X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers To Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 2)

Ivan Herrera - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

Jarod's hitter fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers and risers to watch for Week 2 of 2025. His list includes waiver wire outlooks and underachieving hitters so far.

Welcome to the first edition of my Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters series as we head into Week 2 of the 2025 MLB season! For those who are new to this article, I try to illuminate players whose recent stats suggest a breakout is coming or that perhaps they are on the verge of a cold spell.

In today's edition, we'll take a look at players like Jacob Wilson and Ivan Herrera. Checking in on who's hot (or not) can bring to light some interesting names. Some of those names could then become potential waiver wire targets for you or sneaky DFS plays (or avoids) to use before the rest of the fantasy community catches on.

With just one week of data, the sample size is small, but we'll still see which players own the longest current hit streaks, highest batting average, and highest ISO over the last seven days, as well as some regression candidates and more.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Hit Streak Leaders

Data through 4/2

Jacob Wilson (7 games)

I wrote about Jacob Wilson about a week ago, towards the end of March, in my Fantasy Prospects With The Best Hit Tools article, and all he's done since then is back it up. The 23-year-old has a hit in each game of the season to this point, currently riding a seven-game hit streak.

Three hits were collected in the last contest, including a double, and he's launched one home run thus far as well. After a four-homer Cactus League campaign, some dismissed the newfound power stroke, chalking it up to the sometimes less-than-major-league-worthy pitching you find in spring training.

While the 2025 regular season is just a small sample size for now, and that may be true, it's worth noting that last season in his 28-game debut that totaled 103 plate appearances, the youngster registered a 0.0 percent barrel rate. No, Mr. Blutarsky, that's not a typo.

In just 24 plate appearances in 2025, the former first-round draft pick already has a 4.2 percent barrel rate. Ok, so you say there's obviously some regression to be expected now. Well, Nolan Arenado (16 HR), Steven Kwan (14), and Bryson Stott (11) all had a barrel rate of 3.6 percent or less last year and still hit at least 11 home runs each.

Guess what else? The kid hasn't struck out even one time in 24 at-bats so far! So, he's proven he can hit, he may be growing into some power (they don't all have to be home runs, they can be doubles too), and can be a reliable plug-and-play option when your starting shortstop has a day off.

The point of all of this is that 11 percent rostership in Yahoo! leagues feels light, so consider the potential AL Rookie of the Year for a roster spot.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (6 games)

After going hitless on Opening Day, Isiah Kiner-Falefa has collected a hit in six consecutive games, going 7-for-19 (.368) over that time. It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as the 30-year-old owns a strong career contact rate of 86.3 percent and historically strikes out at a better-than-average rate for his career (15.5 percent).

What stands out, though, is the contrast in walk rate compared to what he's done in his career, with a 15.4 percent rate in 2025 compared to a career rate of 5.7 percent. With a .462 OBP so far, the veteran has seen stolen base opportunities increase, tallying four swipes already.

While he's not the shortstop of the future for Pittsburgh, he's certainly the shortstop of the present, and can be had in 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Did I mention he's eligible at 2B, 3B, and SS on Yahoo! as well?

 

Highest Batting Average Last Seven Days

Minimum 13 AB, data through 4/2

Ivan Herrera (.467)

Cardinals backstop Ivan Herrera is hitting .467 (7-for-15) over the first week of the season, but look closer in the table, that's not all. Five of the seven hits are for extra bases, which included a three-homer game on April 2, with eight RBI and five runs to boot.

Could anyone have seen this coming? Well, yes, our very own John Laghezza outlined his case for Herrera to finish as a top-3 catcher this season on the back of strong plate discipline metrics and durability.

Top 3 is certainly bold, but top 12 seems perfectly reasonable at this point. Of course, it's a long season and we have only a small sample size to go off of, but early returns provide an optimistic view. Especially for a catcher that was going off the boards near pick 223 and is still only rostered in 41 percent of Yahoo! leagues (go get him!).

 

Highest ISO Last Seven Days

Minimum 13 AB, data through 4/2

When it comes to fantasy, especially DFS, we want to see power. More big hits mean more points. Big hits usually drive in more runs, which means more points. Doubles and triples put hitters in a better position to score, which means? You guessed it -- more points! So, who's hitting for extra bases over the past week?

Wilmer Flores (.545)

Wilmer Flores endured an injury-marred 2024 campaign that saw him log just 71 games, but in 2023, the Venezuelan hit a career-high 23 home runs and batted .284 in 126 games.

With a career contact rate of 85.6 percent, 13.8 percent K%, and 6.8 percent swinging-strike rate, he tends to put the bat on the ball well.

The 16.7 percent barrel rate he's shown so far this season is not sustainable given he owns a career rate of 4.9 percent, but as I outlined with Wilson above, that rate can still get you mid-teens home run totals.

Also, there are four players who lead the league with 11 RBI over the first week of the season, so Flores' 10 RBI gives him the second-most in baseball thus far.

If you're looking to catch lightning in a bottle early on in the 2025 fantasy season, Flores could be your guy, and he's rostered in less than 10 percent of leagues.

 

Most Steals Last Seven Days

Data through 4/2

Victor Scott II (4)

Chandler Simpson is all the rage these days after he swiped 104 bags last season and 94 the year before that in 2023. Did you know that two players stole 94 bases in 2023, though?

It's true, and the other player was Victor Scott II. The speedster was given a shot in the pros last year, but only managed to hit .179 during his 53-game audition with a 6:42 BB:K in 155 PA.

After an impressive spring this year, the left-handed hitter made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster as the starting center fielder and has ridden that momentum into the first week, going 8-for-23 (.348) with a home run, five RBI, four runs, and four stolen bases.

The 2:5 BB:K is a much more promising ratio than he produced in 2024, and so long as he can keep getting on base, the steals will pile up.

ATC projections call for 26 swipes in 100 games, but that number would surely balloon if he can stick with the club all season. Right now, he's looking like he can, and he's available in about half of Yahoo! leagues.

 

xBA Underachiever

Data through 4/2

Below are a couple of hitters who have some of the biggest differences between their current batting average and their expected batting average, or xBA. While many times this is a good exercise to see who is on the verge of turning things around, it's not certain.

Sometimes, hitters over- or underperform their xBA throughout their career, so regression to the xBA may not happen. Let's discuss a well-known player who is underachieving according to xBA.

Mike Trout (.143 vs. .317)

Finally healthy, fantasy managers who drafted Mike Trout were banking on him being some semblance of his former self when it came to offense.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case to this point. However, there are reasons to be optimistic. One, of course, is that while he owns a .143 BA (3-for-21) through six games, his xBA comes in at .317. The ultra-low BABIP of .118 should regress, hopefully at least back to the still-low .194 he registered last season.

While he's posting a career-worst contact rate and swinging-strike rate thus far, the 11-time All-Star has hits in two straight games (a double and a home run) and has five RBI in the last three games.

I know he's been around forever, and health has been a concern, but to put it in perspective, he's still younger than Freddie Freeman by two years. Freeman may also be breaking down, but he had an MVP-caliber age-33 season, so it can be done.

Trout probably isn't going to have an MVP-caliber season, but a serviceable one for fantasy is still in the cards, so don't panic yet.

Honorable mention: Drake Baldwin (.056 vs. .242)

 

xBA Overachiever

Data through 4/2

We'll touch on a hitter below who might eventually cool off. In this case, the BA is much higher than the xBA, and some regression should be expected. Note that players usually exhibit a gradual decline rather than a steep drop-off, but we should be vigilant nonetheless.

Jonny DeLuca (.438 vs. .262)

You may have seen Jonny DeLuca's name in a couple of the tables above, so he's definitely made a fantasy impact early on in the season. But how long will it last?

You don't need me to tell you that DeLuca won't hit around .438 for the entire year, but there is quite a large discrepancy between his actual BA compared to his xBA, likely due in large part to an astronomical .500 BABIP that is sure to regress.

Still, if he were to end the season with a .262 BA, we'd probably still say he overachieved after hitting .217 in 2024. And despite that low batting average last season, the former 25th-round draft pick was able to swipe 16 bases, so he brings some intrigue for fantasy.

Just know that if you are trying to ride the hot hand, it may go cold sooner rather than later.

Also: Alan Roden (.313 vs. .184)



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jameson Williams

Lions Didn't Entertain Trade Offers For Jameson Williams
Dalton Rushing

Homers In Four-Hit Game
Qadir Ismail

Raiders Sign Qadir Ismail
New York Giants

Giants Plan To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux's Fifth-Year Option
Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Max Muncy

With A Pair Of Doubles Back At Triple-A
Michael Lorenzen

Tosses Quality Start
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
A.J. Puk

Likely To Miss Multiple Months
Marquis Grissom Jr.

Notches Fifth Save At Double-A
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Records Third Save
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders

Giants Trade Up For Jaxson Dart At No. 25
Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams Taken By Lions At No. 28 Overall
Shane Smith

Tosses Five Shutout Frames
Roman Anthony

With Home Run No. 5 On Thursday
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Go With Malaki Starks At No. 27 Overall In NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Takes Donovan Jackson No. 24 Overall
NFL

Rams Trade The 26th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Falcons
Andrés Muñoz

Andres Munoz Secures Ninth Save
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall

Matthew Golden Selected No. 23 Overall By Green Bay
NFL

Texans Trade The 25th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Giants
Jakob Marsee

Up To 18 Steals At Triple-A

Omarion Hampton Taken No. 22 Overall By Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Selects Derrick Harmon At No. 21 Overall
Denver Broncos

Broncos Build Secondary By Selecting Jahdae Barron At No. 20

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19
Jeff McNeil

Activated From Injured List
Brett Baty

Optioned To Minors
Zack Gelof

To Begin Rehab Assignment Next Week
Ryan Walker

Remains Giants Closer
Kumar Rocker

Heads To Injured List
Brent Rooker

Resting For First Time This Season
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Isaiah Stewart

Remains Out For Game 3
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Bryan Woo

Picks Up Third Win, Strikes Out Eight On Thursday
Cade Cavalli

Moving Rehab Assignment To Double-A
Paul DeJong

Having Surgery On His Nose
Royce Lewis

Starting His Rehab Assignment On Friday
Tyler O'Neill

Out On Thursday With Sore Neck
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Gabriel Landeskog

Delivers Six Hits In First Game Since 2022
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF