Cheap sources of RBI are often overlooked in fantasy leagues. Projecting batting orders can go a long way in finding RBI values.
It’s never too early to prepare for your draft, and some of us draft fiends are already setting our draft dates for 2025 or even drafting now.
For nearly a decade, I contributed of series of offseason features at Rotoworld breaking down category sleepers at each of the 5x5 roto categories. Over 10 weeks, I will be providing a list of sleepers for each 5x5 roto category (BA, HR, RBI, R, SB, W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV).
Before reading any further, it’s important to note the definition of a sleeper. In this case, it’s a player who will exceed draft day ADP AND projections in a particular category. The players are broken down by mixed league sleepers and single league sleepers.
Fantasy managers sometimes overlook the simplest of concepts in projecting RBI hitters and potential sleepers for the category. An analysis of past production by batting order is a great exercise to help project the leaders and breakouts in the category.
Data consistently shows that batting order spots 3-5 are the most productive for RBI. However, the RBI production isn’t just about the talent at those spots. The Book: Player the Percentages in Baseball by Tango, Lichtman, and Dolphin gives a great breakdown of RBI opportunities by spot in the batting order, albeit with data from the 2000s hitting era.
Batting order spots 3-5 see a significant increase in plate appearances with men on, as well as more runners on during those plate appearances. This is particularly important to remember in-season when you are trying to beef up on the RBI category via trade or waiver pick up.
With all these facts in mind, the list of RBI sleepers below is dependent on both hitting ability AND possible opportunity to hit 3-5 in the batting order.
JJ Bleday, OF, Athletics
The 2024 season represented a breakout year for a Bleday, the fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft. He replaced Esteury Ruiz as Oakland’s starting center fielder, and showed the power and on-base skills that he had in the minors with 20 home runs and 67 walks over 642 plate appearances. However, Bleday only netted 60 RBI as a result of hitting in more unfavorable lineups spots for about half of the year.
Bleday saw the most significant amount of playing time as the A’s No. 3 hitter, and cashed in during that time hitting .276-13-37 over 77 starts. It’s notable Bleday also saw most of that time down the stretch, seeing regular time as the team’s No. 3 hitter over the final two months. The team hasn’t made any moves this offseason to push Bleday out of that position, and the presence of on-base machine Jacob Wilson is further reason to believe Bleday will remain in the middle of the order.
Jonah Bride, 1B, Marlins
The Marlins have had a quiet offseason as they continue their rebuild, still shedding talent like Jake Burger and Jesus Luzardo. The team has a couple interesting first basemen in waiting with Deyvison De Los Santos and Agustin Ramirez, but Bride is the incumbent after finishing the 2024 season hot and hitting .276-11-39 with an .818 OPS in 71 games.
The minor league veteran is already 29, but brings momentum, particularly after a strong September. Bride spent the majority of his time hitting in the 3-5 spots for the Marlins, and should have an even stronger hold on a favorable RBI spot after the team traded Burger. With an ADP outside the top 400, Bride is a strong late-round value.
Kris Bryant, DH, Rockies
Bryant’s name evokes a bad feeling on the part of fantasy managers these days. The former MVP has been a complete bust since signing a seven-year contract with the Rockies in 2022, and now burned the team and fantasy managers in three straight seasons. His fantasy value is even more limited with UT-only eligibility in most leagues.
Despite all the reasons to avoid Bryant, he could be a sneaky late-round play. Bryant will almost certainly see regular playing time when he’s healthy, and there’s a good chance he will continue to hit in a favorable spot in the Rox batting order as he did last season. He’s heading into his age 33 season, but Coors Field has been known to prolong careers for hitters. Bryant’s ADP near 600 in NFBC Draft Champions leagues means that he’s basically a free middle of the order hitter.
Alejandro Kirk, C, Blue Jays
Kirk has been a disappointment for fantasy managers since his All-Star appearance in 2023, when he hit .285-14-63 and garnered middle of the order consideration. Since then, Kirk has mostly shared playing time with Danny Jansen and been pushed down in the batting order. However, we saw two promising trends from Kirk after Jansen was traded last season, as he saw more regular playing time and fit mostly in the 4-6 spots in the batting order.
Toronto’s quiet offseason certainly works in Kirk’s favor. So far, second baseman Andres Gimenez is the only formidable lineup addition, and he’s not a middle of the order type of hitter. Even another significant hitter addition at third base or the outfield could still allow Kirk to remain as the regular No. 5 hitter, and Kirk had 28 RBI over the last two months last season with his promotion.
Trevor Larnach, OF, Twins
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is heavy on platoons, and found a formidable left-handed left fielder last season in Larnach. He finished the season with a .771 OPS, but had 15 home runs in 51 RBI in 377 plate appearances vs. right-handed pitching. While Larnach hit mostly in the No. 2 hole, he spent the final month more in the 3-4 spots as Carlos Correa returned.
A quiet offseason for the Twins thus far gives Larnach plenty of job security, with minimal threat in left field. Minnesota has a glut of infielders to find playing time for throughout the 2025 season, but Larnach won’t be threatened as long as he’s producing. The loss of Carlos Santana also limits the number of true power options for Baldelli, who could continue to employ Larnach as a middle of the order hitter.
Michael Massey, 2B, Royals
The Royals entered the offseason focused on adding on-base skills. So far, their only significant move in that direction was acquiring Jonathan India from the Reds. India has seen most of his MLB playing time at second base, potentially threatening Massey’s playing time, but both players could see more playing time at other spots.
KC would do well to keep Massey in the lineup as one of their most potent hitters vs. right-handed pitching last season, posting a .743 OPS and 12 home runs in 290 plate appearances. While Massey hit all over the lineup, he saw more time in the No. 5 spot than any other in the Royals lineup. India’s experience as a leadoff man could give Massey more runway as the No. 5 hitter this season, at least vs. right-handed pitching. It’s also worth noting that Massey was very successful in that spot, hitting .295-8-21 in only 32 games.
LaMonte Wade, 1B, Giants
Often overlooked, Wade has mostly been a solid producer for the Giants when on the field since 2021. Over that time, he’s hit .248/.352/.415, showing plus on-base skills and occasional power. Wade enters the season as the likely starting first baseman as the Giants continue to buy time for top prospect Bryce Eldridge.
There is a major question about Wade’s lineup spot, but reason to think he will bat mostly in the middle of the order. Jung Hoo Lee should be back healthy, and was used as the primary leadoff man during his debut. Willy Adames is a power bat capable of hitting anywhere in the middle of the lineup, but hitting second between the left-handed Lee and Wade would make plenty of sense. At least in the early part of the season, Wade looks like a playable RBI and OBP find for a minimal price.
Masataka Yoshida, DH, Red Sox
After two MLB seasons, we now know what we’re getting in Yoshida. He’s shown a disappointing lack of power, but Yoshida has also hit a combined .285 with a .343 OBP. Boston’s regular DH has also seen almost all of his playing time in the 2-6 spots in the batting order.
Boston has made a lot of noise with their pitching this offseason, but the lineup looks almost the exact same as 2024. That means Yoshida should continue to hit in the middle of the order. There are some drawbacks to Yoshida with UT-only eligibility and a lack of power, but he has the batting average and RBI potential to be an easy profit with an ADP outside the top 400.
--Seth Trachtman