Major League Baseball fantasy drafts are upon us as fans prepare for another exciting season. With the new season comes the opportunity to fight for bragging rights and trophies. Everyone's eyes will be on the big-name players, but there are often undervalued players who are overlooked that can change a manager's fortunes.
These overlooked players can be a diamond in the rough for the teams who take a chance on them. The National League East has a few players that may not jump out as must-haves for your fantasy team, but certainly qualifying as game-changers. Let's examine some of those players below.
Here are 5 NL East players fans need to consider for their 2025 fantasy draft
1. Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Atlanta Braves
Chris Sale may be the ace of the Atlanta Braves staff, but there is another pitcher fans should consider snagging in their 2025 fantasy drafts. Spencer Schwellenbach burst onto the scene in 2024 and impressed everyone. His rookie season ended with a 3.35 ERA over 21 starts (123.2 IP), including 23 BB and 127 K.
He was one of just four starters last year to combine for a walk rate below 5% and a swinging strike rate above 13%. Had Paul Skenes not had the incredible debut he did, Schwellenbach would have had a strong case for NL Rookie of the Year.
The 2025 campaign will be his first full season, so it'll be interesting to see if he can handle a larger workload. However, he is a model of consistency and pounds the strike zone. He has a great pitch mix, immaculate command, and doesn't issue free passes. It'd be unwise to pass on that kind of pitcher.
2. Aaron Nola, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Nola is one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he's often undervalued when it comes to fantasy rosters. He doesn't always have the lowest ERA and he will issue walks, but Nola's value comes from the amount of innings he provides, as he's made more than 32 starts in every season since 2018 (not including the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign). That kind of durability is rare — and extremely valuable for fantasy purposes.
Last season, the Phillies standout appeared in 33 starts (199.1 IP) with a 3.57 ERA, a 3.94 FIP, 50 BB, and 197 K. His strikeout numbers were average according to his 58% K-rate on Statcast. However, he makes up for that with above-average walk (6.1%) and chase-rates (32.1%), which sat in the 80th percentile across Major League Baseball.
He is a safe value pick because he will provide strikeouts and rank among the league leaders in innings pitched. Nola should be an easy consideration for any fantasy manager's rotation as long as he remains a workhorse.
3. Brandon Nimmo, OF, New York Mets
Nimmo is known for walking (jogging, in his case) a lot, which has helped him torment the NL East for years. He's walked 70+ times a season since 2022 with an OBP above .360 in 2022 and 2023. Nimmo's OBP dropped to .327 in 2024, but he still walked 77 times.
He had a down year overall in 2024, with a .224/.327/.399 slash line, 109 wRC+, and 158 strikeouts. However, Nimmo still managed 20+ home runs and 90 RBI. He may not be a great choice for a rotisserie (roto) league, but the Mets outfielder is a beneficial choice in H2H leagues where batting average isn't a major contributing factor because of how often he gets on base.
When he is at his best, Nimmo will provide a solid baseline batting average with 25+ doubles, 20+ homers, and a 130 wRC+. He would be a solid bench or utility option for anyone's team.
4. Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Riley is often overlooked in fantasy drafts but he shouldn't be. He has "light tower power" and can provide consistent offensive production. Atlanta's third baseman will play in almost every game of the season when healthy. He only played 110 games in 2024 due to a broken hand.
If you are in a roto league, Riley is a must-have as he will have 30+ doubles, 30+ homers, 90+ RBI, and a wRC+ over 120. For H2H leagues, he's still a great choice, but his high strikeout rate is a reason to be cautious. However, the pros outweigh the cons here.
5. Luis Garcia Jr., 2B, Washington Nationals
Garcia Jr. had a breakout season in 2024 as he batted .282 with 18 homers, 22 stolen bases, 25 doubles, 70 RBI, and a 111 wRC+. He would be an excellent roto league option thanks to his impressive batting average. Garcia doesn't strike out a lot, puts the ball in play, and could be a value pick-up if he's still available later in the draft.
If you're participating in a H2H league, Garcia still has value but probably works better as a bench or utility option. His downfalls are that he doesn't walk often, has an average barrel rate, and has lower numbers against opposing southpaws.
Honorable mentions: Clay Holmes, Orion Kerkering, Mackenzie Gore, Jurickson Profar, C.J. Abrams