Athletics Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, Studs, and Bargains
The Billy Beane days are over for the A's, and major league baseball wants them to be more competitive in player salaries. Their offense has multiple deeper sleepers and two risk/reward players who must prove that last year wasn't a fluke.
Deep Sleeper: Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics
Soderstrom is getting a lot of respect in the early draft season. I don’t know if it's due to him possibly earning catcher eligibility or Roster Resource listing him as the Athletics starting first baseman with a middle-of-the-order opportunity. He has plenty of power while falling short in major league experience.
I liked his bat in 2024 as a sneaky third catcher in Draft Champion formats (deeper BestBall leagues). Soderstrom has the bat to deliver over 25 home runs with 500 at-bats with a chance to beat the league average in runs and RBIs. He is off to a slow start in spring training (6-for-36 with three runs and two RBIs), but his strikeouts (4) suggest an improved approach.
Deep Sleeper: Jacob Wilson, Athletics
The A's snatched Wilson with the sixth overall selection in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft after three winning seasons at Grand Canyon University (.361/120/22/155/9 over 620 at-bats). He had more walks (61) than strikeouts (31).
Over two short seasons in the minors, Wilson continues to show off his approach (20 walks and 26 strikeouts) over his 307 at-bats while hitting .401 with 65 runs, eight home runs, 52 RBI, and six steals. He missed development time last year due to knee and hamstring issues.
His power is a trailing asset coming into the majors, but Wilson will earn at-bats at the top of the Athletics' lineup when he arrives. This spring, his bat has been quiet (9-for-41) despite hitting a pair of home runs with seven RBIs. Wilson may be a half-season away from the majors, but the A's have a AAA roster, inviting a better opportunity than expected in 2025.
Value: Brent Rooker, Athletics
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% regression rate (more in line with his career path), I only see about 85 RBIs unless his home run total beats last season.
Risk/Reward: Lawrence Butler, Athletics
Despite a short resume of success, Butler is respected in the early draft season in the high-stakes market. With a repeated approach and 550 at-bats, he has the tools to be a 25/25 player in 2025 with some batting average risk. I kicked Brent Rooker last year due to his strikeout rate, but someone in the A’s coaching staff unlocked the keys to his power bat with fewer strikeouts.
Let’s say we have trust issues here, and I don’t view Butler as a foundation bat in my team builds. The A's gave him $65.5 million in early March for seven seasons, so they like the direction and ceiling of his bat. His bat has been in form in spring training (12-for-34 with six runs, two home runs, and seven RBIs).
Fantasy Stud: Mason Miller, Athletics
With all things equal for the top-tier closers, Miller is the best of the best. His resume is short, with an elbow issue still visible in his rearview mirror, and he needs a higher total in saves to rank with the top relievers in fantasy leagues.
He has a massive edge in strikeouts for a reliever if the A’s pitch him in 70 games. I ranked Miller second at closer after finishing my bullpen research. Last year, Oakland tied for 27th in saves (35), with 26 reliever wins. He is a player to fight for in drafts.
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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.