Juan Soto, OF (WSH)
Soto had only one hit on Tuesday, but he stole his 30th base of the season, perhaps one of the most unpredictable outcomes of 2025. He is ninth in all of baseball in stolen bases, a remarkable feat for a player who entered the 2025 season averaging less than 10 stolen bases per year. Meanwhile, four more home runs would set a career high in that category, which pretty negates any possible discussion of a disappointing season. Yes, his batting average is lower than expected at .261, but Soto may finish the season as the only 30/30 player in MLB. The new speed facet to his game puts him right in the conversation for a top-3 pick in 2025, and you could make the argument he should be considered at No. 1. Whether these stolen base totals can continue with below-average sprint speed is an understandable question, but the floor is so damn high, it shouldn't really matter.
Bobby Witt Jr., SS (KC)
Witt was back in the Royals lineup after missing three games with back spasms. He didn't provide much of a boost to a Kansas City offense that was shut out by the Guardians. Witt did have a hit in four plate appearances. The superstar has gone 70 consecutive games without going hitless in back-to-back contests. His batted-ball metrics have improved this season, even though his plate discipline has slightly regressed. Still, a 20-point dip in BABIP and 2% drop in HR/FB rate has his average and home run totals in a decline, but his overall numbers are still elite. He may not reach the MVP-caliber stats he put up in 2024, but his moderate improvement year over year is an encouraging sign that we still may not have seen the best of Bobby Witt Jr.
Jonathan India, 2B (KC)
India returned from a brief stay on the injured list with a sprained left wrist providing two of the Royals' five hits in a shutout loss at Cleveland on Tuesday. The two hits raised his average to .235, but they don't really tell the whole story. They were actually two of the three weakest-hit balls by Kansas City. One single was tapped 65 miles per hour, the other at 64. Quality of contact is a consistent problem for India, and it's really exposing itself in 2025 with India making the transition from hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park to Kauffman Stadium. His BABIP is a career-low .278 and his HR/FB rate is less than half his career mark. India's lack of production, along with some budding Royals prospects, has put his playing time in question, which could be a factor in 2025, if he remains in KC.
Will Smith, C (LAD)
Smith returned to the Dodgers lineup after missing five games with a right hand contusion. He had a 106.5-mph double and a run scored in four at-bats. Boosted by career-best quality-of-contact metrics and an inflated .345 BABIP, Smith is likely to finish with the highest batting average of his career, although his other numbers are much closer to career norms. Those in OBP leagues are enjoying Smith's 15% walk rate, which combined with the very good average, has him ranked second in MLB behind only Aaron Judge in on-base percentage. That will be hard to repeat in 2026, which doesn't negate the fact that Smith continues to rank among the top fantasy catchers in the game.
Byron Buxton, OF (MIN)
Buxton looked just fine in his return from a one-game absence for a knee injury. He had a pair of hits on Tuesday and stole his 22nd base of the season. Buxton is thriving in his best and most healthy season. He has already set his career mark in home runs with 30 and there's a good chance he finishes with the most at-bats in a single season of his career. He's had his minor injuries, which even included two stints on the injured list, but whereas in previous seasons these issues could keep him out for months, they only caused him to miss a couple weeks. Furthermore, playing every day has offered Buxton the opportunity to find more of a rhythm. His barrel rate is a career-high 18.5%, which ranks in the top-10 in all of baseball, and his sprint speed is in the top-five. Perhaps Buxton pulls a Nelson Cruz and develops health and reliability in his later years. If so, he is capable of going 25/25 for several years.
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