Early 2025 Fantasy Baseball Reliever Rankings

An All-Star break tradition, here are my mostly-for-fun 2025 player rankings. I’ve done my best to list players where they’ll be 20-game eligible next year, and the free agents-to-be are listed without teams. Players with contract options for next year have an asterisk included with their team names.

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Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

Early 2025 Relief pitcher rankings

2025	Relievers	Team	2024	July
1	Emmanuel Clase	Guardians	2	1
2	Edwin Diaz	Mets	1	8
3	Jhoan Duran	Twins	7	4
4	Josh Hader	Astros	4	2
5	Devin Williams	Brewers	29	19
6	Raisel Iglesias	Braves	6	3
7	Camilo Doval	Giants	3	11
8	Ryan Helsley	Cardinals	13	6
9	Andres Munoz	Mariners	11	12
10	Felix Bautista	Orioles	NR	NR
11	David Bednar	Pirates	8	20
12	Robert Suarez	Padres	20	5
13	Mason Miller	Athletics	21	7
14	Evan Phillips	Dodgers	5	10
15	Pete Fairbanks	Rays	17	15
16	Clay Holmes		9	9
17	Kenley Jansen		16	16
18	Tanner Scott		19	27
19	Kirby Yates		114	14
20	Craig Kimbrel	Orioles*	15	13
21	Liam Hendriks	Red Sox	233	NR
22	Kyle Finnegan	Nationals	35	24
23	Carlos Estevez		31	22
24	Jordan Romano	Blue Jays	14	47
25	Alexis Diaz	Reds	12	18
26	Jeff Hoffman		63	39
27	Paul Sewald		18	17
28	A.J. Puk	Marlins	64 SP	32
29	Jose Alvarado	Phillies	23	23
30	Hunter Harvey	Royals	43	37
31	Ben Joyce	Angels	210	NR
32	Yimi Garcia		48	25
33	James McArthur	Royals	49	28
34	Scott Barlow		54	64
35	Jason Adam	Rays	40	41
36	Justin Martinez	Diamondbacks	349	74
37	Orion Kerkering	Phillies	41	43
38	Griffin Jax	Twins	22	30
39	Jason Foley	Tigers	30	21
40	David Robertson		22	35
41	Kevin Ginkel	Diamondbacks	28	38
42	Lucas Erceg	Athletics	66	49
43	Cade Smith	Guardians	165	55
44	Ryan Pressly	Astros*	42	72
45	Adbert Alzolay	Cubs	10	63
46	Jeremiah Estrada	Padres	335	48
47	Aroldis Chapman		45	34
48	Yennier Cano	Orioles	46	42
49	Trevor Megill	Brewers	25	26
50	Bryan Abreu	Astros	37	40
51	Matt Strahm		50	62
52	Michael Kopech	White Sox	47	33
53	Gregory Santos	Mariners	140	NR
54	Fernando Cruz	Reds	101	57
55	Ryan Walker	Giants	65	46
56	Alex Lange	Tigers	36	NR
57	Michael Grove	Dodgers	74	77
58	Nate Pearson	Blue Jays	181	83
59	A.J. Minter		53	59
60	Jose Leclerc		27	67
61	Abner Uribe	Brewers	58	NR
62	Colin Holderman	Pirates	102	81
63	Mark Leiter Jr.	Cubs	88	44
64	Chris Martin		44	45
65	Anthony Bender	Marlins	125	78
66	Chad Green	Blue Jays	52	31
67	Hector Neris	Cubs*	92	29
68	Prelander Berroa	White Sox	174	NR
69	Luke Weaver		257	NR
70	Dedniel Nunez	Mets	NR	NR
71	Justin Slaten	Red Sox	264	87
72	Andrew Nardi	Marlins	68	66
73	Ryne Stanek		150	36
74	Blake Treinen		163	70
75	Hunter Bigge	Cubs	NR	NR
76	Adrian Morejon	Padres	206 SP	65
77	Jaden Hill	Rockies	NR	NR
78	Robert Stephenson	Angels	26	NR
79	Yosver Zulueta	Reds	340	NR
80	Joe Jimenez	Braves	77	69

• Between the slight chance that he’ll go back to the rotation next year and the greater likelihood that he still might hurt his arm again, I’m dropping Mason Miller to 13th. I’d move him back up some if he were to get traded to a contender that would want him strictly as a long-term closer.

• The Rays being the Rays, I assume they’ll trade either Pete Fairbanks or Jason Adam this winter. Adam would move up if Fairbanks is traded, but I still have him in the 30s here because I imagine he’d be viewed as a setup man if he’s the one who gets moved. I was looking to put a third Rays reliever on the list, but couldn’t decide on one. Kevin Kelly has fine numbers and might do a fair enough job, but guys who throw 89-92 mph rarely get the ninth all to themselves. Given the mess of starting pitching they’ll have with Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen on the way back, one wonders if Rasmussen, Springs or even Zach Eflin might wind up closing at some point.

• In ranking the free agents, I’m trying to guess the likelihood that they’ll sign as closers. I’d take Jeff Hoffman over Carlos Estévez this winter, but I imagine Estévez is more likely to sign as a ninth-inning guy, even if it’s with a lesser team. David Robertson obviously doesn’t care one way or the other, so he’s lower than he’d otherwise be.

• If Ryan Pressly were a free agent, he’d be in the top 30 here, but his $14 million mutual option vests with just 11 more appearances. Unless he’d much prefer to close elsewhere, he’ll probably be back in Houston next year.

• The newly acquired Hunter Harvey gets a slight edge over incumbent James McArthur in looking at the Royals pen for 2025. I’d still rather roster McArthur for the rest of this season.

• With Kirby Yates, Robertson and José Leclerc all set to become free agents, the reliever list here is free of Rangers. That’s not to say there’s no one in the organization who could emerge as a closer, but they’ll almost surely add veterans again this winter. They do have Marc Church and Rule 5 pick Cameron Coleman as interesting relief prospects, and they might want to take a look at Jack Leiter out of the pen if he still doesn’t seem rotation ready in the first part of next year.