I am doing a series where I offer up three fantasy baseball thoughts for every MLB team. I’ll take a look at under-the-radar stats, playing time projections, projected roles, and off-season news to try and highlight the nuggets that might help you in your 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. We’ll do this thing in alphabetical order, and next up are three thoughts for the 2025 Baltimore Orioles.
3 Fantasy Baseball Thoughts for the 2025 Baltimore Orioles
Don’t Overlook Zach Eflin
While we did see Zach Eflin’s strikeout total drop from 9.42 per nine innings to 7.29 last season, it shouldn’t be held against him. That will likely decrease his price on draft day, and while you have to compensate for those strikeouts, it also presents good value.
Eflin’s ERA was 3.59 last year as he built on his success from the year prior. He continues to do a great job of limiting walks at 1.31 per innings. With 28 starts last year, you don’t have to worry about Eflin missing his turn in what was his second straight year of being a rotation stalwart.
Don’t automatically dismiss a solid and dependable pitcher over a few strikeouts. The Orioles will score runs for Eflin and he appears to have settled into a groove. Not every fantasy baseball pitcher you draft has to sit in the high-90s with prolific strikeout numbers. There are other ways to build a staff.
Ryan Mountcastle Could Clean Things Up
In the 32 games that Ryan Mountcastle hit cleanup last year, he drove in 20 runs. Over another 38 games out of the third spot in the order, Mountcastle added another 22 RBI. The Orioles will have another strong lineup this season, and the first baseman is currently slotted into the middle of Baltimore’s lineup.
Overall last year, Mountcastle hit .271 in 124 games with 13 home runs and 63 RBI. The left field adjustments to Camden Yards had a negative impact on his home run totals, but Mountcastle continues to make solid contact. Last year, his barrel rate decreased from 12.1% to 8.8%, and a resurgence could lead to Mountcastle being a solid value this year. There is some upside as shown between his .425 SLG and .455 xSLG as well. At the very least, we get a strong batting average with some RBI upside.
Don’t Overrate Adley Rutschman
There is no disputing that Adley Rutschman is one of the best catchers in baseball. He comes off the board as one of the top three to five options, but that is higher than it needs to be. We are in a new age of fantasy baseball where the catcher crop is strong and also filled with power hitters.
Rutschman will continue to bat at the top of Baltimore’s order while playing about 150 games. His batting average fell from .277 to .250 last year but the lack of strikeouts is a plus. Last season, Rutschman struck out just 16.1% of the time but his ISO fell to .140. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the catcher had just 19 home runs to go along with 79 RBI and 68 runs scored. A 6.1% barrel rate isn’t going to generate overwhelming excitement for me. That’s not worth a sixth-round pick.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.