In preparation for my annual Top 400 Starting Pitchers ranking article in February 2026, I spend the fall and winter months thoroughly reviewing every team’s rotation, taking the time to analyze every piece of the pitcher and write my analysis months in advance. I usually don’t share these publicly until then, and the last two years I elected to share them exclusively with PL Pro members.
PL Pro members get four major benefits inside these articles:
1. Early Ranking Access
As I go through each team, I rank each pitcher relative to the other pitchers I have already covered inside a Google Spreadsheet. While I often change these throughout the winter even after completing their write-up, PL Pro members have access to view the progress of those rankings before they are made public.
2. 2026 Player Projections, powered by PLV
At the start of each write-up, you can view each player’s Pitcher List player projection for 2026, powered by PLV. These projections matched hitters alongside BatX in 2025, and performed exceptionally well across the Top 200 SP. They even beat me in the daily streamer challenge by one. So close.
3. Nick’s Starting Pitcher Sheet – The One Sheet for all Pitcher Research
With the help of Kyle Bland, I have a Team SP one-sheet that provides all the relevant data on every pitcher for each team featured in these articles. Here is the example for the Arizona Diamondbacks:
It’s the ultimate resource for your personal SP research. I cannot express enough how helpful it is to have everything in one place.
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Expected Starters
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (RHP)
2025 Stats: 173.2 IP | 2.49 ERA | 0.99 WHIP | 29.4 K% | 8.6 BB%
I’d have Yamamoto as my #4 SP if he wasn’t in a six-man rotation. He’s an elite command pitcher with three main offerings: a filthy splitter for strikeouts, a 95 mph four-seamer with a flat 1.6 HAVAA that he still doesn’t elevate as much as he should, and a curveball with massive two-plane movement (96th percentile total break!) that returned a 40% CSW to RHB last year, collecting an unexpected number of strikes given its large break. Cutters can appear away to RHB, but their true talent is getting inside to LHB and ending at-bats early (it’s fantastic), while the sinker is 99th percentile iLoc as it lands inside over 80% of the time to RHB. Lovely.
Elite command?! He walked nearly 9% batters last year! I looked into this, because it really didn’t make sense. Yamamoto has a clear plan for all his pitches (attack cutters inside to LHB, splitters are down, curves are located, sinkers are always inside to RHB, etc.), and there was one single anomaly this season: Eight walks on his sinker to RHB. Remove those and it’s a 7.5% walk rate. That sinker has one of the lowest zone and strike rates in baseball and while it is highly effective at jamming batters when aggressive, it fails when batters are passive in three-ball counts, allowing free passes. Just stop throwing three-ball sinkers, cool?
The other adjustment? Finding a way to not allow a 50%+ ICR on his four-seamer to RHB. If you’ve followed me, you’ll remember my bit yelling at Yamamoto to get his four-seamer upstairs more often, which does work in two-strike counts (24% putaway rate!), but I question why he lets it sit comfortably over the plate earlier in counts, too. It also makes his 90 mph cutter on the outside edge less effective as it carries more movement, but lands close enough to the expected four-seamer location, allowing for an easy adjustment and too much hard contact as well.
His four-seamer and cutter attack to RHB has me wondering what his hit rate should look like in 2026. At the very least, it’s not the sub-6 mark we saw last year (those never repeat) with his high ICR fastball displaying Koufax as a clear sycophant when the heater returned just a .236 BABIP To RHB, while he was so good to LHB in the other direction. It’s a land of extremes and it simply won’t happen again, which should raise the WHIP, reduce the innings, and make it an overall worse season. And don’t forget – 30 Starts in 2025 included his Japan series outing and fortunate circumstances that allowed him to go as much as he did. 28 is the general expectation, capping his volume around 170 frames at best. It’ll be quality frames, absolutely, but I can’t go SP #4 without a higher ceiling.
Quick Take: He’s dope and makes us feel dope. The attack to LHB is suffocating with cutters in, splitters away, curves for strikes, and four-seamers above the splitter for 28% called strikes – the most in baseball. He was fortunate against RHB (50% ICR on four-seamers!) and negative regression is likely coming for him, while 30 starts and 170+ IP are unlikely to repeat. With a capped volume ceiling, I question how aggressively he should be drafted, though the quality per inning will be excellent.
Blake Snell (LHP)
2025 Stats: 61.1 IP | 2.35 ERA | 1.26 WHIP | 28.3 K% | 10.2 BB%
I won’t do it. We KNOW what he does and it’s absurdly stressful as a manager to endure it. I’m new here, what does he do? Snell either hits the IL or is mediocre across the first three months of the season, then it becomes HOT SNELL SUMMER and he turns into an absolute stud. Or at least he has. As a manager rostering Snell, I have two questions for you. First, let’s say he is a stud for the second half, is it enough volume to justify a high draft pick? Second, how much faith are you going to have in June when he’s either on the IL or pitching poorly that he’ll take off the TIARA in the second half? He always does. Yes, until he doesn’t. That’s too much stress for me.
But fine, how does Snell turn into a stud? He becomes an elite SWATCH. He destroys LHB with his curve and slider with 13%+ SwStr rates on his four-seamer up-and-away above the deadly slide piece, and his changeup is as elite as it gets against RHB. When he’s cooking, the slider and curve are able to find strikes to RHB and the heater is effectively upstairs to avoid damage as Snell plays the lovely tightrope of never giving into batters, and often sacrifices a walk for a chance to strikeout the next. Wait, that’s more anxiety. IT SURE IS.
I sure hope he has another Cy Young run across 180 IP of brilliance (or at least, four months of brilliance to mask a poor April and May), though he’s already showcasing his early injury question marks with the current statement as “hoping to be ready by Opening Day”. Y’all know that ain’t happening. Do your future self a favor and grab a pitcher who won’t make you anxious for six months.
Quick Take: Take Snell if you like – he features elite Top 5 SP upside if healthy and clicking for all six months. Unfortunately, Snell has proven routinely that he’ll miss time early in the season and do his very best to turn on the jets in the second half, forcing you to forget the stress you endured for months. If that’s cool with you, I get it. Just set-and-forget in a roto league and it’ll be productive, but the realistic ceiling is capped with expected time on the IL and I’d rather go for more consistent arms.
Tyler Glasnow (RHP)
2025 Stats: 90.1 IP | 3.19 ERA | 1.10 WHIP | 29.0 K% | 11.7 BB%
I wrestled with Glasnow’s ranking and at the end of the day, he’s an injury-prone pitcher who will be quality when he pitches. His four-seamer’s cut action destroys LHB and his curveball is one of the most effective two-strike pitches in baseball, due to his 100th percentile extension and hard velocity. The slider took a step back last season as he yanked the pitch gloveside far too often to RHB, dragging its zone rate and strike rate down with it, flirting with the slums of a 50% strike rate despite comfortably sitting above a 60%+ mark in previous years. Yes, there’s your walk problem, and no, it should not be the same in 2026. I’d be shocked if it weren’t his off-season plan to figure out the slider.
But where do we actually rank him? I’m not entirely sure, though he should rise higher and higher the shallower your league is – after all, he’s a Top 5 SP in baseball when on the mound. I often consider my ranks as “How will I feel on April 26th?” That is, a month into the season, pre-season rankings are out the window and the perception of players shifts dramatically. Glasnow is likely healthy and looking dominant at that point and boy will it feel great having him instead of an SP #3, right? But he’s going to get hurt. Sure, he likely will. And we’ll deal with that when it happens. That’s the fun of fantasy, isn’t it? Figuring out the SPs to fill in the gaps and enjoy the elite moments when you have them.
Guess I’m drafting a lot more Glasnow than I thought. Huh.
Quick Take: Glasnow is a Top 5 SP in the majors when pitching regularly. With that in mind, what you should do with Tyler is based on your league. The shallower the league, the higher the value as Glasnow’s replacement in-season will be of higher quality, making Glasnow’s elite innings a valuable commodity. I find myself gravitating toward him in drafts, considering about 120-130 of strikeouts + three months of his replacement, with elite ratios in the time he pitches. That sure feels like it’s worthwhile.
Shohei Ohtani (RHP)
2025 Stats: 47.0 IP | 2.87 ERA | 1.04 WHIP | 33.0 K% | 4.8 BB%
I cannot believe I am typing these words right now. As of February 1st, Ohtani the pitcher is a FANTASY SLEEPER. It’s a result of Ohtani’s ADP being dictated by “one-player Ohtani” leagues, and without the proper number next to him, the limited frames from last year have many going with others who just had a full season. But here’s the thing: Ohtani has always been an elite SP. The small 50+ inning sample (four postseason games!) gave us the same elite pitcher of old, this time with an improved slider and a slight uptick in velocity, if you can believe it. There’s less frisbee action on the sweeper, though 30%+ strikeouts and a sub 1.10 WHIP for his fourth straight season as a SP sure makes me feel like he’s back to the norm.
And now, after all the rehab you’d want + not pitching in the WBC, Ohtani is set up to go every six days for the Dodgers as he enjoys the TJS honeymoon. Imagine the Dodgers baby him like the Rays did with Rasmussen last year. That was 150 innings and I don’t quite grasp the idea of 110-120 IP as the projections I’ve seen floating around. The gap between him and Yoshi is pretty small in my eyes (about 10+ more IP and slightly more W because of it is the only difference to me) and I’m ranking them closely as such. I’d even expect the new slider to get a larger spotlight in the year ahead to help deal with LHB and who knows, maybe he’ll get the feel for his splitter as an out pitch to LHB once again. You want this.
Quick Take: Ohtani, the pitcher, is elite and I don’t believe he should have the same injury question marks as his peers, with the only ding being a six-man rotation. 30% strikeout rate with an elite ERA and WHIP while pitching for a winning ballclub is all the makings of a stud arm who I want everywhere. And watch the slider take a step forward to make him even more consistent.
On The Fringe
Emmet Sheehan (RHP)
2025 Stats: 73.1 IP | 2.82 ERA | 0.97 WHIP | 30.6 K% | 7.6 BB%
If Sheehan were on a different team and firmly locked into a rotation spot, I’d be all over him for 2026. But he is locked for a rotation spot! Yes and no? There’s a sense that the Dodgers don’t want to push Sheehan to become a proper workhorse starter and even as the #5 as I write this with just Sasaki(?) and Casparius/Wrobleski behind him, and the understanding that Snell and Glasnow are massive injury risks, I still have my concerns. After all, the Dodgers are sure to add one more depth starter to the mix, which could turn shred Sheehan’s consistency across his third season in the bigs (2023, TJS, limited 2025). I really hope I’m overstating the Dodgeritis effect.
Let’s say Sheehan is, in fact, starting regularly and allowed to go 85+ pitches. I like the fella! His 95/96 mph four-seamer comes at a low arm-angle for a legit 1.6 HAVAA and carries surprise vert at the top of the zone consistently. Hard not to love that.
Against RHB, he is a bit two-pitch, though, and batters made it clear that they are four-seamer hunting, smacking the pitch for a 50%+ ICR, complaining as it soars through the air, looking at the slider getting treated as the favorite child. Why do I have to take a beating and the slide piece gets a 25% SwStr rate and a sub 31% ICR?! I’M THE ONE THAT’S COMMANDED BETTER! Yes, it is spotted more consistently, but the slider isn’t hung upstairs and gets all the chases away at 88mph. I just wish there was one more offering to make batters question aggression upstairs…oh! Of course! A 35-degree arm angle typically speaks to a sinker of some kind and I’d be shocked if Sheehan isn’t experimenting with one come spring. It would make sense that the Dodgers didn’t tinker much upon his return from injury, letting the youngin’ get comfortable with what he used to do before tinkering.
A sinker would be a lovely addition, as well as a bit of polish on his changeup – a pitch that rarely suffered punishment but just squeezed over a 60% strike rate between its moments sailing up-and-armside against LHB. It’s a kick-change (and a beauty) with 17″ of depth relative to the four-seamer and I’d even suggest he feature it against RHB more than 10% of the time, though Sheehan’s lack of expertise locating the pitch has a bit to do with it.
I find myself looking at Emmet on paper and seeing a legit starter, rooted in his four-seamer routinely landing upstairs and carrying all the qualities you want out of a high fastball. However, I’m not completely sold in his slider and changeup feel, and we’ve seen batters capably knocking around the heater at times, despite its vert and flat attack. That said, if the Dodgers make it clear that he’s planted in the rotation indefinitely, sign me up. At the current moment, there’s still some haze in the matter (there’s still time for FA signings and what they want to do with the rest of their starters), so pay attention to his usage this spring.
Quick Take: Sheehan’s four-seamer sets a fantastic foundation upstairs for his slider and kick-change to attack batters. There’s a bit of polish left to add with his secondaries, though we may see a sinker to help keep RHB from fastball hunting, and more time on the bump is sure to come with improved changeup precision. The Dodgers’ rotation lacks the veteran depth of old (for now) and it seems likely that Sheehan has a firm grasp on the SP #5 spot, though it’s still a situation to be monitored. If he has the full go, I’m grabbing him everywhere.
Roki Sasaki (RHP)
2025 Stats: 36.1 IP | 4.46 ERA | 1.43 WHIP | 17.4 K% | 13.7 BB%
The Dodgers are trying to make Sasaki work and I simply don’t see it. He’s a two-pitch arm (fastball/splitter) with a poor slider, an inconsistent splitter, and a fastball that doesn’t miss bats. I get the sense that I’m in the minority with this expectation, and I hope to be completely wrong, with a stellar display this spring, but recognize that Sasaki’s 96 mph four-seamer had a 5.5% SwStr across 300+ thrown (that’s about 17 whiffs total. We’ve seen starters earn that number in one game), partially due to his splitter and slider both failing to act as strike pitches, allowing batters to go fastball hunting at their leisure. Some pitchers can get away with that a bit, but not Sasaki, equipped with a deadzone heater and somewhat steep attack angle. There is some hope, though. The most obvious tweak is to add a sinker for RHB, leaning into the 7+ feet of extension, and make it difficult for batters to decide which heater is coming with less time than usual. Still, Sasaki has to also figure out a secondary to throw for strikes, and I can’t tell you that he will, let alone finding a non-sinker pitch to throw against LHB. Just put him in the pen, okay?
Quick Take: There’s too much to fix with Sasaki. With an arsenal featuring the depth of the protagonist’s best friend from a Hallmark Christmas film, batters comfortably hunt his deadzone 96 mph four-seamer. Even if he adds a sinker to help against RHB, the splitter and slider aren’t getting the job done, and it’s not wise to expect Sasaki to fix them both to a level that would vault him into 12-teamer relevance. It’s too much to ask and unless we see a completely new arm, the hope is for a HIPSTER label. Nah, I’m good.
Ben Casparius (RHP)
2025 Stats: 77.2 IP | 4.64 ERA | 1.27 WHIP | 21.3 K% | 6.3 BB%
Let’s assume Casper were locked into a rotation spot for a moment. His 96 mph four-seamer features great vert and cut-action to earn 15%+ SwStr rates against both LHB and RHB (dope!), with a 92 mph cutter with elite horizontal break that carves up LHB inside and debilitates RHB expecting heaters (both under 30% ICR!), with a curveball for LHB, and a slider + sweeper for RHB, each returning 60%+ strikes against their respective batters. It’s a great mix and speaks to a #3/4 SP who would shoot up draft boards in 2027 after one season of regular starts.
But that’s not the case. The Dodgers didn’t let him toss more than 80 pitches last season (and just six games above 50 pitches), utilizing him more as a long reliever instead of allowing him to stretch out. Dodgeritis is a real thing – the Dodgers will shift around the roles of their young starters often, from skipping starts, limiting outings, moving to the pen/IL/minors, etc. – and even if granted a rotation spot out of camp, I worry he’ll be limited to ~80 pitches at best and eventually displaced instead of letting him stick around for an extended period and permanently shifting into the role. It’s frustrating and while I’m fine with that at the end of my drafts, be prepared for it if Casper does get a role. As of this very moment, I have Casparius under Wrobleski given Wrobo Cops’ longer starts last year, though who knows what happens. Pay attention, he’s a solid pitcher, even if the Shag Rug exists.
Quick Take: It’s all about role and volume. Casparius has the skill set to be a legit SP, but the Dodgers haven’t unleashed him, utilizing Casper as a long reliever with the rare moments as an SP/bulk arm, returning only six games with at least 50 pitches in 2026. The stellar horizontal movement on his 96 mph four-seamer and cutter speak to a great foundation + solid breakers round out the package well, but how we he be used? I’m pessimistic he’ll have a locked rotation spot with 80+ pitches a night, though a shaky Sasaki and possible injuries could present the opportunity early. He’s worth the spec add if given the chance.
Justin Wrobleski (LHP)
2025 Stats: 66.2 IP | 4.32 ERA | 1.23 WHIP | 27.1 K% | 6.1 BB%
He gave me a jolt last season after displaying 93/94 mph velocity in a brutal outing in early April, showed up for 45 pitches in May that we brushed off, then got the pearl in the first against the Cardinals in June where he sat 97 mph across 104 pitches. It didn’t come with stellar command, but hot dang, 97 mph four-seamers! From Wrobo Cop! That velocity was roughly 96 mph the rest of the way, with a few games as the bulk man returning four Wins and two losses in the next seven games before settling in as a reliever for an inning or two the rest of the way. The Dodgers absolutely loved Wrobleski as their “we need random innings” guy throughout the season and I expect more of the same in 2026, though it’s possible he steps ahead of Sasaki and/or Casparius, without another arm entering the fray, especially when the inevitable IL stints arrive. I’m definitely interested in Wrobleski when the time comes, and I’m surprised at how good his supporting cast is. Five pitches all returned over 5.00 PLV marks last season against RHB (Four-seamer, curve, cutter, slider, sinker), each holding a 65%+ strike rate, and the heater returning a 17% SwStr rate. He doesn’t have as wide a skillset against LHB (sinker, slider, four-seamer), though there’s not much more you need as a southpaw, and the high four-seamer was saved well for strikeouts. Huh. I didn’t expect to be interested in Wrobleski, but that improved four-seamer is a gamechanger, and if he can keep that 96 mph velocity, he’ll be a great add if the Dodgers let him go over 80 pitches consistently.
Quick Take: Wrobleski has a chance to break camp in the rotation as the #6 SP for the Dodgers (or #5 if Snell isn’t ready), and if he’s still sitting 96 mph on four-seamers, I’m excited. He has surprising depth in his arsenal, elite control, and a heater he elevates effectively for strikeouts. Consider Wrobo Cop a sleeper for 2026, and monitor how the Dodgers use him in the spring.
Names To Know
Landon Knack (RHP)
We saw a bit of Knack in early 2025, extending to 90+ pitches in four straight outings (twice over 100!), capped with a fabulous six inning performance with six punchouts and one run against the Yankees. And yet, that game was catalyzed by a massive lead that let him comfortably throw heaters over the plate (19/56 called strikes?), masking terrible breakers and a change that earned most of those strikeouts, but wasn’t the reliable #2 you want for Knack. This is all to say that there isn’t enough pizzaz here for me to believe that Knack will get the opportunity to start over his peers. His 93 mph four-seamer has great vert, but at a stupid high arm angle that makes that movement less deceptive, and the new kick-change is fun, but that’s pretty much it. He shelved the slider and curve for the most part, and for good reason – both returned a paltry 51% strike rate, yuck – and this heater/change combo ain’t enough. Maybe he’ll get another spot start or two against poor teams (hopefully stretched out enough?), but I wouldn’t chase it.
Gavin Stone (RHP)
He’s recovering from TJS and is expected to have a normal off-season and build-up during spring training, according to Jeff Fletcher, and I can imagine some are circling Stone as a sleeper after an excellent rookie season of a 3.53 ERA in 140 frames. I’m not as bullish as others, and yet, if Stone actually gets starts regularly, I see how it worked in 2024 and it’s possible it repeats. The growth in 2024 came from two areas: an extra tick of velocity, and adding a sinker to combat RHB, which had poor movement but was absolutely dotted inside without fear for a 30% ICR at 32% usage, setting up the changeup underneath effectively and stellar precision with sliders away. The changeup wasn’t as effective as you’d imagine against LHB (15% putaway rate, sub 60% strike rate, 38% ICR), and that would have to improve alongside a better alternate option as his four-seamer and sinker are not it (Maybe the cutter can take a step forward). If Stone is back at 95 mph and dotting the sinker inside to RHB again with good sliders and changeups, that’s enough to be valuable in 15-teamers if not 12-teamers. The strikeout rate will depend on slider growth and legit support for the slowball against LHB, and I have to imagine we’ll see something different there. I am assuming the Dodgers start Stone in Triple-A, though, with many MLB-ready arms who have pitched plenty since 2024, allowing Stone to ease back in across the season and limit his workload. The best news? We’ll be able to see how he progresses in Triple-A before you have to make the decision mid-season.
River Ryan (RHP)
You should really pay attention to River. He missed all of 2025 recovering from TJS and when we last saw him, he was spotting 96+ mph four-seamers (questionable shape, sadly) with fantastic 89/90 mph sliders and an elite 83 mph curveball. There was even a changeup with good precision down-and-away to LHB. We saw the standard turmoil that comes with the Shag Rug before injury took him, and now he’s returned with thirty pounds of extra muscle. Pushing aside our PTSD of Syndergaard’s drastic weight gain, Ryan outlined that he needed the extra muscle to support his high velocity. The Dodgers have a shockingly limited number of reliable options once their elite starters take their routine trips to the IL, paving the way for a Ryan call-up in May or June, and preventing an overload of volume fresh off of TJS. It makes too much sense and I’d make a spec add once the time comes, as long as the Triple-A numbers pass the eye test.
Bobby Miller (RHP)
Look, I know all the jokes n whatnot, but he still exists and tweaks are things, you know. Last we saw him, he still had 97 mph velocity (still deadzone) with above-average extension (6.7, not the fliration with 7 feet as it was in 2023), and I’ll contend that the biggest flaw from Miller wasn’t the stuff. Nay, it was the approach. Maybe he’s stopped throwing gloveside fastballs, aiming down-and-away to RHB. That’s the wrong place to throw him somewhat flat heater, and it was DEMOLISHED. Given his slider and curve also landed in the same place, batters keyholed one area and had a field day. This should be the typical high four-seamer, inside sinker, curveballs over the plate/down, and sliders/sweepers away. He’ll still need more from his changeup to LHB if he’s not locating the four-seamer well, but there is a path, at the very least. And maybe he’s got two ticks back on the heater or more extension or a better feel for his slider to create a proper cutter to LHB? WHO KNOWS?! There’s a chance, that’s all I’m saying.
Cole Irvin (LHP)
I gotta say, I absolutely adore Irvin the man. You should go listen to Alex and me talk to him years ago and you’ll quickly become enamored. For your fantasy leagues? I highly doubt Irvin will break camp with the team after sporting a 4.48 ERA with 128 strikeouts in just about 145 innings in the KBO last season + the high number of options internally that the Dodgers surely want to find frames for. But you know what? It’s found money for the Dodgers if Irvin is something decent out of the gate, allowing them to keep a young arm in Triple-A a touch longer. That can’t happen Nick. I know. I can’t. Probably. If he does break camp as a starter? You should not give it a whirl unless you’re desparate in an NL-Only league, and even then I’d suggest starting a Colorado pitcher on the road in the first weekend in Miami instead. Seriously.
Relevant Prospects
Thanks to MLB.com and Eric Longenhagen’s work at FanGraphs for many insights into these prospects. I also used our PLV Minor League Player App for additional data I couldn’t find elsewhere.
For pitchers in Triple-A, our PL Pro MiLB app was an invaluable resource, gathering all velocity, movement, extension, and HAVAA marks with ease. For example, here’s Kohl’s Drake’s Triple-A slider card this season inside the app. Unlock this app and many more with PL Pro.
Nick Frasso (RHP, 27, AAA) – Watch Video
Frasso returned from TJS at the start of 2025 and was moved to a relief role after a pair of rough outings in the middle of May. It may be the future for Frasso with so many other elite arms in the Dodgers’ farm system, especially at twenty-seven years old. His four-seamer’s best attributes are its 95/96 mph velocity and his 7+ feet of extension (poor shape), armed with a kick-change and slider that acts like a cutter at 90 mph with 0 horizontal and high vert. Looks like a reliever to me.
Chris Campos (RHP, 25, AA) – Watch Video
Campos doesn’t appear to dominate, though he’s accumulated plenty of volume in Double-A the past two seasons, and is likely getting the jump to Triple-A this year. Armed with a slider he relies upon for whiffs, Campos could find some time in a spot-start or traditional three innings of Dodgeritis, and I wouldn’t circle him as a potential fantasy target when he gets his chance.
Patrick Copen (RHP, 23, AA) – Watch Video
He’s your standard Joe Boyle with good velocity and stuff, but poor control. Not quite as upper-level velocity, and I’m not sure Boyle had 52 walks in 69 innings (7.5 BB/9. Ouch. This is an obvious “Pay attention if he makes an adjustment, though I’d wager against it” arm.
Peter Heubeck (RHP, 23, AA) – Watch Video
He doesn’t have the best control currently, though I was surprised to see the high walk numbers after watching his smooth delivery that speaks to what seems to be a fantastic four-seamer that routinely misses bats upstairs. That arm action creates your typical 12-6 curveball action and a gyro slider and he could shoot up prospect rankings quickly if he gets the walks in check. I wonder if the secondaries are enough to earn consistent strikes and support the heater, though the four-seamer foundation looks stellar.
Jackson Ferris (LHP, 22, AA) – Watch Video
Ferris is LEGIT. A southpaw with a mid-to-upper 90s velocity, (relatively) decent control, a great slider, elite extension, and a changeup. That’s, uh, great. He just needs more frames under his belt with a clear path to playing time for him to become the fantasy arm you want him to be, and he may be kept down for another season as other, older arms fill in as Ferris continues to polish his control and improve his stamina. When he gets the call – and it’s for a rotation spot – you add him. Right away.
Adam Serwinowski (LHP, 21, AA) – Watch Video
He has a funky delivery as a southpaw, with short arm action and an unusual timing as he turns his back foot to extend toward the plate. At first glance, it seems like a shorter extension, but reports are average, if not better, and his oddity and overall stuff with mid-to-upper 90s velocity (he hit triple digits?!) helped him carve 136 strikeouts in nearly 109 frames on two different A+ teams last season. Per usual, he has a near-4.50 BB/9 with a typical case of stuff-over-execution, but you need to know the name. He doesn’t seem as chaotic as his contemporaries, opening the door for Serwinowski to become a legit southpaw stud in the future.
Christian Zazueta (RHP, 21, A+) – Watch Video
He’s an interesting one. The Dodgers acquired him in a deal for Caleb Ferguson from the Yankees, and while he lacks overpowering velocity in the low-to-mid 90s, his flat attack angle with sparkling control (16 walks in 67+ frames of Single-A) allowed him to collect 80 strikeouts and boast a low 1.04 WHIP and 2.44 ERA. There’s a changeup and slider both in the mid 80s as well, that he features good feel for and finds whiffs. There’s potential here, especially if the velocity climbs without sacrificing his ability to find the zone. I’d rule him out for 2026, though.
Zachary Root (LHP, 22, Rk) – Watch Video
Root was drafted in 2025 by the Dodgers and has yet to make his professional debut. He’s a stellar southpaw (126 strikeouts in nearly 100 college frames) whose strength comes from a polished four-pitch mix over explosive stuff, sitting low-to-mid 90s with a big hook as his strikeout offering, though the breaker’s success may not carry over into the bigs (it’s rare to see curveballs as strikeout pitches given the lower velocity). There’s little to no hope Root finds the majors in 2026, but you should know that he exists for the trade deadline and the possible 2027/2028 call-up. The Dodgers have so much pitching talent, it’s bonkers.
