MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for July 11, 2025
Last updated: Jul 10, 2025, 10:25PM | Published: Jul 10, 2025, 8:25PM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest starts at 9:05am AEST on July 11, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on July 11 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate features these games:
- New York Yankees vs Seattle Mariners
- Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals
- Chicago White Sox vs Cleveland Guardians
- San Diego Padres vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Athletics vs Atlanta Braves
- Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the latest MLB fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more MLB fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Spencer Strider (ATL, P) | $20,730 | 21.3 | 1 |
| Value | Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ, P) | $12,500 | 15.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Kyle Higashioka (TEX, C) | $8,180 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Anthony Volpe (NYY, SS) | $5,980 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options refer to the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
C (Catcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $9,800 | 7.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) | $5,000 | 4.6 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Kyle Higashioka (TEX) | $8,180 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Noah Naylor (CLE) | $6,970 | 4.3 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Abrams (WSH) | $9,570 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $5,980 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Angel Martínez (CLE) | $8,200 | 3.4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Allen (ATL) | $5,760 | 5.2 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ronald Acuña (ATL) | $10,000 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Value | Michael Tauchman (CWS) | $5,000 | 5 | 1 |
| Fade | Chandler Simpson (TB) | $9,850 | 4.4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Michael Harris (ATL) | $6,880 | 6.7 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $12,600 | 9.4 | 0.7 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $8,430 | 7.4 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $10,090 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Miguel Vargas (CWS) | $6,760 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,390 | 7.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Zachary Gelof (ATH) | $5,990 | 5.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Angel Martínez (CLE) | $8,200 | 3.4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Semien (TEX) | $7,850 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $9,770 | 7.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Kyle Manzardo (CLE) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jonathan Aranda (TB) | $10,550 | 5.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $5,000 | 4.3 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Spencer Strider (ATL) | $20,730 | 21.3 | 1 |
| Value | Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ) | $12,500 | 15.2 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Eduardo Rodriguez. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Spencer Strider is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Anthony Volpe.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kyle Higashioka is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Friday slate closes at 9:05am AEST on Friday. ENTER NOW!
As with all MLB DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven MLB fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the MLB Friday contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Friday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
