Last season, rookies Jackson Chourio and Jackson Merrill took over fantasy baseball. Both Chourio and Merrill posted 20-20 seasons, benefiting those who bought early on the two stars. Other rookies, like Colton Cowser and James Wood, also proved to be valuable. This year’s crop of rookies may not be as impactful — at least right away — but there’s still plenty of interesting young bats could be immediate contributors during the 2025 fantasy baseball season.
Roman Anthony
We’ll start our rookie hitter watch list with Roman Anthony, a second-round pick by Boston in 2022 who’s been a revelation since the Sox drafted him. Anthony posted a .869 OPS in full-season ball as a 19-year-old in 2023, then came just shy of a 20-20 campaign in 2024. The 20-year-old slashed .291/.396/.498 (.894 OPS) with 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases between Double and Triple-A.
There’s a lot of tools in Anthony’s skillset. Whether between his ability to get on base, work singles into doubles, and drive the ball. Anthony projects to be a future 20-20 player.
Anthony is one of several Red Sox prospects who could make their debut in Boston this season. Kristian Campbell tore through the Minors last season, while Marcelo Mayer is somewhat behind the two. However, Anthony — with his power/speed combo — is the one we’re honing in on the most at this moment.
Tyler Black
Tyler Black‘s been a name on our radar for years, dating back to the summer of 2023. During that campaign, the 24-year-old stole 55 bases and hit 18 home runs along the way, turning into a true name to watch. Black received a brief MLB cameo last year, hitting .204/.316/.245 (.561 OPS) over 18 games.
The former Wright State star stands to benefit from the fallout of Willy Adames leaving in free agency. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio stated a desire to have Joey Ortiz slide to shortstop, and Black — an on-base machine — move to third base. Black’s been a utilityman-like player in his Minor League career, playing first, second, and third.
The stolen base category is one fantasy players can’t neglect. And while there are more prolific base-stealers — ahem, Chandler Simpson — who could make a strong impact down the line in 2024, Black has MLB experience and has a strong chance of making the team out of camp.
Dylan Crews
Dylan Crews didn’t move as fast as his LSU teammate Paul Skenes, taken one pick ahead of him in the 2023 MLB Draft. Crews hit .224/.296/.367 (.663 OPS) last April in Harrisburg (AA), before he got going in May. The 23-year-old was promoted to Triple-A in mid-June, and spent two months in Rochester before getting “The Call.”
Crews didn’t hit well in his brief cameo late last summer. The former LSU Tiger hit .218/.288/.353 (.641 OPS) with three home runs and nine extra-base hits. However, there were positive signs.
One, Crews stole 12 bases. Two, the 23-year-old managed to stay disciplined, with good Chase% (26.6%) and Whiff% (22.8%). Over a full season, one would like to think Crews, armed with above-average power and speed, can thrive in D.C.
Jasson Dominguez
It’s been well over a year since “The Martian” landed in The Bronx. However, Jasson Dominguez retained his rookie status, as the Yankees outfielder’s yet to receive enough plate appearances to shed it.
Dominguez suffered an elbow injury in September 2023, forcing the outfielder to get Tommy John surgery. The Yankees were able to get him back at the plate by the spring but with too many bodies on the roster, Dominguez was stashed in Triple-A until late in the season. His second cameo in The Bronx didn’t go as well, as Dominguez hit .179/.313/.304 (.617 OPS) over 67 plate appearances.
The 22-year-old has the power and speed to be an impact player. However, the question for 2025 is whether Dominguez — the Yankees’ projected left fielder — can put it together over a 162-game season.
Brice Matthews
The Astros selected Brice Matthews out of Nebraska in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Matthews quickly ascended the Astros’ system, finishing last season with Sugar Land (AAA) after beginning it in Asheville (A+). And, the 22-year-old did well along the way.
Matthews hit .265/.384/.481 (.865 OPS) with 15 home runs and 31 extra-base hits over 79 games last year. He also stole 32 bases. However, one blemish on Matthews last season was the strikeouts; he struck out 108 times over 79 contests.
One thing that stood out about Matthews when I saw him last April was his athleticism. Matthews possesses good speed and athletic ability, which bodes well for his chances of sticking in the middle infield. Which, is important when taking into account Jose Altuve is moving to left field. Matthews, a shortstop by trade, could slot as a future option at second base to play alongside Jeremy Pena.
Orelvis Martinez
The 2025 campaign will serve as the second take for Orelvis Martinez, who had a lost 2024 campaign. Martinez made this list last year, thanks in large part to his prodigious power. However, the 23-year-old was hit with an 80-game suspension for a banned substance three days after he was promoted to Toronto.
The report on Martinez has not changed since last season. The Blue Jays infielder has easy plus raw power that could allow him to be a 25-30 home run hitter. But, how much will he actually hit for? Martinez has a long swing (8.1” average in MLB) compared to the league-average, which leads to obvious concerns about whether he can consistently catch up to fastballs.
Thus far, Martinez’s seen time at second and third in Spring Training. With Andres Gimenez now at second base, Martinez’s best bet for regular playing time is prying the job away from Ernie Clement, a hitter with a significantly different approach.
Christian Moore
Christian Moore put up eye-popping numbers in the hitter-friendly confines at the University of Tennessee last spring. as he hit 34 home runs en route to leading the Volunteers to the national title last June. Moore was selected eighth overall by the Angels a few weeks later and didn’t stop hitting.
An athletic infielder with good pitch recognition, Moore slashed hit .347/.400/.584 (.984 OPS) with six home runs in the Minors, pushing his way to Double-A. And heading into 2025, Moore could work himself into the Angels infield to join the team’s budding homegrown core.
The 22-year-old was a non-roster invite to Spring Training and like fellow first-round picks Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel, could move to the Majors very quickly. Moore did just fine over his first week of 2025 Spring Training action, going 3-7 (.429) with three runs scored.
Colson Montgomery
Former first-round pick Colson Montgomery was limited to 64 games in 2023 but when on the field, performed very well. Montgomery posted a .939 OPS across three levels, and then followed it up by driving in 20 in the Arizona Fall League. However, Montgomery was cold for most of 2024 in Triple-A, resulting in a .214/.329/.381 (.710 OPS) across 130 games.
Montgomery ended the year on a high note, though. He posted a .815 OPS over the final month of 2024, then slashed .313/.511/.656 (1.167 OPS) in the AFL. Those were positive signs for the 23-year-old, who is a strong left-handed hitting infielder who can hit for power.
The clock is ticking on Montgomery, who was placed on the White Sox’s 40-man roster this past November. He should get his first MLB action this year and stands to be one of the few White Sox bats worth stashing in fantasy this season.
Matt Shaw
Cubs infield prospect Matt Shaw was a standout power hitter at the University of Maryland, which helped him push into the first round two years ago. Shaw quickly moved to Double-A in his first stint as a Minor Leaguer in 2023. And last season, Shaw slashed .284/.379/.488 (.867 OPS) with 21 home runs and 31 stolen bases.
Shaw is a unique prospect in this day of age. A right-handed bat with a slightly-closed stance, Shaw’s nuanced approach gives him the ability to stay back when need be and go the other way on outside pitches. But, he’s also got a fair amount of pop in his bat.
The 23-year-old could work his way to Chicago at some point this season. However, an oblique issue kept him out to begin the spring.
Jacob Wilson
We finish our 2025 fantasy rookie hitter watch list with Jacob Wilson, the A’s first-round pick from 2023. Wilson, the son of former Major Leaguer Jack Wilson, had arguably the best hit tool in the 2023 MLB Draft, showing a natural ability to hit and rarely struck out at Grand Canyon University.
Wilson quickly moved up the organization’s system, earning a call-up 12 months after the Athletics picked him. One could call it a forced promotion — on Wilson’s part — as he hit .433/.473/.688 (1.141 OPS) in the Minors before his promotion. The 22-year-old only played 28 games (103 PA) in Oakland, as a strained left hamstring kept him out for over a month.
Despite the strong numbers in the Minors, the Athletics shortstop isn’t someone to target until the final two rounds in drafts or in the free agent market. He’s a true contact hitter, one who may cap out as a 10-15 home run hitter at the MLB level. I think he’s heavily undervalued — Yahoo! has him ranked 1,449(!) — but still, be very careful with Wilson.
Make sure to check out our list of 10 rookie pitchers to watch for fantasy baseball this season.