Dave Funnell continues his series looking at the injury history and risk position by position. This week, he once again digs into the injury concerns at the outfield position, this time digging deeper at the position. For more injury analysis make sure to follow Dave on Twitter @sportz_nutt51.
When assessing the future stats of a player, it’s imperative to consider player health and injury risk when speculating on playing time. After all, getting onto the field and being given a chance to succeed only happens if the player is healthy enough. That’s why looking at a player’s track record of health gives credence to whether someone is worth drafting. A fantasy team could have all the talent in the world, but if they’re on your Injured List or bench, they lose a ton of value.
We are moving toward draft season, and all eyes will be on the top players at each position. Knowing of any inherent risk to drafting someone can help teams in the long run. That’s why going through the examinations of injury risk is important for roster construction. The following will be the Injury History of the top players at every position with special notes on their healthy or troubled pasts. Seeing trends in their health could help determine any future problems.
The players listed below will be separated into one of three categories: red light, yellow light, green light. The timeframe that will be examined will primarily be from 2021 to 2023, though looking into the distant past might also take place.
Red Light: any players listed here have an extensive and/or concerning injury history that seems likely to come into play in the future. The potential for injury outweighs their production on the field and their selection could lead to roster problems down the line. The reoccurrence of a particular injury or multiple injuries also creates the need for a red light. Fantasy owners should be wary of drafting these players because the risk of injury is high.
Yellow Light: any players listed here have had their injury problems before, but they’re not necessarily prone to injury. These players here have situations to monitor, especially during the off-season and Spring Training, but it’s not necessarily as bleak as it could be. The types of injuries could also be freakish or due to bad luck with events leading to it being out of the ordinary. Fantasy owners should be aware of the injury history, but know the possibility for health is there too.
Green Light: any players listed here have had minimal problems and their future doesn’t appear to be in any jeopardy. There is nothing from their past that would indicate an injury-prone future. While injuries could happen at any time, there are no red flags in this player’s history to suggest it will lead to another one. Fantasy owners can feel safe in drafting these players.
Things to remember:
- The players listed are in the general order from which they are being drafted.
- The level of confidence has to do with their health and nothing to do with their abilities on the field.
- A player’s injured past is not a direct indication that they will get injured in the future.
- Pitchers tend to be more prone to getting injured as opposed to hitters, especially with long-term injuries.
- The minimum time away on the Injured List is ten days for hitters and fifteen days for pitchers.
2025 Injury Risk in the Outfield
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong – Chicago Cubs
2024 – 123 games played, 372 at-bats, 410 plate appearances
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a successful 2024 season with the Cubs, showing an ability to remain on the field despite some offensive deficiencies. Throughout his Minor League career, he was also quite healthy, though in 2021 he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The injury took place when the shoulder was jammed up when he slid into third base. Other than that, he’s been a pretty stable source of playing time, and his defensive abilities could keep him in the Cubs’ lineup even if his bat isn’t good enough. Draft with confidence.
2. Ian Happ – Chicago Cubs
2024 – 153 games played, 569 at-bats, 657 plate appearances
Ian Happ has only been placed on the Injured List once in his career, and that was for bruised ribs on a collision with a teammate. Otherwise, he has been incredibly durable and reliable and remains a fixture within the Cubs lineup for 2025. Draft with confidence.
3. Dylan Crews – Washington Nationals
2024 – 31 games played, 119 at-bats, 132 plate appearances
Dylan Crews has had a pretty healthy career both in the Minor Leagues and Major Leagues. Draft with confidence.
4. Randy Arozarena – Seattle Mariners
2024 – 154 games played, 54 at-bats, 648 plate appearances
Randy Arozarena has had a relatively healthy Injury History since the shortened 2020 season. In that timeframe, he has only missed games due to illnesses (twice) and a minor quad ailment. Otherwise, he remains a steady source of playing time in a Mariners lineup that needs all the help it can get. Draft with confidence.
5. Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels
2024 – 29 games played, 109 at-bats, 126 plate appearances
There was a time when Mike Trout was one of the most consistent players in baseball. However, since the start of the 2021 season, the 11-time All-Star has played in just 266 games and is now known as one of the most injury-prone players in the game. In that time, he has gone on the Injured List five times, with three of them extending into 60+ days. He is a frustrating player to own in fantasy because when he is on the field, he still performs at an elite level. That being said, it’s getting him onto the field that has been a problem. He will be 34 years old this August, and time is running out for him to return to the form that has made him one of the all-time greats of the game. Draft with caution.
6. Steven Kwan – Cleveland Guardians
2024 – 122 games played, 480 at-bats, 540 plate appearances
Steven Kwan’s breakout last season wasn’t without its bumps in the road, as he went on the Injured List twice in 2024 for various ailments. His 122 games played were by far his lowest total to date, but his 2025 season doesn’t have many concerns. Something of note, though, is that he did have hamstring problems in the Minor Leagues, leading to a trip on the Injured List. However, that was years ago, and it is not much of a worry now. Just something to keep in your back pocket if it happens again in 2025. Draft with confidence.
7. Jasson Dominguez – New York Yankees
2024 – 18 games played, 56 at-bats, 67 plate appearances
As good as Jasson Dominguez is and should be, his career has been derailed due to injuries. After tearing his UCL following a brief debut with the Yankees, he then suffered an oblique strain, costing him additional time. The hope is that he can push through these injuries and cement his legacy on the field rather than tarnish it because of missed time. He should see close to everyday playing time this season in a loaded Yankees roster, but his injury history is too big to ignore. Draft with attention.
8. Adolis Garcia – Texas Rangers
2024 – 154 games, 580 at-bats, 637 plate appearances
Adolis Garcia has been a steady force in the lineup with the Rangers for quite a while. He has played in 607 games since the start of the 2021 season, making him a very reliable player. By the end of the season, he suffered a left patellar injury in the playoffs, causing some concern about his availability to start the 2025 season. Luckily, all seems to be well so far, as he looks to put last year behind him. Keep in mind that he will be 32 years old this season, making it entirely possible that his knee problems could return. Still, he’s been too reliable to punish him on this. Draft with confidence.
9. Josh Lowe – Tampa Bay Rays
2024 – 106 games played, 353 at-bats, 387 plate appearances
Last season was the first time we have seen Josh Lowe struggle to remain healthy since being called up to the Major Leagues. He suffered an oblique injury in March and went on the Injured List as a result. Later in the season, he reinjured himself, costing himself a ton of playing time. That said, those injuries do not garner much long-term worry, as they can be tricky to overcome but have minimal long-standing effects. Despite the Minor League shoulder surgery many years ago, he’s still a safe bet to stay healthy. Draft with confidence.
10. Colton Cowser – Baltimore Orioles
2024 – 153 games played, 499 at-bats, 561 plate appearances
Colton Cowser evolved into an everyday player for the Orioles last year. He suffered a fractured hand but is expected to be ready for Opening Day and be fully healthy. Draft with confidence.
11. Tommy Edman – Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 – 37 games played, 139 at-bats, 153 plate appearances
At this time last year, it was revealed that Tommy Edman had a secret wrist surgery that not many people knew about, leading to a recovery time that was to be determined. His return got delayed multiple times, and it ultimately cost him his job in St. Louis as he was traded to the Dodgers in the summer. He played incredibly well in his limited time there and should continue to do so in 2025. Draft with confidence.
12. Lane Thomas – Cleveland Guardians
2024 – 130 games played, 472 at-bats, 528 plate appearances
Lane Thomas has suffered two major injuries over his six years as a Major League player. A fractured wrist and a sprained MCL have both kept him out of the lineup for an extended period, though with each one, he was able to bounce back. He seems like a rather safe player to draft because of his health, but his talent on the field in the second half of 2025 is another story altogether. Draft with confidence.
13. Ceddanne Rafaela – Boston Red Sox
14. Nick Castellanos – Philadelphia Phillies
2024 – 162 games played, 606 at-bats, 659 plate appearances
Nick Castellanos has done well these past two seasons to stay healthy and on the field. Before that, he had some trips to the Injured List for elbow and oblique problems. That said, through twelve seasons in baseball, he has seven years where he has played in at least 148 games. In addition, he played all 60 games in the pandemic-shortened season. Draft with confidence.
15. Parker Meadows – Detroit Tigers
2024 – 82 games played, 270 at-bats, 298 plate appearances
Parker Meadows has had a relatively healthy career despite missing almost one month with a hamstring issue last season. He has started Spring Training with an injury to his upper arm, as he has inflammation that has required an MRI. His Opening Day status is unknown at this time. Draft with attention.
16. Brandon Nimmo – New York Mets
2024 – 151 games played, 571 at-bats, 663 plate appearances
Brandon Nimmo has done well to overcome early-career injuries by posting three straight 151+ games played seasons. The issue with them is that over the past two seasons, he has finished the year injured, causing for some distress in the offseason and not allowing him to have a normal winter. This year specifically, he is apparently coming into camp with a lingering plantar fasciitis issue that could limit him once the season starts. There have been no reports of him missing time to start the season, but he will likely play during Spring Training, and this is the type of injury that has reappeared in other players. Draft with attention.
17. Taylor Ward – Los Angeles Angels
2024 – 156 games played, 585 at-bats, 663 plate appearances
After a tumultuous 2023 season that ended early due to a pitch to the face, Taylor Ward returned in 2024 and finished close to a full season’s worth of games. His injury history isn’t substantial enough to worry about. Draft with confidence.
18. Victor Robles – Seattle Mariners
2024 – 91 games played, 254 at-bats, 295 plate appearances
Victor Robles has had his fair share of opportunities to succeed in his career, and injuries haven’t always been his problem. Dealing with this health, he had a major back injury in 2023 but otherwise has been able to stay relatively healthy for the most part. He’s had some minor bumps and bruises and has needed time to nurse a hamstring and ankle injury, but through eight years, it’s not injuries that have made him a big disappointment. Draft with confidence.
19. Tyler O’Neill – Baltimore Orioles
2024 – 113 games played, 411 at-bats, 473 plate appearances
There have never been questions about Tyler O’Neill’s talents when he’s healthy. The question of when comes into play in a big way, as he has only surpassed 100 games played twice. Granted, that did happen last season in his first year out of St. Louis, where he was very unhappy, so there is the human element to his performance. That being said, he was on the Injured List three times, reaffirming the concerns about him being injury-prone. Draft with caution.
20. Kerry Carpenter – Detroit Tigers
2024 – 87 games played, 264 at-bats, 296 plate appearances
Kerry Carpenter will be 27 this season with three seasons under his belt and three trips to the Injured List. The concerning part of his injury history is that he’s missed time twice for a lumbar spine issue that has cost him months of playing time and development. The hope is that this is not a chronic situation, as we have seen from around the league how devastating and persistent back issues can be. Draft with caution.
21. Heliot Ramos – San Francisco Giants
2024 – 121 games played, 475 at-bats, 518 plate appearances
Despite his success in 2024, Heliot Ramos does come with a bit of worry. Sure, he’s been on the Injured List just once over his three seasons as a Giant, but digging deeper, you’ll see some problems with his Minor League injury history. Over his professional career, he has missed time due to a concussion, a sprained LCL, a left oblique strain, a left leg infection, and another left oblique strain. While the good news is that as a Major League player, he has missed time once for an oblique strain, his Minor League track record is too big to ignore. Keep this in mind when considering your options later in drafts. His Opening Day status is in jeopardy with another oblique injury. Draft with attention.
22. Jurickson Profar – Atlanta Braves
2024 – 158 games played, 564 at-bats, 668 plate appearances
Jurickson Profar had injury problems to begin his career, but since 2020, he has missed time for Covid-19 problems and a concussion. He has done well to stay on the field. Draft with confidence.
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.
