2025 Fantasy Baseball: Zach Neto Profile, Preview, Predictions
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If Zach Neto weren't coming into 2025 recovering from shoulder surgery, he would be a much more attractive player this season, highlighted by his 23/30 success in home runs and stolen bases. His batting average should rise, along with his batting order opportunity.
Zach Neto's second home run of the game gives the @Angels a late lead 😤 pic.twitter.com/Qb77h2Ev96
— MLB (@MLB) September 22, 2024
SS – Zach Neto, LAA (ADP – 196.6)
The progression of Neto in his second year with the Angels led to him ranking 34th in FPGscore (2.45) for hitters. His season ended last year with a right shoulder issue that required surgery in November. Los Angeles expects him to miss some time this year, with an unknown return date. As a result, his price point (115th batter selected) is well below his success in 2024.
Last year, his average hit rate (1.778) supported over 30 home runs with 550 at-bats. Neto only had 34 barrels, with no edge in his exit velocity (88.5 mph) or hard-hit rate (38.6). Despite regression in his fly-ball rate (38.6), his HR/FB rate (14.9) beat his rookie season. He had almost no change in his approach – strikeout rate (23.3) and walk rate (6.5).
His bat was on point against left-handed pitching (.374/18/5/17/9 over 107 at-bats) while needing work vs. righties in batting average (.218). Neto had the most production in June (.239/13/5/20/3 over 88 at-bats) and August (.235/13/7/19/6 over 102 at-bats). He had 34.9% of his at-bats hitting second in the batting order but 52.4% in the bottom third of their lineup.
Fantasy Outlook: Similar to Nolan Schanuel, Neto had a minimal minor league resume (.321/39/10/40/8 over 187 at-bats) before reaching Los Angeles while showcasing a favorable walk rate (8.7). The Angels manager (Ron Washington) suggested he would hit five or sixth in their batting order when Neto returns to health.
Without more insight about his recovery timetable, a drafter can only speculate on his skill set and buy another replacement option on draft day. Shoulder injuries and less work over the winter tend to lead to less power. The key to his fantasy value is a return to the top two slots in the batting order. I like the direction of his bat, but I need more information before investing. Neto is a wild card player for me in 2025.
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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