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Today we identify some hidden value at the shortstop position with our MLB team's fantasy baseball shortstop draft sleepers and later-round value picks for 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. Finding late-round value and drafting a player that can outperform their ADP can be the x-factor of winning that coveted fantasy baseball championship.
Below are some late-round picks who could be a bargain come draft day -- players for you to consider drafting in your season-long leagues this season. Are their ADPs undervalued? Will they make significant fantasy contributions and become a priority late-round draft target? Read on to see our take.
Our editors have hand-picked these specific MLB players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the five outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2025 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today to start reading all of our in-depth 2025 player outlooks and many other premium articles and tools, including Team Sync, the Live Draft Sync assistant, Custom Rankings Service, and so much more – available exclusively in our 2025 Draft Kit.
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Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott is a homegrown product, rising through the minor league ranks of the Phillies organization to become a significant piece in the team's recent successes. One of the most desirable aspects for Stott in the fantasy baseball arena is his eligibility at both 2B and SS, which he should retain in 2025.
Furthermore, he can provide strong value in the stolen base category, as he swiped 63 bags over the last two seasons. He has also produced double-digit HR totals in all three of his full seasons in the MLB so that he can add some pop as well.
Bryson Stott had a .393-OBP/.842-OPS his first 40 games last year before a nerve in his right elbow gave out after an awkward swing
He’s basically back to 100%, and I feel like he could be a legit 15-HR/40-SB guy 👀
pic.twitter.com/Hno4vrFrxL— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) February 19, 2025
With an NFBC ADP sitting around pick 170, Stott should be available in the middle rounds of most drafts. He makes for a savvy pick for managers who have not addressed the SB category by that point in the draft. Although he sees the occasional day off against LHP and often bats ninth, Stott played in 148 games in 2024 and amassed 571 plate appearances.
He should see plenty of opportunities at the dish again in 2025, and fantasy managers can confidently draft him as a mid-round utility player who can provide steals with some pop. ATC projections are on board with Stott providing another double-digit homer and 20-steal campaign by projecting him to hit 13 long balls and swipe 28 bags in 2025.
-- Ben Ueberroth - RotoBaller
Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (abdomen) got off to an excruciatingly slow start in 2024, but heated up just before the All-Star break and finished strong. Through July 9, the former No.1 draft pick was slashing .201/.276/.335 with eight home runs and five stolen bases in 315 plate appearances.
Over his final 278 PA, however, the right-handed hitter slashed .288/.353/.452 with seven home runs and 14 stolen bases, finishing with a .242-16-66-82-19 line with a .307 wOBA and 99 wRC+. While the 19 stolen bases were a welcome improvement over the nine total steals from 2023, the 16 home runs and 66 RBI were the fewest in a season since 2019, excluding 2020, and is a worrying trend, with declining totals in those categories for multiple seasons now.
Contact% (73.0%) remained steady and HardHit% (42.5%) actually improved year-over-year, though, so perhaps there's hope the 2x All-Star won't get off to such an icy start in 2025. Swanson underwent core muscle surgery in October but is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
ATC projections are optimistic of that, as they see the 31-year-old putting together a more balanced .245-19-73-78-15 line with a .313 wOBA and 101 wRC+, which lines up with his 175 overall ranking at RotoBaller, slightly ahead of his NFBC ADP of 185.
-- Jarod Rupp - RotoBaller
Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald was a fantasy baseball hero down the stretch last season but is buried in most shortstop ranking lists heading into the 2025 draft season. Fitzgerald put up solid stats as a rookie, batting .280 with a .497 slugging percentage to go along with 15 HR, 53 runs, 34 RBI, and 17 stolen bases across 96 games.
He was even better after the All-Star break as 13 of his homers and 10 steals came in 61 second-half games, thus cementing Fitzgerald's place among 2024 waiver wire champions. Despite his hot finish, fantasy baseballers are skeptical of Fitzgerald as he's the 26th shortstop off the board with an NFBC ADP of 236, a little outside the top 200 overall.
Tyler Fitzgerald first start of the spring! We have our own Trea Turner at home!! #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/zmLOcGWpZm
— Giant Hot Takes Podcast (@gianthot_takes) February 28, 2025
Part of the doubt for Fitzgerald stems from glaring red flags in his profile, suggesting his success may not be repeatable. His .227 xBA was far lower than his actual batting average, and a 31.7 K-rate suggests he could be a BA liability. Toss in below-average batted-ball metrics, and it's fair to wonder how much power he can provide playing his home games in cavernous Oracle Park.
Despite concerns about his bat, Fitzgerald boasts 100th percentile sprint speed as he was clocked at 30 MPH last season. If nothing else, he should provide plenty of runs and stolen bases, making him a worthwhile sleeper pick with a late-round selection.
-- Mike Schwarzenbach - RotoBaller
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
There were plenty of exciting rookies in 2024, which caused the solid season from Boston Red Sox infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to fly a bit under the radar. In 571 plate appearances, Rafaela slashed an unimpressive .246/.274/.390, but that came with 70 runs, 15 home runs, 75 RBI, and 19 steals.
In fact, Rafaela was one of just 23 hitters to have at least 15 home runs, 15 steals, 70 RBI, and 70 runs scored last season. When rostering Rafaela, you have to weigh the pros and cons. The pros are the solid all-around production with eligibility at two or three positions, depending on your league settings.
The cons are an aggressive approach, which led to a 2.6% walk rate and a 46.4% chase rate, along with below-average contact rates. While Rafaela should continue providing decent totals in runs, RBI, home runs, and steals, the average and OBP will likely remain on the lower end of each spectrum.
-- Eric Cross - RotoBaller
Luisangel Acuna, New York Mets
New York Mets infielder Luisangel Acuna has never been a standout from a statistical standpoint, but he has continually been a solid performer at every stop. Spending the year in Triple-A in 2024, Acuña showed enough to earn a promotion to the Big Apple by the season's end, and he performed.
In 40 MLB plate appearances, Acuña hit three home runs and had six extra-base hits while slashing .308/.325/.641. This followed a 131-game stint in Triple-A, where he slashed .258/.299/.355 with seven home runs.
Speed is one of the more significant assets of Acuña's game, as he swiped 40 bases in 2024. This followed a 2023 season in which he stole 57. The exciting thing is Acuña was caught 14 times in Triple-A, despite having plus speed.
Mets breakout prospect, Luisangel Acuña, is turning heads in the Venezuelan Winter League 👀
- .337 AVG
- .914 OPS
- 3 HR
- 17 RBI
- 18 SB
- Playing 2B, SS and CF pic.twitter.com/op07hdyGEP— MLB (@MLB) December 16, 2024
The underlying data is solid. His average exit velocity is 87.5 mph, but the 90th percentile of 103.5 mph is right at MLB average. However, few are turning into barrels due to a 53 percent ground ball rate. The contact skills also look pretty good, as Acuña has a near 90 percent in-zone mark and an overall contact rate of 77 percent.
Yes, he is hyper-aggressive and chases at a high clip. He hits too many ground balls, but there is an intriguing skill set here, and he could have a significant role with Nick Madrigal (shoulder) out for the season. Acuna is worth a late-round flier at his current NFBC ADP (375), which aligns with his RotoBaller overall ranking of 364.
-- Chris Clegg - RotoBaller
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