Fantasy Baseball Second Base Draft Steal Candidates for 2025: Brendan Donovan, Matt McLain, Andres Gimenez and More

It’s time for my third fantasy baseball draft steal candidate story!

We looked at third basemen in the first story and shortstops in the second article and now will cover second basemen.

I’ve also ranked my top-10 fantasy second basemen for 2025 (redraft and dynasty).

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1. Brendan Donovan

We will start with Donovan, who is my No. 6 second baseman going into 2025 in redraft leagues.

To start, Donovan might have outfield eligibility in your league, making him a more versatile fantasy asset. He’s coming off his best season yet and is expected to be even better in 2025 while hitting in the heart of the team’s lineup.

In 153 games last year, Donovan had a .278 average and .342 on-base percentage. He hit just 14 home runs, but drove in 73 runs. He stole five bases and scored 65 runs.

It’s rare to see a low-power hitter locked into a middle-of-the-order spot. With a high average, low strikeout numbers and a history of delivering, Donovan is a good batter for the middle of a lineup.

The numbers don’t jump off the page with Donovan, but he also doesn’t hurt himself with strikeouts. He gets on base often and should soar past a lot of people's expectations if he can stay healthy and hitting in the heart of the lineup.

He finished sixth among fantasy 2B a season ago, and I see another similar season coming, if not a better one. He’s being heavily overlooked going into the season.

2. Matt McLain

Another article in which I talk about McLain. What can I say, I really like McLain going into 2025. He is my No. 8 fantasy 2B, and I could see him finishing a few spots higher still.

He missed all of last season with injuries, which makes him a risky option any season going forward. Looking at what he accomplished in 89 games as a rookie in 2023 should show you why I like McLain so much.

McLain had a .290 average and .357 OBP. He hit 16 home runs and drove in 50 runs, while stealing 14 bases and scoring 65 runs. His 162-game averages at those numbers are fantastic: 29 home runs, 91 RBIs, 25 stolen bases and 118 runs.

Sure, maybe McLain won’t reach those kinds of numbers, but I think he’s also being heavily overlooked as spring training nears. He’ll hit in the heart of the Reds’ lineup, giving him the chance to post some monster numbers if he can stay on the field.

Again, I understand if you don’t want to put the fate of your fantasy team on McLain, but that’s not what I’m suggesting you do. I view McLain as a depth option at second base - if he has position eligibility elsewhere, his value is even higher. If you have a few extra starting spots (infield or utility), McLain is a player who will probably be in your lineup just about every day.

He’s not going to cost a high draft pick, especially if you are drafting well before the season. If there’s a player to take a gamble on later in a draft, make it McLain.

3. Luis Garcia Jr.

I’ve talked about Garcia a few times already this season, but I’m doing that because I think he’s undervalued. He was my No. 10 fantasy second basemen for 2025 - that’s where he finished in 2024.

Garcia got to the No. 10 spot despite only playing 140 games. He had a .282 average and .318 OBP, with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs as well. Garcia stole 22 bases and scored 58 runs.

He’s likely going to bat in the bottom half of the order, which isn’t great, but Washington has some young and talented prospects near the top of the lineup. If some of those younger players can live up to the hype, Garcia should have plenty of chances to drive in runs despite hitting lower in the order.

Garcia will also be able to steal some bases to try and create some offense. If the bottom third of the Washington lineup can be even somewhat consistent, Garcia might score a fair amount of runs and really be a good fantasy asset.

While I have him ranked 10th, I think there’s a chance that Garcia finishes several spots higher. He missed 22 games last season and still was a top-10 finisher. Even if he falls off a bit this season, he should at least be able to finish 10th by the end of the season.

4. Andres Gimenez

Gimenez was traded from the Guardians to the Blue Jays this offseason. It’s a transaction that I think went under the radar a bit, but the change in scenery should do Gimenez good.

I did not have Gimenez ranked in my top 10 for 2025, but I did list him among the honorable mentions. He could soar up the top-10 list by the end of the season.

In his final season with Cleveland, Gimenez played 152 games - he’s played at least 146 games in three straight seasons, so his durability is already a plus in his favor.

Gimenez had a .252 average and .298 OBP last season. He only hit nine home runs (he had 17 homers in 2022 and 15 in 2023), but did drive in 63 runs (he had 69 in 2022 and 62 in 2023). Gimenez also had 30 stolen bases for a second straight season, while scoring 64 runs.

Even in a bit of a down season, Gimenez was a pretty well-rounded fantasy player. He’s also just 26 years old, and I think we still haven’t seen the best of Gimenez.

He’s expected to hit in the bottom third of the lineup, so that’s a bit of a negative against him. There’s a fair amount of talent expected to be hitting before Gimenez though, so he should have some opportunities to drive in runs.

Hitting at the bottom of the order will also afford Gimenez the opportunity to run more, and he could score a fair share of runs if the hitters below him can produce a bit. There’s also the chance Gimenez moves up the lineup if he’s able to put together a better showing at the plate.

I have no issue taking a late stab on Gimenez in a fantasy draft for the 2025 season. He’s a solid secondary option who can start when you have no other options or if he’s in a groove at the plate. Gimenez could also become a trade chip if he starts the season strong.

5. Jackson Holliday

Holliday was another name I mentioned in my top fantasy 2B article.

He struggled in his first taste of MLB action in 2024, but being a top prospect, I’m definitely keeping an eye on him going into 2025.

In 60 games last season, Holliday had a .189 average and .255 OBP. He hit five home runs, drove in 23 runs, stole four bases and scored 28 runs. Those numbers across a full season aren’t too bad, but they also are pretty underwhelming for a top-end prospect.

I’d expect Holliday to hit near the bottom of the order, if not ninth, to begin the season. If he can consistently get on base, he could have a huge fantasy season. Baltimore’s lineup is talented enough where Holliday should have the chance to drive in some runs, and if he’s getting on base, a really strong top of the order should help Holliday score plenty of runs.

His draft stock will probably improve as the regular season nears, especially if he’s having a good spring training. He’ll be a name to keep on your watch list all season in case he ever hits his stride.