Sunday Smoke: The Rebirth of Paul Goldschmidt

Howdy, folks!

Paul Goldschmidt is not a name one might expect to see mentioned on a website titled "Prospects Live", yet here we are. While our wonderful team largely focuses on prospects...why do we do that?

A) Our readers want to know about the next crop of major league stars.
B) Many of you want to know who to invest in to win dynasty fantasy league championships!

To me, there's just so much crossover between MLB fans and fantasy baseball fans. The talented players are worth talking about in both worlds, and the stats we use for fantasy typically help teams win in real life. Of course, there are the Chandler Simpson cases as well, but I think we need to look at another crossover: dynasty baseball, and winning dynasty championships.

Is there really much of a difference? Do you ever see a team win those championships with an all-rookie lineup? I doubt it.

Just like in real baseball, you need to blend in some of those ol' fashioned seasoned veterans. And just like with real franchises, the competitive teams can often score underrated veterans from rebuilding teams at a nice value!

As you may have already concluded, I think Goldy fits that bill - and we'll dive into what's up with his reborn profile down below.

Also on tap: Heliot Ramos' borderline top-10 outfield performance in 2025, as well as a potential Caleb Durbin redemption arc!

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, NYY

Beyond not fitting the typical "up-and-coming" aspect I like to incorporate into this column, Goldy is also nearly universally rostered in all fantasy leagues, but it still seems like he's not being valued as if this production can continue to any extent. And that means you need to check in on any potential trade deals!

Sure, the .338/.388./.495 slash line may not hold up 100%, and he may not finish as the top-3 fantasy first-baseman he's playing like right now. On the other hand, that second part might not be so crazy.

We're two full months into the season, and Goldy has completely reshaped his approach compared to last season.

That 15% K-rate and his whiff% are both career highs, and it doesn't seem like a fluke. The old man is simply re-inventing himself.

As I mentioned in my advice to buy low on Willson Contreras during his early-season woes, you want to look at bat speed when it comes to physical decline with older players. Goldy is actually registering his highest speed since MLB began tracking!

He was also susceptible to off-speed and breaking pitches last year, but seems to actually be hitting them for a better average than on heaters in 2025. He's chasing a little more and walking less than his peak, but his contact and zone-contact rates are also at career highs.

In other words: Paul Goldschmidt remains aggressive, but is being smarter with his swing decisions. He's also finding the sweet-spot with his launch angle while playing at Yankees Stadium, which leads me to an interesting thought...

...he could actually finish the season stronger than he's started.

If a guy this good and this strong keeps hitting the ball the way he is, more of those baseballs are going to leave the yard as the weather heats up.

Goldy is absolutely not being valued as a top-5 fantasy 1B right now, despite plausibly finishing in the top-3. I recommend going out and seeing what his price tag is - I'm positive there are GMs out there who think this is their last chance to sell high (at 37 years old, I don't blame them), so you could get yourself a steal here on the way to fantasy championship glory.

This season could realistically end with Goldschmidt delivering a line like 100 runs/20 HR/100 RBI/10SB/.290 BA/.350 OBP.

And unless the Yankees win the World Series, that kind of season means you might even get another year or two out of Mr. Goldschmidt.

Heliot Ramos, OF, SF