was one of the more reliable options out of Miami's pen and didn't give up a homer all season long. The righty especially excelled in the second half, posting a 2.75 ERA with a 31.8% strikeout rate in his final 20 appearances.

Calvin Faucher so far:

3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 64.3 S%

Not a big results in Spring kind of guy, but good to see from one of the Marlins best relievers in 2024 pic.twitter.com/QxXgSKdkNR

— Louis Addeo-Weiss (@addeo_louis00) March 2, 2025

Saves are hard to come by, especially in deeper leagues, and any closer with a job is worth drafting. Faucher's main competition includes Andrew Nardi, Jesus Tinoco, and Anthony Bender, so it's not farfetched to see him lead the team in saves.

ATC is projecting him to collect 15 saves with a 4.06 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over 58 innings in 2025. With an NFBC ADP of 352, he's a good dart throw for saves if you punt the category earlier in the draft.

-- Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller

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