Cooper Bowman

A endgame sleeper in draft and hold leagues as a member of the Athletics early in the offseason, Bowman will probably make his big-league debut earlier than expected after the Reds snagged him in the Rule 5 draft. Bowman has at least plus speed and isn't a zero in the power department, so he could be fantasy relevant as a rookie if he were to find his way into steady playing time. A natural second baseman who can play a little bit in the outfield, Bowman had a strong run at Double-A in 2024, slashing .281/.378/.466 with 12 home runs, 35 steals, a 12.4 percent walk rate and a 20.2 percent strikeout rate in 80 games. His production slipped in his first exposure to Triple-A pitching, as he slashed .218/.284/.308 with zero home runs, eight steals and a 24.3 percent strikeout rate in 38 games in the Pacific Coast League. The Reds will likely use Bowman as a bench piece unless they're shorthanded, but he has fantasy-relevant tools and is now headed to a great home park to maximize his fringe-average power. He'll need to be kept in the majors all season, otherwise the Reds would return him to the Athletics. Read Past Outlooks