The 2025 season is just around the corner and Atlanta Braves fans are hopeful for a better outcome this year. There's a lot of questions to be answered in spring training but the core of this team remains one of the best in baseball.
Fantasy drafts are also beginning to take place as fans participate in leagues with their friends, hoping to win bragging rights. Everyone gets in on the action, and it can become extremely competitive. While it's easy to pick all of the big-name players available, winning in fantasy baseball depends on a carefully selected roster composed of players of all skill levels.
Let's check out some of the Atlanta Braves players fans cannot afford to miss out on during their 2025 fantasy drafts.
Here are 6 Braves players fans will regret missing out on for the 2025 fantasy baseball season
Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP
Schwellenbach should be an easy choice for any fantasy league participant to choose. No, he isn't the big name pitcher everyone hopes to snag in the early rounds, but he has a really good chance of being one of MLB's best pitchers in 2025. He proved to everyone last season that he has what it takes to be a difference maker in a big league rotation.
The former Nebraska standout pitched out of his mind last season with a 3.35 ERA over 123.2 innings with 23 walks and 127 strikeouts. Now, he could suffer from some regression later in the year since he has yet to pitch a complete MLB season. However, his low walk rate, pitch mix, and consistent strike-throwing ability make him a perfect pick for your fantasy rotation.
Austin Riley, 3B
Riley strikes out a lot which may seem like a bad thing when considering adding him to your roster. However, he is one of the most consistent bats to add, especially when it comes to a rotisserie (roto) league. Atlanta's third baseman only played 110 games last season due to injury but he's typically one of the most durable players on the team.
Should you draft him, you're almost guaranteed 25+ doubles, 30 homers, and 90+ RBI through the season. Riley is a perfect option for roto league teams and there's still value in head-to-head (H2H) leagues but his proneness to strikeouts is a negative. However, Riley is an excellent addition to any starting lineup regardless of the league.
Jurickson Profar, OF
Profar doesn't seem like he'd be a great option for fantasy teams and you'd have been right before last season. He had a breakout 2024 season with the Padres thanks to Fernando Tatis Sr. helping him adjust his swing. Profar slashed .280/.380/.459 with 76 walks and 101 strikeouts.
He also set career highs in plate appearances (668), runs (94), home runs (24), RBI (85) and wRC+ (139). The question will be if he is able to repeat this success in 2025 and be a dependable option for fantasy lineups. Regression is likely to happen except for his on-base percentage and walk rates. He has stayed fairly consistent in those areas. He is a good bench/utility option for roto leagues but in H2H, he gets on base enough to justify a starting role.
Matt Olson, 1B
Olson suffered from a down year in 2024 but is still one of the top power bats in baseball. He finished the season strong with a great month of September, including a .319/.438/.517, four homers, six doubles, 19 walks, 21 RBI, and a 165 wRC+.
He is durable and you're guaranteed Olson will start every game of the season. You'll get 20+ doubles, 30 homers, and 100 RBIs out of him. While his strikeout numbers are high like Riley's are, he will give you plenty of offensive output in a roto league. This may be the best year for fans to take a chance on Olson in their fantasy leagues as he seems to perform better in odd-numbered seasons.
Chris Sale, LHP
This is probably one of the more obvious choices on this list as Sale just won his first NL Cy Young. Health was a concern for the lefty before last season but he proved that he could remain healthy. Before last season, I'd have said skip him but with his resurgence in Atlanta, go for it.
Sale had an NL-best 18 wins, 2.38 ERA, and 225 strikeouts last season. If he can come remotely close to those numbers, you have a great chance at earning some points in your league. He is projected to have a 3.28 ERA in 2025 over 159 innings with 43 walks and 183 strikeouts. This feels like a good projection and Sale could easily blow past 183 strikeouts as long as he stays healthy.
Ronald Acuña Jr., OF
In the past, Acuña would have been a no doubt first-round choice in fantasy drafts. He still is worth taking a chance on but some fans may be cautious about adding him since there's uncertainty on how well he will perform.
Ronald's last full season ended with winning his first NL MVP. He could easily find his way back but that will be dependent on his health. There's no doubt he is worth the risk and Atlanta's slugger is projected to have a .294 average over 385 plate appearances with 17 doubles, 15 homers, 44 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. The home run numbers feel very low as he's almost guaranteed 25 homers with how hard he swings the bat.