MILB, MLB and Fantasy Baseball

Opening Weekend 2025
Back with a rundown of MLB Opening Weekend standouts and recommendations for your Fantasy Baseball teams!

Baseball is Back!
A basket full of observations from someone who watched way too much baseball on Opening Day!

Opening Day Incoming
Cam Smith’s stock has skyrocketed since being drafted 14th overall last year. It’s been a meteoric climb and Smith now has a shot to make the Astros OD roster despite only 134 minor league PA’s. Smith destroyed the ball this spring and sure looks like the Astros best overall option in RF, even with such limited experience there.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
“The Cardinals will have opportunities in their rotation and after breezing through the minors last year Quinn should see at least 15 big league starts this year. It’s a reasonable cost at ADP 408 and he often goes in the mid 450’s.”

2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Preview: Top 20
“Skenes is a problem for hitters. Consider that his Baseball Savant page lights up like a Mardi Gras parade as he sits red in every metric except extension. And at 6’6…”

2025 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
This is a “grab him when he fits your teams needs” recommendation on Dylan Crews. Specifically, an OF with wheels and enough power to have a 20/30 (maybe 40?!?) season in the realm of outcomes. Steamer: .246/76/17/64/25

2025 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Preview: Top 24
Grabbing Jackson Chourio is banking on the athleticism while expecting further development given his age and progression. Could this be Acuna-esque where the Braves star dropped a sophomore slash of .280/127/41/101/37?!?

2025 First Base Preview: Vladdy, Harper, Freddie, Walker and Vinnie
From a value and draft strategy standpoint I prefer Christian Walker at ADP 102 over the top 5 first basemen on this list. In fact, Walker’s Steamer projections are quite similar to Pete Alonso’s despite Walker going 5 rounds later.

Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts Part 2: Matt Shaw, Sanchez, Steals, Saves, and SP’s
Currently Steamer projects Matt Shaw for 14/53/53/14 .250 over 452 PA’s. If Shaw makes the Cubs out of spring training, which is very possible, he will exceed the counting stats…
Ethan Salas, Liranzo, Briceno, Termarr & More
Ethan Salas (San Diego Padres) struck out and talked to himself the entire way back to the dugout. That intensity and focus, particularly in the Arizona Fall League, stands out to me. That’s a competitor and it’s a difference making quality.

Briceno, De Vries & More - AFL Prospect Notes Oct 26 2024
Josue Briceno is THAT GUY this year. The one who is just carving up AFL pitching like they were putting it on a tee for him. What did yesterday bring? More of the same.
Top Prospects - 2024 Arizona Fall League
A look at many of the key prospects and future big leaguer’s playing in the 2024 Arizona Fall League. Ethan Salas, Xavier Isaac, Moises Ballesteros, Joe Caglianone and so many more!

MLB Trade Deadline, Ranking Prospects, Matt Olson and Josh Lowe
“what may have jumped at me the most is Olson’s 2024 spray chart when compared to 2023. Last year he did so much damage to all parts of the ballpark but this year he doesn’t have a single home run to the opposite field or center field!”

MLB Weighted Home Runs Plus Stolen Base Leaders
“the 2024 list specifically showcases a number of names I consider to be undervalued in many leagues. If you are looking to make a move for your pennant run consider pushing in hard and dealing for…”

Jacob, Colt, Collier, Lazaro, and Wetherholt
JJ Wetherholt fell to the Cardinals at #7 overall in this years MLB draft. Wetherholt is a confident player and definitely brings the swag - if you saw him on draft day you know. He played three seasons at West Virginia and put up elite numbers his sophomore year slashing .449/67/16/60/36.

Trade Deadline, Soto Trade, Josh Smith, Rooker, Quinn and Seymour
Brent Rooker is a name that we should see moved at the deadline and he will likely bring a haul back to the Athletics. Rooker makes no bones about it, he goes up to the plate trying to do damage - and he has been doing just that. Rooker’s Statcast page shows elite rankings in all the places that make baseballs go really far really fast.

NYY v BAL, Skenes, Riley, McGonigle, Brayden and Bubba
I intended to write about how exciting the Pirates top 3 starting pitchers are. So, of course, news just broke that Paul Skenes SP will start the All-Star game for the National League. I absolutely love this!

Judge, JRod, Turang, Jhonkensy, Wood and Colorado
James Wood is absolutely the guy I want on all of my fantasy baseball teams but sadly have on just one of them. Wood has been promoted to the Washington Nationals for a Monday debut in DC!

Merrill, Pablo, Jarren, Nacho, Zebby and Roster Moves
I think we are past the point of anyone not realizing Jackson Merrill OF SD is really good. Merrill is clearly outperforming the other Jackson mega prospects (Chourio and Holliday). Since Jun 8 Merrill is hitting .370 with 7 home runs, 4 doubles, 10 runs scored, 13 RBI and an .833 SLG.

Royce, Shota, Riley, Crews, Morris, and Brooks Lee
Jun 21, 2024
I had an extended look at Royce Lewis during the 2019 Arizona Fall League where he won the MVP award. His athleticism was obvious and even then he was one of those electric players that just grabs your attention.