MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for June 25, 2026
Last updated: Jun 24, 2026, 10:31PM | Published: Jun 24, 2026, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest starts at 9:07am AEST on June 25, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on June 25 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of the following games:
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Houston Astros
- Minnesota Twins vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- San Francisco Giants vs Athletics
- San Diego Padres vs Atlanta Braves
- Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- New York Mets vs Chicago Cubs
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sean Manaea (NYM, P) | $14,660 | 18.2 | 1.2 |
| Value | Francisco Lindor (NYM, SS) | $5,000 | 8.7 | 1.7 |
| Fade | Jonah Cox (SF, OF) | $9,170 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Mark Vientos (NYM, 1B) | $5,000 | 5.6 | 1.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight 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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $9,130 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Tyler Stephenson (CIN) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carson Kelly (CHC) | $9,890 | 3.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $7,680 | 6 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $9,970 | 9.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Francisco Lindor (NYM) | $5,000 | 8.7 | 1.7 |
| Fade | Casey Schmitt (SF) | $11,320 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,910 | 7.8 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corbin Carroll (AZ) | $9,990 | 9.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Lars Nootbaar (STL) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jonah Cox (SF) | $9,170 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Lawrence Butler (ATH) | $7,650 | 6.6 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $9,390 | 7.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,980 | 7.4 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Zachary Gelof (ATH) | $9,840 | 3.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $5,000 | 4.6 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $10,610 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,480 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jonathan Wetherholt (STL) | $10,500 | 5.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Matthew McLain (CIN) | $7,410 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $9,940 | 9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Mark Vientos (NYM) | $5,000 | 5.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jakob Bauers (MIL) | $8,310 | 3.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Michael Busch (CHC) | $7,620 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sean Manaea (NYM) | $14,660 | 18.2 | 1.2 |
| Value | Matthew Liberatore (STL) | $9,140 | 13.6 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Francisco Lindor. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Sean Manaea is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Mark Vientos.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jonah Cox is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate closes at 9:07am AEST on Thursday. 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 Thursday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Thursday 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.
