It’s time, once again, for your season debut of Category Power Rankings!
For those who are unfamiliar, I started this weekly piece at the start of the 2019 season in order to help simplify individual fantasy values for managers during the grind that is the fantasy baseball season.
At the beginning of each fantasy week, I will be ranking players using the standard 5×5 categories (AVG, R, HR, RBI, SB and W, SV, K, ERA, WHIP) as well as on-base percentage (OBP) and quality starts (QS). For each category, I will provide a top 25 overall and a top 10 for players who are widely unowned, roughly 65% owned or less across most platforms, or should be targeted in deeper leagues. The rankings will be based on current and rest-of-season outlook and will take into account a player’s recent success as well as track record as it pertains to a specific category. Other factors will include:
- Recent changes to a team construction (i.e. lineup changes, trade/signing, etc.)
- Recent changes to player batting/pitching profile
- Injury concern
- “Change of scenery”
- Strength/weakness of schedule
That being said, let’s get into the lists!
Batting Average (AVG)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Trea Turner | LAD | 2B/SS | – |
| 2 | Tim Anderson | CWS | SS | – |
| 3 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 4 | Michael Brantley | HOU | OF | – |
| 5 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | – |
| 6 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – |
| 7 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS | SS | – |
| 8 | Starling Marte | NYM | OF | – |
| 9 | Ketel Marte | ARZ | 2B/OF | – |
| 10 | Bryan Reynolds | PIT | OF | – |
| 11 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 12 | Nick Castellanos | PHI | OF | – |
| 13 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | OF | – |
| 14 | Bo Bichette | TOR | SS | – |
| 15 | Rafael Devers | BOS | 3B | – |
| 16 | Wander Franco | TB | 3B/SS | – |
| 17 | Luis Robert | CWS | OF | – |
| 18 | Corey Seager | TEX | SS | – |
| 19 | Yuli Gurriel | HOU | 1B | – |
| 20 | Alex Verdugo | BOS | OF | – |
| 21 | Justin Turner | LAD | 3B | – |
| 22 | Luis Arraez | MIN | 2B/3B/OF | – |
| 23 | Jean Segura | PHI | 2B | – |
| 24 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | – |
| 25 | Ty France | SEA | 1B/2B/3B | – |
Off the list: N/A
Fresh off of a new five-year, $76 million extension, Ketel Marte is once again looking like a very good value in fantasy drafts this year. Over his last 279 games, spanning from 2019 to 2021, Marte owns a .318/.374/.543 slash line. While health is obviously always a concern for the 28-year-old, there are few better providers right now within the fantasy landscape when it comes to batting average.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Luis Arraez | MIN | 2B/3B/OF | – |
| 2 | Jeff McNeil | NYM | 2B/OF | – |
| 3 | Nick Madrigal | CHC | 2B | – |
| 4 | David Fletcher | LAA | 2B/SS | – |
| 5 | Garrett Cooper | MIA | 1B/OF | – |
| 6 | Adam Frazier | SEA | 2B/OF | – |
| 7 | José Iglesias | COL | SS | – |
| 8 | Kolten Wong | MIL | 2B | – |
| 9 | Frank Schwindel | CHC | 1B | – |
| 10 | Yandy Díaz | TB | 1B/3B | – |
Off the list: N/A
The addition of the universal DH will benefit a lot of major league talent, and thus, provide us fantasy managers with ample sources of useful bats to add. Garrett Cooper is a guy who should benefit greatly from this league-wide change. When Cooper has played, he has hit. The 30-year-old has batted .282 across the past three seasons, albeit only over 212 games. There is reason to believe he will be seeing a lot more chances to DH as his defense leaves a little to be desired. If that is the case, he could make for a very useful bat in deeper leagues and especially NL-only leagues.
Runs (R)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Trea Turner | LAD | 2B/SS | – |
| 2 | Mookie Betts | LAD | 2B/OF | – |
| 3 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 4 | Bo Bichette | TOR | SS | – |
| 5 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 6 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – |
| 7 | Tim Anderson | CWS | SS | – |
| 8 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 2B | – |
| 9 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | – |
| 10 | Rafael Devers | BOS | 3B | – |
| 11 | José Ramírez | CLE | 3B | – |
| 12 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS | SS | – |
| 13 | George Springer | TOR | OF | – |
| 14 | Ozzie Albies | ATL | 2B | – |
| 15 | Nick Castellanos | PHI | OF | – |
| 16 | Whit Merrifield | KC | 2B/OF | – |
| 17 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | – |
| 18 | Wander Franco | TB | 3B/SS | – |
| 19 | Aaron Judge | NYY | OF | – |
| 20 | Marcus Semien | TEX | 2B/SS | – |
| 21 | Ronald Acuña Jr. | ATL | OF | – |
| 22 | Jonathan India | CIN | 2B | – |
| 23 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | OF | – |
| 24 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 25 | Starling Marte | NYM | OF | – |
Off the list: N/A
Bo Bichette solidified himself last year as a bonafide fantasy stud. He contributes across all categories but he is most potent in runs. Bichette scored 121 times last year and has a 162-game average of 118 runs over his career dating back to 2019. The 24-year-old shortstop expects to hit in the middle or near the top of one of the best lineups in all of baseball, so expect more of the same.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Brandon Nimmo | NYM | OF | – |
| 2 | Akil Baddoo | DET | OF | – |
| 3 | Adam Frazier | SEA | 2B/OF | – |
| 4 | Mark Canha | NYM | OF | – |
| 5 | Austin Hays | BAL | OF | – |
| 6 | Spencer Torkelson | DET | 3B | – |
| 7 | Mike Yastrzemski | SF | OF | – |
| 8 | Kiké Hernández | BOS | 2B/OF | – |
| 9 | Cesar Hernandez | WSH | 2B | – |
| 10 | Myles Straw | CLE | OF | – |
Off the list: N/A
Projected to hit in front of the likes of Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Trevor Story, Kiké Hernández should see plenty of run-scoring opportunities. Hernández improved his walk rate substantially last season, so if he can build off of that, he could be looking at some gaudy runs numbers.
Home Runs (HR)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Pete Alonso | NYM | 1B | – |
| 2 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | – |
| 3 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | – |
| 4 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | OF | – |
| 5 | Aaron Judge | NYY | OF | – |
| 6 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | UT/SP | – |
| 7 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 8 | Joey Gallo | NYY | OF | – |
| 9 | Teoscar Hernández | TOR | OF | – |
| 10 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 11 | Giancarlo Stanton | NYY | OF | – |
| 12 | Max Muncy | LAD | 1B/2B | – |
| 13 | Rafael Devers | BOS | 3B | – |
| 14 | Manny Machado | SD | 3B | – |
| 15 | Nolan Arenado | STL | 3B | – |
| 16 | Salvador Perez | KC | C | – |
| 17 | Kyle Schwarber | PHI | 1B/OF | – |
| 18 | Ronald Acuña Jr. | ATL | OF | – |
| 19 | Franmil Reyes | CLE | OF | – |
| 20 | Nick Castellanos | PHI | OF | – |
| 21 | George Springer | TOR | OF | – |
| 22 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – |
| 23 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 24 | Adam Duvall | ATL | OF | – |
| 25 | Kris Bryant | COL | 1B/3B/OF | – |
Off the list: N/A
I think it is safe to say we know who Kris Bryant is at this point in his career. What we don’t know, however, is who Kris Bryant in Colorado is. This move is very intriguing for fantasy owners as Bryant, while he has not been able to live up to his incredible 2016 MVP year, has put up consistent underlying numbers that suggest this type of move will do wonders for his offensive output. One would assume, health permitting, Bryant should be able to amass 30 HRs while playing half of his games in Coors Field.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Miguel Sanó | MIN | 1B | – |
| 2 | Randal Grichuk | COL | OF | – |
| 3 | Bobby Dalbec | BOS | 1B/3B | – |
| 4 | Patrick Wisdom | CHC | 1B/3B/OF | – |
| 5 | Mike Zunino | TB | C | – |
| 6 | Spencer Torkelson | DET | 3B | – |
| 7 | Mike Yastrzemski | SF | OF | – |
| 8 | Brandon Belt | SF | 1B | – |
| 9 | Mike Moustakas | CIN | 1B/3B | – |
| 10 | Jonathan Schoop | DET | 1B/2B | – |
Off the list: N/A
If you look up the phrase “Industry Darling”, Bobby Dalbec’s picture would be the first result. The 26-year old slugger is coming off of a 25-HR season across only 417 at-bats and it has fantasy owners licking their lips at the potential of what a full season could project. Dalbec will be hitting just behind all of Boston’s big boppers and should see plenty of pitches to hit this year.
Runs Batted In (RBI)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | OF | – |
| 2 | Rafael Devers | BOS | 3B | – |
| 3 | José Abreu | CWS | 1B | – |
| 4 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | – |
| 5 | Teoscar Hernández | TOR | OF | – |
| 6 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 7 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | – |
| 8 | Nolan Arenado | STL | 3B | – |
| 9 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – |
| 10 | Kyle Tucker | HOU | OF | – |
| 11 | Pete Alonso | NYM | 1B | – |
| 12 | Manny Machado | SD | 3B | – |
| 13 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | – |
| 14 | José Ramírez | CLE | 3B | – |
| 15 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 16 | Aaron Judge | NYY | OF | – |
| 17 | Giancarlo Stanton | NYY | OF | – |
| 18 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | UT/SP | – |
| 19 | Salvador Perez | KC | C | – |
| 20 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 21 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | – |
| 22 | Nick Castellanos | PHI | OF | – |
| 23 | Eloy Jiménez | LAD | SS | – |
| 24 | Carlos Correa | MIN | SS | – |
| 25 | Bo Bichette | TOR | SS | – |
Off the list: N/A
As long as Yordan Alvarez’s knees hold up, he is about as sure of a bet to lead the league in RBI as anyone. His batted ball numbers are elite and he hits smack dab in the middle of what is still a very solid Houston lineup. If you are reading this and have still yet to draft, grabbing Alvarez with your second pick after taking a guy who will steal some bags makes a whole lot of sense.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jesús Aguilar | MIA | 1B | – |
| 2 | Randal Grichuk | COL | OF | – |
| 3 | Eric Hosmer | SD | 1B | – |
| 4 | Bobby Dalbec | BOS | 1B/3B | – |
| 5 | Spencer Torkelson | DET | 3B | – |
| 6 | Jesús Sánchez | MIA | OF | – |
| 7 | Frank Schwindel | CHC | 1B | – |
| 8 | Miguel Sanó | MIN | 1B | – |
| 9 | Nathaniel Lowe | TEX | 1B | – |
| 10 | Jonathan Schoop | DET | 1B/2B | – |
Off the list: N/A
At the moment, Jesús Sánchez is penciled in to be the Marlins’ everyday centerfielder. Sánchez has always had a good nose for driving in runs dating back to his time in the minors posting a 162-game average of 102 RBI across three minor league seasons. He should provide a solid source of power and speed and could be a steal in terms of value in mixed leagues.
Stolen Bases (SB)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Adalberto Mondesi | KC | 3B/SS | – |
| 2 | Trea Turner | LAD | 2B/SS | – |
| 3 | Starling Marte | NYM | OF | – |
| 4 | Whit Merrifield | KC | 2B/OF | – |
| 5 | José Ramírez | CLE | 3B | – |
| 6 | Cedric Mullins | BAL | OF | – |
| 7 | Bo Bichette | TOR | SS | – |
| 8 | Trevor Story | BOS | SS | – |
| 9 | Myles Straw | CLE | OF | – |
| 10 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. | MIA | 2B/SS | – |
| 11 | Tommy Edman | STL | 2B/OF | – |
| 12 | Luis Robert | CWS | OF | – |
| 13 | Tim Anderson | CWS | SS | – |
| 14 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | UT/SP | – |
| 15 | Bobby Witt Jr. | KC | SS | – |
| 16 | Byron Buxton | MIN | OF | – |
| 17 | Ronald Acuña Jr. | ATL | OF | – |
| 18 | Randy Arozarena | TB | OF | – |
| 19 | Ozzie Albies | ATL | 2B | – |
| 20 | Akil Baddoo | DET | OF | – |
| 21 | Jonathan Villar | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | – |
| 22 | Kyle Tucker | HOU | OF | – |
| 23 | Francisco Lindor | NYM | SS | – |
| 24 | Trent Grisham | SD | OF | – |
| 25 | Mookie Betts | LAD | 2B/OF | – |
Off the list: N/A
Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the most impressive prospects we have ever seen. The 21-year old made a mockery of the AA and AAA-level and is now penciled in as the starting third baseman for the Royals heading into Opening Day. Witt provides numbers across the board and if it is as seamless of a transition into the majors as everyone is anticipating, he has a real shot at a 20/20 season.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Myles Straw | CLE | OF | – |
| 2 | Akil Baddoo | DET | OF | – |
| 3 | Jonathan Villar | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | – |
| 4 | Nicky Lopez | KC | SS | – |
| 5 | Kolten Wong | MIL | 2B | – |
| 6 | Isiah Kiner-Falefa | NYY | SS | – |
| 7 | Raimel Tapia | TOR | OF | – |
| 8 | Tommy Pham | CIN | OF | – |
| 9 | Rafael Ortega | CHC | OF | – |
| 10 | Andrés Giménez | CLE | 2B/SS | – |
Off the list: N/A
Andrés Giménez is looking like he has carved out a starting role in the Cleveland starting lineup heading into Opening Day. The former New York Met enjoyed a very nice season in AAA last year and offers a good amount of stolen base upside. Giménez is probably best suited for deeper roto leagues.
On-Base Percentage (OBP)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 2 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 3 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 4 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | – |
| 5 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – |
| 6 | Mookie Betts | LAD | 2B/OF | – |
| 7 | Alex Bregman | HOU | 3B | – |
| 8 | Brandon Nimmo | NYM | OF | – |
| 9 | Aaron Judge | NYY | OF | – |
| 10 | Yasmani Grandal | CWS | C/1B | – |
| 11 | Ronald Acuña Jr. | ATL | OF | – |
| 12 | Max Muncy | LAD | 1B/2B | – |
| 13 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | – |
| 14 | Anthony Rendon | LAA | 3B | – |
| 15 | Seiya Suzuki | CHC | OF | – |
| 16 | Kris Bryant | COL | 1B/3B/OF | – |
| 17 | Corey Seager | TEX | SS | – |
| 18 | Bryan Reynolds | PIT | OF | – |
| 19 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | – |
| 20 | Jesse Winker | SEA | OF | – |
| 21 | Justin Turner | LAD | 3B | – |
| 22 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | – |
| 23 | Michael Brantley | HOU | OF | – |
| 24 | Carlos Correa | MIN | SS | – |
| 25 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | UT/SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
The Cubs’ newest import, Seiya Suzuki, posted very impressive numbers across nine seasons in Japan. With a career .402 OBP overseas, Suzuki projects to have a keen eye at the dish. There is almost always going to be somewhat of a learning curve for most Japanese players coming to the states, but Suzuki is the type of talent that I would expect the 27-year-old outfielder to produce almost right away.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Brandon Nimmo | NYM | OF | – |
| 2 | Yandy Díaz | TB | 1B/3B | – |
| 3 | Mark Canha | NYM | OF | – |
| 4 | Brandon Belt | SF | 1B | – |
| 5 | Daniel Vogelbach | PIT | 1B | – |
| 6 | Luis Arraez | MIN | 2B/3B/OF | – |
| 7 | Tommy Pham | CIN | OF | – |
| 8 | Nathaniel Lowe | TEX | 1B | – |
| 9 | Carlos Santana | KC | 1B | – |
| 10 | Tony Kemp | OAK | 2B/OF | – |
Off the list: N/A
One of the many new acquisitions for the Mets this offseason, Mark Canha figures to be the starting left fielder come April 7th. Canha has a .377 OBP since the start of 2019 and while he is more than likely going to be plugged into the lower third of the New York lineup, his ability to get on base will lengthen this already strong batting order.
Wins (W)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Julio Urías | LAD | SP | – |
| 2 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | SP | – |
| 3 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 4 | Max Scherzer | NYM | SP | – |
| 5 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | – |
| 6 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | SP | – |
| 7 | Max Fried | ATL | SP | – |
| 8 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | SP | – |
| 9 | José Berríos | TOR | SP | – |
| 10 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 11 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SP | – |
| 12 | Adam Wainwright | STL | SP | – |
| 13 | Lance Lynn | CWS | SP | – |
| 14 | Charlie Morton | ATL | SP | – |
| 15 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | SP | – |
| 16 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP | – |
| 17 | Yu Darvish | SD | SP | – |
| 18 | Joe Musgrove | SD | SP | – |
| 19 | Framber Valdez | HOU | SP | – |
| 20 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 21 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | SP | – |
| 22 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 23 | Robbie Ray | SEA | SP | – |
| 24 | Sean Manaea | SD | SP | – |
| 25 | Aaron Civale | CLE | SP | – |
*NOTE: I am leaving Jacob deGrom off of the pitching lists for now due to the uncertainty of his injury and the amount of time he will be missing.
Off the list: N/A
Including Justin Verlander on this list may be a tad optimistic seeing as we have not seen him pitch since the first game of the 2020 season. That being said, the last time we saw Verlander pitch a full season, he posted a 2.58 ERA with 21 wins en route to his second Cy Young Award. The 39-year old righty has been nothing but durable throughout his entire career, so I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jordan Montgomery | NYY | SP | – |
| 2 | Yusei Kikuchi | TOR | SP | – |
| 3 | Jon Gray | TEX | SP | – |
| 4 | Steven Matz | STL | SP | – |
| 5 | Wade Miley | CHC | SP | – |
| 6 | Marco Gonzales | SEA | SP | – |
| 7 | Kyle Gibson | PHI | SP | – |
| 8 | Chris Flexen | SEA | SP | – |
| 9 | Jameson Taillon | NYY | SP | – |
| 10 | Zach Eflin | PHI | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
Steven Matz enjoyed a decent little bounceback season in 2021, racking up 14 victories to the tune of a 3.82 ERA. The veteran lefty will now have the pleasure of pitching with one of the better defenses behind him and will be relied on heavily due to the uncertainty of Jack Flaherty’s shoulder and Adam Wainwright’s age.
Earned Run Average (ERA)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 2 | Max Scherzer | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | SP | – |
| 4 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | – |
| 5 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | SP | – |
| 6 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP | – |
| 7 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 8 | Julio Urías | LAD | SP | – |
| 9 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SP | – |
| 10 | Robbie Ray | SEA | SP | – |
| 11 | Carlos Rodón | SF | SP | – |
| 12 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | SP | – |
| 13 | Charlie Morton | ATL | SP | – |
| 14 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 15 | Max Fried | ATL | SP | – |
| 16 | Logan Webb | SF | SP | – |
| 17 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | SP | – |
| 18 | Trevor Rogers | MIA | SP | – |
| 19 | Mike Clevinger | SD | SP | – |
| 20 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | SP/UT | – |
| 21 | Lance Lynn | CWS | SP | – |
| 22 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | – |
| 23 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 24 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | SP | – |
| 25 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
From May 11th on, Logan Webb was one of the most dominating pitchers in all of baseball last year. From that point forward, Webb went 10-0 with a 2.40 ERA across 116 innings. The 25-year old has been a very polarizing name in the fantasy community throughout the offseason due to this stretch of starts, and you will have to pay a relatively high price to draft him if you have not drafted yet.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Corey Kluber | TB | SP | – |
| 2 | Joe Ryan | MIN | SP | – |
| 3 | Jordan Montgomery | NYY | SP | – |
| 4 | Jameson Taillon | NYY | SP | – |
| 5 | Hunter Greene | CIN | SP | – |
| 6 | Michael Pineda | DET | SP | – |
| 7 | Jon Gray | TEX | SP | – |
| 8 | Steven Matz | STL | SP | – |
| 9 | Zack Greinke | KC | SP | – |
| 10 | Nestor Cortes Jr. | NYY | SP/RP | – |
Off the list: N/A
The time has finally come for Hunter Greene to take his rightful place within the Reds’ starting rotation. The flame-throwing righty has looked excellent in spring and should be owned across all leagues due to his incredible stuff and ability to miss a ton of bats.
Strikeouts (K)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | SP | – |
| 2 | Max Scherzer | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | SP | – |
| 4 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 5 | Robbie Ray | SEA | SP | – |
| 6 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP | – |
| 7 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | SP | – |
| 8 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | SP | – |
| 9 | Yu Darvish | SD | SP | – |
| 10 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 11 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SP | – |
| 12 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | SP | – |
| 13 | Dylan Cease | CWS | SP | – |
| 14 | José Berríos | TOR | SP | – |
| 15 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 16 | Lance Lynn | CWS | SP | – |
| 17 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 18 | Charlie Morton | ATL | SP | – |
| 19 | Carlos Rodón | SF | SP | – |
| 20 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | SP | – |
| 21 | Joe Musgrove | SD | SP | – |
| 22 | Shohei Ohtani | LAA | SP/UT | – |
| 23 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | – |
| 24 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | – |
| 25 | Eduardo Rodríguez | DET | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
Nobody had a higher K/9 last year than Dylan Cease. The 26-year old punched out 12.3 batters per nine innings which amounted to 226 K’s across 165.2 innings. Cease has always had the swing and miss stuff—it is the control that he lacked—but he took a major step forward last year and is poised for another one this summer.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Josiah Gray | WSH | SP | – |
| 2 | Hunter Greene | CIN | SP | – |
| 3 | Tylor Megill | NYM | SP | – |
| 4 | Jon Gray | TEX | SP | – |
| 5 | Jameson Taillon | NYY | SP | – |
| 6 | Corey Kluber | TB | SP | – |
| 7 | Jordan Montgomery | NYY | SP | – |
| 8 | Joe Ryan | MIN | SP | – |
| 9 | Bailey Ober | MIN | SP | – |
| 10 | Carlos Carrasco | ATL | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
With the potential long-term injury to Jacob deGrom and a lingering injury to Max Scherzer, the Mets’ rotation is all of a sudden not so fearsome. This gives Tylor Megill even more appeal in deeper leagues due to the Mets having to rely on him to fill a rotation spot and be a dependable arm. Megill showed promise in 2021 and has the type of frame (6’7″, 230 lbs) that is built to be an innings eater.
Saves (SV)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Liam Hendriks | CWS | RP | – |
| 2 | Josh Hader | MIL | RP | – |
| 3 | Kenley Jansen | ATL | RP | – |
| 4 | Craig Kimbrel | LAD | RP | – |
| 5 | Aroldis Chapman | NYY | RP | – |
| 6 | Raisel Iglesias | LAA | RP | – |
| 7 | Emmanuel Clase | CLE | RP | – |
| 8 | Ryan Pressly | HOU | RP | – |
| 9 | Edwin Díaz | NYM | RP | – |
| 10 | Jordan Romano | TOR | RP | – |
| 11 | Giovanny Gallegos | STL | RP | – |
| 12 | Jake McGee | SF | RP | – |
| 13 | Scott Barlow | KC | RP | – |
| 14 | Mark Melancon | ARZ | RP | – |
| 15 | Taylor Rogers | MIN | RP | – |
| 16 | Corey Knebel | PHI | SP/RP | – |
| 17 | Matt Barnes | BOS | RP | – |
| 18 | Lou Trivino | OAK | RP | – |
| 19 | Kyle Finnegan | WSH | RP | – |
| 20 | Dylan Floro | MIA | RP | – |
| 21 | Camilo Doval | SF | RP | – |
| 22 | Andrew Kittredge | TB | SP/RP | – |
| 23 | David Bednar | PIT | RP | – |
| 24 | Rowan Wick | CHC | RP | – |
| 25 | Gregory Soto | DET | RP | – |
Off the list: N/A
I do not feel very confident in the second half of this list. I myself have decided to make it a conscious effort to avoid closers altogether this year and fill my RP slots with starters who are eligible at the position. We will see how long it lasts. I have noticed that I am not alone in this sense as a lot of people are tired of the headache of pinpointing who the closers are across the league. If you are shooting for saves, grab the top guys early. This list will more than likely be completely upside down in a couple of weeks.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-Team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Kyle Finnegan | WSH | RP | – |
| 2 | Dylan Floro | MIA | RP | – |
| 3 | Andrew Kittredge | TB | SP/RP | – |
| 4 | Rowan Wick | CHC | RP | – |
| 5 | Gregory Soto | SF | RP | – |
| 6 | Joe Barlow | TEX | RP | – |
| 7 | Paul Sewald | SEA | RP | – |
| 8 | Drew Steckenrider | SEA | RP | – |
| 9 | Garrett Whitlock | BOS | RP | – |
| 10 | Alex Colomé | COL | RP | – |
Off the list: N/A
The Seattle bullpen appears to be a pretty solid one. That being said, the closer role is a little cloudy at the moment. Paul Sewald and Drew Steckenrider are the favorites but there has been no indication one way or another as to who will take the reigns in the ninth. They may very well use a committee but if one falters early, the other should be a must-add pick-up.
WHIP (Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | SP | – |
| 2 | Max Scherzer | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 4 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 5 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | SP | – |
| 6 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | – |
| 7 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SP | – |
| 8 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP | – |
| 9 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | SP | – |
| 10 | Lance Lynn | CWS | SP | – |
| 11 | Yu Darvish | SD | SP | – |
| 12 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 13 | Julio Urías | LAD | SP | – |
| 14 | Robbie Ray | SEA | SP | – |
| 15 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | SP | – |
| 16 | Max Fried | ATL | SP | – |
| 17 | Carlos Rodón | SF | SP | – |
| 18 | Joe Musgrove | SD | SP | – |
| 19 | Charlie Morton | ATL | SP | – |
| 20 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 21 | José Berríos | TOR | SP | – |
| 22 | Mike Clevinger | SD | SP | – |
| 23 | John Means | BAL | SP | – |
| 24 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | SP | – |
| 25 | Adam Wainwright | STL | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
John Means enjoyed another nice season in 2021, despite missing some time due to injury. Means’ WHIP should always remain pretty low seeing as he walks next to no one and with the dimensions of Camden Yards being pushed back, that can only help the lefty this year. Means should have no problem paying off his draft day cost.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Joe Ryan | MIN | SP | – |
| 2 | Michael Pineda | DET | SP | – |
| 3 | Bailey Ober | MIN | SP | – |
| 4 | Zach Plesac | CLE | SP | – |
| 5 | Zack Greinke | KC | SP | – |
| 6 | Jameson Taillon | NYY | SP | – |
| 7 | Cal Quantrill | CLE | SP/RP | – |
| 8 | Carlos Carrasco | NYM | SP | – |
| 9 | Taijuan Walker | NYM | SP | – |
| 10 | Nestor Cortes Jr. |
NYY | SP/RP | – |
Off the list: N/A
Joe Ryan is a dark horse to lead the majors in WHIP. The man had a sub-1.00 WHIP in the minors spanning 226 innings. He followed that up with a 0.78 mark last year with the Twins across five starts. He is the rare combination of great strikeout stuff, pinpoint control, and limited hard contact.
Quality Starts (QS)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | SP | – |
| 2 | Max Scherzer | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 4 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 5 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP | – |
| 6 | Max Fried | ATL | SP | – |
| 7 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SP | – |
| 8 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | SP | – |
| 9 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 10 | Lance Lynn | CWS | SP | – |
| 11 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | SP | – |
| 12 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | SP | – |
| 13 | Adam Wainwright | STL | SP | – |
| 14 | Robbie Ray | SEA | SP | – |
| 15 | José Berríos | TOR | SP | – |
| 16 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | SP | – |
| 17 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | – |
| 18 | Yu Darvish | SD | SP | – |
| 19 | Charlie Morton | ATL | SP | – |
| 20 | Logan Webb | SF | SP | – |
| 21 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 22 | Germán Márquez | COL | SP | – |
| 23 | Framber Valdez | HOU | SP | – |
| 24 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | SP | – |
| 25 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
Robbie Ray probably won a lot of people their leagues last year. This is due in large part to his massive strikeout numbers, but let’s not forget the quality innings the guy threw. Ol’ tight pants posted 23 quality starts last year which was tied for second in the bigs and only trailed Walker Buehler. Now in Seattle, Ray gets to toe the slab in an even better environment for pitchers so one can only imagine how he follows up his Cy Young 2021 season.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Zack Greinke | KC | SP | – |
| 2 | Kyle Gibson | PHI | SP | – |
| 3 | Marco Gonzales | SEA | SP | – |
| 4 | Yusei Kikuchi | TOR | SP | – |
| 5 | Jameson Taillon | NYY | SP | – |
| 6 | Jordan Montgomery | NYY | SP | – |
| 7 | Jon Gray | TEX | SP | – |
| 8 | Michael Pineda | DET | SP | – |
| 9 | Jordan Montgomery | NYY | SP | – |
| 10 | Chris Flexen | SEA | SP | – |
Off the list: N/A
The prodigal son has returned: Zack Greinke is back in Kansas City for his age-38 season. The veteran is coming off probably his worst season since 2016. When you look closer, his numbers are a tad skewed from his final four outings where he posted an 11.74 ERA which rose his season-long mark from 3.41 to 4.16. It could be the beginning of the end for Greinke, but I am willing to bet on him, especially at his severely discounted draft-day price.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@freshmeatcomm on Twitter)