MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for June 26, 2025
Last updated: Jun 25, 2025, 10:25PM | Published: Jun 25, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:10am AEST on June 26, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs
- Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies
- New York Mets vs Atlanta Braves
- Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners
- Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays
- Cincinnati Reds vs New York Yankees
- Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- San Francisco Giants vs Miami Marlins
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 best 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zachary Wheeler (PHI, P) | $22,640 | 21.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Chase Dollander (COL, P) | $8,670 | 13.1 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Edmundo Sosa (PHI, 2B) | $8,960 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Bryson Stott (PHI, 2B) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
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'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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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) | $11,940 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,340 | 6.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Agustín Ramírez (MIA) | $7,070 | 6.4 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $8,790 | 9.5 | 1.1 |
| Value | Robert Witt (KC) | $8,790 | 9.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Xavier Edwards (MIA) | $9,210 | 6.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Allen (ATL) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,990 | 10.1 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,130 | 7.9 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Michael Conforto (LAD) | $8,320 | 3.4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Michael Harris (ATL) | $6,350 | 6.8 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $8,290 | 7.9 | 1 |
| Value | Jonathan India (KC) | $6,030 | 6.3 | 1 |
| Fade | Otto Kemp (PHI) | $8,230 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Paredes (HOU) | $6,990 | 6.9 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,130 | 7.9 | 1.1 |
| Value | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Edmundo Sosa (PHI) | $8,960 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,130 | 7.9 | 1.1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (NYM) | $8,990 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Vincent Pasquantino (KC) | $6,560 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Casey Schmitt (SF) | $8,760 | 3.4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Christian Walker (HOU) | $6,630 | 6.9 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zachary Wheeler (PHI) | $22,640 | 21.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Chase Dollander (COL) | $8,670 | 13.1 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Chase Dollander. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Zachary Wheeler 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 Bryson Stott.
On the other hand, according to our model, Edmundo Sosa is one of the worst 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 9:10am 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 slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
