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Looking for some fantasy baseball sleeper targets? Then you've come to the right place!
Finding value in fantasy drafts is the most important thing you can do to build a winning fantasy baseball team. Joe Ryan, Jeffrey Springs, and Ryan Weathers are all interesting fantasy targets this year, but which of these three are values at their current ADP?
Should you draft Ryan, Springs, or Weathers in fantasy baseball? Read the draft recommendations and 2025 fantasy outlooks for each player below.
Ryan Weathers Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 350
Current ADP: 376
Analysis: Weathers has come into camp in the "best shape of his life" - shedding at least 20 pounds in the offseason. He's the only pitcher who was on both top-five lists for BB% and GB% improvers. Ryan Weathers lowered his walk rate from 11.3 percent to 6.7 percent while increasing his ground-ball rate from 37.0 percent to 49.3 percent.
Ryan Weathers (Miami Marlins)
Weathers gained Velo in 24' from 95.1 MPH vs. 95.6 MPH and had glimpses throughout the year of being an ace.
He has the potential to increase whiffs with his arsenal and also displayed an ability to limit walks (6.5% BB%) and generate GBs (47.6%). pic.twitter.com/7bjRFfEMoQ
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) February 21, 2025
Those significant improvements helped Weathers put up a 3.98 SIERA in 86 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old lefty had his 2024 season shortened by a left index finger strain, but he looks like a terrific sleeper this season, even on a rebuilding Marlins team.
Joe Ryan Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 80
Current ADP: ~pick 108
Analysis: Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan has been a solid fantasy option in each of his three full seasons in the majors. Although Ryan is coming off a season-ending shoulder strain, the expectation is that he will be a full go for training camp. As a result, he is one of my favorite pitchers to target at this point in drafts.
Ryan finished with a 3.60 ERA and 147 strikeouts across 135 innings pitched last season. His 2.87 expected ERA and .208 expected batting average against both ranked in the top 14 percent of the league and his 27.3 percent strikeout rate ranked in the 80th percentile.
Those strong numbers are nothing new for the Twins pitcher. He has had a 27.3 percent strikeout rate or better every season and finished with 197 strikeouts in 2023.
Injuries have surely prevented Ryan from being that top-tier fantasy pitcher, as the 28-year-old has missed time in three straight seasons. Last year, he was limited to only 23 starts. When the right-hander has been healthy, though, he has produced solid numbers across the board.
Joe Ryan struck out a dozen batters for the @Twins! 😤 pic.twitter.com/UucIvsOpOI
— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2024
That's why he is a fantastic target in the ninth or 10th round of drafts. He has finished with under a 3.65 ERA in two of the past three years and has the strikeout upside to be a strong fantasy option in 2025.
Picking him as your SP3 or SP4 could be a league-winning move, considering Ryan has already shown his potential in the majors.
Jeffrey Springs Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 230
Current ADP: ~pick 265
Analysis: The 32-year-old missed almost all of 2023 and the first half of 2024 with the Rays due to Tommy John surgery. So, why do I still think he could be a fantasy sleeper?
First, Springs pitched well in 2024. His fastball did drop almost two MPH from 2023 to just 89.8 MPH. Still, he could pitch to a 3.27 ERA and a 26.1% strikeout rate while mixing in his changeup and slider frequently. Springs stopped throwing hard once he became a starter, so his lack of velocity does not deter me, and he could get a bit of it back as he continues to recover.
Second, Springs' new team context may not be as bad as it seems. The Rays are notorious for mixing and matching how they utilize their pitchers, leading to some short outings. Springs should serve as the solid No. 2 starter for the Athletics, so there is no reason to think they wouldn't treat him as such if he's healthy.
On the other side of the ball, the A's had a more productive offense than the Rays, who were one of baseball's worst offenses. Both the A's and the Rays will be playing their home games in minor league parks this season, so it's not as though Springs will be getting a park downgrade.
Springs may not have the fantasy appeal that he once did, but I think he still has the skills that garnered it. He is poised to hold a significant role with an A's team that could be more competitive than thought. As the 96th pitcher off the board with an ADP at the end of 12-team drafts, I will gladly take a shot on Springs.
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