Skills searching for roles, 2025

We're all itching to dissect this season's early returns—heck, we've been guilty of making snap judgments ourselves (hitters | pitchers)—but it can be just as worthwhile to look at those who haven't been given an everyday shot, but have the skills to make an impact.

After all, our age-old "Draft skills, not roles" mantra pertains to in-season pickups, too. Jumping on a few of these hitters before they snag an everyday gig can pay off handsomely over the season's next five months.

Filtering out injuries, here are the non-injured hitters with <40 plate appearances (roughly 50% playing time at this point) ranked by projected BPX (min. 80) through Sunday, April 20. Our pitcher calls are a bit more subjective, focusing mostly on...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From Speculator

The last Speculator of 2026 looks back at some of our earlier calls to see how things panned out.
Sep 17 2026 3:05am
Kyle Tucker has been one of many early-round disappointments in 2026.
Sep 2 2026 3:06am
A smattering of "best hits" from our Playing Time Tomorrow series, as well as some schedule-based speculations the rest of the way.
Aug 26 2026 3:07am
After a horrific start, Jacob Lopez has turned things around this summer. We dive into how, along with several other risers/fallers this summer.
Aug 19 2026 3:06am
CJ Abrams has always had the speed, and now both his frequency and quality of contact have taken steps forward.
Aug 5 2026 3:07am

Tools