RADIO
The 2024 season is winding down, but it's never too early to start thinking about and prepping for the 2025 season.
Throughout the 2024 season, I wrote a weekly article on the Top 25 prospects to stash in redraft leagues. Hopefully, that article was useful to many of you who read it each week, helping to decide who to stash or not stash and when they could be up throughout the season.
So now that the 2024 season is coming to a close, I figured it'd be a good time to look ahead to 2025 and see what notable prospects could either break camp or debut very early in the season for their respective teams. This can also help with any potential keeper conundrums you might be having. I'll be doing a pitcher version of this as well in the coming days.
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Top Prospects Who Should Debut Early in 2025
1. Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox
For a bit, I thought that Roman Anthony would debut for Boston this season, but that never came to fruition, with Boston falling out of the postseason picture here in September.
Anthony recently became the new No. 1 prospect for Baseball America and is a universal Top-5 prospect at this point, including in my personal rankings, where he currently sits in the No. 3 spot. In 115 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Anthony has racked up 18 home runs, 19 steals, and a .288/.388/.496 slash line.
Roman Anthony in Triple-A as a 20-year-old...
143 PA, .339/.441/.509, 3 HR, 3 SB, 16.1% BB, 19.6% K
Anthony has continuously improved this season and his swing decisions in my July/August live looks were much better than in my April/May ones.#DirtyWaterpic.twitter.com/sEfopfq7x7
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) September 18, 2024
While Anthony has always gotten on base at a good clip along with plus or better power and average or better speed, his swing decisions weren't the best in my early-season Double-A live looks but were much improved in my live looks later in the season before his bump to Triple-A.
There's a high likelihood that Anthony makes the opening-day lineup for the Red Sox, and if not, he should be up by Memorial Day at the absolute latest.
2. Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox
We're starting this list off with back-to-back Boston prospects, as Kristian Campbell is now inside my top-10 overall as well. Coming into the 2024 season, Campbell was a fun, upside prospect who wound up breaking out and reaching heights that even the biggest Campbell supporter didn't expect.
In 115 games across three levels, Campbell slashed an excellent .330/.439/.558 with 32 doubles, 20 home runs, and 24 steals. He became the first prospect in over a decade to reach 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 20 steals, and a .320 average.
The biggest reason for Campbell's meteoric rise this season was the power gains he made. When drafted, Campbell was lauded for his blend of contact and speed, but the power was considered below average. Well, not anymore. Campbell is now at least an average power bat and finished the season with a 46.2% hard-hit rate and an 81.8% contact rate.
Given the additional power, while also maintaining his contact and approach, Campbell is an elite fantasy prospect who could join Anthony in Boston's lineup very early in 2025.
3. Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs
After a slower start to the season, Matt Shaw has cranked up the heat over the last four months. In his last 76 games dating back to May 26, Shaw is slashing .319/.393/.576 with 16 doubles, 18 home runs, and 20 steals.
Shaw doesn't stand out in any one area, but we're looking at an infielder who is above-average across the board offensively with a solid plate approach and potential dual eligibility in the Majors. Shaw has played second base, third base, and shortstop this season in the minors and could fill a similar role for the Cubs in 2025. With a full-time role, Shaw could flirt with 20/20 as a rookie.
4. Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians
If it wasn't for numerous IL stints over the last two years, Chase DeLauter probably would've debuted months ago. He's even on the IL right now, to the surprise of nobody. But I've said many times before that, when healthy, DeLauter is a top-10 prospect for fantasy.
There's no doubt in my mind. DeLauter has shown above-average contact skills with a great approach at the plate, plus power and enough speed/athleticism to add 15-20 steals annually as well.
Chase DeLauter picks up his first Triple-A knock (@CLBClippers) off the rehabbing Jared Jones.
MLB's No. 42 prospect (@CleGuardians) enjoyed a three-game HR streak at Double-A last week. pic.twitter.com/0OlJ0x4WG9
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 20, 2024
Even with the time missed, DeLauter is still on the cusp of making his MLB debut, and that should happen very early in 2025 as long as he makes it through spring training without getting injured.
5. Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks
I'm cheating here a bit with Jordan Lawlar since he already debuted. But since that was last season, and there were only 34 plate appearances, it feels like it never even happened.
As is the case with DeLauter, Lawlar is an elite offensive talent that has been limited by so much time spent on the IL. Lawlar has played just 20 games all season in the minors when he should've been another talented rookie vying for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
We can't forget how good Lawlar was in 2022 and 2023, though, when he cemented his top prospect status. Lawlar slashed .303/.401/.509 with 16 home runs and 39 steals in 100 games before posting 20 home runs, 36 steals, and a .278/.378/.496 slash line in 105 games last season.
The upside here is a shortstop that can exceed 20 home runs and 25 steals annually, so Lawlar should be a top rookie target in 2025 as long as he enters the season healthy.
6. Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles
Is anyone surprised by the inclusion of yet another Baltimore Orioles prospect on a list like this? After debuting several elite prospects in 2024, Baltimore should be adding Samuel Basallo into the mix as well early in 2025. And while I don't believe that will be on opening day, a hot start in Triple-A should force Baltimore's hand fairly early in the season.
Samuel Basallo mashes his 19th homer of the year -- 3rd for the @NorfolkTides.
MLB's No. 9 prospect is the youngest everyday player (20 years, 36 days) in the Triple-A International League.
Watch the @Orioles' No. 2 prospect FREE Thursday afternoon: https://t.co/mdJU7n82gS pic.twitter.com/BOxh4Chc1N
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 19, 2024
Basallo has performed admirably in the upper minors as a 19-year-old this season, slashing .281/.344/.453 with 24 doubles, 19 home runs, and even adding double-digit steals for the second straight season.
Basallo is one of the most advanced bats we've seen for his age over the last several years, and his ability to hit for both average and power makes him highly intriguing for fantasy, even if he moves out from behind the plate.
7. Emmanuel Rodriguez, Minnesota Twins
Honestly, I almost didn't include EmManuel Rodriguez, as he's a true wild card right now because he only played 47 games this season. However, he's a top-10 caliber fantasy prospect who has played in Triple-A, so an early 2025 debut is definitely a possibility.
Rodriguez can get overly passive at times but possesses massive raw power and sneaky speed as well that could keep him in the 15-20 steal range early in his career. It's all a matter of staying healthy, but Rodriguez could be one of the American League Rookie of the Year frontrunners if he gets enough plate appearances with Minnesota next season.
8. Marcelo Mayer, Boston Red Sox
Oh, look, another Boston Red Sox prospect. With how many top prospects Boston has set to debut along with the current group at the Major League level already, some shuffling is going to need to happen in Boston. There's a chance Mayer will be moved into a package for pitching, but if not, he's another one that should debut early in the season for Boston.
While I'm not quite as high on Mayer as I am on Anthony and Campbell, he's still a top-50 fantasy prospect with the upside to go 20/10 with a decent AVG and OBP. In 77 games for Double-A Portland, Mayer slashed .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight home runs, and 13 steals.
Kyle Teel is another Boston prospect that should debut early in 2025 and he'll have immediate intrigue in two catcher formats.
9. Colby Thomas, Oakland Athletics
If extra-base hits are your jam, then you should love Colby Thomas, as nobody had more extra-base hits than Thomas this season in the minors.
In 128 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Thomas has 79 extra-base hits, including 30 home runs and 15 steals to go with that. The approach can be an issue at times, but Thomas has kept the strikeout rate in check at 24.9% this season. Even if he's only a .250 hitter, Thomas' power/speed blend makes him highly intriguing for 2025 fantasy leagues.
10. Owen Caissie, Chicago Cubs
A second-round pick back in 2020, Owen Caissie has steadily been climbing the rungs within the Cubs system and has spent the entire 2024 season with Triple-A Iowa. In 123 games, Caissie has smacked 29 doubles and 19 home runs with a .273/.372/.476 slash line.
Caissie is a plus power bat with around average speed and the upside to get into the 25-30 homer range long-term with close to double-digit steals as well. If Cody Bellinger isn't brought back this offseason, that outfield spot will likely go to Caissie in 2025.
If you enjoyed these rankings and want to see more, check out Eric's Toolshed Fantasy Patreon.
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