The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who to Consider Dropping for Fantasy Baseball (Week 13)

The Cut List for Week 13 of 2025. Jamie analyzes potential fantasy baseball busts, overvalued players, and injured players who you may want to consider dropping.

Welcome back to The Cut List as we head into Week 13 of the 2025 season. For every add, there is usually also a drop. For those unfamiliar, this is our weekly article examining players whom fantasy managers might consider cutting from their teams and struggling players who warrant a closer look.

We'll examine players worthy of a drop, those worth monitoring for potential replacements, and individuals on the hot seat who are worth holding onto... for now. Those of you experienced Cut List readers will know I'm a strong advocate for not making knee-jerk reactions. A bad week or two shouldn't be a reason to push the panic button and dump someone.

As the season rolls on, there will be stronger cases to drop underperforming players. If there's ever someone you want me to take a look at, drop their name on Reddit, the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms, or reach out to me on X (@Baseball_Jimbo). Maybe you'll see them included next week. All stats and rostered rates (taken from Yahoo!) reflect when this piece was written.

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Worth Dropping and Replacing?

Bailey Ober - SP, Minnesota Twins - 87% rostered

Ober's fantasy managers will have been frustrated with his June numbers. After his annual disastrous first start of the year, Ober went on to have a 4-0 W-L record and 2.43 ERA over his next 11 outings. In June, Ober made three starts and was tagged for 16 earned runs (17.1 IP).

After his second start this month, in which Ober walked a career-high six batters, we discovered he's been dealing with some health issues. A hip problem since spring might be the cause of his recent struggles. However, it didn't seem to trouble him before June. Perhaps it's just getting worse.

Bailey Ober, after his second consecutive loss, said he's been "battling through some stuff" physically, which he later identified as "left hip stuff." Said it's been going on since spring training, and he pitched well for two months with it. @Twins #MNTwins 1/

— Patrick Borzi (@BorzMN) June 12, 2025

Ober has seen diminished velocity in his fastball this year. After averaging 91.7 MPH in 2024, Ober's four-seamer is averaging 90.4 MPH this year. His 6'9" frame allows for excellent extension to mitigate the lack of velocity. The velocity drop could be explained by a hip issue.

Interestingly, Ober's fastball velocity has trended up a little more in his last two starts, after averaging 89.3 MPH in his June 6 start. If we look at his underlying numbers, regression was always likely to come. Ober had a 3.48 ERA at the end of May, with a 4.52 xFIP and 4.41 SIERA.

Now, Ober has a 4-4 W-L record, 4.54 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 62 Ks (79.1 IP). His 4.79 xFIP and 4.59 SIERA suggest his numbers are about what they should be. His strikeout numbers are not where they should be.

Ober's 17.8% K% is a career-low and ranks in the 20th percentile. Again, that could be a product of his hip issue impacting his mechanics. While we don't know how much of Ober's struggles are down to the problematic hip, we do know Ober hasn't provided the numbers many had expected when drafting him.

Verdict: This isn't a knee-jerk reaction from his last three starts. Ober had a very good 11-game spell. The concern was his underlying numbers screamed that regression was coming, and we have seen that. The concern now is whether or not Ober can pitch well while dealing with a hip issue.

In shallower leagues, there are too many red flags lingering over Ober. His ERA is high (and justified). His strikeouts are low, and he's pitching through an injury. In deeper leagues, I'd hang on to Ober, at least for a little longer. Without an IL (injured list) stint, it's tough to see how his hip improves.

Rhys Hoskins - 1B, Milwaukee Brewers - 40% rostered

After missing the entire 2023 season with an ACL injury, Hoskins made a solid return to the diamond last year. Hoskins hit 26 home runs in 131 games with the Brewers. He did have a career-low .214 batting average, but entered this year as a solid corner infield option later in drafts.

Hoskins hasn't been bad this year. He's hitting .243/.336/.420 with 11 homers, 38 RBI, 26 runs, and two stolen bases (73 games). Part of why Hoskins isn't rostered as highly with those numbers is the fact that he's a first baseman. Hoskins ranks 30th at the position according to Yahoo! (standard 5x5 rotisserie scoring).

For context, the 30th-ranked second baseman is Colt Keith. Keith has dual eligibility and ranks 39th among first basemen. If Hoskins were second base eligible, he'd rank 20th at the position. It's a similar story if Hoskins were third base eligible, as he'd rank 22nd at the position.

This is why Hoskins is featured this week. At this stage of the season, you should have a good grasp of what you need to strengthen or reinforce in your fantasy teams. As solid as Hoskins will be, he's not someone who will move the needle for you if you're chasing.

There's been no shortage of top prospects being called up to the Majors in 2025. So if you need to chase, Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone have more upside. Miguel Vargas is having something of a breakout season. Brady House could carry his hot bat from the Minors into the Majors.

Some intriguing corner infield options are available in most redraft leagues, especially first basemen. Of course, they might not pan out as hoped this year. But I'd rather swing for the fences and strike out than head back to the dugout having taken a fastball down the middle.

Verdict: In deeper leagues, Hoskins is still a solid corner infield option. He is prone to streaks, but you pretty much know what you'll get from Hoskins by the end of the season. If I'm chasing in shallower leagues, I'd rather chase the upside from someone likely available on waivers.

Hold For Now

Christian Walker - 1B, Houston Astros - 76% rostered

It may seem contradictory to say Walker is worth holding after saying I'd rather drop Hoskins for a rookie. Especially given that Hoskins ranks higher than Walker on Yahoo!. However, Walker carries greater upside than Hoskins at this moment in time.

To give more of a comparison between the two first basemen, below shows their expected numbers and some quality of contact metrics this year.

There isn't much between the pair. Expected stats aren't a guarantee that someone's numbers will improve. But if I were asked who will have a better rest of the season, I'd take Walker over Hoskins. That's before we consider that Walker is hitting in a better ballpark than Hoskins.

According to Statcast's Park Factor, Daikin Park ranks as the joint 10th-best ballpark for right-handed hitters (RHH). Thank you, Crawford Boxes. The Brewers' American Family Field ranks joint third-worst. That helps explain why Walker has a 119 wRC+ at home and 46 wRC+ on the road.

After 74 games, Walker has 10 homers, 36 RBI, 32 runs, and no steals with a .214/.282/.361 slash line. If you squint hard enough, you can see that Walker has been showing signs of life lately. He's hitting .229/.308/.371 this month, with a 95 wRC+. June is set to be his best month of the season.

That's something we've seen for much of Walker's career. He's got a 102 wRC+ in April and a 103 wRC+ in May throughout his career. In June, Walker has a 113 wRC+, in July a 111 wRC+, and in August, Walker has a 136 wRC+. Historically, Walker has improved in the summer months.

If that trend doesn't continue and Walker's numbers fall away in the coming weeks, then I'd be much more inclined to move on. I don't have him ranked much higher than Hoskins. He's started looking a bit more like himself over the last fortnight and warrants more time.

That being said, I'm not starting Walker on the road right now, other than in some hitter-friendly ballparks. Daikin Park and those Crawford Boxes are keeping Walker afloat. That alone will not be enough to keep Walker fantasy relevant in anything but deeper leagues.

Bryson Stott - 2B/SS, Philadelphia Phillies - 64% rostered

Stott's name has been mentioned previously, but I've resisted featuring him until now. His inclusion at this juncture of the season highlights something that applies to other players as well. Simply put, Stott's numbers are about what we should expect at this stage of the season.

If we go back to preseason, Stott's ATC projections for 2025 were 12 homers, 57 RBI, 67 runs, and 26 steals with a .256/.319/.382 slash line in 139 games. On the year, Stott has five homers, 34 RBI, 32 runs, and 12 steals with a .240/.310/.344 slash line (71 games).

That's a 139-game pace of 10 homers, 67 RBI, 63 runs, and 23 steals. Given Stott also has a .390 xSLG, he's almost on track to match projections. If he avoids the IL, Stott should play more than 139 games, likely leading to him beating his projected counting stats.

As Stott is trending towards outperforming his projections, it's difficult to make a case for dropping him. The one concern will be how Stott has cooled down recently after a hot start to 2025.

Stott ended April with a .297/.374/.436 slash line. He is hitting just .188/.278/.266 in June. However, if we look at Stott's rolling xwOBA this season, we can see it's been improving as the season has progressed.

What you do with Stott depends on a couple of things. He's mainly helping you with steals, so if you're fine with stolen bases, he's far less valuable. What position you're playing him at will also determine his fantasy worth.

You're likely utilizing Stott in the middle infielder slot or as your primary second baseman. Considering he ranks 15th among second basemen (on Yahoo!) and 25th among shortstops, Stott is a far better option at second base than he is at shortstop.

If you drafted Stott and are disappointed with him, it's worth noting that he's one big series away from being on pace to beat his projected slash line. Good health will see Stott comfortably outperform his projections. While his recent struggles are frustrating, they shouldn't last for long.

Stott has a .220 BABIP in June. That won't sustain. It's unlikely that he'll match April's .297 batting average again, but Stott should still hit close to his protected slash line. If we reach the All-Star Break and Stott's numbers are still regressing, then we may need to decide whether it's worth rostering Stott.

On the Hot Seat

Ozzie Albies - 2B, Atlanta Braves - 94% rostered

We've reached the Atlanta Braves portion of The Cut List. Albies is the first of three Braves hitters included this week, and it's the second appearance for the second baseman this season. Back in the Week 8 edition, Albies was featured as a player worth holding. That's still the case, but barely...

First, let's break down Albies' numbers. Below is a table showing some of his numbers when we looked at him in mid-May, and the five weeks since then.

For the most part, Albies hasn't improved. You can justifiably argue that he couldn't get much worse, and Albies still isn't hitting anything like he can. He's not come close to providing value on the fifth or sixth-round pick you likely used on him.

Albies has been hitting the ball harder. But his 26.6% Hard-Hit% this year only ranks in the fifth percentile. Albies has also been hitting a lot more groundballs recently. We can see that from his ground ball to fly ball ratio (GB/FB) increasing.

Albies' improved on-base percentage (OBP) is largely down to taking more walks. He has an 11.5% BB% in the last five weeks, up from 7.0% BB% on May 17. That and a solid 16.8% K% on the year (77th percentile) are about the only bright spots on what has been a poor season.

The most notable issue for Albies this year has been his numbers against left-handed pitching (LHP). Historically, the switch-hitting Albies has always had better numbers against lefties. He's a career .329/.354/.542 hitter against LHP. This year, Albies is hitting .238/.262/.288 against southpaws.

All six of his homers have come against RHP. And if we look at his Statcast Profile, there is little reason to be optimistic about Albies moving forward.

The concern is that Albies isn't 100% healthy. He missed two months with a fractured wrist last year. In the nine games following his return from the IL, Albies hit .184/.244/.368. He then went 1-for-8 in the playoffs.

Albies didn't exactly have a stellar spring either. In 17 games, he hit .227/.292/.386. We've not heard any news about lingering issues. But it wouldn't be a surprise if Albies is still experiencing some issues, given the numbers he has put up since returning from the wrist injury.

The Braves as a team have been a bit of a mess in 2025. They sit 10 games back in the NL East and are in danger of having a losing record for the first time since 2017. There is likely some cause and effect between Albies and the team.

Albies may be struggling due to a malaise around the team. At the same time, the Braves are struggling because Albies and others are not performing. Albies' 77 wRC+ ranks eighth on the team, while his .105 ISO ranks 10th. With everything we've looked at, why isn't Albies a certain drop?

Well, his track record warrants consideration. When healthy, Albies is a 30-homer hitter. He's topped 100 RBI twice in his career and scored 100+ runs on three occasions. He won't be doing either this year, especially hitting in the bottom half of the lineup.

The other reason Albies is worth hanging onto is the lack of good replacement options. Even having a really poor year, Albies ranks 28th among second basemen. There aren't too many better options available on waivers, if any.

We can rule out Albies providing value on his ADP (average draft position). But all he has to do is come close to putting up his career-level numbers over the next three months to warrant rostering. Whether he can do that remains to be seen.

I completely understand if fantasy managers have lost patience and moved on, especially in shallower leagues. While I wouldn't be actively looking to drop Albies now, I'd try to ride it out until the All-Star Break. If Albies continues to struggle after the mini rest, then we may have to move on.

Reader Requests

As always, we're keen to hear who you want us to analyze. If there is anyone you want to include on next week's Cut List, drop their names on the Reddit thread or in the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms. Alternatively, you can reach out to me on X, and we'll endeavor to cover some requests each week.

Marcell Ozuna - DH, Atlanta Braves - 97% rostered

Having hit 79 home runs over the last two seasons, Ozuna is having a disappointing campaign. After 72 games, Ozuna has 11 homers, 40 RBI, 33 runs, and no steals with a .257/.383/.424 slash line. He'll need a big second half to eclipse 30 homers for a third successive season.

When you drafted Ozuna, you did so knowing he only has designated hitter (DH) eligibility. That makes it even tougher to roster someone when they're struggling. With a .197/.253/.338 slash line in June, Ozuna is struggling. But we shouldn't ignore his numbers in the first two months of the season.

At the end of May, Ozuna was hitting .280/.426/.457 with a 152 wRC+. Seeing how he hit .289/.364/.552 across the previous two seasons, there's no reason to believe Ozuna can't get back to his early-season form. His .495 xSLG (77th percentile) suggests that he will.

In most points leagues, or those counting OBP, Ozuna has considerably more value. His 16.8% BB% ranks in the 99th percentile. But even that has regressed this month as Ozuna ended May with a 20.3% BB%.

The lack of positional versatility is frustrating, but you should have planned for that when drafting Ozuna. He ranks 101st among all hitters (on Yahoo!), so even having a down year (and a cold June), he warrants rostering. Of the three Braves hitters featured, I'm most bullish on Ozuna having a solid 2025.

Michael Harris II - OF, Atlanta Braves - 89% rostered

Harris was trending towards having a down year. Then June came, in which he's hitting .188/.200/.333, and that down year is getting worse. After 75 games, Harris is hitting .226/.252/.341 with six homers, 42 RBI, 17 runs, and 11 steals.

Despite his struggles in June, Harris has actually been pretty consistent since the start of May. We can see that from his cumulative slash line throughout the season. Unfortunately, consistency isn't a good thing in this case.

If we look closer at Harris's slash line, there is reason for optimism. He has a .266 xBA and a .406 xSLG. Both are significantly better than his actual numbers. Harris II's .265 BABIP is way down from his career .319 BABIP, so it shouldn't come as a surprise if we see his batting average start to improve.

One of the most startling things about Harris is the difference in his RBI and run totals. Among all outfielders, Harris ranks 18th in RBI and tied 122nd in runs scored. Despite Harris having more than twice as many plate appearances, Tim Tawa has crossed home plate more than the Braves' center fielder.

Chandler Simpson spent less than six weeks in the Majors. He has scored as many runs as Harris. Tyler Freeman hasn't even had 100 plate appearances this year and has still scored as many runs as Harris. I could go on...

Provided we do see improvements in his slash line, Harris should still be a solid fantasy contributor. I'm not sure we see him scoring a load of runs, but Harris has still been contributing with RBI, along with a bit of power and speed. I'd continue to hold in all but shallow formats.

Lars Nootbaar - OF, St. Louis Cardinals - 43% rostered

Nootbaar is on pace to set career highs in homers, RBI, and runs. He's also set to better his preseason projections. ATC projected Nootbaar to hit .247/.345/.429 with 17 homers, 55 RBI, 61 runs, and nine steals (120 games).

After 74 games, Nootbaar is hitting .229/.336/.370 with nine homers, 31 RBI, 41 runs, and four steals. The main reason Nootbaar is outpacing his projections is due to staying on the field. Nootbaar has played only 334 games over the previous three seasons and has had five trips to the IL since 2023.

Nootbaar has had a tough June so far. He's hitting just .161/.297/.226 this month. Those struggles are likely why the Cardinals have dropped him down their lineup. After being the leadoff hitter in his first 66 starts of the year, Nootbaar has slipped down into the bottom half this week.

Nootbaar's biggest asset is his ability to get on base. His 12.9% BB% ranks in the 88th percentile, making him far more valuable in OBP or certain points leagues. Other than that, Nootbaar is a solid but unspectacular outfield option.

Ranking 120th among all hitters on Yahoo!, Nootbaar is rosterable in all but very shallow leagues. If you don't play five outfielders in your leagues, Nootbaar again isn't someone I'd be looking to roster.

Although Nootbaar is not someone who will stand out in any category (other than in leagues counting walks), he also won't hurt you. Nootbaar's batting average is the only downside. He's a career .242 hitter, and with a .246 xBA, Nootbaar's batting average should improve.

The walks will help Nootbaar score runs. But the runs will dry up if he remains hitting lower in the order. In standard leagues, I'd consider Nootbaar more of a bench bat. Unless he regains leadoff duties, it's difficult to see Nootbaar providing much value in non-OBP leagues.

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