Fantasy Baseball 2025 Redraft Top 500 Rankings & Trade Value Version 2.23
Ronny Henriquez looks like a potentially elite fantasy closer. Speaking of elite from a fantasy standpoint, more on just how good Logan Gilbert has been this season. Plus more on Rafael Devers.
In this week’s Top 500 update, a breakdown of why Ronny Henriquez might be the closer moving forward in Miami, why you’ll want him on your fantasy team and a look at how effective he’s been.
Speaking of effective, Logan Gilbert has been elite in a way that few starting pitchers have been in the last few years from a bat-missing standpoint.
More on both, as well as new Giants infielder Rafael Devers, after a Top 500 that features plenty of change.
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Ronny Henriquez (#156, 46 trade value).
It would appear that we have a closer in Miami.
The Marlins have a number of solid relievers and have spread out saves and save chances to this point.
Six different Miami pitchers had logged a save, with three registering at least four each. Calvin Faucher leads the way with eight, Ronny Henriquez had five as of Thursday and Jesus Tinoco logged four. Meanwhile, Anthony Bender, Janson Junk and Freddy Tarnok each recorded one apiece.
However, Henriquez may have just set himself apart as the closer moving forward in Miami with the Marlins.
The 25-year-old has pitched to a 2.85 ERA and a 3.92 FIP in 38 appearances spanning 41 innings as of the start of play on Thursday. He’s also missed plenty in the way of bats, but more on that shortly.
The key bit here for fantasy managers is that Henriquez has four of his five saves in the last few weeks, and four of Miami’s last five.
And oh yeah, Miami has won 13 of their last 18 games in the process, something that doesn’t hurt Henriquez’s fantasy ceiling moving forward.
Something else that doesn’t hurt Henriquez’s fantasy ceiling? Some elite bat-missing metrics.
Entering play on Thursday, the right-hander ranked in the 93rd percentile or better in strikeout rate (32.6%, 93rd percentile), whiff rate (36.0%, 96th percentile) and chase rate (35.5%, 96th percentile). Opponents had managed just a .220 xBA against him.
And while the 25-year-old has struggled with walks and loud contact at times, what with a 9.1% walk rate, a 13.1% barrel rate and 1.54 home runs surrendered per nine innings on the season, his ability to miss bats at an elite rate not only helps paper over some of those mistakes, but also gives him, well, elite fantasy upside.
Among relief pitchers with at least 30 innings of work this season, just 18 pitchers have a higher strikeout rate than Henriquez.
Of that group, just Mason Miller, Josh Hader, Aroldis Chapman, Edwin Diaz, Jeff Hoffman and Andres Munoz are full-time closers.
Henriquez is a potential top-10 closer (or better) the rest of the way.
Logan Gilbert (#27, 101 trade value).
Let’s pause for a moment and talk about how good Logan Gilbert has been.
Sure, you can tell he’s been effective on the mound. What with a 3.40 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 50.1 innings spanning 10 starts this season.
But he might be decidedly better than that ERA might indicate. Of course, a 2.99 FIP tells an even better story, but it’s the bat-missing metrics in general that could have Gilbert positioned for a truly elite rest of the season from a fantasy production standpoint.
The 28-year-old, like Henriquez, has been elite at generating chase, whiffs and strikeouts.
His 33.7% chase rate sits in the 92nd percentile league-wide. His 36.9% whiff rate is in the 97th percentile league-wide and his 36.8% strikeout rate ranks in the 98th percentile in the sport.
Only 12 other pitchers rank in the 97th percentile or better in whiff rate. None of them are starters.
Dating back to 2021…
Just 21 times has a qualified starter logged a chase rate better than what Gilbert’s is currently in a full season.
Three times has a qualified starter logged a whiff rate better than what Gilbert’s is currently in a full season.
Just once has a qualified starter logged a strikeout rate better than Gilbert’s is currently in a full season.
Gilbert is a surefire top-five fantasy starter the rest of the way, with the ceiling to be even better. If you wanted to put him after only Tarik Skubal and perhaps Zack Wheeler among fantasy starters, I would have no problems with that.
Rafael Devers (#20, 106 trade value).
A quick word about Rafael Devers.
I wrote a bunch more on Devers’ long-term dynasty upside last month at the link below. And while Devers might not be in as ideal of a fantasy situation, all things considered, from a future lineup and ballpark standpoint (he’s moved down a few spots in the dynasty Top 700 as a result), the move to San Francisco might actually boost his ceiling a bit this year.
Should Devers begin to get starts at first base in San Francisco with the Giants, it could be enough to vault him up a few spots in the Top 500 for this year. He’s still going to be an elite hitter and the hitters and pitchers ranked around him are still going to be elite, but just like with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s gaining third base eligibility last year, this could be a significant fantasy development for Devers.
Beware the Open Roster Spot (Or lack thereof)
Oh and one more quick note, beware the open roster spot, or lack thereof rather, in trades.
While a two-for-one or even a three-for-one or four-for-two deal might line up from a trade value standpoint, the roster spots are worth considering. Essentially, if you’re having to cut someone, it turns into you giving up another player or players in addition to potentially the best player in the deal. It’s obviously a different story if you’re working with a flexible roster or open roster spots, but it adds another layer to deals that can potentially change the calculus of things considerably.
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