Isaac Paredes hits for the Tampa Bay Rays, CC by Liscense 2.0
As the New Year approaches, the start of the baseball season is fast approaching. In less than 40 days, pitchers and catchers will report to their respective spring training facilities to begin the baseball season. Meanwhile, free agency is looming large, with some notable big names still unsigned. However, most of the league’s rosters are starting to take shape is to make some predictions for 2025. Here, I’ll look at three players I expect to improve on their seasons from last year.
Isaac Paredes, 3B, Houston Astros, 25
Paredes has one of my favorite spray charts in the entire league, consistently getting balls in the air to the stretch side, which is evident by the number of balls he hits right at the foul line in which he hit 31 home runs for the Rays despite having an expected home run of 23.8 parks benefit from different types of hitters, and Paredes’ move to the Cubs and Wrigley Field may partly explain the drop in production in 2024. The ball hit the left field corner in 2024. It only took 316 feet to clear the wall , where at Wrigley it must go 356 feet. His unique skill set, which he has shown to excel at, just wasn’t a good fit for Wrigley and The Cubs. However, he will now play half of his games at the newly named Daikin Park for the Houston Astros, and I expect him to return to his form in 2023. Like the Tropicana, Daikin Park is just 315 feet from left field, with the Crawford Boxes sitting high and invites right-handed hitters to hit their way. Few hitters pull the ball in the air like Paredes. Even in a down year, his 51.9 strikeout rate is paired with a 29.3% fly ball rate is, and Paredes is able to hustle and hit for power despite his 68.2 mph fastball, a number that is roughly 4 mph slower than league average. The move seems to make a lot of sense for all parties involved and I think Paredes is a match made in heaven for the Astros home park In his 2023 form, with significant potential for him to improve on those numbers as he is only 25 years old.
Brent Rucker, LF, Athletics, 30
Brent Rucker’s spray chart is a little less extreme than Paredes’, but he still showed a high level of ability to get the ball up the stretch. Rucker is coming off an extremely successful 2024 campaign in which he shined a light on an otherwise depressing past for the Athletics in Oakland. On the season, he hit 39 home runs last year .293/.365/.562, quietly putting together one of the best seasons in the league.At age 30, Rooker has really stepped up this past year, and I expect him to build on that campaign in 2025. The Athletics will move on Sacramento after playing their final season in the historic Coliseum last year.. Although Rucker won’t get the same boost in size change as Paredes’ 34.3 fly ball percentage is encouraging for his ability to sustain success from 2024. He posted an above-average 73.7 and pulled the ball 40.5 percent percentage, Rooker should be able to eclipse the 40 home run mark in 2025. If he played for the Brewers in 2024 Statcast projected him to hit 48 home runs, so it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers, 31
After missing the 2023 season with a knee injury and related surgery, Hoskins bounced back in 2024 with a decline compared to his performances in Philadelphia. 26 in his first year with the Brewers.Most of this drop in production could attributed to rehab and recovery from knee surgery. I’m optimistic he’ll be able to return to form in 2025. Under the hood, his 52.6 percent was tied for the top in the league In terms of pure power, both his average and maximum exit velocities are down several times From 2022, though again I hope these numbers bounce back after another year of rehab and rebuilding.His bat speed was below average at 71.2 mph last season, but when combined with his ability to consistently pull the ball in the air, he can If his recovery remains smooth and he can return to his 2022 exit velocity, the 31-year-old could Bring back the season in 2025.
