Way Too Early Fantasy Baseball Rankings – Utility

Welcome to the Way Too Early Rankings – Outfield: National League Edition for December 2025. Here, I will go over my Top 10 at the outfield position from the National League, reviewing what we’ve seen this past season, what we’re looking for this offseason, and what we can expect in 2026. I will be doing this for every position, so get ready for the ride.

Previous Rankings

Catcher  |  First Base  |  Second Base  |  Third Base  |  Shortstop  |  Outfield Part 1  |  Outfield Part 2  |  Utility  |  Starting Pitcher Part 1  |  Starting Pitcher Part 2  |  Closers  |

Way Too Early Utility Rankings

1. Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers

Was there ever any doubt as to who would be at the top of this list? He is baseball’s best player because of his combination of hitting and pitching abilities. However, as a hitter, he provides immense value around the table. A year removed from offseason surgery on his shoulder and recovering from an elbow operation, he managed to hit 55 home runs, one more than he did a year prior. His baserunning was noticeably down, and this was purposeful, as the Dodgers didn’t want him running while he was pitching. However, if you can get 50+ home runs and 20+ steals out of your utility spot, why wouldn’t you select him first overall in drafts?

The last 5 Dodgers to hit 40 or more home runs in a season

Shohei Ohtani – 55 (2025)
Shohei Ohtani – 54 (2024)
Cody Bellinger – 47 (2019)
Adrián Beltré – 48 (2004)
Shawn Green – 42 (2002)pic.twitter.com/khpHOZAzh5

— Brad (@BradFSports) December 13, 2025

2. Kyle Schwarber – Philadelphia Phillies (8 OF appearances)

What Kyle Schwarber did last season was incredible, finishing with 56 home runs and looking unstoppable at times at the plate. He hits the ball harder than most in baseball, swings the bat with more ferocity, and does so with one of baseball’s best pulled-air rates. His only real weakness is his approach against breaking pitches, as he struggled to the tune of hitting .158 against them in 2025, which was noticeably worse than his 2024 season. What makes it even more concerning is that he saw those types of pitches 37.2% of the time, up from 32.2% of the time in 2024. This could be me nitpicking and finding a reason for potential panic, but overall, there should be very little to worry about heading into 2025, making him a reliable source for power.

Every Kyle Schwarber Home Run from the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/V4A9xx2MNw

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) December 6, 2025

3. Yordan Alvarez – Houston Astros (15 OF appearances)

If you thought I was overreacting to Schwarber’s faults, wait until you read what I think about Yordan Alvarez. First, the positives: he is one of baseball’s best pure power hitters. Heading into the 2025 season, he had hit 103 home runs with a .303 batting average over the three seasons before that, putting him firmly within the top 10 of both categories.

He was an elite four-category player, but then the injuries took over. In May 2025, he was diagnosed with inflammation in his hand, which was a misdiagnosed fracture. He would miss significant time, and then when he did return, he wound up injuring his ankle. His 2025 season finished with 198 plate appearances, marking his second-lowest career total in that respect. And while he seems to be on the path to recovery, as of this writing, he is nowhere near being 100% healthy, and the team has already announced that he will not play much in the outfield at all in 2026.

As someone with an injury history as rich as his, and a draft price in the middle of the third round, he will cost a pretty penny this year, and it’s hard to justify him there. That said, the upside is immense, and IF he can stay healthy, he should return more than enough value.

bWAR leaders of players who debuted in 2019:

Fernando Tatis Jr., 27.2
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 25.9
Yordan Alvarez, 24.3
Pete Alonso, 23.3
Will Smith, 23.0 pic.twitter.com/WNYM13xKb9

— MLB (@MLB) December 15, 2025

4. Christian Yelich – Milwaukee Brewers (19 OF appearances)

It was unclear how Christian Yelich’s body would respond to his major back surgery, but it would appear that he passed the test with flying colors. His 644 plate appearances rank near the upper echelon of time played, which is fantastic to report. Not only did he play in most Brewer games in 2025, but he did so at a high level, making him a low-end five-category contributor.

Essentially, he is someone who will help your fantasy team in all of the categories needed and will be a solid basis for you throughout the season. The only real worry here is his age associated with that body. He will be 34 years old next year, and one has to wonder how much longer he will continue to run. Chances are, he’s got at least one more season like this inside of him. All that being said, despite the successful surgery, his back problems need to be factored in when rostering him.

Only 4 players in baseball had a wRC+ > 120 and FB% < 28% in 2025

Jacob Wilson
Yandy Diaz
James Wood
Christian Yelich

Now imagine if James Wood wasn’t striking out 32% of the time 🤯

We’re talking about a 150 wRC+ player pic.twitter.com/FMe7yJHkwD

— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) December 15, 2025

5. Ivan Herrera – St. Louis Cardinals (14 C appearances, 4 OF appearances)

If Ivan Herrera could stay healthy, he might be a top 50 player in all of baseball. He’s been terrific at the plate when given the chance, hitting 19 home runs and stealing eight bases in just 107 games played last season. The problem is that the injuries started piling up, and his time away from the team was significant. Both times that he went on the Injured List lasted around one month, taking away time where he would be able to develop and hone his craft. The team has already said that he will get opportunities behind the plate this year, but the team has already developed a plan to keep his health a priority.

Ivan Herrera speaks about his elbow injury. He says he's been dealing with it for three years and will have surgery in the offseason – anticipating a month and a half recovery.

He says he believes in himself as a catcher. #stlcards pic.twitter.com/xQmkyi99Ki

— Tamar Sher (@tamar_sher) September 21, 2025

6. Marcell Ozuna – Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna started the year strong, batting .280 with 10 home runs through the first two months of the season. After that, it was revealed that he was playing through a hip injury that would need to be managed the rest of the way. He wound up hitting .199 after the ailment was revealed, and didn’t look comfortable at the plate.

His offseason conditioning will be key in determining his value for 2026. It’s unclear if surgery is needed, but as of this writing, there has been no news on his development. At age 35 next year, his best days are behind him, but if he can stay healthy, he can provide moderate power at a reasonable price.

Marcell Ozuna is a very interesting FA this offseason

Ozuna 2025 stats:
145 games
.232/.355/.400
21 HRs
.334 wOBA
.362 xwOBA
11% Barrel%
16% BB%
22% Chase%
114 wRC+
1.2 fWAR

Spotrac has him projected at around 13 Mil AAV but it will likely be lower then that. Basically a DH… pic.twitter.com/8AdPV3mi7k

— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) November 11, 2025

Quick Hits

Masataka Yoshida returned to baseball this year, albeit after a lengthy injury delay fueled by Rafael Devers’ inability to play defense in Boston. He struggled to start, but finished with a moderate .266 batting average, helped in large part by his hitting .284 over the final two months. With more consistent playing time, he could be a valuable points league addition… Bryce Eldridge is a highly touted prospect with some serious power potential. The problem is that he struck out a lot in the minor leagues, which could lead to some struggles in the majors. He should get a chance to play, but how long it takes for him to adjust to big league pitching remains to be seen… Moises Ballesteros has only hit under .280 at any level once since 2023, and that’s when he jumped up from High-A to Double-A and struggled for a bit. He can put the bat to the ball, doesn’t strike out a lot, and has good patience. The problem is that his physique and skill set are hard to tailor toward the major league level, posing challenges to the Cubs. He may thrive when traded.