Thirty teams in major league baseball; thirty untapped sources for sleeper potential in fantasy baseball. That’s Dalton Del Don’s mission here — to identify one fantasy draft DEEP sleeper from every squad. Go here for standard Sleepers and here for Fantasy Fades.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Jake McCarthy, OF
McCarthy bounced back with a 110 wRC+ last season, and his 33 steals/homers came over just 442 at-bats. McCarthy doesn’t possess any splits, so he’s slated to be a regular in Arizona’s lineup (while Pavin Smith platoons at DH). McCarthy is set to bat fifth in the Diamondbacks’ lineup, and he has 35+ SB upside with 98th percentile Sprint Speed. McCarthy provides cheap speed while going undrafted in 35% of Yahoo leagues.
Athletics: Tyler Soderstrom, 1B
Soderstrom hit nine home runs with a 114 wRC+ over just 189 at-bats as a rookie last season, when he also produced impressive Statcast numbers. Seven of Soderstrom’s nine homers came on the road, where his slugging percentage jumped 78 points. Soderstrom will no longer be hitting in the Oakland Coliseum in 2025, as the A’s will be moving to a temporary home in Sacramento. Oakland has decreased homers by 19% over the last three seasons, which is the second-most in MLB. Soderstrom will benefit from the Athletics moving to a smaller park in much warmer weather.
Soderstrom was also drafted as a catcher and could gain eligibility there while possibly serving as the Athletics’ backup this season, so he’s a sleeper.
Atlanta Braves: AJ Smith-Shawver, SP
Smith-Shawver is coming off a disappointing 2024, when he finished with a 4.85 ERA across 89 injury-shortened (oblique) innings in the minors. He needs to improve his control, but he also had a 29% K% and an 18.3 K-BB%, and his projections are bullish in 2025. Smith-Shawver is just 22 years old and competing for the final spot in Atlanta’s rotation (coveted for fantasy given the Braves’ run support). Ian Anderson has a 6:13 K:BB ratio in spring, so Smith-Shawver’s opportunity may come sooner than expected.
Spencer Strider will return soon enough, but injuries always strike (and Grant Holmes is transitioning from relief). Smith-Shawver remains the Braves’ top pitching prospect and will be heavily in demand on waiver wires as soon as he gets a chance in Atlanta’s rotation.
Baltimore Orioles: Heston Kjerstad, OF
Kjerstad enters with questions surrounding his role, but Baltimore management sounds ready to give the former No. 2 overall pick a real opportunity in 2025, whether at corner outfield or DH. The Orioles replaced Anthony Santander with injury-prone Tyler O’Neill, Ryan O’Hearn owns a career 98 wRC+ and Colton Cowser posted a .227/.311/.403 line with a 30.5 K% over his final 501 plate appearances last year, so opportunities will arise. Kjerstad is a breakout candidate in 2025.
Boston Red Sox: Roman Anthony, OF
Anthony is likely to open the year in Triple-A even with Wilyer Abreu sidelined, especially after losing 10 pounds while dealing with a sickness recently. But this might be the very top prospect in all of baseball after he hit .344/.463/.519 with as many walks as strikeouts as a 20-year-old in Triple-A last season. He hit 18 homers and collected 21 steals with a 149 wRC+ over 454 ABs across the minors, and he owns a 138 wRC+ while walking as often as striking out in spring.
Fenway Park is nearly as favorable as Coors Field for left-handed hitters, and Anthony looks like a special talent with elite bat speed and raw power. He’s worth stashing in fantasy leagues and is primed to break out as soon as he gets a chance in 2025.
Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd, SP
Boyd was dominant while returning from Tommy John surgery last season, posting a 3.29 FIP with a 19.9 K-BB% that would’ve been top-15 among qualified starters. Boyd’s 29.9% CSW would’ve ranked seventh, just behind Logan Gilbert. THE BAT projects Boyd to have the 44th-best K% among SPs in 2025, just ahead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He enters 2025 entrenched in Chicago’s rotation after signing a lucrative deal during the offseason, and he’ll benefit from pitcher-friendly Wrigley Field.
Boyd’s workload may be somewhat limited, but in an era when fewer and fewer pitchers are throwing 200+ innings, fantasy managers can be happy with 160. Boyd has been going undrafted in 85% of Yahoo leagues, but he’s a late-round flier to target.
Cincinnati Reds: Austin Hays, OF
Hays posted a 108 wRC+ over 2021-2023, but multiple injuries (including a kidney infection) ruined his 2024. He’s back to 100% and slated to bat cleanup for the Reds after signing with Cincinnati during the offseason. Hays mostly played in Baltimore over the past three years, where Oriole Park has decreased HR for RHB by 21%. Meanwhile, Great American Ballpark has increased them by 19% over that span. Hays is a terrific late-round flier who’s going undrafted in Yahoo leagues.
Cleveland Guardians: Bo Naylor, C
Naylor disappointed fantasy managers last year, when he saw his wRC+ drop from 122 in 2023 down to 74. A full season of catching clearly played a role, and the former top prospect has looked far more like he did in 2023 during spring. Naylor had a 20/20 season in the minors, and the 25-year-old should bounce back at the plate. Naylor can be a top-10 fantasy catcher, but he’s going undrafted in Yahoo leagues.
Colorado Rockies: Thairo Estrada, 2B & Zac Veen, OF
Estrada was a fantasy bust last year, but he averaged 14 homers and 22 steals in fewer than 500 ABs over 2022-2023. He now goes from an extreme pitcher’s park in San Francisco to a hitter’s paradise in Colorado after signing with the Rockies in the offseason. Oracle Park has decreased HR for RHB by 21% over the last three seasons, while Coors Field has increased them by 12%. Colorado has also boosted run scoring an MLB-high 28% while decreasing strikeouts by 13% over that span. Leaving a Giants’ organization that had the second-fewest stolen bases last season should help as well. Estrada is batting .348 with four homers and three steals over 92 career ABs at Coors Field, and he’s still just 28 years old.
Estrada’s ADP is depressed coming off a down year, but he’s slated to be Colorado’s everyday second baseman in 2025 (he’s strong defensively). He’s a clear fantasy sleeper who’s going undrafted in 80% of Yahoo leagues (just keep an eye on his status, he was recently removed from a spring training game after being inadvertently kicked in the head).
Veen is a deep fantasy sleeper who could get an opportunity with the Rockies sooner than expected. There’s a chance the former top 10 pick emerges as a better player than Brenton Doyle in 2025.
Chicago White Sox: Mike Clevinger, SP
Clevinger signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox in late February, and he’s emerged as the favorite to close in Chicago. That could still be in a committee on a team projected to win the fewest games in baseball, but Clevinger looks like one of the cheapest sources for saves. Clevinger isn’t close to the same pitcher he was in 2019 (26.5 K-BB%), but he’s looked healthier during spring, and a full-time move to the bullpen could help keep him healthy (and increase his velocity).
Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize, SP
Mize has disappointed since being taken with the first pick in the 2018 draft, but the former top prospect has finally shown flashes of reaching his potential during spring. He’s yet to allow a run over 11.1 innings, and Mize’s splitter is up 3.5 mph. He has the second-best K-BB% among starters during spring. It’s a small sample against spring training lineups, but the encouraging developments and undeniable results make Mize a late-round fantasy flier, especially given his pedigree.
Houston Astros: Cam Smith, 3B
Smith’s scorching spring at the plate has accelerated his timeline to join Houston, and it might even be Opening Day. The 22-year-old posted a 179 wRC+ across the minors after being drafted as a top-15 pick in 2024, and the Astros acquired him in the deal for Kyle Tucker. Chase McCormick remains favored to begin the season as Houston’s starting right fielder, but he’ll be on a short leash after recording a 66 wRC+ last year. Smith enters 3B eligible, and he’s a fantasy sleeper in deeper leagues.
Kansas City Royals: Hunter Renfroe, OF
Renfroe is an afterthought in most fantasy leagues, but he averaged 30 homers and 84 RBI over 2021-22. He dealt with back, toe and hamstring injuries throughout last season, but he’s back healthy now and slated to hit regularly and toward the middle of Kansas City’s lineup. Only Coors Field has been more favorable for right-handed batters than Kauffman Stadium over the last three seasons. Renfroe is in a good spot to bounce back in 2025.
Los Angeles Angels: Reid Detmers, SP
Detmer’s 6.70 ERA last season came with a 3.77 SIERA, which was better than Freddy Peralta, Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller. Detmer’s 18.2 K-BB% would’ve ranked top 20 among qualified starters. His .357 BABIP easily would’ve been the highest among SPs and should regress in 2025. The former top-10 pick will get another chance in the Angels’ rotation this year, so he’s a fantasy sleeper.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Dustin May, SP
May will open the season as the Dodgers’ fifth starter. Injuries have derailed his career, including elbow surgery and then a freak accident that resulted in emergency surgery on his esophagus last season, but upside remains. May’s plus stuff didn’t previously translate into big strikeout numbers, but Steamer’s optimistic projections have him recording a 26.1 K% with an 8.1 BB%. The Dodgers are loaded with starting pitching options, especially once Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin are ready to return, but injuries are sure to strike. The Dodgers are projected to score the most runs in baseball in 2025, so May should rack up wins even in limited innings.
Miami Marlins: Agustín Ramírez, C
Ramírez is the Marlins’ long-term catcher after being acquired in the Jazz Chisholm trade, and the future could come soon. Ramírez hit 25 homers and stole 22 bases with strong plate discipline over 476 ABs across the minors last season. The bags give him fantasy upside once he gets called up to Miami, so expect Ramírez to be a popular waiver wire add at some point.
Milwaukee Brewers: Aaron Ashby, SP & Abner Uribe, RP
Ashby had an uneven season last year after returning from shoulder surgery, and his 2025 will be delayed after suffering an oblique injury. But the Brewers plan on him returning to the rotation once he’s healthy (a few weeks into the year), and potential remains. Ashby has admittedly experienced far more success pitching out of the bullpen than starting, but he owns a career 3.34 SIERA and 17.7 K-BB%. Now that his arm/shoulder is finally fully healthy and with improved sequencing, Ashby is a deep fantasy sleeper.
Trevor Megill enters the favorite to close in Milwaukee, but his K-BB% sunk all the way down to 10.0% while his FIP jumped to 4.51 after the All-Star break last season. Uribe is one season removed from posting a 1.76 ERA, and he arrived in 2025 looking for a fresh start and to reclaim the closer’s role. Craig Yoho looks like the team’s future long-term closer, but Uribe could be a sneaky source for saves this year.
Minnesota Twins: David Festa, SP
Festa is ticketed to Triple-A to start the season (and SP7 on the depth chart), but he’s a name to remember. After a rough first two starts (that included an 8:1 K:BB ratio) last season, Festa posted a 3.15 FIP with a 30.0 K% over his final 54.1 innings. That K rate would have ranked fourth among starters last season. Festa’s BB% (8.3) needs to improve, but that seems doable since it also comes with a 29.0% CSW. Festa’s 4.90 ERA was accompanied by a 3.58 SIERA that would’ve ranked top 15 among qualified starters (and that counts his first two ugly starts). Festa’s LOB% will regress, and his strikeout upside is legit. Festa will be a must-add once he’s inevitably called back up.
New York Mets: Jose Siri, OF
Siri enters as the Mets’ regular center fielder, as his elite defense should keep his bat in the lineup. He’s a clear batting average risk with a sky-high K rate (although he’s shown improvement during spring), but Siri has racked up 43 homers and 26 steals over 740 ABs over the last two seasons. Citi Field wasn’t a favorable landing spot, but it’s nearly identical to Tropicana Field for RHB in Park Factor. Few if any other undrafted players offer Siri’s power/speed combo.
New York Yankees: Will Warren, SP & Ben Rice, 1B
Warren entered spring as a deep fantasy sleeper after recording a 20.0 K-BB% in Triple-A last season, and he’s been shooting up draft boards as much as any player thanks to openings in New York’s rotation. With Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil sidelined indefinitely, Warren gets a shot sooner than expected. Obviously, spring training stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, but Warren has combined a 22.0 K-BB% with a 52.5 GB% — both would’ve ranked sixth among qualified SPs last season — over five appearances (four starts). He sports a 0.77 WHIP. Warren’s strong ground ball rate will play nicely in HR-friendly Yankee Stadium, and New York will provide plenty of run support for wins. Warren remains undrafted in 95% of Yahoo leagues, but he’s become a top 300 pick in NFBC Main Events.
Rice is a deep fantasy sleeper also thanks to an unexpected opportunity, as he’s slated to be the Yankees’ full-time DH with Giancarlo Stanton out indefinitely. Rice posted a 163 wRC+ across the minors last season, and OOPSY projects a 115 wRC+ in the majors this year. He was arguably the unluckiest hitter in baseball (.186 BABIP) during his time with New York last season, and he’s recorded the second-highest Hard-Hit% during spring. Yankee Stadium has increased HR for LHB an AL-high 19% over the last three seasons, so Rice looks like a cheap source for 25+ homers.
Philadelphia Phillies: Max Kepler, OF
Target Field gives a modest boost to lefty power, but Kepler should hit more homers now that he’s in Citizens Bank Park. Left-handed batters have posted a 20.2% HR/FB rate in Citizens Bank Park over 2023-24, which is (just barely) behind Great American Ballpark. Kepler handled lefties last season (104 wRC+), so it’s possible he doesn’t platoon while batting toward the middle of Philadelphia’s lineup. Kepler is another cheap source for 25 homers.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Bubba Chandler, SP
Chandler was reassigned to minor league camp in early March, but he’ll get a shot in Pittsburgh’s rotation soon enough. Chandler is one of baseball’s top pitching prospects who posted a 22.3 K-BB% across the minors last season, including a 1.85 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP over his final eight starts. Bailey Falter is currently penciled in as the Pirates’ SP5, but he’s been dealing with general soreness, and THE BAT projects him to have a 4.85 ERA (9.7% K-BB%). Chandler possesses impressive stuff, including a fastball that can touch 100 mph. Chandler will be highly coveted once he gets called up.
San Diego Padres: Jason Adam, RP & Jeremiah Estrada, RP
Robert Suárez enters the favorite to close in San Diego, but he’s a fantasy bust candidate. Suárez has surrendered eight earned runs over 3.2 innings this spring, posting a 0.0% K-BB%. Adam has also allowed some runs in spring, but he’s a fine alternative after signing with the Padres during the offseason. Adam has a 2.12 ERA over the last three seasons, which ranks sixth among 185 qualified relievers over that span. Meanwhile, Estrada’s 28.2 K-BB% and 2.39 SIERA last season were both eighth-best among relief pitchers. Fade Suárez and grab Adam and/or Estrada much later in drafts.
San Francisco Giants: Hayden Birdsong, SP
Birdsong has been competing with Kyle Harrison and Landen Roupp for the Giants’ SP5 job during spring, when he’s been one of baseball’s best pitchers. Birdsong has posted an 18:0 K:BB ratio over 12.0 scoreless innings (0.75 WHIP). Control remains a work in progress, but the strikeout potential is real.
Roupp has been nearly as impressive during spring, but he pitched out of relief last season and might be best suited out of the bullpen. Harrison flashed increased velocity during his last start, but he fell behind after getting sick (and losing weight) earlier this spring and could begin the year in Triple-A. Robbie Ray has battled injuries, and Justin Verlander is 42 years old. Meanwhile, SP4 Jordan Hicks has never reached 110.0 innings pitched and looks like an inferior pitcher to all three. Opportunities will be there in one of MLB’s best pitcher’s parks and with baseball’s top catcher-framer.
Birdsong has one of this year’s highest-rising ADPs in deeper leagues, yet he still looks like a potential bargain. Birdsong is probably my favorite restaurant, and the pitcher with the same name could go down as one of this year’s biggest fantasy profits.
Seattle Mariners: Ryan Bliss, 2B
The Mariners prefer Dylan Moore in a super-utility role, so Bliss enters the favorite to act as Seattle’s starting second baseman. Bliss has racked up 55 steals in each of the past two seasons, including 50 over just 360 ABs in Triple-A last year. He also recorded two homers and five stolen bases (with a 101 wRC+) over 63 ABs in the majors. Bliss had a 20/91 pace in Triple-A last season. If we gave Bliss 600 plate appearances, then OOPSY projects 13 homers and 44 steals in 2025. Bliss is a deep fantasy sleeper, especially if you need late speed.
St. Louis Cardinals: Quinn Mathews, SP
Mathews won’t open the season in St. Louis’ rotation, but he’ll require one of this year’s most aggressive free-agent bids once he’s called up. Mathews has developed into one of MLB’s best pitching prospects thanks to increased velocity after getting drafted out of Stanford in 2023. He recorded a 2.76 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP with a 26.8 K-BB% across 26 starts in the minors last year, when his changeup recorded a ridiculous 52% Whiff rate. Mathews is a name to remember if your league doesn’t have the roster space to stash him.
Tampa Bay Rays: Christopher Morel, 2B/3B/OF & Chandler Simpson, OF
Morel struggled mightily last season, especially after getting traded to Tampa Bay, where he hit just .191/.258/.289 with three homers over 49 games. Morel’s BA fell more than 50 points compared to 2023 despite raising his BB% and lowering his K% a full five points. He had the fourth-biggest difference in wOBA and expected wOBA among all hitters last season. Morel’s .233 BABIP was the second lowest among 129 qualified batters. Morel had a .311 BABIP over his first two seasons in the league, so his hit rate should bounce back in 2025.
Morel is one season removed from posting an impressive batted-ball profile as a sophomore, and he should be more comfortable in 2025 with no midseason trade and a defensive spot in the outfield. He also gets a major boost in home parks with the Rays moving from pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field to a warm-weather Yankee Stadium. OOPSY projects Morel to hit .247 with 24 homers and nine steals (over just 115 games) with a 127 wRC+. Morel is eligible at 2B/3B/OF, is still just 25 years old and is capable of reaching 30 homers. Morel is a discount in fantasy drafts thanks to his misleading 2024.
Simpson is unlikely to break camp with Tampa Bay, but he’s a name to remember if you’re looking for speed. Simpson put together the best contact (.355 BA!) and speed (104 stolen bases!) season in minor league history last year. He had 94 steals over the first 100 games! Chandler is a polarizing prospect who had the lowest Bat Speed of any player this spring (h/t @batflipcrazy), but he’ll also have a ton of fantasy upside once he becomes a regular.
Texas Rangers: Evan Carter, OF & Jack Leiter, SP
Carter’s ADP was three rounds higher than Wyatt Langford’s last season. He posted a 182 wRC+ (and a 157 wRC+ in the postseason) during his first taste of the majors in 2023, but a back injury ruined his 2024. The hope is surgery ended those problems, but it’s also possible the injury proves chronic. Carter hasn’t had a great spring, although he’s encouragingly shown one of the league’s biggest increases in Bat Speed. Carter’s back may lead to more rest days, but the Rangers should give him a shot as the team’s centerfielder this season. Carter still possesses 20/20 upside, yet he’s going undrafted in nearly 70% of Yahoo leagues.
Two rotation spots have opened with Jonathan Gray and Cody Bradford going down with injuries during spring, leading to opportunities for both Leiter and the exciting Kumar Rocker. Leiter was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, and he recorded a 22.7 K-BB% in Triple-A last season. He struggled after getting called up to Texas, but Leiter’s Ks are back up this spring, when he’s looked like a completely transformed pitcher who’s now throwing a new sinker and a revamped changeup. Control remains a major issue, but Leiter is worth a late-round flier.
Toronto Blue Jays: Max Scherzer, SP & Alan Roden, OF
Scherzer is dealing with a thumb injury, so his start to the season may be delayed. He’s also 40 years old and saw his K% drop last season while fighting shoulder fatigue, but his arm sure looked fully healthy before the thumb soreness. Scherzer was dominant this spring while adding a sinker, posting a 2.00 ERA with a 14:0 K:BB ratio over three starts (nine innings). Fantasy managers should expect limited innings, but even an aging Scherzer can remain a huge fantasy help while on the mound. Scherzer’s ADP had been soaring before the thumb news, so be sure to monitor it closely.
Roden is a deep fantasy sleeper who’s a fast-rising prospect having a huge spring. Roden will likely begin the year in the minors, but he could eventually take George Springer’s job.
Washington Nationals: Michael Soroka, SP/RP
Soroka finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting back in 2019, when he posted a 2.68 ERA over 29 starts. Injuries ruined Soroka over 2020-23 before he bounced back after shifting to the White Sox’s bullpen last season (2.75 ERA over 36.0 innings). His K% spiked from 12.4 as a starter all the way up to 39.0 in relief. Soroka struggled mightily while starting earlier in the year (6.39 ERA over 43.2 innings), but he’ll get another shot in the rotation in 2025. In fact, he’s been “the story of the spring” in Nationals camp after signing with Washington during the offseason. Soroka has reportedly looked “dominant” and like a completely new pitcher with increased velocity and impressive Stuff+ metrics to back it.
Soroka is a former first-round pick who looks healthier than ever right now, and he’s going undrafted in 96% of Yahoo leagues.
