What a difference a year makes.
In 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep season, every discussion about the state of the outfield position was about how terrible things were. What has historically been the deepest position in Fantasy was looked at as a wasteland, and it caused us to force iffy names like Cody Bellinger and Nolan Jones into the first five rounds of ADP. Because, if you didn’t do that, you might have to settle for even iffier names like Nick Castellanos, Lane Thomas, or Jordan Walker in the first 10 rounds. Yikes.
This time around, we can be a lot pickier about the outfielders we’re taking. Sure, there are still some questionable picks, but even relatively unproven names like Lawrence Butler and Brenton Doyle are going later than Jones or Bellinger were last year in most drafts, and both are basically at the bottom of the top-20 at the position; Jones was close to a top-12 outfielder in some drafts!
We can thank legitimate breakouts from the likes of Doyle, Jarren Duran, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Merrill for some of the newfound depth at the position, and hoped-for breakouts from Langford, Butler, and James Wood help explain a lot of the enthusiasm Fantasy drafters have for the top end of the position, too.
But a word of warning here: Things can change quickly in Fantasy Baseball. A position that was talked about like a toxic wasteland this time a year ago is now arguably the deepest position in the game, and while that could stick – I’m not necessarily betting against those breakout picks! – there’s a lot being invested in very limited track records at outfield this season. Every star has to start somewhere, but spending a premium draft pick on a player with only one season’s worth of success under their belt – and a lot less than that in the case of some of the names being discussed – is a recipe for a Fantasy headache.
I’m not saying outfield isn’t a deep position, full of both stars at the high end of the rankings and big-time upside the further you go down. I’m just reminding you not to have too short of a memory. Don’t pass on proven stars because you “know” the lower-priced guys are going to be just as good. There’s still a decent amount of projecting going on at this position, and we’re not always as good at projecting as we think. Here’s what else you need to know:
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2025 Draft Prep
Outfield Top Prospects
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .291 BA (454 AB), 18 HR, 21 SB, .894 OPS, 79 BB, 127 K
Anthony’s massive power display at the first annual Futures Skills Showcase last summer was a coronation of sorts, bringing to fruition all the optimism generated by his exit velocity readings, and he followed through by hitting .353 with eight homers and a 1.022 OPS in 52 games thereafter. A reduction in strikeout rate coincided with this breakthrough, only further bolstering his claim as the top hitting prospect in baseball.
Scott’s 2025 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .270 BA (397 AB), 13 HR, 25 SB, .792 OPS, 36 BB, 92 K
Major-league stats: .219 BA (119 AB), 3 HR, 12 SB, .641 OPS, 11 BB, 26 K
The second pick in the 2023 draft was presumed to be on the fast track, and the Nationals decided they didn’t need to wait for his production to catch up to his favorable exit velocities and plate discipline readings, introducing him as their right fielder in late August. If nothing else, that late-season stint showed us Crews isn’t shy about stealing bases, which should keep him usable even as he works to optimize the angles the ball takes off his bat.
Scott’s 2025 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2024: Low-A, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .314 BA (226 AB), 11 HR, 16 SB, .880 OPS, 22 BB, 50 K
Major-league stats: .179 BA (56 AB), 2 HR, 5 SB, .617 OPS, 11 BB, 19 K
Dominguez’s return to the majors late last season was a far cry from his 2023 debut, which may come as a concern given that he had Tommy John surgery in between, but his time in the minors showed he’s no worse for wear. He still shined in every respect there, delivering his usual power and speed, and seeing as the Yankees have freed up left field for him, they must trust him to make the remaining adjustments in the majors.
Scott’s 2025 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2024: Rookie, Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .282 BA (305 AB), 6 HR, 17 SB, .833 OPS, 56 BB, 47 K
The power production for Jenkins hasn’t measured up to the hype yet, but the fact he made it to Double-A at 19 — during an injury-plagued season, no less — tells you just how advanced his approach is. Projectability is a big part of the equation here, with Jenkins’ picture-perfect left-handed swing and athletic 6-foot-3 frame pointing to considerable damage in his future, which, combined with previously stated approach, would make for a superstar outcome.
Scott’s 2025 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2024: Rookie, Low-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .280 BA (157 AB), 9 HR, 9 SB, 1.026 OPS, 51 BB, 62 K
Rodriguez’s strikeout rate has always been dangerously high, but it’s less a result of him chasing than never chasing, unwilling to swing at anything he can’t throttle. Fortunately, he throttles the ball often enough that his production has held steady as he’s moved up the ladder, relieving concerns that his approach will falter against more advanced pitching. The on-base skills (a .422 mark for his entire career) give him a higher margin for error as well.
Scott’s 2025 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
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