In fantasy baseball, the allure of post-hype sleepers is irresistible.
These are players who arrived with lofty expectations, stumbled out of the gate, but still possess the tantalizing tools to deliver a breakout season.
For 2025, two outfielders stand out as prime candidates to rebound and achieve the coveted 20-home run, 20-stolen base stat line: Josh Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays and Nolan Jones of the Colorado Rockies.
Both players fizzled after their initial hype, but their underlying skills suggest they could be steals in drafts this year.
Lowe’s first full season in 2023 showed you his potential, but injuries and inconsistency at the plate derailed his 2024 follow-up as a strained oblique and fractured pinkie limited him to just 106 games where he hit just .241 with diminished power and a strikeout rate of nearly 32 percent.
The stat line was solid but fell short of the hype that pegged him as a five-category contributor.
At 27, Lowe’s athleticism remains his calling card.
His sprint speed ranks in the 90th percentile, making 20 steals well within reach if he stays healthy.
The power is there too — his max exit velocity sits above 112 mph, and now that he’s playing his home games at minor league Steinbrenner Field, home runs shouldn’t be a problem.
Lowe’s issue has been contact; his 31 percent strikeout rate in 2023 screamed regression.
Yet, his minor league track record shows a hitter capable of cutting down on whiffs.
If he can get that strikeout rate closer to 25 percent, the Rays’ willingness to let him run and his spot in a sneaky-good lineup could unlock a 20/20 season.
Jones, meanwhile, arrived in Colorado with sky-high expectations after a 2022 trade from Cleveland.
The thin air of Coors Field and his raw power had fantasy managers salivating.
In 2023, he delivered 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, but a .297 batting average masked underlying concerns.
Injuries struck again in 2024, and his production cratered — three homers and five steals across 79 games with a .227 average.
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The strikeouts spiked (31 percent), and the batting average on balls in play (.289) suggested some bad luck. At 26, Jones still has the tools that made him a prospect darling.
His 6-foot-4 frame generates easy plus-power, and his 88th percentile sprint speed fuels his potential base stealing.
Coors remains a cheat code for hitters, inflating fly balls into homers and gap shots into doubles.
Jones’ plate discipline needs refinement, but his 2023 breakout wasn’t a fluke—it was a glimpse of his ceiling.
A full, healthy season could see him reclaim that 20/20 form.
Both Lowe and Jones fit the post-hype mold: tantalizing skills, a disappointing detour, and a clear path to redemption.
Fantasy managers should target them late in drafts, banking on health and opportunity.
Lowe’s speed-power combo thrives in Tampa’s aggressive system, while Jones’ Coors advantage keeps his floor high.
Neither will cost a premium after their stumbles, but both could deliver top 50 outfielder value.
In a game of upside bets, these two are worth the roll of the dice for a 20/20 payoff in 2025.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball news and advice.
