Welcome to another edition of Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers. The first month of the season is officially in the books, and sample sizes are starting to stabilize. With each at-bat and inning pitched, a clearer picture of a player’s performance begins to form.
This series looks at some of the week’s risers and fallers from a fantasy perspective. The goal is to help with lineup and waiver wire decisions by taking a deeper look at recent player performances. With that in mind, let’s look at some Week 5 fantasy baseball risers and fallers.
Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers
Week 5 stats from 4/21-4/27
Risers
Agustin Ramirez (C/1B — MIA)
Agustin Ramirez has been tearing it up since his promotion last week. He went 9-for-23, including four doubles and four multi-hit efforts. He also popped three home runs, went 1-for-2 on the basepaths, and finished with a .490 xwOBA for the week.
Ramirez is unique in that he’s a catcher with power and speed. He swatted 25 home runs and swiped 22 bases in 548 plate appearances across Double- and Triple-A in 2024. He also showcased strong plate skills with an 11.1% walk rate and 18.6% strikeout rate in that span. Ramirez is hitting in the middle of the Marlins’ order and will log extra at-bats at first base and DH. He’s a no-brainer add in all formats, including one-catcher leagues.
Noelvi Marte (3B — CIN)
Noelvi Marte has been red-hot since his call-up on April 17. He had 15 hits across 38 at-bats in that nine-game span, including four doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI and six runs scored. Marte was also active on the basepaths, stealing three bags on four attempts, and posted a 1.230 OPS.
The sample size is small, but Marte is worth picking up in 12+ team leagues. He’s hitting in the middle of the order and brings a nice blend of pop and speed to the fantasy table with 15 HR/20 SB upside and a .277 xBA. Plus, he may have a longer playing time leash with the recent benching of Jeimer Candelario.
Jordan Beck (OF — COL)
After a short stint in the minors, Jordan Beck was brought back up and has hit the ground running. In eight games with the Rockies, Beck went 9-for-26 with five home runs, nine RBI, and a stolen base. He also smoked the ball to the tune of a 46.7% barrel and 66.7% hard-hit rate. Further, Beck’s hot play earned him a spot near the top of the order in his last four games.
Beck is worth riding in shallow leagues while he’s on a hot streak — just be mindful that the ride may be a short one. There’s a fair amount of swing-and-miss in Beck’s profile, with a 34.5% strikeout rate and a lowly 76.4% zone-contact rate on the year. Additionally, the Rockies have had a quick hook for struggling players this season, so Beck could get sent back to the minors if the hits fall off.
Andy Pages (OF — LAD)
Andy Pages piled up 13 hits, including three doubles, and contributed across the board with three home runs, six RBI, five runs scored, and a stolen base. He had four multi-hit efforts across five games and finished the week with a 1.900 OPS.
Pages is off to a solid season. He has a .277/.355/.506 slash line with a 143 wRC+ across 93 plate appearances. He makes plus contact (89.2% zone-contact) and should be good for 23-25 home runs and a .250 batting average while tossing in a handful of steals. While Pages won’t continue to rake like last week, he’s moving up the batting order and gives you cheap access to a loaded Dodgers offense. He’s a solid add in 12+ team leagues if you need help at the injury-plagued outfield position.
Fallers
Anthony Santander (OF — TOR)
Anthony Santander logged only one hit across 18 at-bats last week. It’s worth noting the hit was a long ball, but he also struck out at an ugly 38.1% clip.
After popping a career-high 44 home runs last season, Santander’s 2025 has been underwhelming. He’s slashing .179/.261/.302 with three home runs and a 65 wRC+ across 119 plate appearances. Additionally, Santander is struggling to make quality contact. He’s put up double-digit barrel rates for three consecutive seasons, so his 5.2% rate this year stands out. Santander should still push for 30 dingers on the year, but a .123 ISO (career .220) and .276 xwOBA don’t give me the warm and fuzzies.
Max Muncy (3B — LAD)
Max Muncy’s brutal season continued last week as he recorded one hit across 17 plate appearances. He still demonstrated his ability to get on base by walking at a hefty 23.5% rate, but a 29.4% strikeout rate somewhat offset that.
High strikeouts and a lack of power have defined Muncy’s 2025. His 34.4% strikeout rate this year is a career-worst mark. Also, Muncy has yet to hit a home run while registering a .062 ISO (career .242) and .526 OPS across 96 plate appearances. Fortunately for Muncy, he’s making quality contact at rates consistent with his career marks. And, outside of an uptick in his chase rate, Muncy’s plate discipline metrics align with his career levels. Hang tight with Muncy in 15-team leagues, as positive regression should be coming.
Kyren Paris (2B — LAA)
Following a torrid start to the season where he racked up five dingers and five steals across 13 games, Kyren Paris has come crashing back to earth. He has only one hit in his last 30 at-bats with a -69 wRC+ and a whopping 53.1% strikeout rate. Paris’ struggles at the plate have also cost him playing time, as he’s played in only four of the Angels’ last seven games.
Paris’ early success was partly due to a swing change and strong plate skills in his first 13 games (11.9% BB / 21.4% K). However, his plate approach has since crumbled, as Paris has a 0.0% walk rate and 53.1% strikeout rate in his subsequent 11 games. There’s no question that Paris has enticing pop and speed. But if he can’t sort things out at the plate, he could get sent to the minors for some seasoning. If you can swing it, Paris is a hold in 15-teamers to see if he can make the necessary plate adjustments. Just don’t hold for too long.
Colt Keith (2B — DET)
Following a solid 2024 season (13/7/.260), Colt Keith has put up goose eggs in home runs and steals while posting a .545 OPS across 81 plate appearances this year. Further, he played in only two of the Tigers’ six games last week.
Overall, Keith’s 2025 has not gone according to plan. He was expected to open the season as the team’s first baseman, but Spencer Torkelson’s hot play derailed that. Keith has also struggled to get much playing time at the keystone position, with Gleyber Torres playing well. The squeeze in playing time — and the fact that Keith was already sitting against lefties — has resulted in him playing in only six of Detroit’s last 12 games. If that continues, consider Keith a drop in 15-team leagues.
