Drafting a winning squad in 2025 isn't just about clicking the guys with the biggest names. Honestly, if you’re just looking at last year’s home run totals, you’ve already lost. The landscape for MLB fantasy rankings 2025 has shifted because the way teams use their stars—and the way the stars are responding to rule changes—is getting weirder by the day.
You want the truth? Most "expert" lists are basically copy-pasted spreadsheets that don't account for the human element.
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Let’s talk about Shohei Ohtani. Everyone sees the 50/50 season from 2024 and thinks he’s the automatic 1.01. But wait. In 2025, he’s back on the mound. That sounds great, right? Twice the value! Kinda. It actually complicates things. If your league doesn't allow him to occupy both a pitcher and a hitter slot simultaneously, or if the Dodgers start "managing" his workload to keep that arm fresh for October, his daily volume might actually drop compared to his pure-DH year.
The Tier 1 Breakdown: Why Witt Might Be Better Than Ohtani
Bobby Witt Jr. is a cheat code. Period. While Ohtani is the greatest to ever play the game, Witt is the perfect fantasy baseball player. He plays shortstop—a premium position. He hits for average. He runs like he’s being chased by a swarm of bees.
- Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, KC): He’s the safe bet. He doesn't have the "pitching injury" risk that Ohtani carries.
- Shohei Ohtani (DH/SP, LAD): Still a monster, but the dual-role tax is real.
- Aaron Judge (OF, NYY): He’s basically a skyscraper that hits baseballs. If he stays healthy, he’s the HR king.
- Juan Soto (OF, NYM): Now that he's moved across town to the Mets, his OBP is going to be astronomical in that lineup.
It’s easy to get tunnel vision on the top five. You see Ronald Acuña Jr. sitting there around the turn and you think, "I can't pass that up." But you’ve gotta remember he’s coming off another massive knee surgery. Are the Braves really going to let him swipe 70 bases again? Probably not. You’re likely looking at a 25/25 guy with a high average, which is still elite, but it's not the "league winner" he was two years ago.
The Mid-Round Mines and Gems
This is where championships are actually won. The middle rounds of the MLB fantasy rankings 2025 are currently a mess because of the "post-hype" guys.
Take Corbin Carroll. 2024 was a nightmare for him for about four months. Then he woke up. If you're drafting in the second round, you have to decide if you believe in the first-half slump or the second-half surge. I’m leaning surge. The shoulder issues seem to be in the rearview, and his speed is still 99th percentile.
Pitching is a Total Crapshoot
Stop overpaying for pitching. Seriously.
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Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes are the shiny new toys. They’re amazing. Skenes throws 102 mph with a "splinker" that shouldn't be legal. But taking a pitcher in the first 15 picks is like buying a Ferrari and driving it through a construction zone. One pop in the elbow and your season is over.
I’d much rather grab a workhorse like Zack Wheeler in the second or even wait for the "boring" guys like Logan Gilbert or Framber Valdez. They won't win you the strikeout crown, but they’ll give you 190 innings of solid ratios. In a world of "opener" strategies and 4-inning starts, innings are the rarest currency in the game.
Sleepers That Feel Like Steals
You’ve gotta find the guys the projection systems hate but the scouts love.
- Jackson Chourio (OF, MIL): He started slow last year but finished like a superstar. He’s 21. The breakout is happening right now.
- Dylan Crews (OF, WSH): People are sleeping on the Nationals' lineup, but Crews has that "it" factor. He’s a 20/20 threat who might fall to the double-digit rounds.
- Lawrence Butler (OF, OAK): If you watched him in the second half of '24, you saw a guy who looked like a left-handed version of prime George Springer. The power is legitimate.
Basically, you’re looking for plate discipline coupled with exit velocity. If a guy hits the ball hard but strikes out 30% of the time, he’s a headache. If he hits it hard and walks? That’s a cornerstone.
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Strategizing Your Draft
Don't just follow a list. If you're in a 5x5 roto league, you need to balance your categories. If you draft Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez, you've got power for days, but you’re going to be dead last in steals. You’ll be chasing Elly De La Cruz types all year and overpaying for guys who can’t hit a beach ball just because they’re fast.
Kinda awkward truth: Catchers actually matter this year. For a decade, the position was a wasteland. Now, with William Contreras, Adley Rutschman, and even the power-hitting Yainer Diaz, you can actually get offensive production from behind the dish. Don't be the person who waits until the 22nd round to draft a catcher who hits .210.
What to do right now
Start by checking your league settings. Most people overlook this and draft based on standard rankings when they’re in an OBP or Points league. That’s a massive mistake.
- Check the DH rules: See how your platform handles Shohei Ohtani. It changes everything.
- Target "Value" Shortstops: The position is deep. If you miss Witt or Lindor, don't panic. You can find guys like Matt McLain or even Bo Bichette (who is due for a massive bounce-back) much later.
- Fade the "One-Year Wonders": Don't draft a 31-year-old coming off a career year. It almost never repeats. Look for the 23-year-olds on the way up.
The goal isn't to have the best team on Opening Day. It’s to have the most resilient team in August. Build your core with high-floor bats, take some swings on high-upside arms late, and keep a close eye on the waiver wire for the next Paul Skenes.