Step into the heart of baseball's legacy with Athlon Sports, where we celebrate the game, its legends, and the thrilling new season ahead. As we navigate through nostalgic farewells to icons like Willie Mays, Pete Rose, and Rickey Henderson, we also look forward to the emergence of fresh talent ready to take the stage and charm fans. With an insightful team of seasoned writers, we’ll deliver in-depth coverage and analysis of the 2024 baseball season. Our meticulously curated content captures the fervor of the game, embracing its rich history while highlighting the statistical milestones and achievements that define each player’s journey. With fresh insights and a passionate look back at the season’s statistics, we’re dedicated to keeping you engaged with every thrilling moment on and off the field.
Athlon Sports 2025 Major League Baseball Preview
EDITOR’S NOTE
FANTASTIC FREDDIE • Freddie Freeman hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history in Game 1 of the 2024 Fall Classic. Freeman’s 10th-inning bomb sparked the Dodgers’ 4-1 series triumph over the Yankees.
CALENDAR OF THE EXTRAORDINARY • 2024 had its share of the weird, the quirky and the statistically improbable
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING • 2024 was the first time that…
15 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2025
GREATEST SHO ON EARTH • After making history with his 50-50 season, Shohei Ohtani will showcase his two-way talents once again in 2025
SUDDEN IMPACT • 10 ROOKIES WHO COULD BE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS COME PLAYOFF TIME
AMERICAN LEAGUE PREDICTIONS
Baltimore ORIOLES
Boston RED SOX
New York YANKEES
Tampa Bay RAYS
Toronto BLUE JAYS
Chicago WHITE SOX
Cleveland GUARDIANS
Detroit TIGERS
Kansas City ROYALS
Minnesota TWINS
ATHLETICS
Houston ASTROS
Los Angeles ANGELS
Seattle MARINERS
Texas RANGERS
NATIONAL LEAGUE PREDICTIONS
Atlanta BRAVES
Miami MARLINS
New York METS
Philadelphia PHILLIES
Washington NATIONALS
Chicago CUBS
Cincinnati REDS
Milwaukee BREWERS
Pittsburgh PIRATES
St. Louis CARDINALS
Arizona DIAMONDBACKS
Colorado ROCKIES
Los Angeles DODGERS
San Diego PADRES
San Francisco GIANTS
2025 FANTASY BASEBALL • Here is the Athlon Sports big board for 2025 fantasy baseball, including a Top 150, designed to balance “true talent” with current ADP trends to provide a guide for your draft. These rankings assume a 15-team standard league and chart a course for navigating the first 10 rounds of a draft. We use a standard of 20 games played for position eligibility. Let’s do this!
POSITIONAL RANKINGS
LATE-ROUND DRAFT VALUES
BREAKOUT CANDIDATES
POST-HYPE GUYS • It’s not too late for these talented but thus far underachieving players