Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Late-Round Outfielders to Target

Shawn Childs | Feb 18, 2025

Seattle Mariners Luke Raley / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

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We continue to rank the top outfielders entering the 2025 fantasy baseball season. Let's break down the next tier:

71 – Luke Raley, SEA (ADP – 300.0)

Raley set career highs in almost every category in back-to-back seasons. He’s settled into a 20/10 player despite weakness in his playing time (761 combined at-bats over the past two seasons). In 2024, the Mariners gave him 74 at-bats against left-handed pitching, leading to a .189 batting average with eight runs, two home runs, four RBIs, and one steal. This opportunity was almost double from 2023 (.268/5/2/2 over 41 at-bats).

Last April, Raley delivered seven home runs with nine runs and 15 RBIs while posting weakness in batting average (.226). He had fewer than 70 at-bats each month. His best overall stats came in June (.349/19/3/10/2 over 66 at-bats). The Mariners gave him fewer at-bats (146) after the All-Star break (.219 over 11 runs, four home runs, 13 RBIs, and five stolen bases), making him a challenging player to time. Raley was a better player at home (.264/34//15/42/9 over 201 at-bats).

His strikeout rate (29.7) remains a weakness, but it was a career-best. He posted a new top with his HR/FB rate (22.7) while hitting fewer fly-balls (37.2%). Raley finished with a slide in his exit velocity (90.1 mph) and hard-hit rate (41.8). His walk rate (5.9) is trending in the wrong direction.

115.4 MPH, 459 feet

Luke Raley demolished this pitch! 😳 pic.twitter.com/p1YkZAFpXb
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2024

Fantasy Outlook: I view Raley as a short-term injury cover while being drafted primarily in deep formats. Possibly a manageable player – at home vs. right-handed pitching based on his play in 2024. He qualifies at 1B and OF, giving drafters flexibility by rostering him.

72 – Roman Anthony, BOS (ADP – 286.1)

The Red Sox drafted Anthony in the second round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft out of high school. Over his first two seasons in the minors, he hit .281 over 469 at-bats with 86 runs, 14 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. His walk rate (16.6) was elite while posting about a league-average strikeout rate (22.1).

Boston started him at AA in 2024, where Anthony delivered a balance five-category skill set (.269/60/15/45/16) over 323 at-bats. His approach (strikeout rate – 25.5 and walk rate (12.8) regressed for his previous minor league levels. The Red Sox promoted him to AAA, leading to better-than-expected results in batting average (.344/33/3/20/5) and his command of the strike zone (31 walks and 32 strikeouts).

Roman Anthony's first Triple-A hit is a leadoff double 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/MTVEvehEOd
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 13, 2024

Anthony posted a 1.712 average hit rate in 2024, setting the foundation of a 30-home-run hitter once he gets comfortable facing major league pitching and improves his swing path. His contact batting average (.450) was elite in his limited time at AAA but above his AA level (.387).

Fantasy Outlook: In the high-stakes market, Anthony gets drafted as though he will earn starting at-bats for a significant part of this season. He profiles as a future middle-of-the-order bat with better speed than initially expected. His swing path was groundball favoring (48.0) last year in the minors, and Anthony has never had a fly-ball rate higher than 30.0% in a season in his brief time in professional baseball. When the ball is in the air, he has the power to put balls in the seats. Anthony will need some time to develop at the major league level before becoming a trusted fantasy asset. He is a player to follow, and his best success should come over the second half of 2025. His early career path with Boston may parallel Christian Yelich's early days with Miami.

73 – Trevor Larnach, MIN (ADP – 428.3)

The Twins have given Larnach 958 at-bats over the past four seasons, leading to a .236 batting average with 135 runs, 35 home runs, 138 RBIs, and six stolen bases. Last year, he set career highs in almost all stat categories, highlighted by his home runs (15) and batting average (.259).

Despite his growth, Minnesota gave him fewer than 75 at-bats every month. Larnach had his best overall success in August and September (.287/29/4/18/1 over 136 at-bats). He barely had a pulse vs. left-handed pitching (4-for-22 with four runs, one RBI, and seven strikeouts). Larnach never had more than three home runs in any month. Larnach only had two minor injuries (toe and hamstring).

Minnesota Twins Trevor Larnach / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

His best area of growth in 2024 came in his strikeout rate (22.3) while continuing to have a favorable walk rate (10.0). Surprisingly, his average hit rate (1.674) was below his previous two years (1.855) with Minnesota. Larnach posted a career-high exit velocity (92.0 mph) and a minimal change in his hard-hit rate (45.1).

Fantasy Outlook: If Larnach repeats his growth in his approach, his opportunity should reach new heights in 2025, even with many days off against lefties. Trending toward 25 home runs if given 500 at-bats. The Twins gave him 282 of his 355 at-bats in the top three slots in their batting order last season. Larnach has the feel of a “ride him while he is hot player,” and sometimes that leads to a career year.

74 – Matt Vierling, DET (ADP – 380.6)

In 2022 and 2023 with the Phillies and Tigers, Vierling hit .255 with 104 runs, 16 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases over 804 at-bats. His RBI rate (12) and average hit rate (1.448) have been in a weak area over his first three seasons in the majors. When Vierling was given a bump in playing over the final two months in 2023, his swing (.249/30/3/18/1 over 189 at-bats) didn’t look worthy of being a full-time player in the majors.

Detroit gave him the best opportunity last season, leading to career highs in almost every stat. Despite his success, Vierling only had one productive month (.306/13/5/21 over 85 at-bats). He scored double-digit runs every month while failing to reach that level in RBIs in April (7), June (5), July (9), August (8), and September (7). The Tigers gave him 395 of his at-bats (518) in the top third of their lineup.

His strikeout rate (21.3) was league average while walking 7.2% of the time. Vierling posted his best average hit rate (1.647), thanks to an improved fly-ball rate (37.8) and HR/FB rate (10.6). He ranked 89th in exit velocity (89.8 mph) and 101st in hard-hit rate (40.9).

Fantasy Outlook: Detroit has a developing young lineup with less room for Vierling to play in the infield in 2025. His lack of power (but improving) and overall ceiling is a strike for his major-league value as a corner outfielder. In addition, I can’t see him earning meaningful at-bats near the top of the Tigers lineup. In my eyes, Vierling offers below replacement stats in the fantasy market, making him an injury cover only in deep formats.

75 – Andrew Benintendi, CWS (ADP – 483.6)

On the surface, Benintendi had further demise in his fading skill set other than his rebound in home runs (20). He hit .192 over his first 260 at-bats with a measly 19 runs, six home runs, 25 RBIs, and two stolen bases while missing some time in June with an Achilles issue. His bat started to show upside the day before the All-Star break (3-for-4 with three runs, one home run, and one RBI), leading to much better success over his final 217 at-bats (.272/31/14/39/1). Benintendi hit .207 vs. lefties with 11 runs, four home runs, and 13 RBIs over 116 at-bats.

His strikeout rate (18.4) and walk rate (7.9) weren’t far off his career resume. He posted a much higher average hit rate (1.734) than his previous four seasons (1.422). Benintendi had a severe drop in his contact batting average (.286). His fly-ball rate (42.4) and HR/FB rate (12.3) were much higher than 2023 (34.7/3.0). He finished with about his career average in exit velocity (88.0 mph) and hard-hit rate (34.1).

Fantasy Outlook: For two months last season, Benintendi helped push fantasy teams up the standing after being scooped up on the waiver. On the other hand, he buried anyone who rostered him over the first two-thirds of the year. His bad outweighs his good by a wide margin over the past three seasons. When adding minimal steals, Benintendi is standing in the back of the room at last call. Your dance or mine…survey says I can’t see the light in the darkness in his profile.

71 – Luke Raley, SEA (ADP – 300.0)

72 – Roman Anthony, BOS (ADP – 286.1)

73 – Trevor Larnach, MIN (ADP – 428.3)

74 – Matt Vierling, DET (ADP – 380.6)

75 – Andrew Benintendi, CWS (ADP – 483.6)

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