MLB fantasy: 5 breakout candidates

Drafting proven names is great, but there's nothing more rewarding than being the person that grabs the lesser-known players before anyone else.

Here are five underrated players with league-winning potential worth targeting in your drafts:

Average draft positions are from FantasyPros as of March 4.

Lawrence Butler, Athletics - OF (ADP: 75)

Butler should be rated much higher than OF21 given how well he performed in 125 games last season. He put up 22 home runs and 18 stolen bases while maintaining solid ratios. The analytics suggest it was all legit: He ranked 73rd percentile in expected batting average, 86th in expected slugging, and 80th in average exit velocity. His 23.9% strikeout rate wasn't great, but he maintained an average 7.8% walk rate. Butler is a dynamic player with 30-30 potential, especially if the Athletics' new home park in Sacramento proves to be hitter-friendly.

Spencer Schwellenbach, Braves - SP (ADP: 93)

Schwellenbach worked to an impressive 3.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 127 strikeouts in 123 2/3 innings as a rookie in 2024. The righty excelled at generating swings and misses out of the strike zone (34.2% chase rate) but didn't fare as well working in the zone (27.4% whiff rate). His 9.2 K/9 could rise dramatically if he can generate more whiffs, especially when paired with the elite control that led him to walk just 23 batters. Young arms are volatile, but all the stats suggest Schwellenbach is no fluke and could provide serious bang for your buck in the middle rounds.

Xavier Edwards, Marlins - SS (ADP: 143)

Edwards emerged as a bright spot in the second half for an otherwise dreadful Marlins team in 2024, slashing .328/.397/.423 with 31 stolen bases, 39 runs scored, and 18 extra-base hits. The advanced data doesn't love his contact quality, but his 10.9% walk rate and 17.2 K% were both excellent. Edwards profiles as a Luis Arraez-type slap hitter with solid on-base skills and elite stolen-base potential. While he's unlikely to hit many home runs, he could be a valuable asset as a late-round pick, especially for teams built around batting average, runs, and steals.

Taj Bradley, Rays - SP (ADP: 198)

The Bradley breakout seemed to be upon us during a dominant nine-start run beginning in mid-June. He allowed just five earned runs over 55 innings during that stretch, then pitched to a dismal 10.41 ERA in August. Bradley gives up too much hard contact, ranking in just the second percentile for average exit velocity. However, his 96.4-mph fastball and strikeout potential are dream-worthy. He'll be just 24 years old this season and feels like a tweak or two away from truly breaking out. Most pitchers around Bradley's ADP don't have nearly as much upside.

Ben Joyce, Angels - RP (ADP: 239)

Joyce averaged 102.1 mph on his fastball last year. That insane heater, coupled with a nasty slider, helped him to a 2.08 ERA (203 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP over 34 2/3 innings while allowing just one home run. There's also room for him to improve on his surprisingly pedestrian 8.6 K/9 given the overpowering nature of stuff. Kenley Jansen is likely to get most of the save opportunities for the Angels but could get traded to a contender at the deadline when the team falls out of contention. Joyce could be the 2025 version of Mason Miller either way.