Been a baseball fan and player my whole life, played dynasty for 10 years. Co-host on the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast since mid-season 2023 and joined Prospects Live at the start of 2024.
A Giants fan living in San Diego, been playing fantasy baseball since 2005 and dynasty since 2021. Started the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast in June 2023 and joined Prospects Live in March of 2024.
Moving on now to the AL Central. A division which, if we’re being completely honest, just doesn’t excite us like some of the other divisions in baseball. Sure there are some star players and intriguing prospects scattered throughout the division but it might be the smallest collection of such talents in any division in the sport. Still, we’re here to take a look ahead at the 2025 season, find reason for excitement, and give you some of the players we think are good buys in fantasy baseball heading into the year.
*These notes are only current up to the recording date of the podcast episode (January 11/25)
Chicago White Sox
Lineup (Roster Resource)
C - Kory Lee
1B - Andrew Vaughn
2B - Lenyn Sosa
3B - Josh Rojas / Austin Slater
SS - Brooks Baldwin
LF - Andrew Benintendi
CF - Luis Robert Jr
RF - Mike Tauchman
DH - Miguel Vargas
*Austin Slater will not play 3B - defensive alignment will change but that is the expected platoon offensively
Rotation (Roster Resource)
SP1 - Martin Perez
SP2 - Jonathan Cannon
SP3 - Davis Martin
SP4 - Sean Burke
SP5 - Bryse Wilson
Bullpen (Roster Resource)
CL - Justin Anderson
SU - Fraser Ellard
SU - Prelander Berroa
Projected IL
N/A
Top 5 prospects (Prospects Live Top 500)
1. Noah Schultz
2. Hagen Smith
3. Colson Montgomery
4. Edgar Quero
5. Braden Montgomery
Off-season additions/subtractions
Subtractions
Garrett Crochet
Additions
Martin Perez
Josh Rojas
Mike Tauchman
Bryse Wilson
Quick thoughts
Taylor
It’s a pretty ugly roster. Nothing exciting other than Luis Robert and he’ll likely get moved. Some talent coming but I’m just not very enthused about their long term rebuild.
Kyle
Been making interesting moves, trades in particular
Have been improving as a development system, specifically pitching development
Still at least a couple years away from being even a thorn in the side of the rest of the division
MLB dynasty buy
Taylor: Bryan Ramos
Was a weird year at the plate
Started slow in AA with a .284 OPS with a 30% k rate in first 16 G and no power 0 ISO
Then got hot and had a 1.056 OPS through his next 8 games
Then got called up and held his own through 10 games with a .281 average and 8.8%K rate, but with only a .638 due to lack of walks (2.9%) and power (.063)
Then missed some time due to a quad injury
Came back and went 0-14 with 5 Ks
Was sent to Triple-A where he struggled to hit for much power with just a .625 OPS and 2 HR in his first 39 games there
Then something clicked in August
From August 1st on (25 games at AAA) he had a .949 OPS and a .240 ISO
Raised his walk rate to 11.4% (407 OBP)
Gets called to the big leagues and shows that same patience (10% walk) and power (.208 ISO) that he showed in August
EVs, bat speed, and HH was good
Randomly had an 86% sprint speed and he stole 8 bases in 88 minors games
Doesn’t chase or strikeout a lot either.
Could be a big riser this spring if he wins a job out of ST but might be hard with Rojas and Vargas thereKyle: Sean Burke
19 IP big league debut in 2024
1.42 ERA, near 30% K% but relative lack of success in the minors could lead people to believe the big league success was a small sample thing
Dropped BB% from 13% in AAA to 9% in MLB
Automated strike zone, challenges, etc. have made it more and more common for pitchers BB% to improve in the majors
Numbers will surprise a lot of people if he maintains sub 10% BB% in 2025
Plenty of runway in CHW rotation
MiLB dynasty buy
Taylor: Grant Taylor
2023 2nd round pick
Really exciting arsenal
Plus fastball
Also has an above average curveball
Slider and Cutter grade out as at least average with grades as high as 55 and 60 respectively
Changeup underwent development in AFL and now looks like a potential above average pitch according to baseball america
So we have have potentially 5 above average to plus pitches
Gets dinged for his command but had just a 2.8% walk rate last season to go with a 44.4% K rate between CPX and A ball
Just 19.1 innings and that is the issue
Was recovering from TJ when he was drafted
Made just 5 abbreviated starts of no more than 4 innings and then missed the rest of the season with a lat injury
Did pitch 4 outings in the AFL (just 7.2 IP) but struggled with a 9.39 ERA giving up 7 walks and two home runs. Also Ked 13.
Risky but lots of upside and can be had for cheap
Kyle: Hagen Smith
Don’t think he’s the 2 to Chase Burns’ 1, he’s the 1B to Burns’ 1A in this FYPD class
Burns is more conventional but not much separates their stuff/command
Funky windup, CHW landing spot push him down a bit
Been a baseball fan and player my whole life, played dynasty for 10 years. Co-host on the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast since mid-season 2023 and joined Prospects Live at the start of 2024.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
Fantasy baseball player since 2004 with a focus on dynasty since 2010 | Unfortunate Pirates fan | Writing about dynasty baseball since 2022 | Surgery helper-outer
