Finding great value in outfield spots during fantasy drafts can lead to big rewards at the end of the season.
The outfield is never lacking strong sleeper options, with numerous five-tool players and hitters with elite upside. These five undervalue outfielders heading into 2025 fantasy baseball draft season could be difference makers.
Wyatt Langford, OF, Rangers
Langford’s upside is well known as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, talk of 2024 Spring Training, and solid contributor in his rookie season. He finished his rookie campaign hitting .253-16-74 with 74 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 134 games, yet we can’t help but feel there was meat left on the bone at the end of the season. Part of the reason for the optimism was that he performed so much better in the second half, hitting .251-11-34 with 44 runs and 11 stolen bases in only 62 games. Some of his Statcast data also jumps off the page, including 98th percentile sprint speed, 84th percentile bat speed, and excellent defense.
Given Langford’s second half pace, as well as two spectacular offensive seasons at the University of Florida, the hope for a 30/30 season in the Rangers loaded lineup isn’t unrealistic. His rising average draft position (ADP) has reflected the upside, and yet it could still be too cheap at near 40 over the last month in NFBC leagues. The high floor and ceiling should put Langford more in line with outfielders drafted ahead of him like Jackson Merrill and Ronald Acuna Jr.
Josh Lowe, OF, Rays
Remember Lowe’s breakout season? He was a league winner for some in his 2023 breakout campaign, hitting .292-20-83 with 71 runs and 32 stolen bases in spot of a platoon situation in Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, fantasy managers who paid for that production last year got burned due in large part to injuries in 2024, as Lowe played only 106 games due to oblique and hamstring issues. In spite of the injuries, his speed was just as robust with 25 steals in 26 chances, and Lowe also showed off 10 homers.
Some will wonder who the real Josh Lowe is as we approach drafts in 2025. The minor league numbers back up the 2023 breakout campaign, including 18 home runs in 2019 at Double-A and 22 home runs in 111 games at Triple-A in 2021. Of course, there’s also real reason for concern with Lowe’s batting average after his strikeout rate increased from 25% in 2023 to 32% last season, resulting in a batting average that plunged. That’s a valid worry for Lowe, but he did hit .262 in the second half when he was healthier and will have the aid of a home park similar to Yankee Stadium (George M. Steinbrenner Field), meaning that it could be conducive to his left-handed power. Given the power and speed upside, his ADP near 160 is a bargain price.
Alec Burleson, OF, Cardinals
The Cardinals have outright botched the development of many outfielders in recent years, including Dylan Carlson and possibly Jordan Walker. Fortunately, it appears Burleson has overcome the team’s poor reputation after a breakout 2024 season in which he hit .269-21-78 with 71 runs and nine stolen bases as a regular. The real baseball numbers were less impressive (.735 OPS), though Burleson appears on a strong track offensively after a minor league career in which he hit .300/.350/.492 for his career.
For all the production last season, Burleson’s numbers appear underpriced with an ADP near 230. He also has other strong factors in his favor, including an elite 13% strikeout rate and likely very favorable lineup spot in St. Louis after hitting No. 2 for the Cardinals for much of last season. With the lack of moves in the offseason, the Cards will be counting on a repeat from Burleson this year, and the minor league track record and plate discipline reflect that possibility.
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, Giants
Signed to a six-year, $113 million contract from Korea last offseason, Lee was a relative disappointment in 37 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He hit only .262-2-8 with two steals in 158 plate appearances, showing some rust in his first time around the league. Despite the mediocre numbers, the underlying skills shined. Lee showed off contact ability that was elite of the elite, fanning only 8% of the time to result in a .278 xBA. His 79th percentile sprint speed also showed more base stealing upside, which Lee also had in Korea with five double-digit stolen base seasons.
It's also important to note that Lee batted leadoff during his rookie campaign with the Giants, and he’s expected to hit either leadoff or No. 3 in the lineup to open 2025. Either spot is extremely beneficial for his counting stats. We also shouldn’t dismiss the possibility of power after Lee hit 23 home runs and 69 extra-base hits in Korea during 2022. For all the upside Lee shows, he should be drafted well before his current ADP near 240.
Matt Wallner, OF, Twins
Wallner was a revelation late in 2023 for the Twins, hitting .249-14-41 in only 76 games. With his big power production, his price last season reflected the upside. However, fantasy managers who took the upside risk on Wallner last year were burned, as he struggled to open the season and was demoted to Triple-A in mid-April. Most lost patience with Wallner spending nearly three full months in the minors, but those who were patience were eventually rewarded.
Wallner finished out the final two months hitting .282-12-33 with 25 runs in 62 games, showing off the big power that put him on the map in his rookie season. His MLB numbers over three seasons now reflect a full MLB campaign with 580 plate appearances and an impressive .251-29-88 with 72 runs scored. The big concern is streakiness, as we saw last season, with Wallner’s career 35% strikeout rate, and the possibility of an early slump. Yet, Wallner has been hitting leadoff early in Spring Training and presents Kyle Schwarber-like upside with an ADP about 200 picks later.
--Seth Trachtman
You can find fantasy baseball analysis in the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Index Draft Kit and Fantasy Baseball Index magazine.