Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Preview: 2025 rankings, player profiles, stats, projections, outlook - chof 360 news

1. Aaron Judge

NYY - OF

Bats: R

Age: 32

Mixed 5x5: $49 | AL 5x5: $46

2024: CF:105 RF:8

Mixed 2026: $42 | 2027: $34

Outlook: Judge’s 2023 season was marred by a toe injury that limited him to 106 games and sapped some of his offensive production. Fully healthy in 2024, Judge put up the type of massive season we’ve come to expect. He has elite quality of contact and fly ball rates that will consistently lead to plenty of home runs. His contact rates are not great, which makes his batting average last year feel like a bit of a fluke, but he makes good swing decisions so something closer to his career .292 feels likely. He’s a tremendous pick in all fantasy formats, but his lack of high-end stolen base production and potential average regression could keep him below guys like Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson. These are ultimately nitpicks with one of the best players in both real life and fantasy.

2. Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD - OF

Bats: R

Age: 26

Mixed 5x5: $39 | NL 5x5: $35

2024: RF:96

Mixed 2026: $37 | 2027: $35

Outlook: Tatis Jr. had his 2024 season interrupted by a stress reaction in his right thigh in late June that sidelined him until September 2, limiting him to 438 plate appearances. He returned with a strong final month, slugging seven homers with three steals before adding four more home runs in the postseason. While 21 homers, 11 steals, and a .276 batting average were underwhelming for the 26-year-old star, his skills at the plate looked more like a first-round player, mirroring his breakout 2021 season. Tatis Jr.'s hard-hit and barrel rates rebounded to 55.4% and 14.5%, respectively. And all this while setting a career-low 21.9% strikeout rate. The skills are there to return close to a 40/20 season with an excellent batting average and top-five overall value. However, having topped 600 plate appearances just once before, the health concerns remain. Not for the risk-averse.

3. Julio Rodríguez

SEA - OF

Bats: R

Age: 24

Mixed 5x5: $38 | AL 5x5: $37

2024: CF:131

Mixed 2026: $39 | 2027: $40

Outlook: If there’s a compelling explanation for Rodríguez’s prolonged struggles last season, we’re still frantically searching for it. It’s impossible to classify last year’s 20-homer, 24-steal campaign as a colossal failure, but it was certainly underwhelming on the heels of his once-in-a-generation exploits the prior two years. Entering his age-24 season, we’re willing to give Rodríguez a mulligan especially since his underlying batted ball metrics remain firmly intact. It’s true that Rodríguez altered his swing and mindset last offseason, which may have attributed to his unexpected struggles, especially against premium velocity. If he can revert to his previous offensive approach that placed a greater emphasis on pulling the ball with authority, it’s easy to envision him returning to form as a five-category fantasy monster. Fantasy managers shouldn’t dismiss last season’s dip as a complete fluke, but we’re confident Rodríguez possesses the talent and mindset to figure it out.

4. Corbin Carroll

ARI - OF

Bats: L

Age: 24

Mixed 5x5: $38 | NL 5x5: $34

2024: CF:81 RF:78

Mixed 2026: $36 | 2027: $33

Outlook: Despite questions about his shoulder, Carroll managed to appear in 158 games last season. The 24-year-old outfielder got off to a terrible start, slashing .212/.301/.334 with five homers and 18 steals at the All-Star break. He came around with a much better second half, slugging 17 homers with 17 steals and a .919 OPS the rest of the way. Carroll's nosedive in batting average was mostly BABIP-driven as he recorded a .256 mark on the season, something that is all but sure to rebound as he displayed nearly identical skills at the plate as he did in 2023, with solid contact and hard-hit rates to go with his blazing speed. Despite the low batting average, Carroll still returned excellent fantasy value going 22/35 with 121 runs scored, fifth-most in baseball. With many paths to returning value, Carroll is a first-round talent with a top-three overall upside.

5. Juan Soto

NYM - OF

Bats: L

Age: 26

Mixed 5x5: $37 | NL 5x5: $33

2024: RF:145

Mixed 2026: $36 | 2027: $34

Outlook: Soto parlayed his one season with the Yankees into a career year and a record-breaking payday with the Mets. The 26-year-old posted career highs in home runs, runs scored, barrel rate, and his second-best RBI season ever. While some of that was due to the short right field dimensions in Yankee Stadium, Soto’s fly ball rate wasn’t much higher than his career average. He pulled the ball more often and limited his groundballs, but he also swung more often than he has since 2019 and swung outside of the strike zone more than he ever has. That more aggressive approach led to slightly fewer walks but more contact, which is a good trade-off for him. Soto will be moving to a worse park for left-handed power, so he may not hit 40 home runs again but it’s safe to assume he will hit around .285 with 35+ home runs, 190 or more Runs+RBI, and six stolen bases while playing for the Mets in 2025. That’s first-round fantasy production.

6. Yordan Alvarez

HOU - OF/DH

Bats: L

Age: 27

Mixed 5x5: $36 | AL 5x5: $36

2024: LF:53

Mixed 2026: $36 | 2027: $35

Outlook: Houston is relying heavily on Alvarez to carry their offense into the future, which seems to be the driving force behind the front office’s decision to transition him to a full-time DH role until further notice, which should eliminate some of the wear and tear on his massive frame, especially his knees. The 27-year-old middle-of-the-order masher has eclipsed 30 homers in four consecutive seasons dating back to 2021 and is the prototypical four-category monster that every fantasy manager on draft day. His rare blend of elite plate skills and stratospheric raw power make him an offensive juggernaut capable of reaching the 40-homer mark with elite batting averages and counting stats. The lingering physical issues are the lone bugaboo in an otherwise flawless package. If he stays healthy for the duration of his prime, he’ll remain a first-round selection in all fantasy drafts for at least another half-decade.

7. Jackson Chourio

MIL - OF

Bats: R

Age: 20

Mixed 5x5: $35 | NL 5x5: $32

2024: LF:91 RF:63

Mixed 2026: $38 | 2027: $39

Outlook: Playing his entire debut season as a 20-year-old, Chourio was everything the Brewers could have hoped for and then some. His final season numbers paint the picture of a dynamic young player who was solid across the board. However, digging into his game log shows a moment in mid-June where things seemed to click. He had a three month, supernova streak where he was on a 30-30-100-100 pace with a .317 batting average over nearly 70 games. Of course, we can’t project his sophomore season to be an extrapolation of his best stretch as a rookie, but he showed all the signs of a budding superstar and his near first-round price means he’s being viewed as such.

8. Kyle Tucker

CHI - OF

Bats: L

Age: 28

Mixed 5x5: $33 | NL 5x5: $32

2024: RF:70

Mixed 2026: $35 | 2027: $33

Outlook: Tucker has been a perennial first-round selection in all fantasy drafts for nearly a half-decade at this juncture and that won’t change following an offseason trade to Chicago. The 27-year-old stalwart was putting together his strongest all-around offensive campaign last year and would’ve eclipsed 29 homers for the fourth consecutive season, had he not suffered a bizarre shin fracture in early June, which ultimately kept him on the shelf for over three months. His track record as one of the most consistent five-category fantasy contributors is undeniable but the move to Wrigley Field, which ranks 23rd out of 30 ballparks over the past three seasons for left-handed home run power in Baseball Savant’s park factors, represents a downgrade from Minute Maid Park. He’ll face an adjustment period as he acclimates to facing NL pitching regularly, but we’re nit-picking one of the most complete hitters in the fantasy landscape. He’s a surefire first-round pick in all fantasy drafts, even if a return to the 30-homer mark becomes a little more challenging in the Windy City.

9. Jackson Merrill

SD - OF

Bats: L

Age: 21

Mixed 5x5: $29 | NL 5x5: $29

2024: CF:155

Mixed 2026: $30 | 2027: $30

Outlook: Merrill enjoyed an incredible breakout campaign in his rookie season, hitting .292 with 24 homers and 16 steals, earning his first All-Star appearance. The 21-year-old outfielder started off strong and only got better throughout the season. His excellent underlying skills bode well for his outlook in 2025 and beyond. Merrill displayed elite contact ability with a 17% hard-hit rate while generating an 11.3% barrel rate and 43.9% hard-hit rate, giving him immense batting average upside. And if his 15.9% barrel rate in the second half is any indication, he could hit 30-plus home runs with 15-plus steals. After hitting in the 5th-7th spot in the order for most of the season, Merrill should be in line to slot into the upper third of the lineup, putting him in line for more plate appearances and counting stats. Buy now, there's a lot to be excited about here.

10. Jarren Duran

BOS - OF

Bats: L

Age: 28

Mixed 5x5: $28 | AL 5x5: $30

2024: CF:105 LF:83

Mixed 2026: $26 | 2027: $23

Outlook: Duran broke out in a big way in 2024, leading the Red Sox in hits, runs, steals, and wRC+ while ranking third on the team in OPS and home runs. He took a more selective approach at the plate, swinging less and chasing less out of the zone. His zone contact rates remain around league average, so his 2024 batting average may have been a bit fluky, but Duran’s approach led to career-high exit velocities and barrel rates. He also increased his groundball and line drive rates, which is smart when you’re as fast as Duran is. While he may be more of a .270 hitter, Duran is going to lead off for a solid lineup, which should lead to over 100 runs again with 30+ steals. Add 20 home runs to that and you have a really strong fantasy player.

11. Mookie Betts

LA - SS/OF

Bats: R

Age: 32

Mixed 5x5: $26 | NL 5x5: $26

2024: SS:65 RF:43 2B:18

Mixed 2026: $23 | 2027: $19

Outlook: Betts had another productive season at the plate in 2024 despite missing eight weeks due to a fractured left hand in June, batting .289 while slugging 19 homers with 16 steals, 75 runs scored, and 75 RBI across 516 plate appearances. Perhaps influenced by the injury, Betts produced his lowest hard-hit and barrel rates since 2017 at 39.3% and 6%, respectively. But the numbers were already seeing a dip from previous seasons before landing on the injured list. While the career-high 39 home runs he hit in 2023 may not be repeatable, the 32-year-old star has one of the safest floors in fantasy hitting behind Shohei Ohtani in one of the best lineups in baseball. Betts makes for an excellent building block of five-category production in the first round, regardless of format, and now comes with shortstop eligibility.

12. Ronald Acuña Jr.

ATL - OF

Bats: R

Age: 27

Mixed 5x5: $26 | NL 5x5: $24

2024: RF:48

Mixed 2026: $46 | 2027: $43

Outlook: When healthy, Acuña is easily one of the most dynamic players in baseball. The problem is his injury history is stacking up. He tore his left ACL last May and will not be ready for Opening Day. Acuña tore his right ACL in 2021 and didn’t look like himself until 2023 when he won the MVP award decisively. Also, he’s had a litany of quad, groin, and hamstring strains over the years. Will all of these lower body injuries stop him from stealing bases and subsequently hurt his fantasy ceiling? Have they already taken away some of his high-powered athleticism? Only time will tell if this is merely a bump in the road or something more. Proceed with caution this draft season as the Braves are likely to be cautious with their prized superstar. An ETA in early May makes sense, but we should know more in the coming weeks.

13. Wyatt Langford

TEX - OF

Bats: R

Age: 23

Mixed 5x5: $25 | AL 5x5: $28

2024: LF:105 CF:15

Mixed 2026: $31 | 2027: $34

Outlook: Langford checks every metaphorical box imaginable from a raw talent standpoint making it almost impossible for fantasy managers to envision a scenario where he doesn’t evolve into a full-fledged five-category superstar with 30-homer, 30-steal potential at his apex. The 23-year-old former top prospect put together one of the most impressive Cactus League performances in recent memory last spring to break camp in the big leagues but wound up hitting some initial turbulence at the highest level. He seemed to find his footing down the home stretch in September when he batted .300 (30-for-100) with eight homers and seven steals over his final 26 contests. There are zero questions regarding his stratospheric talent and power-speed upside. If Langford can carry over some of the momentum from last year’s sublime finish, he’s a virtual lock to finish as a top-15 outfielder for fantasy purposes. He’ll be an early-round selection this spring in all fantasy drafts, though an early-spring oblique issue is worth monitoring.

14. Oneil Cruz

PIT - OF/SS

Bats: L

Age: 26

Mixed 5x5: $25 | NL 5x5: $26

2024: SS:112 CF:23

Mixed 2026: $28 | 2027: $30

Outlook: We finally got a healthy season from Cruz last year, and it was great. Yes, there are some swing-and-miss concerns with Cruz posting a 15.7% swinging strike rate and 66% contact rate overall. However, he also crushes the ball with a 99th-percentile average exit velocity and a 15.2% barrel rate. That should always lead to better power numbers and batting average than his contact profile would suggest. It’s also interesting that Cruz lowered his fly ball rate from 37% in the first half to 30% in the second half and saw his batting average rise from .246 to .277. Given his speed and hard-hit rates, perhaps lowering the fly ball rate will help prop his average up while keeping his power ceiling to around 20 homers. Regardless, Cruz contributes in all five categories and has dual position eligibility, so he’s a great pick going around the fourth round in fantasy leagues.

15. Jazz Chisholm Jr.

NYY - OF/3B

Bats: L

Age: 27

Mixed 5x5: $24 | AL 5x5: $27

2024: CF:97 3B:45

Mixed 2026: $25 | 2027: $24

Outlook: We got a healthy season from Chisholm last year for the first time since 2021, and he produced elite fantasy stats with 24 home runs and 40 steals in 621 plate appearances. Chisholm took a more aggressive approach last year, swinging more both inside and outside of the zone, but that led to clear contact gains. He still posts below-average swinging strike rates, but in 2024 he swung enough that his strikeout rate was not overly high, and we’ve seen that work for hitters with high whiff rates in the past. His 47% pull rate plays well in Yankee Stadium, so another season of 25+ home runs with 40 steals would be likely for Chisholm if he can stay healthy. That upside, plus his presence in the middle of a strong Yankees lineup, makes him an easy top-50 pick in fantasy baseball.

16. Michael Harris II

ATL - OF

Bats: L

Age: 23

Mixed 5x5: $24 | NL 5x5: $25

2024: CF:110

Mixed 2026: $27 | 2027: $29

Outlook: Few players are more divisive than Harris. On one hand, he has some of the most power-speed upside in the league and has one or two hot streaks a year that make him seem like a potential MVP candidate. On the other hand, those hot streaks are matched by cataclysmic cold streaks where it looks like he’s swinging a bat with a hole in it. Like last season where he had a 46 wRC+ in May but 150 wRC+ in September and October. Such is life for one of the most free-swinging players in the league who still has exceptional power and athleticism. The upside remains tantalizing while the worst-case scenario is probably something like 20 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and a .260 batting average.

17. James Wood

WSH - OF

Bats: L

Age: 22

Mixed 5x5: $22 | NL 5x5: $22

2024: LF:79

Mixed 2026: $27 | 2027: $29

Outlook: Originally coming to the Nationals from the Padres as a key piece in the Juan Soto trade, Wood is a 6-foot-7 behemoth with plus-speed and elite power who rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. Those gaudy tools were on display last season where his 162 game pace would have yielded 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases with nearly an .800 OPS as a 21-year-old. Most amazingly, it didn’t feel like he was even scratching the surface of his massive potential. He didn’t pull a fly ball until the 42nd game of his career. Yes, 42 games, 177 plate appearances, and more than 700 pitches into his career before pulling a single fly ball. Funny enough, that first pulled fly ball traveled an estimated 417 feet deep into the right field stands. His pull rate climbed to about league average from that point on, but he still hit more than half of all his batted balls on the ground. That makes it even more impressive he was able to be as productive as he was. Any small adjustments, and we’re looking at a potential first-rounder next year with a floor that should offer power, speed, and a solid batting average. If you’re looking for the league’s next breakout star, Wood is a great bet.

18. Lawrence Butler

OAK - OF

Bats: L

Age: 24

Mixed 5x5: $21 | AL 5x5: $23

2024: RF:123

Mixed 2026: $22 | 2027: $23

Outlook: Butler made the leap from intriguing raw talent striking out nearly 30 percent of the time in the upper minors to a certifiable upper-echelon fantasy contributor in lightning-quick fashion last year, hitting .291 with 20 homers and 15 steals over his final 84 contests after being recalled on June 18 following a one-month exile to Triple-A Sacramento. The 24-year-old burgeoning fantasy stalwart’s emergence as the primary table-setter for a rapidly-improving lineup took place after working with A’s director of hitting Darren Bush last summer to make a couple mechanical tweaks to his swing, most notably eliminating head movement to ensure that he stays back on the ball at the point of contact, which allows him to tap into his tremendous raw power with greater frequency. Butler is still going to strike out roughly 25 percent of the time, but near-elite batted ball metrics, including a 47.7 percent hard-hit rate, point to a rising star just beginning his takeoff sequence.

19. Teoscar Hernández

LA - OF

Bats: R

Age: 32

Mixed 5x5: $19 | NL 5x5: $20

2024: LF:120 RF:60

Mixed 2026: $17 | 2027: $15

Outlook: Hernández turned in a stellar season with the Dodgers last year, batting .272 and slugging a career-high 33 homers while tying a career-high with 12 steals. The 32-year-old outfielder remains in Los Angeles on a three-year, $66 million contract, returning to one of the best lineups in baseball. Hernández has made a career out of masking his swing-and-miss with supreme batted-ball quality. It was much of the same in 2024, with a 46.7% hard-hit rate and a 14.9% barrel rate. He even showed a better eye at the plate with an 8.1% walk rate, his best since 2019. While these profiles tend to get more and more risky as they age, Hernández has shown no sign of any skill decline. His strikeout rate will bring some variance in his batting average, so it's best to expect a little regression there, but this is otherwise a solid pick for all-around production.

20. Brenton Doyle

COL - OF

Bats: R

Age: 26

Mixed 5x5: $17 | NL 5x5: $19

2024: CF:146

Mixed 2026: $12 | 2027: $6

Outlook: Doyle had a breakout season in 2024 thanks to some noticeable approach changes. The 26-year-old was a little less aggressive, chasing less out of the zone and swinging less overall. That led to fewer swinging strikes and a 10 percent decrease in strikeout rate. He also tried to pull the ball less which led to a six percent improvement in contact rate and a nearly eight percent gain in zone contact. Considering he also hits the ball hard with a 9.5 percent barrel rate, the improved approach led to significant jumps in batting average and home runs. Given Doyle’s elite home park, there’s every reason to believe he can put together another 20/30 season with a .240-.250 average while leading off for the Rockies. The team context isn’t great, but Doyle should be useful for fantasy managers in 2025.

21. Luis Robert Jr.

CWS - OF

Bats: R

Age: 27

Mixed 5x5: $15 | AL 5x5: $19

2024: CF:97

Mixed 2026: $17 | 2027: $16

Outlook: Now the face of the beleaguered White Sox franchise, Robert had a very disappointing season by his standards in 2024, slashing a cringe-inducing .224/.278/.379 while registering a career-worst strikeout rate (33.2 percent). There’s simply no one to protect him in the White Sox lineup and no reason for any opposing pitchers to give him anything to hit. He has also struggled to stay on the field, playing more than 100 games in just one of his first four full seasons. The talent is obviously there, but it may take a change of scenery for him to realize it, and the draft cost is steep given his current situation.

22. Josh Lowe

TB - OF

Bats: L

Age: 27

Mixed 5x5: $11 | AL 5x5: $16

2024: RF:78 LF:16

Mixed 2026: $9 | 2027: $9

Outlook: Lowe got off to a slow start due to injuries and played in just 106 games in 2024. Despite making marginal improvements in his chase rates, he still has an incredibly aggressive approach and swings and misses at a well-above-average clip.  Lowe tried to pull and lift the ball more in 2024, but it led to a decrease in barrel rate and more pop-ups. On top of that, he continues to struggle against lefties, slashing .222/.280/.267 with a 34% strikeout rate against them last season. All of that makes his 2023 season seem like a bit of a fluke when it comes to batting average, and Lowe should settle in to be a .250 hitter with 20 home run power and 25-30 stolen base upside, but he’ll sit against most left-handed pitchers which makes him harder to roster in weekly lineup leagues.

23. Dylan Crews

WSH - OF

Bats: R

Age: 23

Mixed 5x5: $11 | NL 5x5: $15

2024: RF:30

Mixed 2026: $16 | 2027: $19

Outlook: Crews reached the majors last August just 14 short months after the Nationals drafted him second overall. While his stats didn’t look great on the surface, the underlying skills he displayed show a player who was ready for the big leagues. He made tons of contact and found himself a bit unlucky on his batted balls despite a 90th percentile exit velocity that was in the 74th percentile of the league. His batting average should rise a good bit with a full season’s sample and could easily hit 15 to 20 home runs if he maintains a similar quality of contact. His swing decisions were solid too, as he made plenty of contact in the zone and rarely chased pitches out of it. On top of all that, he was a plus-defender and showed off his elite speed with 12 stolen bases in just 31 games. His one main flaw, as is with many other young players, was an inability to consistently lift the ball. Regardless, Crews is an incredibly well-rounded young player with a great blend of expected volume, a high floor, and upside. Something like 50 combined home runs and stolen bases wouldn’t be a surprise.

24. Jasson Domínguez

NYY - OF

Bats: B

Age: 22

Mixed 5x5: $10 | AL 5x5: $16

2024: LF:13

Mixed 2026: $15 | 2027: $17

Outlook: Domínguez is one of the most-hyped prospects in recent Yankee history. He had an impressive .314/.376/.504 slash-line in 58 minor league games in 2024 with 11 home runs and 16 steals while battling multiple injuries, including a long-term oblique injury. When Domínguez finally got a chance to play in the big leagues, the Yankees seemed hesitant to give him regular playing time, and he posted a 28.4% strikeout rate in 67 plate appearances. The 21-year-old has an aggressive approach, but he doesn’t swing and miss much for somebody with his raw power. Domínguez has all the makings of a fantasy star and a potential 20/20 player with a .250 average right away in 2025; however, the addition of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt means that he will need to play left field where he struggled in 2024. If the Yankees decide left field isn’t a natural fit for Domínguez, it could lead to fewer at-bats than we expect, which gives him a bit of risk for 2025.

25. Ian Happ

CHI - OF

Bats: B

Age: 30

Mixed 5x5: $10 | NL 5x5: $14

2024: LF:144

Mixed 2026: $8 | 2027: $6

Outlook: Happ has become a metronome. Over the last three seasons, his wRC+ has sat between 120 and 122 while never playing fewer than 153 games. He’s averaged 21 homers, 82 runs, 81 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and a .254/.348/.437 slash-line over that same span. That’s a player you can set your watch to and it’s likely Happ turns in another highly productive season. There’s even a twinge more upside with his counting stats as he’s likely to hit ahead of the newly-acquired Kyle Tucker atop the Cubs’ lineup in 2025.