Chicago Cubs Fantasy Baseball Sleepers and Breakouts
The Cubs' intriguing blend of veteran bats and breakout talent positions them to push higher in the NL Central standings.
Sleeper: Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs
With only 131 at-bats of experience at AAA, Shaw may need some time to find his stride with Chicago. He has an excellent chance of making the majors out of spring training, and his foundation skill set points to a 25/30 player early in his career. Speed at third base tends to be an advantage, highlighted by the success of Jose Ramirez in his career. Shaw has a David Wright feel while being a half-season away from hitting his stride.
Sleeper: Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
His experience last year should lead to fewer strikeouts in 2025, and Busch posted a competitive walk rate (11.1). The Cubs signed Justin Turner for depth at first and third base, suggesting a platoon role for Busch. I could see some days off against lefties when his bat scuffles at the plate.
His next step is improving with runners on base (RBI rate – 14) and being more productive at home. His average hit rate (1.772) and contact batting average (.368) with Chicago support a higher batting average and a chance at 30 home runs if given 550 at-bats. I’ll set his floor at .260/80/25/85 with minimal stolen bases.
Bargain: Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs
With 21.6% of his potential playing time lost to injuries since arriving in Chicago, Suzuki has underachieved fantasy expectations over the past three seasons. He hits the ball hard with a high average when the ball is in play. His FPGscore (1.96 – 40th) was helped last year by his increase in stolen bases (16).
The Cubs are pushing him to a higher DH role (59 games in 2024), but Suzuki wants to play in the field, creating a desire for him to get traded. I like his balanced skill set, but his injury path can’t be dismissed. To fill his draft day bucket, he must steal at least 10 bases with repeated at-bats or stay on the field for 20 more games. He is reasonably priced in the early draft season.
Breakout Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
The starting centerfield job for Chicago will be in the hands of Crow-Armstrong in 2025. His batting average should have a natural progression upward with more experience. The improvement in his approach with the Cubs was surprising, considering his previous results in the minors. His starting point this year is 15+ home runs and 40+ stolen bases, but Chicago will hit low in their batting order until his bat talks his way to a better position.
Foundation Stud: Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs
After getting traded to the Cubs in the offseason, Tucker should have the best opportunity of his career to hit in a premium spot in the batting order. His bat and approach continue to improve, and he has a home run-inducing swing path. Chicago stole 143 bases last season compared to 91 by the Houston Astros, a sign that Tucker should run more in 2025.
He is on a contract year. His stats in 2022 and 2023 ranked him as a top 10 hitter by FPGscore. Tucker looks poised to set career highs in runs and home runs with plenty of help in batting average, RBIs, and stolen bases. His ADP is in a tight range with Juan Soto and Corbin Carroll in mid-January in the NFBC.
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.