Could 2025 be the year where somebody overtakes the Astros for the AL West crown? At this rate, we will believe it when we see it. However, there are several big battles on teams outside of the Astros that hold plenty of significance for the 2025 fantasy baseball season. The Athletics, in particular, could become a great spot for fantasy assets to his, considering they are playing 2025 in a Triple-A ballpark. The Mariners, Angels, and Rangers also have key battles with young players who are trying to prove they are ready for the Major Leagues. Keep reading to find out which battle each AL West team has that fantasy managers should be paying attention to in 2025.
Spring Training Battles to Watch for Fantasy
Athletics – Left Field
For a team in rebuild, the Athletics have a surprising amount of roster spots locked down already. With the young talent of guys like Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, and Shea Langeliers, there are not as many Spring Training battles as you would think. The one spot where there could be a clear battle with fantasy implications is left field. Seth Brown is back as is Miguel Andujar who both received significant playing time last year. Then, there is prospect Colby Thomas who is looking to make a name for himself along with Esteury Ruiz who is trying to revive his Major League career. There is plenty to watch with this Athletics team heading into 2025.
Neither Seth Brown nor Miguel Andujar offer much in terms of fantasy value. Brown spent part of last season in Triple-A and finished with a 91 wRC+. He has decent power but strikes out far too often and struggles against left-handed pitching. On the other side of a theoretical platoon, Andujar is far from the player he was in his rookie season. Over the past six seasons, Andujar owns an 80 wRC+ struggling to hit for much of any power. The two veterans are likely to be in consideration for the starting spot but do not hold any appeal to those in the fantasy community.
Ruiz has already gotten a couple of chances with the A’s but has struggled to make the most of them. Ruiz has failed to hit for much if any power at the Major League level and has struggled with both his plate discipline and contact skills. Ruiz’s barrel rate was surprisingly strong in a small sample last season giving some hope he could put things together in 2025. The important thing to remember is that Ruiz stole 67 bases in 132 games back in 2023. If he wins a starting job, he will become instantly fantasy-relevant.
A swing adjustment during the 2023 season helped unlock a new level of production to Colby Thomas’ game. Thomas has the power and speed combination that fantasy managers dream of. He hit 31 home runs and stole 15 bases last year, and before you say “he was playing in a hitter-friendly environment”, the A’s will be playing their home games at the same Triple-A stadium. Thomas is not a perfect prospect. His hit tool is suspect and there is a strong chance he struggles with strikeouts at the Major League level. Still, he offers far more fantasy appeal than Andujar and Brown do and he has yet to fail at the Major League level like Ruiz has. The rooting interest in this battle is for either Thomas or Ruiz to walk away victorious. That way there is some fantasy value in the A’s left fielder.
Texas Rangers – Starting Pitcher
The World Series hangover was real for the Rangers in 2024 as they failed to make the playoffs. Even still, expectations are high for the team heading into 2025. The acquisitions of Jake Burger and Joc Pederson add depth to the lineup, and the return of Jacob deGrom has many people excited. The biggest question is how the Rangers fill out their rotation. Jon Gray has been rumored to be contemplating a shift to the bullpen. Cody Bradford pitched well down the stretch for them. Then, there are the two young Vandy kids, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, who the team will consider starting.
Gray has struggled with durability throughout his career. Injuries limited him to just 19 starts last year and he is now reportedly open to moving into the bullpen. Whether or not this will happen, remains unclear, but this would certainly help open up a roster spot for one of Texas’ prospects. As a starter, Gray fits the streamer category. He can put together some masterful performances, but fantasy managers are constantly questioning whether or not they should start him. A move to the pen might not only be best for Gray but for fantasy managers as well.
Bradford was one of the bigger surprises of 2024. Entering the year Bradford was viewed as a swingman without much upside. He served in this role for the Rangers in 2023 posting great walk rates but a 5.30 ERA. These great walk rates carried over into 2024 but his ERA dropped to 3.54. He started mixing in a new curveball which seemed to help the rest of his arsenal play up. He is certainly a pitcher dependent on location as his fastball does not even average 90 mph. The ceiling is extremely low, but the Rangers could opt to play it safe and hand Bradford a rotation spot in 2025. His usage this spring is something to monitor closely.
The hope that many fantasy managers have is that Kumar Rocker can win a rotation spot this spring. Rocker looked great in three starts with the Rangers firing a high-90s fastball and a filthy slider. The lack of depth in his arsenal creates relief risk and concern moving forward, but Rocker has the upside fantasy manager chase. Leiter meanwhile was dreadful in his Major League debut last season. He made nine appearances finishing with an 8.83 ERA. Leiter has plus stuff but will need to improve his command if he wants to find success against Major League pitching. Both Leiter and Rocker offer more fantasy upside than the two veterans ahead of them on the depth chart. A big Spring Training could vault them into the Opening Day rotation.
Los Angeles Angels – Starting Pitcher
Can the Angels develop any consistency in their starting rotation? Despite rostering some of the best hitters in baseball, the Angels have continued to struggle. Much of that comes down to pitching where the team has had no success in development or through free agency. They brought in Kyle Hendricks and Yusei Kikuchi to try and solidify the rotation but there are still plenty of question marks outside of Tyler Anderson. Two spots are seemingly open and up for grabs between Caden Dana, Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, and Sam Aldegheri.
Jose Soriano made 20 starts for the Angels last season and posted solid results. He finished with a 3.54 ERA and proved capable of eating innings. Soriano relied more heavily on his hard sinker in 2024 which had great results and kept the ball in the park. The increased reliance on his sinker and decreased reliance on his four-seam fastball lowers his fantasy ceiling but makes him a better real-life pitcher. Soriano’s rotation spot is likely safe barring a catastrophic Spring Training.
This leaves one spot up for grabs with a lot of young players vying for it. Detmers has far and away the most Major League experience being with the team since 2021. Since his strong rookie season in 2022, Detmers has seen his strikeout rate increase but his ERA skyrocket. He has an arsenal filled with plus offerings but makes too many mistakes that lead to home runs. He needs to show off better command if he wants the Angels to give him another shot.
The two prospects battling are Aldegheri and Dana. Aldegheri came over from the Phillies at last year’s deadline and was quickly pushed through the Minor Leagues. Aldegheri relies heavily on deception and the use of his breaking balls, but without a very good fastball, he could struggle against Major League hitters. Dana completely skipped Triple-A last season but falls in a similar boat from the right side. He has a filthy slider that led to high strikeout rates in the Minor Leagues. However, as he progressed through the Angels’ system, his strikeout rate dropped, and he struggled with command in his brief Major League stint last year. Dana is viewed by many to have the most upside of this group, but I am still unsure if that translates to significant fantasy value.
Mariners – Third Base
The Mariners feel like one of those teams that everybody keeps waiting to take the next step. 2024 was a disappointment as the team failed to make the playoffs despite acquiring Randy Arozarena at the trade deadline. While their starting rotation appears to be one of the best in baseball, their lineup has plenty of questions entering 2025. Primarily, the questions are around the infield. JP Crawford is locked in as the starting shortstop. The team re-signed Jorge Polanco who is likely to play second base despite his struggles last season. Dylan Moore got extended playing time last year and Ryan Bliss is trying to earn his first extended playing time opportunity at the Major League level. The team also brought in Donovan Solano this offseason. With three players vying for one position, this is a battle to pay attention to.
Where are fantasy managers going to find value in this battle? The answer is likely not with Donovan Solano. Solano has spent 2024 with the Padres marking his fourth team in four seasons. He has hit for strong batting averages throughout his Major League career and that did not change last season. The issue is that Solano does not provide much upside outside of that. He has a strong hit tool but no real game power and very little speed. He has stolen four bases in the past eight seasons and has never hit more than eight home runs in a year. Solano has also appeared in 115+ games only once in his career. His defensive versatility provides value to Major League clubs but he holds very little fantasy appeal even if he wins a starting job.
Moore and Bliss both present more fantasy upside than Solano but both have their issues. Moore played in a career-high 135 games this season hitting ten homers and stealing 32 bases. Despite being 32 years old, Moore still has excellent speed and is a talented base stealer. He has also shown the ability to post strong barrel rates throughout his career and that continued in 2025. Moore’s consistent ability to pull the ball in the air should lead to better home run totals moving forward. The issue is Moore’s hit tool. Moore owns a career batting average of .206 and hit just .201 last season. High strikeout rates and high fly ball rates make it likely that Moore’s batting average woes will continue in 2025.
Bliss is in a similar position without the Major League experience. Bliss has posted elite stolen base numbers throughout the Minor Leagues. His home run totals have been surprisingly solid as well. He struggled in a small Major League stint last season and has a suspect hit tool that could cause issues for him down the road. He has the most fantasy upside of any of these three players but will need to prove himself ready of a starting role in Spring Training.
Houston Astros – Left Field
This situation changes if Alex Bregman re-signs with Houston. In the event that happens, the team has stated they plan to move Jose Altuve to left field. This obviously resolves any competition heading into Spring Training. However, that is yet to happen. Without Bregman, the team has a big hole in the outfield they are looking to fill. There are a few internal options. Chas McCormick has primarily played center field but he or Jake Meyers could shift over to left field. Both are plus defenders. If the team also brought back Ben Gamel, he could earn a starting role in Spring Training. Then, there is Shay Whitcomb who has played all over the diamond in the Minor Leagues and could force his way into a starting role with a strong Spring Training.
Chas McCormick played a critical role on the 2022 Astros team that won the World Series. His excellent defense is valued by the club and will certainly give him a shot in Spring Training. His 2024 offensive production was disappointing but it is important to remember he is just one season removed from 22 home runs and 19 stolen bases. Which McCormick will show up in Spring Training? McCormick owns a 110 career wRC+ but if he struggles in Spring Training, the team will likely move on to other options.
The player fantasy managers do not want to see win the starting job is Ben Gamel. Gamel has bounced around from team to team throughout his Major League career but posted a 117 wRC+ in 20 games with the Astros last season. Gamel runs high walk rates but does not generate much production outside of that. His home run and stolen base totals do not cut it for fantasy managers and he is likely stuck in a platoon role regardless of his Spring Training performance. Gamel offers very little fantasy value.
Whitcomb put up incredible Minor League numbers last year. His home run and stolen base totals from the Minor Leagues suggest significant fantasy appeal in his profile. The issue is that Whitcomb hit just .220 in his first Major League stint last season and has only played 11 professional games in the outfield. While his ceiling is the highest for fantasy managers, there is plenty of unknowns in his profile. He will need to prove capable of handling left field in Spring Training if he wants to get the Opening Day nod in left field.
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.
