Xavier Edwards 2025 Outlook: Speed and Average at the Expense of Power
3 mins agoXavier Edwards was a bright spot in an otherwise bleak Marlins season, slashing .328/.397/.423 with a homer and 31 steals in just 303 PAs. Edwards went 31-for-35 on SB attempts for a success rate of 89%, so he should keep the green light. The 25-year-old demonstrated a fantastic eye with a 22.5% chase rate and 10.9% BB% and strong contact skills with a 7.1% SwStr% and 17.2% K%. His .398 BABIP was probably too high to sustain, but his 28.4 ft./sec Statcast Sprint Speed, 26.5% FB%, and 22.7% LD% all point to a high-BABIP guy who should be able to outperform his .254 xBA again in 2025. Edwards projects as Miami's leadoff hitter, adding a healthy runs scored total to his stolen bases and batting average. However, Edwards has zero power as indicated by his 1.8% HR/FB, 89.1 mph average airborne exit velocity, 1.8% rate of Brls/BBE, and 102.7 mph max exit velocity. It remains to be seen if Edwards can work walks without the pop to keep pitchers honest, but he's still an intriguing upside pick at his ADP of 166.61.