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5 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Breakouts to Draft (2025)

It’s that time of year again. Start making your spreadsheets and get ready for draft day. Every season of fantasy baseball brings new players into the mix, and it can be confusing to discover sleepers and breakout candidates.

We can find players at good value using the FantasyPros’ average draft position (ADP) data. Here are five sleepers and young players who should have breakout seasons in 2025.

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Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Breakout Players

Spencer Schwellenbach (SP – ATL) | ADP: 93

Spencer Schwellenbach was called up last season in late May and had an ERA above 4.00 up to July. He struggled in his first outings, but the Braves allowed their rookie to keep going and he had a phenomenal second half.

Schwellenbach pitched 79 innings with a sparkling 2.73 ERA and 86 strikeouts after the All-Star break. He walked only 13 batters during this stretch. Despite having horrible first months in the Majors, the rookie concluded 2024 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.

Schwellenbach is a prime pitching breakout target. However, his fantasy baseball ADP is hard to stomach. The 24-year-old sits above proven commodities such as Freddy Peralta, Zac Gallen, Sonny Gray and Grayson Rodriguez. Fantasy managers should consider only grabbing Schwellenbach if he falls in the draft.

Alex Bregman (FA – 3B) | ADP: 118

Alex Bregman is one of the biggest names on this list and not a “sleeper” by any means. Regardless, his draft position is extremely low. His current fantasy ADP of 118 has fallen close to 50 spots compared to 2024 drafts, where he went around 70th overall.

Bregman’s only concerning factor in 2024 was a reduction in walks. He had an on-base percentage (OBP) of .316 last season, sinking below .350 for the first time since his abbreviated rookie 2016 season. Even so, Bregman’s batting average of .260 and .453 slugging was in line with his recent seasons. His 2024 advanced stats are similar to his career metrics.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old is still a free agent. The uncertainty surrounding his future team is the most likely reason for his dip in draft position. I have no worries about the nine-year veteran as long as he is signed soon. Bregman is a steal at this ADP.

2024 FantasyPros Fantasy Baseball Discord Community Home Run Call Contest

Spencer Arrighetti (SP – HOU) | ADP: 209

The second Spencer on this list — Spencer Arrighetti — may provide better sleeper value than Schwellenbach. The 2024 rookie tossed 145 innings to a 4.53 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. It wasn’t pretty. What was pretty was the rookie’s second half.

After the All-Star break, Arrighetti threw 65 innings of 3.18 ERA ball with 78 strikeouts and 21 walks. He looked like a new pitcher on the mound after posting a dreadful 5.58 ERA to the end of July.

Arrighetti is a strikeout machine who vastly improved throughout his rookie season. Comfortably target the Astro and his phenomenal 10.6 K/9 ratio in late drafts.

Jung Hoo Lee (SF – OF) | ADP: 237

Jung Hoo Lee was a sleeper last year who did not pay off. He played only 37 games due to a mid-May shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the rest of the year.

The outfielder slashed a meager .262/.310/.331 in 2024. These stats are not half-bad when considering 2024 was the MLB rookie’s first time adjusting to non-Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) pitchers.

In addition, it is fair to say Lee was getting better as his short season went on. He focused less on power and moved to contact, batting .255 in April, compared to .270 in May. Giants manager Bob Melvin asked Lee to emphasize his contact skills during his at-bats, advice that made Lee a more valuable player until his season ended.

Lee dominated the KBO with a .340/.407/.491 slash line across seven seasons, slightly better than fellow KBO-to-MLB player Ha-Seong Kim. Lee is worth a dart throw at such a low draft cost.

Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL – SP) | ADP: 297

Tomoyuki Sugano is a 35-year-old MLB rookie. Wilder things have happened, I suppose.

Sugano signed a one-year contract with the Orioles this offseason and will be eager to make a name for himself in America after pitching 12 seasons in Japan. During his 12-year career, Sugano posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 1.7 BB/9 across 1,873.1 innings. Sugano won three MVPs, including one in 2024.

Sugano is a control expert and commands an arsenal of pitches. He uses a fastball, cutter, slider, splitter and curveball to primarily ground batters out. It is crucial to note the veteran is not a strikeout pitcher and has a career 7.7 K/9 ratio in Japan.

I would argue Sugano’s elite control, strong health history and place in the Orioles’ rotation give him top-50 pitcher upside in 2025. Target him for a breakout season.

FantasyPros Fantasy Baseball Draft Wizard


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