RADIO
Welcome back, RotoBallers. It may be the offseason but we don't stop thinking about fantasy baseball in these parts, especially if you play in a dynasty/keeper league. I am starting a new series on players to grab and stash before the 2025 season. Spring training or even just offseason analysis could generate buzz on some players who might have finished the year strong or become good buy lows.
As the offseason goes on, these players are sure to get more buzz, and I want to give you an edge. Today, we will go around the outfield and discuss some players worth stashing who could see their stock increase in 2025.
Let's get to these players!
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Fantasy Baseball Outfielders To Stash for 2025
Michael Harris II, OF, ATL
Any hope of buying low on Harris this offseason might be killed by the torrid stretch he has been on. The road trip to Cincinnati toward the end of the season ignited Harris as he collected six hits in three games, which included at least one home run in each game. Harris finished off the season with 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases while slashing .264/.304/.418.
Harris missed over two months of the season with a hamstring strain and then was hit by a pitch on his hand in August, which caused concern that it could be fractured. After a strong first month of the season, Harris struggled to get going and the injury then completely derailed his season.
He looked much more like himself to close out the 2024 season. All underlying metrics are very similar to 2023 as he has a 10 percent barrel rate and a 90.5 mph average exit velocity. The xwOBAcon is over .400 for the third straight season, showing the high-end quality of contact.
Everything checks out contact-wise as well, as both the in-zone and overall contact rates are in line with previous seasons. Harris still strikes me as someone who can be a consistent 20/20 threat with good batting averages. On top of that, he hits in an elite lineup. People are out on him, but now is the time to trade for him.
Michael Harris II ended the season on a high note over his last 31 games...
143 PA, .304/.329/.548, 14 XBH, 9 HR
Not sure you can "buy low" anymore, but he's still a solid buy in general in dynasty leagues.#FantasyBaseballpic.twitter.com/aHiw6GYLWe
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) October 9, 2024
Jordan Walker, OF, STL
Walker has been a major disappointment in 2024, spending the majority of the year in Triple-A, where the results have still been subpar. Breaking camp with the team in 2023 as a 20-year-old, Walker held his own, posting a 116 wRC+. It was far from a perfect season, and Walker struggled with the adjustment to the outfield from third base. But this year, things have gone south.
The good news is that things still look ok under the hood. Between the majors and Triple-A, Walker posted an average exit velocity north of 91 mph and a barrel rate near 11 percent.
The obvious flaws in his game are his inconsistent launch angles, especially on the ground. In the majors, his ground-ball rate is 48 percent, paired with just 7 percent line drives. In Triple-A, it was 45 percent.
Does Walker still have intrigue? Sure. Maybe he is never elite, but he is still incredibly young and has plenty of potential to be a solid fantasy asset. He played nearly every day in September with the Cardinals and posted a .253/.286/.494 slash with five home runs and six doubles. An encouraging note to end your season on.
Jordan Walker - St. Louis Cardinals (5)
pic.twitter.com/z4uuyzZMaa— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 22, 2024
Nolan Jones, OF, COL
This is weird for me to write because, coming into the 2024 season, I was more off Jones than anyone. An injury-riddled year and a major underperformer has seen his stock fall significantly. In 297 plate appearances, Jones has just three home runs and five stolen bases to pair with a .227/.321/.320 slash.
My biggest knock on Jones was that his in-zone contact rate was one of the worst in baseball last year at 71.5 percent. He has made major strides in that department, posting a mark north of 79 percent. The overall contact rate also rose by over six percentage points.
Jones is way too passive and often gets into pitcher counts. But his swing rates on meatball pitches are really good and help him counteract the lower overall swing rates. The barrel rate has dipped significantly, largely thanks to more ground balls. Missing time with a lower back strain and a knee strain will cause you to not be able to lift the ball.
With a fully healthy offseason, Jones should bounce back and be closer to the 20/20 threat he was in 2023. His price will also be much more appropriate than it was coming into this year.
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, SF
The adjustment period of coming to a new country, and learning a new culture, language, and team is never easy. There is often a transition period for international players in their first seasons in the United States. Lee struggled out of the gate but a collision with the outfield wall caused him to tear his labrum, which put him out for the season starting May 12.
Lee showed flashes of some good things at the plate, even though the surface numbers were not great. He makes contact at elite rates, having an overall mark of 90 percent and in-zone north of 93 percent. While Lee did not hit the ball overly hard, his average exit velocity was better than the MLB average, and the number of balls he squared up will potentially allow him to get more power.
Coming back from a labrum tear is no easy task. But with a full offseason to recover, Lee should be more than ready for Opening Day next season. Given the speed and contact ability, Lee might hit near .290 with 15 home runs and stolen bases apiece, and that is highly valuable.
The interesting thing is Lowe has made some notable improvements when it comes to Statcast data. His 90.8 mph average exit velocity is a nearly 2 mph jump from 2023 and he is running a barrel rate north of 10 percent. The 90th percentile exit velocity is above average as well at 105 mph. Lowe puts batted balls at ideal angles often, having a 38 percent sweet spot rate and hard-hit rate north of 46 percent. That mark sat below 40 percent in 2023.
The drop in contact has been an issue, as the zone contact rate fell by four percentage points between 2023 and 2024, but the overall mark was just a 1 percent drop. Lowe is chasing less and is pulling the ball in the air more often, but the results did not come.
Outside of the dip in contact, it feels like when Lowe is putting the ball in play, he is running into bad luck. It is time to buy back in for 2025.
Josh Lowe - Tampa Bay Rays (10)
pic.twitter.com/yCRsNxtieD— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 18, 2024
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