Vets on the move - March 24th, 2025

Willy Adames landed in San Fransisco, signing a seven-year deal this offseason. The 29-year-old bounced back in 2024 after a career-worst 2023 campaign. He hit .217 with a 94 wRC+ and 24 homers in '23. Last season, he hit .251 with a 119 wRC+ and tallied 32 homers and 110 RBIs (both career highs). Adames has been scorching with his new team in spring training, slashing a ridiculous .364/.429/.614 with three homers across 49 plate appearances. His new home ballpark in SF isn't as kind to right-handed power bats, which knocks his value a bit, but he is going as the 10th SS off the board right now. Adames is solid value there.

After spending his first eight major league seasons in Baltimore, Anthony Santander signed a five-year deal with the Blue Jays this offseason. He's been swinging a hot bat this spring (.286/.400/.405) and will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs hitting in the middle of a talented Jays offense this year. Don't expect much for average and on-base stuff from Santander (.235 AVG and .301 OBP in '24), but he has smacked 105 homers since 2022, which ranks 6th in the league over that span. 

Jack Flaherty is back in Detroit after making a quick pit stop in LA to collect a World Series ring last season. He has had control issues and trouble staying healthy in the past, but he shook those bugaboos to turn in a fantastic 2024 campaign. Across 28 starts between Detroit and LA, Flaherty tallied a career-high 13 wins with a 3.17 ERA and 3.00 xFIP. He ditched his cutter and was able to command the strike zone, owning a career-best 2.11 BB/9. If Flaherty stays healthy, we will see much of the same in 2025. He's the 38th starter going off the board right now; the 29-year-old is absolutely worth it in that range.

Paul Goldschmidt is coming off a career-worst season, but new scenery in a hitter-friendly ballpark makes him a candidate for a bounceback campaign. He is getting long in the tooth (37), but with his pedigree, it wouldn't be a surprise if he makes a resurgence in New York. His 2024 numbers are concerning, of course, particularly the career-high 26.5% K% and career-low 7.2% BB%. Goldy has looked refreshed and focused in Spring Training, slashing .294/.385/.647 with three dingers. There is no telling what kind of Paul Goldschmidt we will see this season, but as the 16th first baseman off the board, it doesn't cost too much to find out. 

After four successful seasons out of the pen, Clay Holmes will move into the rotation with his new team in 2025. The results thus far in Spring Training have been impressive. In his first five starts with the Mets, he owns a microscopic .93 ERA and a hefty 10.71 K/9. It's tough to project how Holmes will handle the rigors of an entire season in the rotation. The 31-year-old has started just four games in his seven-year big league career, all of which came in his rookie season.

Nester Cortes has moved to Milwaukee to join the always-solid Brewers rotation. The 30-year-old made improvements last season after a highly disappointing 2023 campaign that was riddled with injuries. Cortes isn't the most tantalizing pitcher by any means; he pitches to contact but doesn't walk many. Cortes is on my radar simply because he is out of New York; getting the chance to pitch in a more pitcher-friendly ballpark is always helpful, especially for a pitcher who doesn't rely on strikeouts.

Josh Naylor has come over to the Diamondbacks to fill the void at first base with Christian Walker's departure. With a career-low 17.1% LD%, Naylor's average took a significant dip (career-low .243) last season. However, he did register career-highs in homers (31), ISO (.213), and RBI (108). Naylor doesn't strike out a lot (16.6% K%) but will have to figure out his launch angle to achieve a balance between power and average. He owned a 30.1% LA Sweet Spot% in 2024, ranking in the 11th percentile. The new ballpark should also boost Naylor, as Arizona is a more favorable home field than Cleveland. 

Tyler O'Neill had a resurgent season with Boston last season but still struggled to stay healthy. He hit 31 homers but played in just 113 games in 2024. Now, with Baltimore, O'Neill brings a right-handed power bat to a left-hand heavy lineup. With a 34.1% Whiff% and 33.6% K%, the 29-year-old continued his aggressive approach at the plate last season. However, he did post a career-high 11.2% BB% as well. His ceiling remains incredibly high as his thump is undeniable. O'Neill ranked in the 98th percentile in Barrel% (17.3%) and the 90th percentile in Hard-Hit% (48.8%) in 2024. 

I liked Nolan Jones' potential with the prospect of 81 games at Coors Field in 2025. Now that he has been traded to Cleveland, that excitement is gone. Without the Coors Field handicap, he hasn't proved himself nearly enough to be considered in most formats. Jones' rough Spring Training doesn't help matters. He's slashing .234/.280/.298 with zero homers across 50 plate appearances thus far. 

After playing very little over the past two seasons in LA, Walker Buehler is taking his talents to Boston. At 30 years old and with a propensity for injury, it's hard to get too high on Buehler's 2025 outlook. Still, as the 68th SP going in drafts, it's not that risky to take a shot on him. He owns a career 3.27 ERA and has pitched very well this spring (10.0 IP, 1.80 ERA). Buehler will be an absolute steal in 2025 fantasy drafts if he can stay fit.

At 42 and coming off his worst season, Justin Verlander joined the Giants in the offseason. He battled injuries and posted a career-worst 5.48 ERA and 7.37 K/9 across 90.1 2024 innings. As I said last year, it's hard to bet against Verlander, but the stats from '24 are undoubtedly alarming. His 21.3% Whiff% ranked in the 15th percentile, and his 18.7% K% ranked in the 12th. Verlander's power strikeout days have passed, which makes his 28.7% GB% (1st percentile) from 2024 all the more concerning. 

Max Scherzer is another aging ace who found a new team in the offseason. It's difficult to bet on a 40-year-old pitcher after an offseason back surgery, but Scherzer has been mighty impressive this spring. Across four starts (13 IP), he owns a 12.46 K/9 and .69 BB/9 with a 1.38 ERA. His body isn't what it once was, but Mad Max is the definition of a gamer and shouldn't be doubted. I'm not afraid to trust his resume, with his current ADP being 278.

Andres Gimenez's bat has been on display with his new team this spring. The Blue Jays knew they got a fantastic glove at 2nd base in the offseason but with a .295/.392/.568 slash line in 51 plate appearances in Spring Training, Gimenez is flashing more than just leather. He's unlikely to keep it up, but at 26, Gimenez is still working his way into his prime and could be ready for a breakout offensively. He's displayed a mix of power and speed (17 HR in '22 and 30 SB in '23 and '24), which is always tantalizing in fantasy.