Breakout Outfielders for Fantasy Baseball Drafts: American League Edition (2025)

The term "breakout" could mean a number of things depending on the audience. For fantasy baseball purposes, this term means a player who has an outstanding season that exceeds expectations. Today, I'll be discussing five American League outfielders that I'm expecting to break out offensively this season and provide a nice return on investment at […]

Carmen Mlodzinski Building Up To Starter's Workload

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski has been building up his workload to be a starter during spring training. Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette noted that there were discussions at the end of last season about Mlodzinski building up to a starter's workload for the next season. Last season, Mlodzinski made four starts […]

Saves+Holds Fantasy Baseball Rankings (SV+HLD) for Relief Pitchers (2025)

Welcome to our Top 750 Saves+Holds fantasy baseball rankings for the 2025 season -- in addition to the relief pitchers, these rankings include the top 750 players for all positions to help assess where relievers fit in. Saves+Holds (or SV+HLD, or SOLDS) are fantasy baseball league formats that count Saves+Holds as one category, rather than […]

Bubba Chandler Could Break Camp With Big-League Club

MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo gives Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitching prospect Chandler Jones a 45 percent chance to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. Chandler, who is ranked as the 15th overall prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2025, could give Pittsburgh a dominant triumvirate of right-handed prospects in addition to reigning National League […]

1B Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Rankings: February Updates Include Spencer Steer, Pete Alonso, more

We ae are back with our February updates, and our MLB team's dynasty fantasy baseball first base rankings. Whether you're looking to draft a first baseman for now or in the future, we break it down with our top 30 first basemen. The 1B rankings below are specifically designed for dynasty leagues. Whether you're building […]

Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Targets - Closers and Relief Pitchers To Draft In 2025

Fantasy baseball drafts are in full swing right now, and the debate over when to draft closers rages on. In early mocks and early drafts I have been in, I have been trying to anchor my relief corps with one of the top options on the board through the first four or five rounds, and […]

Jared Jones Adding Two-Seam Fastball

After breaking into the big leagues last year, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones is adding a two-seam fastball heading into his sophomore season, according to manager Derek Shelton. Jones' four-seamer averages 17.1 inches of vertical break, but his two-seamer would move in the opposite direction. The 23-year-old has been experimenting with the new pitch in […]

Andrew Heaney Signs One-Year Deal With Pittsburgh

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $5 million. Heaney spent the 2024 campaign with the Texas Rangers. The southpaw logged 160 innings and held a 4.28 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He tallied 159 punchouts. He also showed solid command as he allowed walks at a 5.9 percent […]

Starting Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Breakouts To Avoid - 2025 Regression Candidates

An important aspect of fantasy baseball is knowing when to buy a breakout. Fantasy managers typically get excited when a player showcases a strong season for the first time and may target them the next season, but should they? The pool of serviceable starting pitchers was wider last season, but fantasy managers still cannot afford […]

2025 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: Eric Cross' Top 25 Prospects for Redraft Leagues

Those of you who have followed my work here at RotoBaller will remember that I have been posting a weekly article series on the top 25 fantasy baseball prospects to stash and monitor in redraft leagues for each of the last two seasons. It's always a fun article to put together throughout the season, and […]

Hunter Stratton Expected To Start Running Progression

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton (knee) is expected to begin a running progression soon. The 28-year-old has already begun throwing off the mound. Stratton is still recovering from the ruptured patella tendon in his left knee he suffered last August. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in the coming weeks. If he […]

Adam Frazier Faces Live Pitching On Wednesday

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier (thumb) was seen taking live batting practice off right-hander Mitch Keller on Wednesday. Frazier appears to be a full-go in spring training after signing a one-year, $1.525 million deal to return to the Pirates last month. The 33-year-old veteran was drafted by Pittsburgh in the sixth round back in […]

Dauri Moreta Making Good Progress

Pittsburgh Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that right-handed reliever Dauri Moreta (elbow) is in the "side" portion of his rehab from Tommy John surgery. Moreta is making good progress but still is unlikely to pitch in any Grapefruit League games in spring training. Meanwhile, fellow pitchers Sean Sullivan and Yerry Rodriguez […]

Johan Oviedo Moves To Live Batting Practice

Pittsburgh Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) is in the "live BP" phase of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. As far as Tomczyk has seen, Oviedo hasn't had any restrictions so far at spring training as far as what pitches he can and can't throw during […]

Spencer Horwitz Has Sutures Removed, Starts One-Handed Swinging

Pittsburgh Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that first baseman Spencer Horwitz (wrist) had his sutures removed from his surgically-repaired wrist earlier this week and has started left-handed swinging with one hand only, fielding ground balls and doing conditioning work. Horwitz is still on track to return in six to eight weeks. […]

Fantasy Baseball Post-Hype Sleepers: Infield Breakout Candidates for 2025

Every year, it happens -- some of the hottest prospect names get their shot at the big time, and while some live up to the hype, others fall flat for one reason or another. These guys enter the league with so much fanfare because of the talent they've displayed to the world already, but sometimes, […]

Nick Yorke Could Shift To First Base

Pittsburgh Pirates second base prospect Nick Yorke could shift to first base to replace the injured Spencer Horwitz (hand). During the start of camp, Yorke has primarily seen work at second base, which is where he has spent most of his brief stint in the majors. However, in the minor leagues, Yorke saw time at […]

David Bednar Will Open The Season As Closer

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher David Bednar is slated to be the team's primary closer to open the 2025 season. Despite having the worst season of his career in 2024, the Pirates still have faith in him, given his previous results. During the 2023 campaign, Bednar posted a strong 2.00 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across […]

Bryan Reynolds Expected To Play Right Field; No Plans To Play First Base

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds will work as the team's right fielder in 2025, according to manager Derek Shelton. There was talk of the veteran possibly making a move to first base due to Spencer Horwitz's (thumb) injury, but he's apparently put those rumors to rest. He's not the only one making a move, as […]

Top 10 Starting Pitcher Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

We've reached the end of my positional fantasy baseball prospect rankings for 2025. After covering every offensive position so far, we close out this series with my Top-10 pitching prospect rankings for fantasy baseball entering 2025. In general, the starting pitcher position is as strong as I've seen it in several years, and it should […]

Kyle Nicolas Faces Live Hitters On Tuesday

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas (knee) faced live hitters on Tuesday and is expected to be a full-go during spring training. Nicolas ended the 2024 campaign on the injured list with a knee injury. However, seeing him face live hitters early in camp is a great sign of his status. Last season, the 25-year-old […]

Top Fantasy Baseball Pitching Prospects for Dynasty Leagues (2025)

Spring Training may just be getting near, but fantasy managers in dynasty leagues are always busy. Whether reviewing potential trades, taking stock of prospect depth, or preparing for first-year player drafts, managing future talent is one of the most important aspects of dynasty leagues. Assessing potential value early on in players' careers can be difficult, […]

Dauri Moreta Hits 60-Day Injured List

According to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates right-handed pitcher Dauri Moreta (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list. This transaction opened a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Tommy Pham. Moreta underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2024 and is still expected to miss time in the 2025 season. Given that […]

Mid-Round Starting Pitcher (SP) Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Targets in 2025

Welcome RotoBallers to our article about mid-round starting pitcher draft values and draft targets! We are here to help you crush your fantasy baseball drafts, as fantasy managers are gearing up for another exciting draft season. Once you reach the middle rounds of drafts, everyone is looking to draft players who can provide a great […]

Fantasy Baseball Hitter Sleepers: Mid-To-Late Round Draft Targets (2025)

It’s a new year, football titles have been won, and pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training shortly. It’s time to get into fantasy baseball mode. Some of us fanatics — or obsessive fantasy gamers if you aren’t feeling charitable — have been drafting for 2025 since November (ok, maybe even October, but keep […]

Paul Skenes Experimenting With Cutter And Running Two-Seamer

According to Kevin Gorman of the Tribune-Review Sports, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes is experimenting with a cutter and a running two-seamer. Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin noted that these experiments will improve Skenes' pitching efficiency. Marin noted that the reigning NL Rookie of the Year has emphasized getting into favorable counts and adding […]

2025 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft - RotoBaller Staff's Favorite Picks and Roster Strategies

Mock drafts are an excellent draft-prep tool that simulates the feeling of being in the draft room. In a mock draft, you can test different strategies and experience the ebbs and flows of a fantasy draft. You can put your rankings to the test and see where your must-have players are being drafted.  However, not […]

Hunter Stratton Still Needs To Progress Before Seeing Action

According to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton (knee) still needs to "pass some hurdles," including running and field practice, before being viewed as a contender for a spot in the bullpen. Stratton ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee last August but still needs to progress before returning […]

2B Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets and Avoids - Second Base ADP Analysis for 2025

Hello RotoBallers! In this piece, we will analyze the current average draft position (ADP) on NFBC drafts and identify which second baseman we should target or avoid at their current draft position. While fantasy players should not follow ADP too closely and base their entire strategy on it, it does provide a solid benchmark for […]

Johan Oviedo Throws Bullpen On Thursday

According to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo (elbow) completed a bullpen session on Thursday. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2024 campaign due to Tommy John surgery. He underwent the operation in December of 2023 and has been viewed as a "full-go" for spring training. Fantasy managers should continue to […]