The most improved players of 2025 will be ...

Every season provides an opportunity for players to make meaningful strides from the previous year, whether it’s through improved health, a change in approach, a natural progression of skills or simply better luck.

Which players are expected to improve the most from 2024 to 2025? To find out, we took every player who had at least 450 plate appearances or 75 innings last season and compared their 2024 WAR to their projected WAR for the upcoming campaign. (Projected WAR totals are courtesy of FanGraphs Depth Charts, which are a combination of the Steamer and ZiPS projection systems, with expected playing time allocated by FanGraphs staff.)

Here are the players projected to make the biggest WAR gains this year.

1. Michael Harris II, OF, Braves: +3.0 WAR
2024 WAR: 2.0 | Projected 2025 WAR: 5.0

After following up his 2022 National League Rookie of the Year Award-winning season with another strong performance in 2023, Harris was one of a number of Braves position players who took a step backward last year. The center fielder finished with 2.0 WAR over 110 games, missing two months with a left hamstring strain, and produced a below-average 99 wRC+. But as we look ahead to the 2025 campaign, Harris is not only expected to make a significant turnaround, he’s projected to have his best year yet. FanGraphs Depth Charts projects him to produce career-high marks in homers (24), RBIs (82), runs scored (90) and WAR (5.0).

2. Christopher Morel, 3B/OF, Rays: +2.4 WAR
2024 WAR: -1.0 | Projected 2025 WAR: 1.4

Though Morel was able to offset his poor defense with a 116 wRC+ at the plate across 2022-23, his offensive production cratered last season (82 wRC+), causing his value to tumble well below replacement level. However, poor batted ball luck (.233 BABIP) was largely to blame for Morel’s struggles, as evidenced by his .316 expected wOBA, which was 36 points higher than his actual wOBA of .280. Perhaps that explains why the projections are optimistic about the 25-year-old’s chances of rebounding in 2025, with FanGraphs Depth Charts projecting him for a 112 wRC+ and 1.4 WAR.

3-T. Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners: +2.3 WAR
2024 WAR: 3.8 | Projected 2025 WAR: 6.1

After looking like a future MVP in his first two seasons, Rodríguez experienced a bit of a setback in 2024. While he still had a solid year, his regression in the power department contributed to a .734 OPS and 116 wRC+, down from an .834 OPS and 137 wRC+ across 2022-23. Still just 24 years old, Rodríguez could get back on the path toward superstardom this season. Only four players have a higher projected WAR total than the Mariners center fielder.

3-T. Adolis García, OF, Rangers: +2.3 WAR
2024 WAR: -0.2 | Projected 2025 WAR: 2.1

García had a year to remember in 2023, recording career highs in homers (39), wRC+ (126) and WAR (4.6) during the regular season before helping Texas win the World Series with a record-setting postseason. He was unable to build on that success last year, however, finishing with a 92 wRC+ and -0.2 WAR over 154 games. It was a disappointing title defense on the whole for the Rangers, who missed the playoffs entirely. A bounceback season from García could go a long way toward the club returning to contention in 2025.

5. Austin Riley, 3B, Braves: +2.2 WAR
2024 WAR: 2.4 | Projected 2025 WAR: 4.6

Even before he suffered a season-ending right hand fracture last August, Riley was on track to fall short of the production standard he set across 2021-23, a span in which he averaged 36 homers and 5.4 WAR per year with a collective 136 wRC+. In 110 games prior to his injury, the third baseman produced 19 homers, a 116 wRC+ and 2.4 WAR. Riley, though, is expected to get back to normal in 2025, with FanGraphs Depth Charts projecting him for 32 dingers, a 128 wRC+ and 4.6 WAR.

6. Walker Buehler, SP, Red Sox: +2.0 WAR
2024 WAR: -0.2 | Projected 2025 WAR: 1.8

Returning from his second Tommy John surgery, Buehler struggled over 16 starts for the Dodgers in 2024, posting a 5.38 ERA with a 5.54 FIP. That was a far cry from his performance across 2018-21, a span in which he recorded a 2.82 ERA and a 3.16 FIP over 564 innings. However, Buehler did provide a glimmer of optimism in October, tossing 10 scoreless innings with 13 K's across his final four playoff outings, including a perfect frame to finish off Los Angeles' title-clinching win in Game 5 of the World Series against the Yankees. Having signed Buehler to a one-year, $21.5 million deal, the Red Sox are banking on the righty returning to form in 2025.

7. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Padres: +1.9 WAR
2024 WAR: 2.0 | Projected 2025 WAR: 3.9

Bogaerts endured a tumultuous 2024 season marked by an unexpected position switch from shortstop to second base and a lengthy absence due to a fractured left shoulder. Amid those challenges, the veteran recorded a 95 wRC+, well below his typical level of production. However, that figure belies the progress Bogaerts made upon returning from his injury in late July. He looked more like his old self after coming off the injured list, hitting .299 with a 117 wRC+ over his final 63 games. Now back at shortstop for San Diego following the departure of Ha-Seong Kim in free agency, the 32-year-old Bogaerts is projected to rebound in 2025, the third year of his 11-year, $280 million deal with the Friars.

8-T. Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles: +1.8 WAR
2024 WAR: 2.8 | Projected 2025 WAR: 4.6

Rutschman established himself as one of the top catchers in the game over his first two seasons (10.4 WAR), living up to the high expectations that were placed on him as the No. 1 overall Draft pick in 2019. He appeared to be on his way toward another big year in 2024, slashing .306/.344/.490 with a 138 wRC+ over his first 61 games. But Rutschman experienced a curious decline thereafter, going deep just six times with a 78 wRC+ over his final 87 games. The projections like his chances of bouncing back in 2025, with FanGraphs Depth Charts forecasting a 122 wRC+ and 4.6 WAR.

8-T. Jonah Heim, C, Rangers: +1.8 WAR
2024 WAR: -0.1 | Projected 2025 WAR: 1.7

One year after earning his first All-Star selection, winning a Gold Glove and producing 4.0 WAR, Heim finished on the negative side of the WAR ledger in 2024. Heim was the second-worst hitter (70 wRC+) among those with at least 450 plate appearances last season, and he also regressed on the defensive side of the ball. His struggles likely factored into Texas’ decision to sign free-agent backstop Kyle Higashioka to a two-year, $12.5 million deal. But even though Higashioka is likely to cut into his playing time this season, Heim is projected to provide more value than he did a year ago.

10. Jorge Polanco, 2B, Mariners: +1.6 WAR
2024 WAR: 0.3 | Projected 2025 WAR: 1.9

Finding consistent production at second base has been a longstanding problem for the Mariners, and 2024 was no exception. Seattle acquired Polanco from the Twins in the offseason to try to address the issue, but the veteran went on to post a 92 wRC+, down from 120 across 2021-23. His struggles were particularly evident at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park, where he posted a .606 OPS with a 31.9% strikeout rate. The Mariners, though, are running it back with Polanco in 2025, having re-signed him for $7.75 million on a one-year deal. The projections think his second year in the Pacific Northwest will go much better than his first.