Ryan Waldschmidt

Waldschmidt is a strong target in dynasty first-year player drafts, especially relative to where he went in real life (No. 31 overall) to the Diamondbacks. He dealt with inopportune injuries as an amateur that led to him being lightly recruited in high school and playing only four games in the Cape Cod League before tearing his left ACL. He made up for as a junior for Kentucky, showcasing all the tools that matter for fantasy, including plus power, a great combination of contact ability and strong swing decisions, and improving speed that has a chance to be another plus tool. Waldschmidt slashed .333/.469/.610 with 14 home runs, 25 steals and a 16.5 percent strikeout rate in 59 games as a junior and slashed .273/.485/.318 with zero homers, four steals, 15 walks and nine strikeouts in 14 games at Single-A before a hamstring strain ended his year. He's just an OK defender in left field, but if he reaches his realistic ceiling as a hitter, he'll have no trouble playing every day. If he were to miss time again in 2025, the injury-prone tag might start to be applied, especially given how hard he plays. Read Past Outlooks