Outfield is one of the most difficult positions to analyze for fantasy baseball, simply based on size. There are three different outfielders for each team, making the player pool extremely large. Some leagues have five outfield slots, others have three, and fantasy baseball managers need to stay on top of the latest news and performances. Continuing with this recap series, this article provides 10 takeaways from the 2025 season for fantasy baseball managers to know about.
10 Outfield Takeaways from 2025
1) Oneil Cruz feels unlikely to ever live up to the hype
Expectations for Cruz rose even higher once many found out he would be shifting from shortstop to center field in 2025. Unfortunately, it has been more of the same. The power and speed are still obvious in Cruz’s profile and are impactful for fantasy baseball managers.
Talking about a 20/30 player being disappointing seems wrong. Despite his strong homer and stolen base totals, Cruz ranks as just the 53rd-best outfielder in fantasy according to the FanGraphs Auction Calculator (FGAC). The issue is his batting average. This season, Cruz’s average dropped to .200 as his strikeout rate remained above 30%. The hope was that Cruz’s hit tool would improve as his time in the Major Leagues expanded. However, he will now be 27 in 2026 and should not be drafted as a top 15 outfielder like he was last year.
2) You can be skeptical of sustained success, even when everybody wants to buy in: Pete Crow-Armstrong
Selling Pete Crow-Armstrong in June or July felt like a terrible decision. PCA was leading the National League MVP race, providing elite defense and great offensive production. The first half of this season, PCA hit 25 home runs and stole 27 bases.
The second half was a completely different story. PCA batted just .216 with six homers and eight steals. His poor contact rates and extremely aggressive approach caught up to him. On the season, PCA’s whiff rate ranked in the 23rd percentile, and his chase rate landed in the second percentile.
His power and speed are still excellent tools, but he projects closer to the aforementioned Oneil Cruz than he does to a reliable fantasy stud. If a player’s profile screams regression, do not be afraid to sell high and trust the data.
3) The power resurgence from Christian Yelich is anything but reliable
For years, fantasy baseball managers have been hoping and praying that Yelich’s home run totals would return. In 2025, they finally got what they had been waiting for. For the first time since 2019, Yelich cleared 30 home runs. His power resurgence once again turned Yelich into a top-10 outfielder for fantasy baseball managers.
This is likely to thrust his draft price up significantly in 2026. This may be a mistake. Yelich’s HR/FB% in 2025 was 29.6%. Yelich’s ground ball rate and average launch angle remain horrible for projecting home run totals. His pulled-air percentage ranks as one of the worst in baseball. Simply put, there is more working against Yelich than working for him. That is before we take into account that Yelich will be 34 for the 2026 season.
4) Sometimes, we can get too sucked into the hype: Jackson Merrill, Lawrence Butler
This is something that I need to take to heart. Entering 2025, Jackson Merrill and Lawrence Butler were two of my favorite players to draft. Both struggled with inconsistencies in 2025. The caution here is to avoid small samples of success while also avoiding drafting players at their ceiling.
Both Butler and Merrill broke onto the scene in 2024. Merrill found himself being drafted in the second round in most drafts following just one season of success. Injuries limited Merrill to just 115 games in which he hit a pedestrian 16 home runs. Butler stayed healthy the entire season but saw the improvements to his hit tool from 2024 regress. Both players are still young with bright futures ahead of them, but expectations were set too high for 2025.
5) Can we finally be done with Luis Robert Jr. now?
Each year, many love to say “what if.” What if Luis Robert Jr finally bounces back to what we saw in 2023? 2025 has shown us that it is time to move on. Robert played in just 110 games this season and continued to deal with durability concerns.
Stolen bases have remained the only bright spot in an otherwise abysmal profile for fantasy managers. His batting average and team context continue to be poor. The power he flashed a few years ago is showing no signs of coming back. According to FGAC, Robert ranked as the 63rd-best outfielder in fantasy. There are simply better and safer options out there for fantasy managers to target in 2026.
6) Brandon Nimmo will likely be a big-time value once again in 2026
Nimmo is not flashy. He is not the young and sexy pick that managers expect to break out. However, each and every season, Nimmo returns significant value for fantasy baseball managers.
Once again in 2025, Nimmo cleared the 20-homer mark while posting a respectable batting average, a handful of stolen bases, and solid run/RBI production. He does not produce at elite levels in any one category, but is useful in all five. This production allows him to fly under the radar during draft season. After being drafted as the 44th outfielder off the board, Nimmo finished as a top 20 outfielder. Do not be surprised if he is a value once again in 2026.
7) Balancing veteran value is a two-sided coin: Springer, Arozarena vs. Garcia and Castellanos
Sometimes, writing off veterans backfires. 2025 was a reminder of that with excellent offensive production coming from players like George Springer and Randy Arozarena. Springer was especially excellent, hitting 32 homers and batting .309 in 132 games.
Nobody saw the best season of his career coming at age 35. However, not all veterans present value. Nick Castellanos and Adolis Garcia were both drafted as top 45 outfielders during draft season, but struggled to produce. Castellanos lost his starting role, while Garcia saw his wRC+ drop to 83. 2025 has proven that taking late fliers on proven veterans can pay big-time dividends, but it is far from a guarantee to work out.
8) The only thing fantasy baseball managers can agree on is that Chandler Simpson is really fast
The jury is still out on whether or not Chandler Simpson is actually good. Yes, he maintained a batting average of .295 after being promoted while posting elite contact skills. The flip side of that is that his wRC+ is only 88, and he has yet to hit a single home run.
He does not even have a barrelled ball this season. Simpson also does not have an extra base hit against a lefty all season. All that being said, Simpson managed to steal 44 bases in just 109 games. His 600+ plate appearance pace would have been 64 stolen bases. If Simpson maintains an everyday role in 2026, his stolen bases would provide instant fantasy value. He will be a fascinating evaluation for drafters in 2026.
9) Mikey Moniak is a former first overall pick. He finally started to play like one in 2025
After being released by the Angels in March, Moniak’s Major League career seemed to be over. He landed in Colorado, worked his way into consistent playing time, and revived his career.
In 135 games, Moniak hit .270 with 24 homers and nine stolen bases. Although still below average, Moniak managed to improve both his chase and whiff rates, helping lead to his career season. Plus speed, big-time power, and plus bat speed make Moniak an enticing fantasy option. He will represent a high-risk, high-reward option for fantasy baseball managers in 2026. The one takeaway: never write off a first overall pick too soon!
10) 300 plate appearances is enough to know Roman Anthony is going to be an elite Major League baseball player
An oblique injury ended Anthony’s season prematurely, but he had already done enough to cement himself as a top fantasy option for 2026. In 71 games, Anthony quickly worked his way into the leadoff spot and hit .292 with eight homers and four stolen bases.
Anthony posted a barrel rate of 15.5% while walking over 13% of the time. Considering he has only 71 Major League games, Anthony is as safe as they come. Good power, excellent plate discipline, plus speed; he does it all. Anthony is a special player and will be a reliable fantasy asset for years to come.
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