By Joe Browne

*To clarify, while 2024 is absolutely baked into these lists, they are far from the sole factor. These lists are meant to be a projection of how I believe these players will perform in 2025.

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees

Aaron Judge is far and away the best hitter in the world. There is not much else to say about this man other than that. He comes off his second career AL MVP in 2024 after he posted absolutely ludacris stats across the board. Slashing .322/.458/.701 (1.159 OPS) all while smacking 58 homers and compiling a 11.2 fWAR. Nobody is even remotely close to being on Judge’s level when it comes to dominant production at the plate. It will be exciting to watch Judge chase the potential for back-to-back AL MVP, and if he can do so he would be the first since Miguel Cabrera in 2012-2013. 

2. Juan Soto, Mets

Juan Soto comes in right behind his former teammate, Aaron Judge. Soto’s lone year in the Bronx was nothing short of amazing. He probably has the most complete resume for someone that is entering just his age 26 season as he has already eclipsed the 200 homer mark and is knocking on the door for 1,000 hits. Soto is truly a generational talent and has found a home for the foreseeable future with the Mets. What makes Soto so dangerous is his ability to get on base through his elite walk rate and also burn anyone who throws him anything in the zone. There is no easy way to consistently get Juan Soto out and he is ready to enter into the prime of his career with the Mets. 

3. Kyle Tucker, Cubs

Tucker is yet another player at the top of this list who will find himself with a new club in 2025. In one of the more shocking moves of the offseason Houtson decided to deal Tucker to the Cubs with only one year of control left. The former first round pick is playing himself into a big time payday following the 2025 season. Tucker only played 78 games in 2024 but impressively managed to compile 4.7 bWAR in such a short time on the field. He walked at an elite clip and was on pace for a 40+ homer season had the injury caused him to miss three months. Tucker will slot right into the middle of the order for a Cubs team that hopes to compete in the NL Central in 2025. 

4. Fernando Tatis Jr, Padres

Tatis showed flashes in 2024 of returning to that elite level we saw him play at towards the beginning of the decade. Overall, he had a much improved season from an offensive down-year in 2023. Defensively, his numbers took a huge dip going from 9 OAA in 2023 to -2 OAA in 2024. This hurt his WAR tremendously despite his offensive improvement at the plate. Clearly, Tatis is still adjusting to playing right field from being a converted shortstop. With the motorcycle accident and PED suspension behind him Tatis should return to prime form in 2025. His batted ball data was the best it has been for quite some time last year. His expected batting average and expected slugging percentage were both significantly higher than the actual numbers he posted. Making room for improvement evident for Tatis who is primed for a monster 2025 season. 

5. Julio Rodriguez, Mariners

Julio Rodriguez has proved to be one of the most electric players in all of baseball since his debut in 2022. Posting a respectable 3.8 fWAR a season ago but his ceiling is much higher than that. Julio is the definition of a five tool player and has to live up to that potential in 2025. Strikeouts continue to be a major problem for Rodriguez, hopefully as he enters into his age 24 season he finally finds a way to cut down on them. The upside here is clear, Rodriguez peripherals suggest he ran into some bad luck at the plate last year. Paired with his elite defense and base running, the potential for a 30-30 season in 2025 is a real possibility. 

6. Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves

Everyone, including myself, has quickly forgotten how ridiculously historic Acuna’s 2023 NL MVP campaign was and he will return with a vengeance in 2025. Last year was a completely lost season for Acuna. Not only did he tear his ACL for the second time in four years, but he also struggled prior to that. Playing in just 49 games and posting a subpar 105 wRC+. Acuna is going to miss some time to start the season, but will be back leading off for Atlanta relatively quickly. Don’t expect another 40-70 season from Acuna in 2025, but expect himself to reintroduce himself to baseball with thunder. 

7. Corbin Caroll, Diamondbacks

Carroll comes off the back of an extremely rough second full year in the bigs. The months of April-July were especially bad; it wasn’t until August and September that Caroll finally started to produce at the plate. However, the defense and baserunning were always a constant. Posting a 100th percentile baserunning run value and 7 OAA in the outfield. Caroll was never a guy that hit the ball particularly hard, but he really struggled in that department in 2024. It showed in his overall numbers slashing just .231/.322/.428. Carroll, just like the aforementioned Rodriguez, has such a high ceiling and is a major bounce-back candidate for 2025. 

8. Jackson Merrill, Padres

Merrill had just about as good a rookie season as anyone could possibly dream of. He played his way into an opening day starting role, went from a shortstop to center fielder overnight and had a multitude of big moments for a competitive Padres team. Merrill is still only 21 years old and finds himself not only on this list, but toward the top of it. His 5.3 fWAR was built with his spectacular 130 wRC+ and 11 outs above average in center field. Another guy on this list who is the definition of a five tool player and showcases how much top end talent currently exists in baseball. The only reason he is not ranked higher is because of the fear of a sophomore slump. Time and time again we have seen players struggle at the plate in their second full year in the bigs. Only time will tell if Merrill will be able to avoid that unfortunate trend. 

9. Mike Trout, Angels

Trout comes off yet another injury shortened season in 2024 and this time it was really short, he only played in 29 games. In those 29 games he smacked ten homers and posted a 139 wRC+. While it was a very short sample size, Trout was great yet again. Just today, he told the media he will be moving over to right field full time in 2025. This is being done in an effort to hopefully keep Trout on the field this year. Trout is still only 33 and has a ton of good baseball left in him. It seems almost everybody has already counted Trout out and think his best days are behind him, I for one strongly disagree with that mindset. 

10. Jaren Duran, Red Sox

Duran had himself an exceptional 2024 season and in turn silences his doubters. Duran improved his numbers across the board last season and showcased what he could do with everyday playing time. Posting an exceptional 6.7 fWAR which ranked seventh in all of baseball. A positive trend we have seen from Duran is his ability to consistently cut down his strikeouts every year. When Duran was first called up in 2021, he struck out in a whopping 35.7% of his at bats. In his MVP caliber 2024 season he cut that percentage down to 21.8 He heads into 2025 right at the top of a Boston lineup that is primed to make some noise and Duran is a major reason for that expectation. 

11. Jackson Chourio, Brewers

The former top prospect was as advertised in his first full season in the show last year. Chourio was a huge factor in yet another Brewers division title in 2024 at just 20 years old. He recorded a 20-20 season as a rookie and posted a 117 wRC+. I wrote a whole article back in September about Chourio, his season and the importance of his production to the Brewers success. Just like the aforementioned Jackson Merrill I hesitate a bit with Chourio’s ranking due to the potential for a sophomore slump.  One area Chourio has to improve on to make a jump up on this list is his ability to get on base. Chourio walked just 6.8% of the time in 2024, a number that could certainly see some improvement. His ability to get on base is especially important when you take into account his elite speed on the basepaths. The expectations are sky high for Chourio entering 2025. 

12. Michael Harris II, Braves

Harris, like many of his other teammates in Atlanta, is due for a major bounce back season. His expected wOBA, BA and SLG were all significantly higher than the actual numbers Harris posted in 2024. He is due for some big-time positive regression in 2025. On top of that, his defense in center field has been consistently elite since he got called up in 2022. He posted a career best 8 outs above average last year. Harris’ defense is extremely valuable especially because he is not a truly elite hitter. Money Mike only walked 4.9% of the time all while chasing 39.6% of the time. On top of the peripherals suggesting a bounce-back season is on deck for Harris in 2025, if he can manage his uber aggression at the plate major strides can be made toward becoming an elite hitter. 

13. Riley Greene, Tigers

Ever since Riley Greene was called up in 2022, he has seen consistent year over year improvement as a hitter. Last season was the best we have seen yet from the former top prospect posting a 135 wRC+ and popping 24 homers. Greene has always been a guy that has shown relatively strong batted ball data and in 2024 that data translated to some legit power. He is a victim of Comerica Park being a very pitcher friendly park and he will get some potential home runs robbed due to the park’s dimensions. Building off what he did last year, a fully healthy 2025 season could see Greene be a potential 30 home run hitter. His defense in left field is not bad but is something he could certainly improve. He has posted just 1 out above average all three years in the majors. For a young player as athletic as Greene more should be expected. Look for Greene to take yet another step forward in 2025

14. Lawrence Butler, Athletics

I am not going to sugarcoat this one bit. I am absolutely in love with Lawrence Butler after what I saw last season. Butler went bonkers in the second half of the season slashing .300/.345/.553 across 61 games. That’s good for an OPS+ of 148 and 13 homers across those 61 games. Another aspect of Butler’s game I love is his speed on the basepaths. He swiped 18 bases last year and was in the 91st percentile in overall baserunning value. All of that despite being in only the 58th percentile for sprint speed. Butler is only 24 years old and completely came out of nowhere for the A’s. Butler was just a sixth round pick and struggled mightily his first couple seasons in pro-ball. I am buying all of the Lawrence Butler stock I possibly can before his breakout 2025 season. 

15. Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers

Hernandez had a major bounce back season in 2024 following a 2023 down season in Seattle. The Dodgers took a flyer on him and it paid major dividends. He launched a career best 33 jacks and slashed .272/.339/.501 on a one year prove it deal in LA. The decision to bring in Hernandez was a contributing factor in their World Series victory. He was subsequently rewarded with a 3 year 66 million dollar deal this offseason to run it back with the Dodgers. Hernandez would be a designated hitter on every other team except the Dodgers. That of course is because of the greatness of Shohei Ohtani and his requirement to be a DH. His defense is poor and it always has been. Posting -9 out above average and -11 fielding run value which grades out to be the worst defensive metrics of his career. He also strikes out a ton which has been another career trend of his. Where Hernandez provides value is that he either strikes out or catches a barrel, which he did an elite 14.9% of the time in 2024. No doubt, he is an interesting case and a complex player to break down but in the end Hernandez turns is crucial to this Dodger club. 

16. Anthony Santander, Blue Jays

Santander definitively is coming off the best full season of his career in 2024. Blasting a whopping 44 homers and driving in 102 runs. Santander’s advanced metrics were great too, posting a .271 ISO and 129 WRC+. He earned himself a 5 year 92.5 million dollar deal to head north of the border and join the Toronto Blue Jays. He will find himself in the middle of a respectable Toronto lineup where he will be tasked with protecting Vladimir Gurerro Jr. There is no denying the pure raw power of Santander, and it is to be seen whether or not the production will transfer over in Toronto.

17. Brandon Nimmo, Mets

Nimmo is a major bounce back candidate for 2025 after an up-and-down 2024 campaign. He was absolutely dreadful in the second half of 2024 which is surprising with how well the Mets had played. Slashing just .190/.277/.319 in his final sixty games of the year. That is far from the Brandon Nimmo we have come to know these last few years. The power has really come to life the last two seasons smacking 24 and 23 homers respectively. Nimmo has consistently hit the ball harder and harder every year of his career. On top of that, he has always been a guy that draws a ton of walks which he did at a 11.6% clip in 2024. Nimmo finally showcased some speed on the basepaths, swiping a career-best 15 swipes. Brandon Nimmo has evolved into a different hitter than when he first was called up. He is a decent power hitter who walks at an elite clip and a decent base stealer. He has strayed away from being a  .270 hitter with 12-15 home runs. However, he is far too talented to be just a .726 OPS guy. Look for Nimmo to find that middle ground in 2025, around a .800 OPS and 20-25 homers. 

18. Seiya Suzuki, Cubs

Seiya Suzuki was quietly one of the better hitters in all of baseball. He certainly makes a case for the most underrated player in the game entering 2025. In his three years in America, his numbers have been on a steady incline. Peaking last year slashing .283/.366/.482 with 21 bombs and a wRC+ of 138. If you can’t already tell, those numbers are really, really good. Suzuki is a well rounded hitter as well, only chasing 20.7% of the time and walking at a 10.8% clip. Also, his batted ball data is very solid, an average exit velocity of 91.7 mph and a 49.2% hard-hit % are very respectable. Peripherals suggest that Seiya is due for regression after posting an xBA of .255 in 2024. Taking into account the projected regression, Suzuki gets bumped down a bit on this list. 

19. Dylan Crews, Nationals

The number four prospect in all of baseball finds himself on this list prior to his first fulltime season in the majors. Dylan Crews is the future in D.C., he is just 23 years old and has one of the brightest futures in baseball. Last season Washington gave him a cup of coffee in the form of 132 plate appearances. In that short time Crews was nothing spectacular posting just a 80 wRC+ in first 31 games. However, he did manage to swipe 12 bags across those games proving that his 70-grade speed is going to play in the majors. As a matter of fact he stole more bases last season in the big leagues than he did in AAA, where he played significantly more games. The five-tool potential of Crews is not something that can be denied. A positive trend Crews has shown throughout his pro career is his ability to adjust to pitching and begin to see success after initially struggling. I fully expect to see that trend continue into this season. Crews is going to be a major name in the Nation League Rookie of the Year conversation all season long. 

20. Steven Kwan, Guardians

In a world of home run hitting, emphasis on exit velocity and striking out Steven Kwan is a true outlier. When it comes to making contact, it’s hard to find someone better than Kwan. He was in the 100th percentile in both squares-up% and whiff% in 2024. All while being in the 99th percentile for K% and 96th percentile for chase%. It’s simple, Steven Kwan only swings at strikes and he always makes contact with them. Sure, he doesn’t hit those strikes very far but his value is undeniable. Although, last season he did hit a career-high 14 homers but that is very likely the most you will ever see from Kwan. Kwan also provides value defensively in left field posting 4 outs above average in 2024. Steven Kwan is a needle in the haystack when it comes to today’s game in Major League Baseball. 

Sources:

Baseball Reference

Baseball Savant

FanGraphs

MLB Pipeline

Statmuse

By Jonah Drew

This offseason has truly been one for the ages. It had everything you could ask for as a fan, drama, great under the radar moves, and best of all, a pair of sweepstakes that were truly unlike anything we’ve ever seen. I think I speak for all baseball fans when I say as much as I love watching the actual games, I am not above some offseason drama and boy did this offseason have it in abundance. From the record breaking deal signed by Juan Soto, to the oddity of the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes, we were kept entertained in the absence of our beautiful sport. With the off-season all but finished, it’s time to take a look back and see who came out better for it, and those who didn’t…

Winners:

1. New York Mets

Notable Acquisitions Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, A.J. Minter, Ryne Stanek, Drew Smith, Jesse Winker, Jose Siri, Sean Manaea, and Nick Madrigal

Notable Departures: Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, and J.D. Martinez

I mean this is about as good of an offseason as you could possibly have, hedge fund money or not. The buck starts and stops with the 765 million dollar man, Juan Soto, whom they landed in a historic sweepstakes with their crosstown rival. Then you go to their beloved homegrown slugger, Pete Alonso. This was a patented Scott Boras stalemate, ending in a 1+1 deal where Alonso returns to the place he has hit 226 home runs. However, despite the exciting additions to the starting rotation of Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, the Mets could still benefit from one more move in that department with the recent injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, that is my only real concern with this off-season. Other than that, I like the bullpen additions and the depth signings, with Jose Siri really exciting me as a potential breakout. These past months have showcased the genius of David Stearns and Steve Cohen.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

Notable Acquisitions: Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, Blake Treinen, Teoscar Hernandez, Hyeseong Kim, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Kike Hernandez, and Clayton Kershaw

Notable Departures: Walker Buehler, Ryan Brasier, and Gavin Lux

While I do not subscribe to the “Just cancel the season” discourse, I do understand where it comes from. Every Dodgers signing this offseason continually just felt like more and more of a gut punch to baseball fans who love parody. Andrew Friedman was essentially able to recruit Roki Sasaki to come to Los Angeles for relative pennies. He was also able to keep Blake Snell and Clayton Kershaw in state, making this rotation just laughably good. This is also a complete super pen, adding Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, on top of returning Blake Treinen. Michael Conforto and international free agent, Hyeseong Kim should round out this lineup nicely. This offseason was so comically prolific that it had fans questioning their fandom of baseball, that alone should speak volumes about the job Andrew Friedman and this front office have done.

3. Boston Red Sox

Notable Acquisitions: Garrett Crochet, Alex Bregman, Walker Buehler, Aroldis Chapman, Patrick Sandoval, Blake Sabol, and Abraham Toro

Notable Departures: Tyler O’Neill, Nick Pivetta, and Emmanuel Valdez

Red Sox owner, John Henry has caught a significant amount of flack for his frugal spending over the years but it seems with his new GM hire Craig Breslow, he is more willing to go deep into his pockets. The flagship move of this offseason though, came in the form of a trade. When the up and coming super star southpaw, Garrett Crochet was acquired for a slew of mid to high level prospects, headlined by Kyle Teel. Just recently though, the Red Sox made a move that gives them the look of a potent lineup, signing Alex Bregman to a 3 year, 120 million dollar deal. Bregaman is a great fit for this ball park and has the Red Sox looking scary. Walker Buehler also rounds out this rotation nicely, he showed flashes of his former self in the Postseason and hopefully this Breslow pitching lab can help unlock him.

Losers:

Toronto Blue Jays

Notable Acquisitions: Max Scherzer, Anthony Santander, Ryan Yarbrough, and Jeff Hoffman

Notable Departures: Santiago Espinal and Spencer Horwitz

My gripes with this offseason for Ross Atkins come less from who he did sign this off-season rather it is who he didn’t. The Blue Jays were reportedly “in” on just about every big time free agent that hit the open market this off-season. They were finalists for Roki Sasaki, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, etc., but yet, they came away with Anthony Santander on a long term contract and 40 year old Max Scherzer. I do however love the signing of Jeff Hoffman but I don’t know how many save situations he will actually have. On top of all this, they were unable to sign their franchise player, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., to a long term deal, making it almost inevitable they lose him next offseason. For the amount of money the Blue Jays have at their disposal, this has been some of the worst mismanagement I’ve seen.

2. Seattle Mariners

Notable Acquisitions: Donovan Solano

Notable Departures:

Can anyone confirm if Jerry Dipoto has awoken from his 4 month hibernation? It sure seems like he has fallen asleep because the Mariners have been all but dormant in this crucial offseason. On a serious note though, The Mariners have a starting rotation that goes 5 deep of front line caliber arms. That is a rarity in today’s baseball landscape. It is a shame though that they’re offense is absolutely anemic. The worst part of it all is that they have shown zero urgency to sure up the lineup, despite the raw truth that an improved lineup could make this team World Series caliber.

3. San Diego Padres

Notable Acquisitions: Nick Pivetta, Kyle Hart, Jason Heyward, and Connor Joe

Notable Departures: Jurickson Profar and Kyle Higashioka

I do feel for the San Diego Padres, the organization was stable and on the up and up until their beloved owner, Peter Seidler, sadly passed away at the age of 63. Ever since then, there has been much turmoil, ranging from regional sports network disputes to power stuggles. This has made San Diego a very unattractive destination for potential free agents. This is why they were forced to settle for Nick Pivetta and eat the comp pick, rather than landing Roki Sasaki. They also have a gaping hole at the bottom of their lineup which they were unable to sure up due to their instability and budgetary constraints. All of a sudden, the San Diego Padres are on the down turn as an organization.

Sources

Baseball Reference

Fangraphs

By Jonah Drew

For clarity purposes, I would like to set the record straight on what defines a “breakout player”. A breakout player is not perennial star making marginal improvements to his game and making the jump to superstardom. A breakout player is someone who has not had massive success in the big leagues and makes the jump to league wide relevancy and makes the statistical jump into a new tier.

1. Nick Pivetta, San Diego Padres

Pivetta just recently signed a hefty, 4 year 55 million dollar contract with San Diego. I think this move bodes well for the long term success as Petco Park is a fantastic fit for his profile. In 2024, Pivetta pitched 145.2 Innings to the tune of a 4.14 ERA, but that alone does not adequately represent the talent that Nick Pivetta is. He boasts elite K:BB ratios, striking out 29% of batters while walking just 6%. His peripherals are also exciting, He posted a 3.51 xERA and .291 xwOBA, both of which suggest he was much better than what his base stat line actually finished at. Pivetta gets it done with a very strong fastball that posted a +7 Run Value in 2024 and a Sweeper that boasts a 35% whiff rate. I expect Pivetta to take a huge leap in his new threads.

2. Jared Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates

To say I am bullish on Jared Jones would be an understatement, I really do believe that Jared Jones-Paul Skenes has the potential to be the best 1-2 punch in baseball sooner rather than later. In his rookie campaign, Jones posted a 4.14 ERA in 121.2 IP across 22 starts. Jones is absolutely electric, his fastball sits at 97.3 MPH with serious ride and his slider is absolutely disgusting, posting a whiff rates just north of 37%. Overall, Jones generates a 30.2% whiff rate and 26.2% K%, both of which are terrific number. I am not usually a proponent of the “eye test” but if you watch Jared Jones work and not see a future star, I’m not sure baseball is the sport for you.

3. Joe Boyle, Tampa Bay Rays

On December 14th, 2024, the Rays made an interesting move, trading Jeffrey Springs to the wasteland of Sacramento for a 3 player package headlined by Joe Boyle and a comp pick. Naturally, when Tampa makes a move for an arm it catches my eye, but when it’s a pitcher with the stuff of Joe Boyle, now that’s something to be excited about. I’ll get into Boyle’s absurd arsenal, It remains true that he has had very little success at the major league level, posting an abysmal 6.42 ERA in 10 starts in 2024. Despite that though, I still believe he has massive promise. The fastball is loud, sitting 98 MPH but the shape leaves something to be desired, leading it to post a -7 run value. With the Rays pitching lab, I’m hoping they can make some minor tweaks and flip that pitch on it’s head. His command is also an issue, posting ludicrous walk rates north of 17%. Joe Boyle has loads of potential, and who better to unlock it than the Tampa Bay Rays?

4. Fernando Cruz, New York Yankees

The lone reliever on this list, Cruz was recently shipped to the big apple, bringing potentially the best under the radar pitch in all of baseball. I don’t think enough people acknowledge just how nasty Cruz’ split finger is, boasting a ridiculous 59% whiff rate and .097 xBA. This nasty pitch helped him post a 99th percentile, 38% Whiff and Strikeout rate overall. Cruz’s elite swing and miss abilities have yet to translate to high level run prevention. He’s coming off back to back seasons of high 4 ERA seasons, however in both of those seasons, his xERA has been nearly a full tick better than his actual ERA. Cruz’ fastball has been his achilles heel, posting a .374 wOBA, if he can even get that to be an average pitch, I think he could be a quality back end arm for the Yanks.

5. Osvaldo Bido, Sacramento Athletics

I’ve long liked Osvaldo Bido, going all the way back to when he was a mid level pitching prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. My affinity for Bido stems from his 5 pitch mix, with 80% of his offerings being sub .200 in the xBA department, with his seldom used sinker coming in at just .201. Bido’s 3.41 ERA was no doubt solid, but that doesn’t properly represent the caliber of season he just had. He posted a 2.72 xERA and a .181 xBA and he was even better from a quality of contact perspective. He posted a 99th percentile, 85.6 MPH Avg. Exit Velocity and a 100th percentile 27% Hard Hit Rate. He also doesn’t lack for strikeouts, landing in the 60th percentile in terms of K%. Bido could be the ace that A’s fans have been yearning for.

Sources

Baseball Reference

Baseball Savant

Fangraphs