2025 Fantasy Baseball: Brent Rooker Profile, Preview, Predictions
In this story:
Brent Rooker comes into 2025 with a DH qualification and elite stats. He controlled the strikeout zone much better than expected while developing into a beast with runners on base. Can he repeat?
109.3 MPH off the bat for Brent Rooker's 39th home run of the season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/48XzUz9gcb
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2024
DH – Brent Rooker, ATH (ADP – 73.9)
Rooker was a player I whiffed on by the widest margin in 2024. I expect his high strikeout rate (32.4) to cut into his playing time, leading to me having him in a player-prop parlay (under 25.5 home runs). Ten days into the season, I’m giddy about him landing on the injured list with an oblique issue. Unfortunately, for my selfish needs, he missed only 11 days.
After 81 games (66 played by him), Rooker had a .257 batting average with 27 runs, 13 home runs, and 44 RBIs over 241 at-bats while striking out 35.8% of the time. I feel like I’m back in the game for the under in his home run total. His bat went on a Barry Bonds run over his following 140 at-bats (.350/31/16/39/5), and suddenly, pitchers couldn’t strike him out (22.9%). Over the final quarter of the year, Rooker hit .297 with 24 runs, 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and four stolen bases over 165 at-bats. His strikeout rate (26.2) remained lower than his incoming resume.
The best part of his success last year was his RBI rate (20), typically reserved for the best middle-of-the-order bats in the game. His average hit rate (1.919) was a four-year low, suggesting more power with a repeated approach. Rooker posted an elite contact batting average (.434 – .392 in 2023 and .402 in his minor league career.
His exit velocity (91.9 mph) ranked 27th while grading slightly better in hard-hit rate (49.6). Rooker had a fly-ball swing path over his last two seasons with the A’s (47.1% and 45.6%). He also performed well with his HR/FB rate (22.9).
Fantasy Outlook: In the 2025 draft season, Rooker is still a value based on his finish in FPGscore (6.81 – 8th) for hitters. He hits the ball hard with loft while gaining confidence last year. His ceiling and floor depend on his ability to make contact. How much of his success last year was fact or fiction? The A’s signed him to a five-year deal for $60 million in early January, locking in Rooker for starting at-bats. I trust his 30+ home run power with some speed, but hitting higher than .260 will be an issue. When adding a 15% rate (more in line with his career path), I only see about 85 RBIs unless his home run total beats last season.
RANKINGS
Top 5 Catchers | Catchers 6-10 | Catchers 11-15
Top 5 First Basemen | First Basemen 6-10 | First Basemen 11-15
Top 5 Second Basemen | Second Basemen 6-10 | Second Basemen 11-15
Top 5 Shortstops | Shortstops 6-10 | Shortstops 11-15
Top 5 Third Basemen | Third Basemen 6-10 | Third Basemen 11-15
With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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