Garrett Crochet was an injury-prone, unremarkable reliever for multiple years before emerging as one of baseball’s best starters last season. Joey Bart repeatedly failed to be the next Buster Posey before the Giants gave up on him and he found his stride with the Pirates. Luis García Jr. made little impact for four seasons before finally breaking through with 18 homers and 22 steals in 2024. And after over a decade in the majors, former top prospect Jurickson Profar enjoyed his best season.
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Yes, post-hype sleepers are real. And in cases like Crochet, they are spectacular. Fantasy managers tend to be impatient, which means that players can go from being a coveted prospect to waiver wire fodder in a short time frame. But every year a few post-hype sleepers offer terrific value, either as a draft-day acquisition or a free-agent addition.
Here are some players who could take a big step forward.
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Los Angeles Angels (Yahoo ADP: 257.2)
To be clear, Schanuel is my favorite post-hype sleeper in this article. He was a first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and fantasy managers would be so excited about him if he was set to debut on Opening Day. Instead, the Angels gave the youngster on-the-job training while the rest of his cohort was developing their skills away from the public eye.
Managers haven’t been impressed with Schanuel’s lack of power thus far, but he is at an age where many players are filling out physically and adding muscle to their frame. The 23-year-old has already shown excellent on-base skills and above-average speed for his position. He could become quite valuable by hitting 20 home runs.
Brandon Pfaadt, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks (Yahoo ADP: 184.3)
Pfaadt’s skills are improving, although you wouldn’t know it by the 4.71 ERA he logged last year. In his second season, the right-hander improved his strikeout and walk rates while allowing fewer barrels and a lower average exit velocity. His main problem in 2024 was timing, as his 64.5% strand rate was the second lowest among qualified pitchers. With continued growth and a reversal of luck, the 26-year-old could be a No. 3 mixed-league starter.
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Gavin Williams, SP, Cleveland Guardians (Yahoo ADP: 218.4)
A first-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Williams has yet to show his top form in the big leagues. The right-hander owns spectacular…