Top 150 Strat Rookies for 2024 - This was expedited for the Capital League managers. Remember, this is just a rough guide, take the guys that you like. I could move guys up and down the list all day long. Good luck with your draft! Give me some feedback after your draft. Thanks in advance and good luck.
Top Strat Rookies for 2024
1st round
1. Paul Skenes, 22, RHP, sp, Pirates - As risky as it is to draft a pitcher high in Strat, this is the type of pitcher that is worth taking that chance on. Could he go on the #1 pick in Strat in your league?
2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 26, RHP, sp, Dodgers - The Dodgers gave him a 12 year $325M contract! He pitched well before he went on the IL. He did slump for a bit but after watching videos from earlier in the season, and in his earlier days, he held his hands up higher before he started his windup and it helped him find his old form.
3. Jackson Merrill, 21, LHB, cf, Padres - He’s running the risk of not having a walk on his Strat card. I see a lot of his value based on platooning his LHB power bat in Strat. His defense, which I projected as a cf-1(-2(e3, will be a critical towards of his overall Strat value.
4. Jackson Holliday, 20, LHB, 2b, Orioles - You have to like the way the Orioles are building their team for the future and Holliday is going to be in the middle of a winning lineup for a long time. He’s a good defender and he’s got a chance to be the complete package.
5. Jackson Chourio, 20, RHB, lf, Brewers – One thing that I have always liked seeing from a rookie is the ability to come back from a slow start or a slump. On June 1, Chourio was batting just .207. He went on a tear from that point on, batting .305 over those last 4 months, and he finished at .275! That’s impressive, especially during a pennant chase.
6. Wyatt Langford, 23, RHB, lf, Rangers - With high expectations coming out of spring training, Langford will be drafted in Strat for his future value as a big time power hitter. He will provide a solid bat vs LHPing with this card. His lf-1 defense will force Evan Carter to find playing time in one of the other outfield spots, probably cf.
7. James Wood, 22, LHB, lf, Nats - He is going to be in lf for the Nats for a long time. A lefty power bat like this in Strat can help you into the playoffs. He was a major part of the Juan Soto deal and the Padres may regret giving up Wood more than Gore or Abrams.
8. Junior Caminero, 21, RHB, 3b, Rays - One of the reasons why the Rays were able to deal Paredes was to make room for this guy. They envision Caminero hitting even more home runs than Paredes. At this point of the off season, I’d guess that Caminero is the only sure thing to be in the starting lineup on opening day, playing 3b and batting 4th.
9. Dylan Crews, 22, RHB, rf, Nats - He is going to be in rf for the Nats for a long time and I have heard mention about him playing in cf too. He’s a much better defender that the rf-3 that I projected and he may not have playing enough for Strat to give him a better rating. We’ll see.
10. Spencer Schwellenbach, 24, RHP, sp, Braves – He was called up from AA ball at the end of May and the only AAA time that he’s ever going to see is if he’s down there for rehab from an injury. The Braves would have been lost without him and he’s a sure bet to make the starting rotation in 2025.
11. Jared Jones, 23, RHP, sp, Pirates – He started the season in the starting rotation with a strong spring. He missed about 2 months with a right lat strain and pitched well enough down the stretch to lock up a spot in the 2025 starting rotation which is looking like Skenes, Keller, Jones, Ortiz and Oviedo.
12. Pete Crow-Armstrong, 22, LHB, cf, Cubs – He’s a sure cf-1(-1) or better arm! He’s become the best defensive outfielder in baseball. Speed is his main offensive weapon and a strong second half has shown his offensive output is getting better.
13. Colt Keith, 23, LHB, 2b, Tigers – The Tigers have locked him up with a long term contract. He’s shown some power, stole a few bases and walked just enough to indicate that he’ll become a strong offensive player. The fact that the Tigers did so well might be enough to get Keith a 2b-3.
14. Jasson Dominguez, 21, SHB, cf, Yankees – He didn’t have a strong finish to the 2024 season though he did start to walk more while his batting average was dropping. He hit well in the minors in 2024 in 226 at-bats with 11 home runs and 16 steals. The Yankees only gave him one plate appearance in the postseason but they are giving him the lf job in spring training.
15. Erick Fedde, 31, RHP, sp, Cardinals – Yeah, he’s older but a great card and 177 innings might not be a bad pick at this point. This is the point in the first round where the contenders from the year before start to pick. He’s the #2 starter for the Cardinals and he’s got enough good years left to go this early in a Strat draft.
16. Shota Imanaga, 30, LHP, sp, Cubs - He has pitched well and despite his age, he’ll end up being drafted in the first round in most Strat drafts. His home runs allowed may drop him down the draft list more than his age will. Sometimes, those projected ball park diamonds can drop some based on the ball park that I based it on and the ball park numbers that Strat settles on.
(Editors note: In 2023, I was very close to the ball park numbers for half the parks. Overall, I did tweak the formula a little since I had a few more projected ball park factors higher than the actual numbers.)
17. Rhett Lowder, 22, RHP, sp, Reds – The 7th overall pick in the 2023 draft by the Reds, he made 22 minor league starts before the Reds called him up to make 6 more starts for the Reds. He excelled at every level and blew through the minor leagues. The Reds potentially have a solid starting rotation with Greene, Abbott, Lodolo, Lowder and Ashcraft/Spiers.
18. Kyle Manzardo, 23, LHB, 1b/dh, Guardians – I believe that he hit well enough in the playoffs to lock up a spot as the full time dh and backup at 1b. The Rays don’t make many mistakes and maybe the Guardians got the edge in the deal of Civale for Manzardo. A lefty power bat who can walk. He’d be a fun future pick to have for 2025.
19. Jacob Wilson, 22, RHB, ss, A’s – He’s the son of former major league ss Jack Wilson. He’s a very good contact hitter and his lack of power may be his only dent. He’ll start at ss for the A’s in 2025 and will form a solid double play combo with Gelof.
20. Mitchell Parker, 25, LHP, sp, Nats – He’s a little bit better vs RHBs with his WHIP but 16 of his 17 home runs allowed are vs RHBs, so he’ll have a few ball park diamonds on his card. He controls the running game well. The Nats are building a solid starting rotation of Gore, Irvin, Parker, Herz and Cavalli.
2nd round
21. Simeon Woods Richardson, 23, sp, RHP, Twins – He was cruising along with really nice stats and then he entered September having pitched 117 innings, which was more than he have ever pitched in a season. The Twins restricted him to 70 pitches per start, trying to limit his innings in the last month, but he was clearly tired and got lit up. He’s better than his card shows.
22. Tobias Myers, 25, RHP, sp/rp, Brewers – I like starting pitchers that don’t walk batters. That’s this guy! In 17 of his 25 starts (and one 4 inning relief stint), he walked 0 or 1 batter. He carried that into the postseason as he made one fantastic start and walked no one in 5 innings. I like drafting a future starter who can be a big inning reliever for a season in my bullpen.
23. Porter Hodge, 23, RHP, rp, Cubs – There is a pitching coach out there who decided to move Hodge to the bullpen and he/she is probably smiling every time Hodge racks up a save to strikes someone out. He was starting games in 2023 in the Southern League and wasn’t a closer until he was called up to the Cubs. He’s clearly their closer and he’ll have an impressive Strat card.
24. Cade Smith, 25, RHP, rp, Guardians – I believe that we were all impressed watching the Guardians bullpen in the postseason. Smith was fantastic and his 75 innings may force some managers to select him over Hodge. The combo of Clase, Smith, Gaddis, Herrin, Sabrowski and the rest of the pen is probably the best one out of the 30 teams.
25. Hayden Birdsong, 23, RHP, sp, Giants – Considering that he’s only made two starts at the AAA level, Birdsong has pitched pretty well for the Giants in his 16 starts. He had a season high of 12 K’s vs the Rockies in Coors Field in July. The thing is, he doesn’t give up many hits or should I say that batters struggle to get hits vs Birdsong.
26. Otto Lopez, 25, RHB, 2b, Marlins – He’s an interesting player because in the last year he’s been cut by the Blue Jays and the Giants. The Marlins picked him up and I believe that they were even surprised that he played so well once he won the 2b job in Miami. Playing full time, he batted .317 over the final 2 months. He’s finished with a .270 BA in 403 at-bats with 20 steals. But that’s not the best part, his fielding metrics were such that I projected a 2b-1e8! Whatever his motivation was for this solid season, let’s hope it carries over in 2025. I hate to put him too high on the rookie list because I can’t tell if he’s a one year wonder or someone who finally put it all together.
27. Joey Ortiz, 26, RHB, 3b, Brewers – He has played good defense at third and should be a 3b-1. He’ll take over at ss for the Brewers in 2025. He’s good enough to be a ss-2 in his first season there. Ortiz has enough offense to help a lot of teams and could even start vs LHPing.
28. DJ Herz, 23, LHP, sp, Nats – Looking at the numbers, he’s got a minor league history of walking a lot of batters. The 36 walks he allowed in 89 innings with the Nats is a major improvement for him. If he continues that path, he’ll keep getting better in 2025 as he spends the full season in the starting rotation. He also had 106 K’s and only allowed 2 steals against him.
29. Tyler Fitzgerald, 26, RHB, ss/utl, Giants - I don’t know if he’s a true 1st round pick but he’s a tempting pick for a playoff bound team in Strat with 340 AB, 15 HR and 17 steals. There is talk of him playing 2b full time next season. The 2b-3e37 projections may be a high estimate as sometimes Strat will look at career fielding stats to get a truer picture of a players’ value.
30. Drew Thorpe, 24, RHP, sp, White Sox – The White Sox put him on the IL with a right forearm flexor strain and his season ended with partial removal of a bone spur in his elbow. He’ll be ready for spring training. He started 9 games and pitched 44 innings. He had 5 great starts of 6 innings each before his last two starts where it’s clear that he was feeling the effects of the arm issues. A central figure in the Cease trade with the Padres, he’ll get every chance to make the starting rotation in spring training but there is no reason to rush him.
31. Jung Hoo Lee, 26, LHB, cf, Giants – He was struggling against LHPing. He’s got a few more years as the center fielder for the Giants to prove that he can play both ways. For now, with this card, he’s a platoon 4th outfielder in Strat with a nice future.
32. Ben Joyce, 24, RHP, closer, Angels – This flame throwing righty was one of the main reasons why the Angels were able to trade Estevez to the Phillies. He appeared to have locked up the closer job until right shoulder inflammation put him on the IL. A fastball was clocked at 105.5 mph on one of his strikeouts this season. The MRI results were negative and Joyce is set to land the closer job with the Angels in 2025. They could have brought him back in late September but played it safe with that arm.
33. Ivan Herrera, 24, RHB, c, Cardinals – The move of Contreras to 1b will give Herrera the chance to take over as the full-time catcher. His offensive numbers, .301 BA and .372 OBP, are super for a catcher and it will be his throwing arm that determines how high he goes in the draft. 55 steals and only 4 caught is bad enough to get a +3 arm.
34. Jace Jung, 23, LHB, 3b, Tigers – He’s got power and he can walk. The Tigers will have him take over at 3b in spring training and he could be an on-base machine in Strat.
35. Heliot Ramos, 24, RHB, lf, Giants – He crushes LHPing and we all need a few of those types in our Strat line-up. He batted .370 vs LHPing with 10 of his 22 home runs vs lefties.
36. Andy Pages, 23, RHB, cf, Dodgers – This guy crushes LHPing. He will be able to start vs LHPs for any Strat team. The additions of Edman and Kiermaier suggest that the Dodgers aren’t thrilled with his cf defense. I projected a cf-3 because of the Dodgers winning record. It’s tough to win if your cf spot is a 4 in Strat, even with the nice defensive replacements. He’s got a lock on the lf job with the Dodgers in 2025.
37. Justin Martinez, 23, RHP, rp, D’Backs –I would say that he’s more dominating then the other closers that the D’Backs ran out there. He was 7 for 7 in save situations in August. He is tough to hit, he can strike batters out, he controls the running game well and he doesn’t give up the long ball, allowing just 2 home runs in 73 innings. He’s got to become the closer in 2025.
38. Jhonkensy Noel, 23, RHB, rf/1b, Guardians – A big powerful hitter with 13 home runs in 179 AB. The results are good but we’ve seen this before. Is he another Aristides Aquino type or is he the real deal? I’d like to take a chance on him after seeing that clutch postseason home run and he’s got a good chanced to start in rf for the Guardians.
39. David Hamilton, 26, LHB, ss/2b, Red Sox – A broken finger on a bunt in late August ended his season. His combo of speed and defense has earned him a shot at the starting 2b job with the Red Sox in 2025. The Reds Sox need speed and the 33 steals in half a season that Hamilton provided gives the Red Sox a nice speed duo with him and Duran.
40. Luisangel Acuna, 22, RHB, ss/2b, Mets – Acuna may have saved the Mets postseason hopes more than any other player when he filled in admirably for Lindor, who was sidelined with a back injury. Acuna was fantastic on defense. He’s got a great chance to win the 2b job for 2025 with Mauricio possibly moving to 3b if Vientos moves to 1b.
Note: (If Coby Mayo, 22, RHB, 3b, O’s or Adael Amador, 21, SHB, 2b, Rockies are available, they would probably be drafted later in the 2nd round)
Third round
41. Edwin Uceta, 26, RHP, rp, Rays – The Rays found another excellent reliever in the scrap heap, like they usually do. He’s only got 42 innings and he’ll be a valuable backup closer in Strat.
42. Orion Kerkering, 23, RHP, rp, Phillies – If the Phillies don’t sign a free agent closer or trade for one, this guy could end up being their closer. 63 innings, tough on righties, and a nice future.
43. Jeremaiah Estrada, 25, RHP, rp, Padres – For my projected strikeouts on his card, I have 54-48 for him. Those are right up there with Skenes who is 50-51! That’s nice company to be in for Estrada. The totals are 94 K’s in 61 innings. He only gave up 1 home run in his last 40 appearances and none in his last 30!
44. Brant Hurter, 25, LHP, rp, Tigers – 45 innings, 6 walks allowed and in only 10 appearances. I should have made his weakness a 4:N or 5:N. A true long reliever! I wouldn’t be a shocker to see him in the starting rotation at some point due to injuries. He’s got a great Strat card.
45. Jose Iglesias, 34, RHB, 2b/3b, Mets – He’s got too good of a Strat card to get out of the 3rd round without being selected. He’s got the inside track on the 3b job with the Mets as I imagine that they will bring him back for another season.
46. Justin Slaten, 26, RHP, rp, Red Sox – A right elbow inflammation injury in July interrupted what was a standout rookie season for Slaten. He did come back and post strong numbers in September. If the Red Sox do not sign an established closer, the job could go to Slaten who doesn’t have much experience as a closer but certainly fits the Red Sox model of what type of pitchers they are looking to acquire.
47. Spencer Arrighetti, 24, RHP, sp, Astros – 171 K’s and just 65 walks in 145 innings. If he can reduce his walks allowed, he could develop into a solid starter for Strat. He settled down and pitched well in the last 3 months. The Astros starting rotation is Valdez, Brown, Blanco, Arrighetti and maybe one of a comeback duo of McCullers/Garcia.
48. Bryan Hudson, 27, LHP, rp, Brewers – 62 innings and 28 hits allowed! It doesn’t get much better than that!
49. Landon Knack, 26, RHP, sp, Dodgers – You would have thought that the Dodgers were all set with starting pitchers and we saw in 2024 that everyone in the Dodgers was dealing with an injury at some point. Knack gave up 14 home runs in 69 innings, which isn’t great but he was there when the Dodgers needed him. Being called up from the minors 5 different times to fill in, must be tough. Look for him to start the season in the pen and to fill in as needed for an injured starting pitcher.
50. Connor Norby, 25, RHB,2b/3b, Marlins – He hit better with regular playing time after the trade to the Marlins. He has got power and start at 3b for the Marlins in 2025, with Burger moving to dh or 1b.
51. Drew Romo, 22, SHB, c, Rockies – Romo is an excellent defender and a potential 1 at catcher. At AAA, he gunned down 24 potential basestealers and allowed 58 steals. At worst case, he’s a 50/50 offense/defense platoon with Goodman. Best case is that he wins the starting job outright and gets 450 at-bats.
52. Trey Sweeney, 24, LHB, ss, Tigers – The Tigers picked him up as part of the Flaherty deal with the Dodgers. He’s got some speed and power but is it enough to force Baez off of the ss spot. I don’t know if he’s a solid ss-2 but the Tigers won/loss record influenced my decision.
53. Heston Kjerstad, 25, LHB, lf/rf, Orioles – A concussion also ended his season in August and he was able to come back in September to get ready for the postseason. With 69 at-bats, he’ll have a valuable pinch hitting card. He’s got a shot to win the starting job in rf depending on if the O’s sign a RHB to start there in order to balance out the line-up.
54. Kyle, McCann, 26, LHB, c, A’s – A solid backup catcher and a lefty bat with power is sometimes tough to find in Strat. He slumped badly after the All-Star break.
55. Brooks Baldwin, 23, SHB, ss, White Sox – He hit well in his half of a season at Birmingham. A good spring will get him a shot at the starting ss job with the White Sox. He was starting to hit better in August when a right wrist injury ended his season early.
56. Jordan Beck, 23, RHB, lf, Rockies – He has multiple options to work his way into the starting line-up for the Rockies. He could platoon with Jones in lf, he could play a lot in rf when Bryant is injured and he could win the dh job outright if Bouchard struggles at all. He’s got power and he can take a walk.
57. Bryan Ramos, 22, RHB, 3b, White Sox – He has walked just enough in the minors to indicate that he can take a walk. He played in May, until a left quad strain got him sent down for rehab. He came back in September with the White Sox to hit 3 home runs in 53 at-bats. He will most likely win the starting 3b job in spring training.
58. Yariel Rodriguez, 27, RHP, sp, Blue Jays – The Blue Jays signed Rodriguez to a 5 year deal before the season started. He had pitched for the Cuban National team and in Japan. A back injury slowed him down this year and limited him to just 87 innings. He had the 5th starter spot behind Gausman, Berrios, Bassitt and Francis. He started 21 games and needs to reduce his walks allowed to LHBs.
59. David Festa, 24, RHP, sp, Twins – He pitched well enough that he’ll challenge for a spot in the Twins starting rotation which is currently: Lopez, Ober, Ryan, Woods-Richardson, and Paddack.
60. Landen Roupp, 25, RHP, rp/sp, Giants – He may be the Giants #6 starting pitcher if they don’t sign or trade for anyone else. His walks were a little high but otherwise he’s got a good enough Strat card to use in long relief roles, except that he’s limited to 50 innings.
4th round
61. Tyson Miller, 28, RHP, rp, Cubs – This is a reliever who has pitched for 6 different AAA teams in the last few seasons. Did he finally figure it out or did the advanced pitching metrics finally figure out which pitches he should use and drop from his repertoire. Either way, he’s got a nice card and he’ll be back with the Cubs.
62. Adrian Del Castillo, 24, LHB, c, D’Backs – He’s a hitting machine but he’s more of a dh than a starting catcher until he improves his defense.
63. Victor Scott, 23, LHB, cf, Cardinals – He’s got amazing speed which he uses to steal bases and to play excellent defense in cf. In 2024, he batted .210 at AAA and .179 with the Cardinals. He’ll need some good offensive numbers in spring training or he could end up back in AAA to work on his hitting.
64. Grant McCray, 23, LHB, cf, Giants – He’s not going to beat out Lee in cf but he could carve out some playing time in a lf platoon in 2025. Though he batted just .202 with 5 steals for the Giants, he’s had success in the minors with getting on base and stealing bases. I could have projected a 1-17 running rating and he’s got the potential to be a 1 in the outfield.
65. Ryan Bliss, 24, RHB, 2b, Mariners – The competition at 2b for the starting job will come from Dylan Moore, who is clearly more valuable in a utility role for the Mariners. Second base has been a tough spot to fill in Seattle as Polanco, Wong, Cano and Gordon have all struggled once they got that job. Bliss has shown a nice combination of power and stealing bases in the minors.
66. Brooks Lee, 23, SHB, ss, Twins – Lee has the inside track on the 2b job for 2025. I believe that it comes down to the fact that Lewis doesn’t want to move off of 3b even though the Twins wanted him to move to 2b. Lee should also see plenty of time at ss again as a replacement for Correa.
67. Justyn-Henry Malloy, 24, RHB, lf, Tigers – The Tigers will use Malloy against LHPing and will let him play vs RHPs if he’s hitting them. The Tigers should see quite a bit of LHPs with their current lefty heavy lineup. He’s got a minor league history of drawing walks.
68. Leo Jimenez, 23, RHB, ss/2b, Blue Jays – I just don’t see Schneider or Wagner playing 2b for the Blue Jays, based on their defense. I can see the job going to Jimenez. He’s got 179 AB and a Strat card that will be valuable to any Strat team. He’s especially good vs LHPing.
69. Spencer Horwitz, 26, LHB, 1b/2b, Blue Jays – He can’t field. He can’t run. He doesn’t hit lefties. His best position is blocked by Vlad. He can hit righthanders very well and he’s carved out playing time with that ability. You may be able to get away with playing him at 2b in Strat if he pulls out a forgiving 2b-4e10 rating. I would say that I don’t like drafting dh types too early but as proven by last year’s draft, when I got Rooker in the 4th, Stewart, Ford and Peterson in the 7th or later, it doesn’t always have a bad ending. Ford and Stewart were monsters for me!
70. Ben Brown, 25, RHP, sp/rp, Cubs – I’d use all 55 innings in relief since he can get RHBs out, and he’ll be more valuable to your Strat team in the pen. Neck issues have plagued him all season and after his MRI, the Cubs indicated that it was a stress reaction in his neck. The Cubs have since updated that diagnosis as a “benign area of concern,” which is some double talk for we’re not telling. I would rank him higher but this could be a red flag for future injuries.
71. Luis Torrens, 28, RHB, c, Mets – What got into this guy in 2024? The Yankees gave Torrens to the Mets, and all of a sudden he’s gunning down base runners, and hitting. Do I expect this to continue? Probably not, but a c-2(-3) who hits lefties well can find a spot on a lot of teams in Strat.
72. Declan Cronin, 26, RHP, rp, Marlins – He pitched in 56 games, totaling 70 innings where he gave up 25 walks and K’d 72. He only gave up one home run. The hits and runs are factors of the Marlins defense or lack of defense. Cronin will be back in the Marlins bullpen again next season.
73. Yuki Matsui, 28, LHP, rp, Padres – He got better as the season went on. He dealt with back issues early in the season and missed some time in September too. He signed a 5 year deal prior to the 2024 season. The back issues concern me enough to not rank him too high on this rookie list even though he is very good. 63 innings, 46 hits, 69 K’s.
74. Joey Estes, 22, RHP, sp, A’s – As an early May call up, he’s stayed in the A’s starting rotation from that point on. He’s had his ups and downs, with the highlight being a complete game shutout of the Angels on July 3. Other than the home runs allowed, 23 HR in 128 IP, and 4 low inning appearances in which he got hit hard, I believe that he can only get better in 2025.
75. Jonathan Cannon, 23, RHP, sp, White Sox – His stats from AA in 2023 and AAA in 2024 aren’t very impressive. It seems like he has been rushed through the system and for obvious reasons with this team. Considering how little minor league time he’s had, he pitched fairly well for the White Sox and should continue to get better. The 124 innings could help a lot of Strat teams out of the bullpen.
76. DL Hall, 25, LHP, sp/rp, Brewers – He pitched much better as a reliever once they switched him to that role in September. They’ll give him another chance to be a starting pitcher since he and Ortiz were the players that the Brewers received in exchange for Burnes.
77. Max Meyer, 25, RHP, sp, Marlins – The good news is that he pitched 57 innings for the Marlins and 58 innings for their AAA team in 2024. After all the health concerns, it’s good to see him pitch that many innings. Where to place him on this list is a tough one to answer? If you like to gamble, he’d be a good one to gamble on.
78. Daniel Hudson, 37, RHP, rp, Dodgers – Yeah, he’s old but he’s got a great card as a part time closer.
79. Blake Treinen, 36, RHP, rp, Dodgers – In the 11 postseason Dodger wins, Treinen saved 3 and won 2. He pitched in 9 of the 16 games. He had 18 K’s in 12 innings. Not bad. I would think they will try to bring him back. His Strat card is pretty good too, even with just 47 innings.
80. Dennis Santana, 28, RHP, rp, Pirates – The Yankees gave up on him too soon this past season and he excelled when he went to the Pirates as a waiver claim. 72 innings, 4 home runs allowed and he’s a part time closer in Strat.
5th round
81. Jared Koenig, 30, LHP, rp, Brewers – A hard lefty that can close and also hang in there vs RHB.
82. Tayler Scott, 32, RHP, rp, Astros – This was a smart move by the Astros to sign Scott as a free agent last December. He did walk 35 batters in 69 innings, which is high and you can live with that when the league only batted .188 vs him.
83. Anthony Banda, 30, LHP, rp, Dodgers – The Dodgers used Banda in 10 games during the postseason and he’s almost a sure thing to have the same role with the Dodgers in 2025.
84. Nasim Nunez, 23, SHB, ss/2b, Nats – They Nats called him up to finish out the season at ss when they sent Abrams down. He gets on base, he can steal and he plays great defense. The Nats almost have to keep him on the bench as a utility player in 2025.
85. Weston Wilson, 29, RHB, lf, Phillies – It’s only 88 at-bats and he crushes LHPing.
86. Trey Lipscomb, 24, RHB, 3b, Nats – If he can hold off Jose Tena and Brady House during spring training, he’ll have the starting job at 3b. It won’t be easy.
87. Will Wagner, 25, LHB, 2b, Blue Jays – His defense will be the thing that holds him back from winning the 2b job.
88. Michael Siani, 24, LHB, cf, Cardinals – As a cf-1(0) with speed, he’d be a nice defensive replacement and pinch runner. For the future, if he can match his minor league walk totals, he will develop into a valuable Strat outfielder. He’s almost a sure thing to be an A bunter and it is always nice to have one of those guys on the Strat bench.
89. Billy Cook, 25, RHB, of, Pirates – After they acquired him from the O’s in July, they kept Cook in the minors until the last month. In 49 at-bats during September, he hit 3 home runs and had an impressive 6 defensive runs saved in just 85 innings. Maybe I should have made him better than an of-4(0)e7? His best paths to playing time are dh and 1b, and he’s going to get a chance to win those in spring training.
90. Wenceel Perez, 24, SHB, rf/cf, Tigers – Injuries to the Tigers outfield gave him a chance in the outfield and his numbers have dropped as he has gotten more sporadic playing time. He’ll need a strong spring training showing to win the rf job with the Tigers over Vierling or Malloy.
91. Jack Kochanowicz, 23, RHP, sp, Angels – In 65 innings, he walked just 10 and whiffed just 25. With 11 starts, he’s averaging 6 innings per start. He did finish the season with 3 consecutive 7 inning outings. That’s impressive by itself nowadays.
92. Randy Rodriguez, 24, RHP, rp, Giants – He was cruising along, having a great season until a mid-August injury, elbow inflammation, cut his season short. He managed to come back in late September to pitch in two games.
93. Blaze Alexander, 25, RHB, utility, D’Backs – Is Lawlar taking over at ss? Will they keep Suarez at 3b? These factors will determine how Alexander gets used during the season.
94. Trevor Rogers, 26, LHP, sp, Orioles – A lat strain injury to his non-throwing shoulder side cost him the 2023 season. He was pitching ok for Miami when he was traded to the Orioles, where he got rocked in his 4 starts there. The Orioles are hoping for a comeback in 2025 and that he can win a job in the starting rotation.
95. Mitch Spence, 26, RHP, sp/rp, A’s – He was inserted into the A’s starting rotation about a week after Estes was. He’s been there ever since. A rule 5 selection gave him an opportunity to show the A’s how well he could pitch since they couldn’t send him down to AAA. He’s got 151 innings, and a spot in the 2025 starting rotation. He could benefit from a move to Sacramento and having Wilson playing shortstop.
96. Jake Cousins, 29, RHP, rp, Yankees – The Yankees would have been lost without this guy in the bullpen. 53 K’s in 38 innings. If I didn’t have to make room on his card for the home runs allowed, he wouldn’t have any hits on his card at all! I don’t believe he’ll have a ball park single chance on either side of his card.
97. Max Schuemann, 27, RHB, ss, A’s – His value will be based on his defense and he’s sort of looking like a ss-3/4 right now. He’s got some speed and a little power. He’s had some clutch hits in his 396 at-bats. It wouldn’t shock me to see him win the 3b job in spring training.
98. Jorge Alcala, 28, RHP, rp, Twins – A nice comeback season with 58 innings a low on-base numbers on his Strat card.
99. Jeffrey Springs, 31, LHP, sp, Rays – I really don’t know where to put him on this list because of the injury history. When he’s healthy, he can pitch well and he’s basically missed the last two season.
100. Brenan Hanifee, 26, RHP, rp, Tigers – Part of the Tigers very deep bullpen which may be the thing that carries them into the playoffs in 2025. Lange, Brieske, Vest, Foley, Hurter, Guenther, Holton and Hanifee. That group of relievers and 5 starters will be very tough to beat. He totaled 29 innings in 2 month with the Tigers and pitched better than he had at AAA. It looks like he was converted to a reliever in the middle of 2023, and he’s taken to it very well.
6th round
101. Dedniel Nunez, 28, RHP, rp, Mets – It took a long time for Nunez to finally make the Mets major league roster and he was having a nice season until a right pronator pretty much ended his season in July. 48 K’s in 35 IP. He’s questionable for 2025 after getting a platelet rich plasma injection in lieu of surgery.
102. Manuel Rodriguez, 27, RHP, rp, Rays – A strong finish to the season locked up a spot for him in the Rays 2025 bullpen. It’s only 38 innings and it is a good Strat card.
103. Jonatan Clase, 22, SHB, cf, Blue Jays – There is always a chance that he can beat out Lukas and Loperfido for the starting lf job. He’s got some good minor league numbers for walks and steals, always a nice combo.
104. Keider Montero, 23, RHP, sp, Tigers – He pitched better than his stats indicate and about half of his starts were good ones. The highlight of his season is a 3 hit complete game shutout of the Rockies in September in which he issued no walks. He did allow 19 home runs in 98 innings, but 7 of those were in 2 bad starts.
105. Leo Rivas, 26, SHB, ss/2b, Mariners – Though he did a nice job filling in for Crawford, he’s going to have to fight for a spot on the 2025 roster. He’s had some seasons, in 2023 at AA he took 86 walks and paired that with 50 steals. It seems like the Mariners need that type of player in their lineup. My worry is that he barely played once Crawford came back but maybe he’ll get the at-bats that Polanco got.
106. Jose Tena, 23, SHB, utility, Nats – In Nunez the Nats have a utility infielder who can play great defense and in Tena, they have a utility infielder that can hit a little better. It doesn’t have to be either/or, it just seems like they could be fighting for the same job. Tena could also win the 3b job with a solid spring.
107. TJ McFarland, 35, LHP, rp, A’s – 79 appearances, 57 innings, lefty killer. Signed a new one year deal to stay with the A’s.
108. Addison Barger, LHB, 24, rf, Blue Jays – If he hits well in spring training, look for the Blue Jays to fit him in somewhere like rf, 3b, lf or dh. He’s shown enough power and an ability to take walks to have some future Strat value. You have to like his arm if he ends up in rf! I project a rf/lf-4(-3)e6 for him.
109. Rafael Marchan, 25, SHB, c, Phillies – With the Phillies looking to give more days off to JT Realmuto, Marchan could step in and get 150-200 at-bats. He’s got a valuable 51 at-bat card.
110. Rece Hinds, 23, RHB, rf, Reds – The Reds do need some RHBs that power hitters and Hinds fits the bill. He could win a platoon job in an outfield corner or get a good amount of the dh at-bats.
111. Griffin Conine, 26, RHB, rf, Marlins – I can see him in a platoon with either Stowers or Sanchez.
112. Marco Luciano, 22, RHB, ss, Giants – He needs to find a permanent position that he can play for the Giants. He split his playing time 3 ways, between ss, 2b and dh. Dh being an interesting spot for a young player like this.
113. Derek Hill, 28, RHB, cf, Marlins – In 2024, he was cut by the Rangers and the Giants. Another find for the Marlins. He may be the best center fielder on the Marlins roster. His card, which he has a good chance of matching the projection, will be valuable in Strat vs LHPing. The A bunting, speed and defense make him a nice guy to have on the bench.
114. Andres Chaparro, 25, RHB, 1b/dh, Nats – He has a chance to win a platoon job as the Nats dh. He hits lefties well.
115. Daz Cameron, 27, RHB, rf, Orioles – The Orioles have been trying to pick up some RHBs to balance out their line-up and traded for Cameron at the end of October. For the A’s, Cameron got almost half of his plate appearances vs LHPing and he hit well.
116. Bryan King, 27, LHP, rp, Astros – He’s got a great card but just 26 innings with 32 K’s. He’ll be back in that role for a full season in 2025.
117. Tony Santillan, 27, RHP, rp, Reds – It’s a 30 inning card that will do well in a pitcher’s park.
118. Hunter Strickland, 35, RHP, rp, free agent – He pitched well for the Angels and his 73 innings can be used in non-crucial situations.
119. Chris Paddack, 28, RHP, sp, Twins – The Twins put Paddack on the IL in July and he didn’t pitch again in 2024. He was recovering from his 2022 TJ surgery and the Twins are hoping to get a solid season from him in 2025 before he becomes a free agent.
120. Pedro Pages, 25, RHB, c, Cardinals – A backup catcher to Herrera with good defensive skills and a strong arm. I could see him getting 200+ at-bats again as the Cardinals work out their catching situation.
7th round
121. Kyle Stowers, 26, LHB, lf, Marlins – The Marlins will give him a chance to platoon in the lf spot if he can produce.
122. Daniel Schneemann, 27, LHB, of, Guardians – I see him continuing in his utility role in 2025 and getting to play more if his bat heats up.
123. Erik Miller, 26, LHP, rp, Giants – A lefty that is tough on lefties is always valuable in Strat.
124. Brett Harris, 26, RHB, 3b, A’s – The only spot open in the A’s infield is 3b and Harris can win that job with a solid spring.
125. Nathan Lukes, 29, LHB, lf/rf, Blue Jays – It’s only 76 at-bats and he’s a nice pinch hitter to have on the bench. He could win a starting job in lf for the 2025 season.
126. Erik Sabrowski, 26, LHB, rp, Guardians – As we saw during the postseason, in which Sabrowski appeared in half of their 10 post season games, this guy is a weapon! It’s 13 innings but he may get a card the same way that Saalfrank got a card in last year’s Strat set.
127. Jesus Tinoco, 29, RHP, rp, Marlins – The Rangers, Royals and Cubs all had him for parts of the 2024 season and let him get away. The Marlins were smart enough to give him a shot and he thrived in that late inning relief role.
128. Ryan Fernandez, 26, RHP, rp, Cardinals – His 67 innings will mostly be used in middle relief in Strat.
129. Grant Holmes, 28, RHP, sp/rp, Braves – He’ll most likely be in the Braves bullpen filling the spot starter/long reliever role that he filled last season.
130. Ben Rice, 25, LHB, 1b, Yankees – It would seem like the Yankees could use more production out of 1b. If they spend all their money to retain Soto, the platoon of Rice/LeMahieu might be what they settle on. Rice has the added benefit of being the 3rd string catcher.
131. Dillon Dingler, 25, RHB, c, Tigers – He’ll have the Tigers backup catcher job. He’s hit with power in the minor leagues.
132. Sean Bouchard, 28, RHB, lf/rf, Rockies – With Blackmon gone, Bouchard may have a chance to take over the dh spot and get a long look. His on-base skills are proven but this is his 3rd season with less than 100 at-bats.
133. Eguy Rosario, RHB, 24, 3b/2b, Padres – The Padres need to fill the infield spot vacated by Kim. They would seem to need someone who is a better defender at ss and Rosario may be best at 3b. I can see him as a utility infielder or starting at 3b for another team. He’ll probably get the projected card vs LHPing since he got most of his at-bats vs LHPing.
134. Jonny Deluca, 25, RHB, cf, Rays – The Rays started using Deluca more after the traded Arozarena. Deluca finished with a good September and he’ll be in the outfield mix for the Rays.
135. Cade Povich, 24, LHP, sp, Orioles – It was an up and down season for Povich. Firstly, he was recalled 3 times by the Orioles. Secondly, about half of his 16 starts were ‘good’ starts. If the Orioles don’t sign or trade for a big-time starting pitcher, Povich could be in the starting rotation in 2025.
136. Carson Spiers, 26, RHP, sp/rp, Reds – He is currently penciled in as the 6th starter for the Reds. He could end up in the bullpen where he’s not prone to giving up as many home runs.
137. Zach Dezenzo, 24, RHB, 1b, Astros – With just under 100 AAA at-bats it’s hard to tell just what the Astros have here. The Astros are desperate for someone to take over at 1b and provide some offense. If I were the Astros, I’d have Alvarez taking 100 ground balls a day at 1b to see how good he can get there and maybe they are doing that already.
138. Kyren Paris, 22, RHB, 2b/ss, Angels – He struggled offensively in 2024 and he’ll most likely start the season at the AAA level.
139. Victor Vodnik, 24, RHP, rp, Rockies – He saved 9 games in 15 save opportunities. He pitched much better on the road than in Coors Field, especially with the walks, so keep an eye on him in case he changes teams.
140. Adrian Morejon, 25, LHP, rp, Padres – He’s got 64 innings for long relief that can keep you in the game.
8th round
141. Angel Martinez, 22, SHB, utility, Guardians – His Strat card will most likely be toned down vs LHPing but he’s still an interesting utility player to take a chance on.
142. Tyler Black, 23, LHB, 1b, Brewers – His path to playing time with the Brewers is blocked by Hoskins at 1b and Yelich at dh. He may also be an option at 3b depending on how he does in spring training.
143. Darell Hernaiz, 22, RHB, ss, A’s – With Nick Allen recently traded to the Braves, Hernaiz has a good shot at the backup shortstop job.
144. Jacob Amaya, 25, RHB, ss, White Sox – He’s a good defensive shortstop and maybe he can replace the recently released free agent Nicky Lopez, as the defensive minded utility player on the team.
145. Niko Kavadas, 25, LHB, 1b/dh, Angels – The Angels gave him 93 at-bats, 5 games in the field and then recently traded for Soler, who is mainly a dh. Trout may be used more at dh too in the upcoming season. I’m not sure where that leaves Kavadas to start the season.
146. Joey Loperfido, 25, LHB, lf, Blue Jays – After the trade from Houston, he only batted .197 for the Blue Jays. He’s in the mix for the lf job but looks more like a 4th outfielder at this point.
147. Joe Ross, 31, RHP, sp/rp, free agent – He’s got 74 innings that might be best used as a long reliever to keep you in a game without burning out your good relievers. He pitched much better for the Brewers in Aug/Sept when they switched him to the bullpen.
148. Valente Bellozo, 24, RHP, sp, Marlins – He allowed 15 home runs in 69 innings and even though 11 of those were with the bases empty, I don’t see how he can crack the starting rotation of Alcantara, Luzardo, Weathers, Cabrera, B. Garrett and E. Perez/Meyer. That’s 7 guys ahead of him.
149. Andrew Kittredge, 34, RHP, rp, free agent – His 2.80 ERA is much better than you would guess from his Strat projections vs LHB. You can try to use him just against RHB, like the Cardinals did, but with many leagues adopting the 3 batter minimum rule, Kittredge may see more lefties than you’d like. He did pitch better after the All-Star break. He’ll probably catch on with some team.
150. Ben Gamel, 32, LHB, rf/lf, free agent – 81 at-bats and a .384 OBP. He got on base for both the Mets and the Astros. He’ll catch on with some team in 2025.