(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
After dissecting both closers and non-closer relievers separately earlier in the week, today we list the top 100 combined RP option for leagues that count saves and holds. There’s still going to be a higher priority for closers as they typically add more to that save+hold category. 11 closers were able to secure at least 30 saves last season, while only one pitcher had 30 holds on the year. This is why I look to load up on high upside guys at the back end of drafts and why I have those types higher on my list. Sure you can take someone like Taylor Rogers who led the league in holds last year, but there is really no upside in any department outside of SV+HLD’s (and he was terrible in the second half). He’s just one example, but the reason I won’t go chasing guys just on perceived opportunities for holds.
TIER 1
1. Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers)
2. Craig Kimbrel (Boston Red Sox)
3. Andrew Miller (Cleveland Indians)
4. Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees)
TIER 2
5. Ken Giles (Houston Astros)
6. Roberto Osuna (Toronto Blue Jays)
7. Corey Knebel (Milwaukee Brewers)
8. David Robertson (New York Yankees)
9. Felipe Rivero (Pittsburgh Pirates)
10. Chris Devenski (Houston Astros)
11. Edwin Diaz (Seattle Mariners)
12. Cody Allen (Cleveland Indians)
13. Dellin Betances (New York Yankees)
14. Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers)
15. Carl Edwards Jr. (Chicago Cubs)
16. Archie Bradley (Arizona Diamondbacks)
TIER 3
17. Sean Doolittle (Washington Nationals)
18. Ryan Madson (Washington Nationals)
19. A.J. Minter (Atlanta Braves)
20. Brad Hand (San Diego Padres)
21. Raisel Iglesias (Cincinnati Reds)
22. Mychal Givens (Baltimore Orioles)
23. Hector Neris (Philadelphia Phillies)
24. Brandon Morrow (Chicago Cubs)
25. Anthony Swarzak (New York Mets)
26. Blake Parker (Los Angeles Angels)
27. Kirby Yates (San Diego Padres)
28. Joe Smith (Houston Astros)
29. Addison Reed (Minnesota Twins)
30. Wade Davis (Colorado Rockies)
31. Mark Melancon (San Francisco Giants)
TIER 4
32. Chad Green (New York Yankees)
33. Will Harris (Houston Astros)
34. Bryan Shaw (Colorado Rockies)
35. Pat Neshek (Philadelphia Phillies)
36. Jeurys Familia (New York Mets)
37. Blake Treinen (Oakland Athletics)
38. Dominic Leone (St. Louis Cardinals)
39. Scott Alexander (Los Angeles Dodgers)
40. Tommy Kahnle (New York Yankees)
41. Alex Colome (Tampa Bay Rays)
42. Drew Steckenrider (Miami Marlins)
43. Arodys Vizcaino (Atlanta Braves)
44. Pedro Strop (Chicago Cubs)
45. Juan Nicasio (Seattle Mariners)
46. Trevor Hildenberger (Minnesota Twins)
47. Keone Kela (Texas Rangers)
48. Kelvin Herrera (Kansas City Royals)
49. Tommy Hunter (Philadelphia Phillies)
50. Tyler Lyons (St. Louis Cardinals)
51. Matt Barnes (Boston Red Sox)
52. Nick Goody (Cleveland Indians)
53. Michael Feliz (Pittsburgh Pirates)
54. Cam Bedrosian (Los Angeles Angels)
55. Luke Gregerson (St. Louis Cardinals)
56. Joakim Soria (Chicago White Sox)
57. George Kontos (Pittsburgh Pirates)
58. Brad Brach (Baltimore Orioles)
59. A.J. Ramos (New York Mets)
60. Keynan Middleton (Los Angeles Angels)
61. Nate Jones (Chicago White Sox)
TIER 5
62. Brett Cecil (St. Louis Cardinals)
63. Adam Morgan (Philadelphia Phillies)
64. Jerry Blevins (New York Mets)
65. Kyle Barraclough (Miami Marlins)
66. Darren O’Day (Baltimore Orioles)
67. Ryan Tepera (Toronto Blue Jays)
68. Brad Boxberger (Arizona Diamondbacks)
69. Jacob Barnes (Milwaukee Brewers)
70. Fernando Rodney (Minnesota Twins)
71. David Hernandez (Cincinnati Reds)
72. Carson Smith (Boston Red Sox)
73. Tony Watson (San Francisco Giants)
74. Shane Greene (Detroit Tigers)
75. Yoshihisa Hirano (Arizona Diamondbacks)
76. Tony Cingrani (Los Angeles Dodgers)
77. Chris Rusin (Colorado Rockies)
78. Yusmeiro Petit (Oakland Athletics)
79. Pedro Baez (Los Angeles Dodgers)
80. Jose Ramirez (Atlanta Braves)
81. Sergio Romo (Tampa Bay Rays)
82. Dan Otero (Cleveland Indians)
83. Nick Vincent (Seattle Mariners)
84. Emilio Pagan (Oakland Athletics)
85. Jake McGee (Colorado Rockies)
TIER 6
86. Liam Hendriks (Oakland Athletics)
87. Steve Cishek (Chicago Cubs)
88. Andrew Chafin (Arizona Diamondbacks)
89. Kevin Shackelford (Cincinnati Reds)
90. Hector Rondon (Houston Astros)
91. Jose Alvarado (Tampa Bay Rays)
92. James Pazos (Seattle Mariners)
93. Josh Smoker (Pittsburgh Pirates)
94. Bud Norris (St. Louis Cardinals)
95. Edubray Ramos (Philadelphia Phillies)
96. David Phelps (Seattle Mariners)
97. Sam Dyson (San Francisco Giants)
98. Justin Wilson (Chicago Cubs)
99. Hunter Strickland (San Francisco Giants)
100. Brandon Kintzler (Washington Nationals)
101. Daniel Hudson (Tampa Bay Rays)
Archie Bradley doesn’t rank in your top 100?? What do you know that I don’t?
lol, yeaaa that’s an error on my part. He should be at 16 behind Edwards Jr.
I’m relieved… first thing I did was look for a season-ending injury!!!
Really appreciate you putting an tiered list together that’s 100 deep. My home league is sv+holds and I’m usually scrambling the night before draft day to put together a rough list. This is really helpful.
Thanks Jeff!
Will you update this page weekly? I agree Extreem;y helpful. Maybe put a star next to the closers
This will be a weekly feature through the season. Rick will also update it within the week of Opening Day.
Yes it’ll be updated weekly in season. Maybe not a star next to the closers but I can figure out something to make them stand out.
Great list. Play H2H 6×6 in a league that counts Saves and Holds as separate categories. Would you punt one cat, saves? For an opportunity to grab 3 Holds guys, thereby using the earlier picks to stock up on hitters as opposed to the feeding frenzy for the likes of Kimbrel, Jansen, et. al.?
I hate to completely ignore a category, but maybe get one high end closer then wait out RP til the end. Even if you are wasting that high end closer’s saves at the beginning of the year, they should still contribute to other categories. Load up on some potential closer in waiting types later in the draft. Target guys after the 200 ADP like Parker, Edwards, Boxberger/Bradley, Reed, Minter, Kela, Steckenrider/Barraclough, Gregerson/Leone, etc.
Hey Rick, remember how I always own your ass in fantasy and you right articles for people.
Tell Nick what up and how I use to own his ass too in the cages.
What up Deshler!
You could never hit my changeup, let’s be honest.
H
Looking forward to my first full season against you Tony. Your keepers ain’t nothing to right home about.
While he didn’t fare so well last year, Joe Jimenez, Det, I think should have been able to crack the top 100? Too inconsistent or just not enough data points to put him above the threshold?
I love Jimenez and I’m still a big believer. He’s somewhere just outisde of this list for now untill we see some type of consistent success at the MLB level. He is in a prime position to shoot up these rankings though with oppurtunity in that Detroit bullpen.
Great list Rick! Is Greg Holland omitted simply because he hasn’t signed yet? Thanks!
Claudio?
Is an update coming soon? Thanks.
Any idea when an update is coming? I’m in a weekly S+H league and want to make some moves on the weekend! This is GOLD! Thanks!