We are roughly a month into the 2025 fantasy baseball season, and look, there have been a few slow starters. Sure, some who previously are — ahem, Alex Bregman — have not been to begin the 2025 season. However, a few surprising names have. Here’s a look at our list of best buy-low fantasy baseball trade candidates for April 2025.

Hitters

• OF Yordan Alvarez (Astros)
• C Willson Contreras (Cardinals)
• C Salvador Perez (Royals)
• OF Anthony Santander (Blue Jays)
• OF Christian Yelich (Brewers)

Perhaps the most notable one is Yordan Alvarez, who is not routinely a slow starter. Alvarez had seven home runs in March/April 2024, and six over the first five weeks of the year two years ago. But thus far, Alvarez is hitting .213 with two home runs (as of April 23).

It’s an interesting start, given many of the numbers aside from the ones that matter in fantasy are good. Alvarez is walking at a clip of 14.1% and hitting the ball hard. Right now, though, he’s getting under a lot of breaking balls more often. He’s popping up at a +4.8% rate compared to 2024.

Good hitters tend to figure things out.

Next up is Willson Contreras, one of the newest users of the “torpedo” bat. Contreras began to use the bat this month and slowly has begun to find his game after a brutal 10-72 start too the year. He has hits in his last six games, including on April 23.

Two players listed in our “do not worry about” list, Salvador Perez and Anthony Santander, are also here.

For those who care about expected stats, Perez’s xAVG (.283) and xSLG (.559) far exceed what he’s done to start the year. The 34-year-old is currently hitting .185 with a paltry .293 SLG and two home runs over the first month.

Like with Alvarez, Perez is hitting the ball hard. But like a lot of Royals right now, it’s been a cold start where it matters.

And as for Santander, a nine-game hitting streak pushed his average up, before a two-game skid pushed it back down to .196. No, he’s not playing in Baltimore anymore. However, Santander’s struggle right now is to stop getting on top of the baseball. Both his GB% (37.1%) and Topped (30%) are significantly up.

Lastly, Christian Yelich has five home runs and five stolen bases already this season, putting him on pace for a 20-20 season. The problem? Yelich is hitting .222.

Is it an in-between timing thing with Yelich? He’s whiffing at fastballs nearly 30% of the time and almost 50% on breaking balls. The fastball trend is concerning, as teams have been more willing to challenge him over the years.

However, the prospect of a potential 20-20 player is tempting, even given Yelich’s injury history.

Pitchers

• SP Tanner Bibee (Guardians)
• SP Dylan Cease (Padres)
• SP Chris Sale (Braves)

To be honest, there are not many buy-low pitching targets that I like, nor do I believe many fantasy managers would truly give up.

Dylan Cease, for example, is one name on this list who’s here simply because of his ERA. Cease owned the 11th-worst ERA (6.04) in the league as of April 23 — and realistically, the only reason why it’s so high is because of one start. The right-hander gave up nine runs over four innings in the bandbox up north in Sacramento.

Aside from that start, Cease posted six or more strikeouts in four of five and a 2.65 ERA, not counting that outing on April 8. Smart fantasy managers will not give up on Cease.

Next up is Chris Sale. Sale was ranked 44th on our preseason list, admittedly a high number. Yes, Chris Sale came off an NL Cy Young Award but also has a lengthy injury history. Thus far, the left-hander owns a 6.17 ERA, slightly higher than the one Dylan Cease has.

Sale likes to fill up the zone, hence why he’s always posted good BB% rates. But this season, the fastball velocity is down — roughly .5 MPH year-to-year on the four-seamer — and he’s leaned on his signature slider more.

When Sale does go out of the zone, he’s still getting an exceptional amount of chases (37.9% Chase%) thanks in part to his deceptiveness.

Durability is the biggest concern with Sale. However, the 36-year-old is still striking out batters (32 over 23.1 IP).

Lastly, Tanner Bibee should not be the league leader in home runs. But right now, he is, as Bibee conceded eight home runs over his first 26 innings.

Bibee added a sinker to his arsenal, a pitch with decent downward action and plays well off the changeup, arguably his best offering. However, the four-seamer has not been his friend at times, despite the .171 average off the pitch. Three of his eight home runs have been off the pitch.

There’s simply too much talent here to avoid Bibee.

Disclaimer: Don’t make stupid trade offers to other fantasy managers, please.

Check out more of our fantasy coverage.