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 Shortstop Preview: Top 10, Targets, Avoids, Prospects
What Shohei Ohtani did last year is probably the best fantasy baseball season since we have had fantasy baseball. So, how can Bobby Witt Jr. rank over Shohei?
2025 Second Base Preview: Altuve, Albies, McLain, Garcia Jr, and Turang
Second base likely won’t be a position of high end production for many of us in 2025. So, we have to ask what we want to accomplish with the position from a team construction standpoint. And how much should we pay for that?
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.
2025 Catcher Preview: Contreras Bros., Raleigh, Rutschman, Moreno and More
There aren’t many catchers that offer Cal Raleigh’s lift in plate appearances and the added value can be significant. If I miss William Contreras with my 3rd round pick I have targeted Raleigh with a 7th rounder. The big difference between the two players is batting average and that creates the separation.
Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts Part 3: Olson, Luzardo, Prospects and Saves
What’s so interesting about Jordan Hicks you ask?
Rotation spot secure
Good pitchers park
3.79 era over 95 IP in the first half of 2024
Two legit out pitches in his split and sweeper
Still just 28yo with only 28 MLB starts
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…
Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts: Ohtani, Witt Jr., Judge, Skenes and More
Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Jose Ramirez, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Kyle Tucker, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jackson Chourio, Jackson Merrill, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo, Wyatt Langford, James Wood, Lawrence Butler, Dylan Crews, Closers and much more in this early look at 2025 NFBC Drafts.
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.
Arizona Fall League Oct 24, 2024 / Scottsdale v Mesa
What actually gets my attention is Josue Briceno’s swing. It’s surprisingly simple and fairly short for a player his size. With the type of power he seems to have keeping the swing tight like this should be a big plus as he faces more advanced pitching. You can take a look at Briceno in the videos that follow.
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!
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!
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.