MLB's 2025 rookie class features several potential stars
While some dynamic prospects are set to break spring camp, the pace at which bankable fantasy prospects debut in 2025 will ease compared to the previous two seasons. The depth of the ’25 rookie class isn’t strong. However, there are several interesting prospects with direct paths to playing time.
Since playing time has a huge impact on our rankings, the rookies appearing here are players we believe will have greater opportunities to produce and even break camp with prominent roles for their respective clubs.
This year’s most impactful rookies:
1. OF Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals: The second overall pick from the 2023 draft earned a late-season callup last season. Crews, 23, slashed .219/.288/.353 with 3 home runs in 119 at-bats. While the overall results weren’t impressive, he was squaring up pitches at a high rate while also flashing five above-average-or-better tools, including double-plus speed. Crews produces exit velocities on par with some of the best home run hitters in the game. However, it’s mostly line drive contact.
2. OF Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees: Dominguez debuted in 2023 but missed half of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, which required Tommy John surgery. Healthy, Dominguez, 22, had another late-season cup of coffee after scorching the upper minors. A switch-hitter, Dominguez combines a power tool with hitability, specifically from the left side of the plate. He’s also a plus runner who should contribute well to the stolen base category.
3. 3B Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs: With Isaac Paredes moving to the Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal, the Cubs opened a spot in the infield for Shaw. Slowed by an oblique injury and likely to miss opening day, Shaw, 23, is expected to hold down third base for the Cubs. A high-floor prospect, Shaw has average-to-above-average tools across the board. He works counts and piles up walks. On the bases, plus instincts play up an above-average run tool.
4. RHP Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers: The biggest international free agent signing of the off-season, Sasaki, 23, is not considered a finished project like nearly every Far East import. Sasaki has three plus pitches. His fastball sits in the high 90s with plus movement and his best pitch is a splitter. Sasaki also features a vertical slider that flashes plus, and an average curveball. He also possesses plus command.
5. RHP Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates: Drafted as a two-way prospect after a storied two-sport career in high school, Chandler continues to excel as a full-time pitcher. Chandler, 22, has a double-plus fastball, sitting in the high 90s. A potentially plus changeup has taken a step forward with improved overall command. He also throws a late biting slider with big whiff potential and a get-over curveball to steal strikes.
6. 2B Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox: He was drafted as a contact-oriented prospect out of college. swing change last spring unlocked a fury of bat speed for Campbell, transforming a fringe projection into a potential All-Star contributor. Campbell, 22, performed across three levels, slashing .330/.439/.558. His underlying data got better as he moved levels from high-A to Class AAA. There’s 20-steal potential here, too.
7. OF Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox: Anthony is the top position prospect in baseball. After a slow start to full-season ball, Anthony, 20, has destroyed minor league pitching, showcasing a plus hit tool and a budding, double-plus power tool along the way. While big time power is projected, the present power is considered average. An average runner, Anthony has a shot for double-digit stolen base production.
8. 2B Christian Moore, Los Angeles Angels: Drafted eighth overall by the Angels in the 2024 draft, Moore, 22, flirted with a big league call-up late in the season after a monster collegiate and pro debut. At its best, this is an above-average power bat with a chance at maintaining a respectable batting average. However, swing decisions, especially with fastballs up and breakers away, likely cap the hit tool.
9. RHP Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers: Jobe made his big-league debut last season during the last week of the season as a reliever. While his upside is greater than Chandler’s, his opportunity for 2025 innings isn’t as great. Jobe, 22, has four pitches that are projected as plus to go along with present above average control. His high 90s fastball is electric, and his low 80s sweeper is potentially elite.
10. 1B Deyvison De Los Santos, Miami Marlins: Acquired in the AJ Puk trade with Arizona last July, De Los Santos is a power hitting monster. He hit 40 homers across Class AA and AAA last season, leading the minor leagues. De Los Santos, 21, is an uber-aggressive hitter. Power will carry the profile, likely with a low BA and OBP.
11. SS Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks: Lawlar has struggled to stay healthy in his pro career. After making his big-league debut in 2023, he only logged 23 games at the minor league level in 2024. When healthy, Lawlar, 22, showcases double-plus speed, a plus-hit tool and a potentially above average power tool, which carries the profile.
12. SS Jacob Wilson, Athletics: Wilson, a career .401 hitter as a minor leaguer, struggled during a late season call-up last season. The son of former MLB All-Star Jack, Wilson, 22, is a contact over power prospect. He is a spray hitter, who parlays a high contact rate into a batting average-dependent profile in most formats.
13. UT Will Wagner, Toronto Blue Jays: Wagner made his big-league debut last season after being acquired from Houston in a Yusei Kikuchi deal. The son of Hall of Fame pitcher Billy, Wagner, 26, is highly regarded as an on-base machine. However, he lacks the carry power skills to be an offensive force outside of OBP formats.
14. C Agustin Ramirez, Miami Marlins: Ramirez, acquired in the Jazz Chisholm deal with New York last July, is an offensively skilled catcher who is on the cusp of a big-league debut. Ramirez, 23, slashed .267/.358/.447 across upper-level affiliates last season. He makes good swing decisions, which will likely keep him above water upon his big league debut this season.
15. RHP Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds: On the surface, Lowder’s debut was sparkling. However, peripheral stats indicate that his 1.17 ERA in 30 ⅔ IP was a bit of a fluke. Lowder, 23, has struggled with an elbow issue during spring training. When healthy, he mixes and matches three above average pitches with plus command to keep hitters off-balance.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB rookies 2025: Top prospects who will make fantasy baseball impact
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