Have questions? My “office hours” are on Playback 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday – Friday + I stream the creation of this article LIVE at 1:00pm ET Monday afternoons.
For each edition of The List, I have a set of rules to outline my thought process and how to best use these rankings. Please take note:
- This is 5×5, 12-teamer, H2H format focused. It generally is the same as roto as well, but make sure you adjust accordingly.
- Before the notes and rankings, an injury table outlines where players would be relatively ranked if they were fully healthy. It’s the best way to tackle how to value players on the IL.
- If a player is on the IL or not confirmed inside the rotation, they aren’t on the List. That includes injuries and guys in the minors, but there are exceptions for players who are expected to be in the rotation but are being skipped this week.
- Since this is a 12-teamer, I heavily weigh upside in the back-half of the rankings. The HIPSTER players are likely going to underperform those labeled as a Toby across a full season, but it’s in your best interest to chase ceiling vs. floor in many cases. Pick the one that you need most in your situation, of course.
- I’ve made a decision to limit labels to just two labels per player, with few exceptions for a second. It streamlines the process much better and hopefully gives you a more targeted understanding of the player.
- The notes outline oh-so-much to help your team. Please read the notes if you can instead of just scrolling to the bottom.
Let’s get to the tables. First are all of our injured compatriots. Injuries are so strange and instead of shoving them at random moments on The List, I’ve elected to throw all of them into one table here for you, the wise fantasy manager, to determine if it’s worthwhile to take the injury discount and when.
I made a decision last year: I removed the “Preseason tiers” and changed “tiers” to “Relative Rank” as it’ll be more consistent week-to-week — Tiers change while their relative rank does not.
Please understand that “70-80” does not guarantee the player will be exactly in that range when they return. Rankings are 100% relative to the landscape and while this table reflects where they would sit in a vacuum, it’s a fluid creature. Sometimes there are oh-so-many options, sometimes I want to see them healthy and stretched out again, and others we’re starving for pitchers and they jump higher than “70-80”. It’s a loose reference point and why it’s called “relative ranking.” It’s difficult to update this week-to-week and I apologize if the ranking is different when the player actually returns from the IL. I hope it helps!
One last point about that – pitchers often need an extra week or two to ramp up once they do return to the majors. It’s why Still ILL exists and the “relative rank” you see is when those guys have shaken off their rust. Will they be back to normal in their first start or will they need a few? I have no idea! Those ranks are to show what I’d expect once they are fully back to normal.
I added something new to The List last season. It’s a small table of the prospects I’m personally excited about who would jump up The List quickly if they were confirmed in the rotation. Please don’t read too much into these, there are far better prospect analysts out there than me, and this rank will likely conflict with our weekly SP To Stash article from John Villavicencio, though we will be conferring each week. Still, I think this table will help you quickly stay on top of who should be on your radar.
They are ordered by my general preference/focus on those guys right now. If any of these are called up, they should be added to your 12-teamers as spec adds at the very least. Some guys aren’t here and that’s due to my own belief they aren’t as pressing as the ones below. I could be very wrong there.
Colors: Green = Worthy of a stash right now in 12-teamers.
As I do my rankings, I thought it would be helpful to showcase a table of how we’re ranking offenses, granted by our PLV powered Projections (in alphabetical order by tier):
Remember, these offensive rankings are based on each offense’s Process+ so far this year and how we project their lineups moving forward. It means you’re going to see a little different offensive rankings than you may see elsewhere and there will always be some surprises. This is based on skills, not purely results!
Lastly, I heavily recommend you follow my daily SP Roundup that outlines all pitcher performances through the season, as each week’s update will reflect the comments and findings from those daily articles. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the players listed, I highly recommend reading my 75,000+ word Top 400 Starting Pitchers from February. Many things will have changed, but the root of my perception of these players is outlined there.
Let’s get to it.
Ranking Notes
- This is your reminder to please read these notes as they’ll tell you plenty about why “someone moved up” or “why is he at #X?!”
- Seriously. Read the notes.
- I know there are going to be a ton of comments about I hate how much these rankings change each week and I’m going to get out ahead of them here.
- These rankings mostly change in the back half of The List as that’s your waiver wire. Those aren’t the players you hold onto throughout the year like your SPs 1-4, which means we’re going to be a bit more chaotic and roll with the waves more aggressively. If I see elements that suggest a pitcher could be a Top 40 arm, I’m going to move up a ton from the 80s to the 60s. Shazam, there we go.
As is tradition, I need to tell you about the guys who were removed and added from the Top ~60, so you have context for the ranking shifts.
- Added: Gunnar Hoglund (57), Ranger Suárez (62)
- Removed: Tyler Glasnow (12), Shota Imanaga (21), Corbin Burnes (24),
- Net Change Inside Top 62: (+1)
Please understand how this affects movement across The List.
Tier 1 – The True Aces
These pitchers are dope and make us feel dope.
1. Tarik Skubal – He’s doing everything you want.
2. Paul Skenes – He took down the Dodgers with ease, even when the splinker wasn’t the greatest thing ever.
3. Zack Wheeler – Hard not to love Wheeler’s track record of efficiency + the addition of cutters and splitters to help with variety.
4. Jacob deGrom – He’s at 97 mph with one of the best sliders around.
5. Cole Ragans – Ragans is healthy and that’s all that matters.
6. Hunter Greene – Greene is still sitting 99 mph and earning strikes with his slider. He deserves to be in the top tier with his absurd start to 2025.
Tier 2 – AGA With Something To Prove
They have the AGA tag, though they all have a quirk that could mean they lose it by May.
7. Max Fried – He won’t be in the top tier unless he can hold a 27%+ strikeout rate with his ratios. No matter, he’s dope and makes us feel dope.
8. Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Yamamoto’s volume is slightly lower given the Dodgers’ hesitancy to push him twice a week. His addition of the cutter is sure to help, even if he’s not elevating the heater as much as I think he should.
9. Garrett Crochet – A significant drop for Crochet due to his dramatic loss of extension and a four-seamer sitting just 94 mph in his last outing. This was a pitch comfortably at 97+ mph last season, which appeared faster with elite extension. I’m worried something is bothering Crochet and we just don’t know about it.
10. Michael King – King is earning the volume with the punchouts, just like we wanted.
11. Joe Ryan – Ryan’s sweeper wasn’t as absurd in his last outing, but it’s still a better #2 pitch than he’s had in previous years. We’ve also seen a return to 94 mph for his elite four-seamer.
12. Bryan Woo – I’ve compared him Wheeler since last season and he’s done little to go against that comp thus far. Welcome to the AGA tier.
Tier 3 – We Expect Success Every Night
They have to earn the AGA tag but are just a few starts away from it.
13. Logan Webb – One more outing and Webb has his AGA crown. I love his wider arsenal this year.
14. Jack Flaherty – Flaherty hasn’t returned the ratios you’ve wanted, but the skills are very much there. His last start looked just like his dominance in the first half of 2024. A few starts should return AGA status.
15. Pablo López – López needs to flex a little more whiffability and get batters away from smacking four-seamers in play to take the leap into the next tier.
16. Chris Sale – Right when I doubted Sale’s slider he went berserk for the best start he’s had in a long time. Do it again, please.
17. Hunter Brown – Brown had a poor first inning before going five no-hit frames to recover value for fantasy managers. The four-seamer was a little slower at 96 mph and I’d love for him to hold 97 mph for the majority of the season.
18. Spencer Schwellenbach – Mr. Crescendo has had a rough patch and I’m still holding tightly. His overall command has been weaker than usual and instead of betting that he’s completely lost that ability forever, I’m wagering that Schwellenbach will get his form back, akin to what we’ve seen prior to the start of this stretch. Stick with him.
Tier 4 – So Dang Close To Greatness
I trust all these pitchers to produce this season while they also have heightened nightmare potential on a given night.
19. Carlos Rodón – Rodón has quietly returned a 31%+ strikeout rate across seven starts thus far and I don’t see why he can’t boast a 25-30% rate moving forward. The changeup has picked up where it left off at the end of last season and we shouldn’t hesitate starting him regularly.
20. Dylan Cease – It’s the same ole song-and-dance. We love Cease. We hate Cease. How could we ever draft Cease? CEASE HAS SAVED MY SEASON. Just plug him in and close your eyes.
21. Freddy Peralta – Peralta has Professor Chaos appear here and there, but has been able to stave it off more times than not.
22. Robbie Ray – After major questions about Ray’s walk rate early in the year, he finally began integrating his slider with his four-seamer and poof, the walk rate normalized. Expect Ray to showcase a worthwhile change and curve over time as well, making a well rounded arsenal. There are sure to be some frustrating nights along the way, though.
23. Jesús Luzardo – That sweeper is marvelous and the old gyro slider has extra depth that is sure to help Luzardo in the long run. The Phillies may have stablized Luzardo and I sure hope I didn’t just jinx it.
24. MacKenzie Gore – He’ll frustrate me to no end with his four-seamer (and curve and change..?) command, but I can’t ignore the impact of his slider to LHB that has eliminated a sore spot in previous years. I sure hope he doesn’t make me pull this ranking back again in the future. It’s so hard to tell with a guy like Gore if he’s going to go 2-for-1 good vs bad or vice versa.
25. Drew Rasmussen – I’m a huge believer in Rasmussen’s arsenal, but I recognize that it isn’t a complete package quite yet and I had to rectify my higher rank from last week. Expect six innings to come regularly in time as the Rays let Rasmussen toss 90 pitches in an outing.
26. Shane Baz – Baz was rough in his last start and I’m hoping it was just a weird day at the park. Guess he’s just a Cherry Bomb eh?
27. Framber Valdez – Framber does what Framber does. Don’t look at the ratios, look at me. Framber will have stretches of brilliance and disasters and we have to be confident he’ll help more than hurt. It’s just how he works. Yes, I hate it too. Berríos’ Idol.
Tier 5 – Ole Reliable
These are premier Holly types, but they aren’t as exciting as the ones above. You should be fine with them, there’s just a little more risk.
28. Aaron Nola – I love Nola’s command, his velocity returning to 92+ mph, and improved changeup and cutter. I was incredibly harsh watching his earlier starts and I’m coming around that Nola is regaining his form to be the solid SP #3/4 you drafted him to be.
29. Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi has four pitches working and that’s a wonderful thing.
30. Bailey Ober – Ober is still a little down in velocity, but at least he’s spotting the four-seamer and changeup well. That slider still scares me.
31. Seth Lugo – He’s Lugo. Don’t overthink it.
32. Cristopher Sánchez – I would have him higher if he did give us a forearm injury scare last week. His velocity was around 96 mph (good!), and I hope the lack of changeup feel wasn’t a product of his forearm.
33. Sonny Gray – I’m not sure if I’m too high or too low on Sonny. He’s a Holly who goes through mini-stretches and you shouldn’t think a whole lot about it.
Tier 6 – Why Do I Feel So Scared?
This is the toughest tier to rank and will likely be filled with landmines as they all get the Cherry Bomb tag. Which will turn into the stud you dreamed of and which will be the bust?
34. Ryan Pepiot – Pepiot is a clear Cherry Bomb who could plateau like Luzardo or Peralta in time. I’m favoring him over the others as he doesn’t seem so far off from routine dominance, though I completely understand if many want to flat-out move on. The small sample volatility shouldn’t overweigh the quality of his three-pitch mix.
35. Bryce Miller – Bryce’s four-seamer hasn’t dominated the same way as it did last season, but I don’t want to judge him for his last outing – he apparently had a messed up back and did whatever he could to survive five frames. That explains the five walks and I hope we can get a recovered Bryce this week.
36. Nick Pivetta – He’s taking advantage of good matchups when he gets them, but we have literally never seen a sub 4.00 ERA season from Pivetta. This may be too high and yet, the Cherry Bomb tag is appropriate given his highs and lows.
37. Sandy Alcantara – I’m writing this as Sandy begins his start against the Dodgers and benching him where I have him. This is a one-week stash to make sure the skills are fine and to not risk disaster against a stupid good offense. His skills are too good to wallow for too long.
38. Tanner Bibee – The cutter arrived. Then disappeared. Again. Bibee, you can’t be like this for the entire season, can you?
Tier 7 – The Borderline Hollys
These are Holly arms and I can see how all of them can take the leap across the next month…or fall down the ranks quickly.
39. Kodai Senga – I’m not incredibly enthused by Senga’s drop in velocity and lack of enthusiasm for the cutter, but it’s not nearly enough to pull him off your rosters.
40. Zac Gallen – Gallen shocked me with a Canibal McSanchez approach out of nowhere and despite his arsenal giving me anxiety, I trust the vet to continue making adjustments.
41. Luis Castillo – I thought I’d be lowering Castillo more, but we’re starting to thin out quickly this week. Castillo’s fastballs are losing their edge while he just had an outing without a single whiff on his slider or changeup. This is not prime Castillo.
42. Reese Olson – Olson is cooking with both his slider and changeup. If he can continue to spot his sinker and hopefully pull back the four-seamer to LHB, he can climb high up the ranks. We just need to see consistency.
43. Nick Lodolo – Lodolo didn’t have a great change or curve last time out, but I’m confident it’s not the guy we’ll regularly see.
44. Clay Holmes – The Adobe is still inefficient to the point that I don’t expect routine dominance. The sinker and secondaries are filthy enough to get outs and some strikeouts, even if it means the WHIP will be higher than ideal.
45. Lucas Giolito – I was impressed by Giolito’s four-seamer and changeup during his debut. I thought I’d have him lower this week, but I can’t ignore the upside of Giolito figuring out the slider or featuring a better #3 pitch.
46. Brandon Pfaadt – Pfaadt has continued to show the same new approach to LHB and this is where I think he’ll stay all year. He’s a complete pitcher, just not a dominating pitcher.
Tier 8 – At The Edge Of The Cliff
Now that we’re past the “hey, this is legit value I’m unlikely to drop this season”, it’s time to shift to pure upside. It’s why these rankings are more aggressive than projections or likely other rankings you’ve seen elsewhere. It’s a 12-teamer and you should be embracing the burn-and-churn of your starting pitchers.
I would have Bubba Chandler at #47 were he called up today.
47. Jackson Jobe – I didn’t really touch Jobe this week. He’s still figuring his arsenal out and I love his lean into sliders as of late. The sinkers and four-seamers are still getting sat on by hitters and I’m looking forward to watching Jobe develop over the year.
48. Kris Bubic – Bubic may seem unconventional with a 92 mph heater as his foundation, but I think the changeup and breakers are there often enough to be productive, while there’s excitement for him to find a stretch of excellence when the command locks in.
49. Grant Holmes – I think we all see the upside now and that wasn’t even the best form. The question is if Holmes can get his curveball back to last year’s usage and whiff rates. In the meantime, his slider and four-seamer looked great together and with the schedule opening up, he could be strong for a while.
50. Tylor Megill – Megill’s command has been the biggest hindrance and after an early stretch of precision, the seams are starting to show. His last start featured a terrible strike rate on his slider, while the sinker and four-seamer found the heart of the plate often. The stuff is there. The reliability is not.
51. Ben Casparius – The Dodgers are giving Casparius a shot in the rotation and I hate that I have him so high. The thing is, those in tier 9 and beyond are no locks, either, or they have a limited ceiling. Casparius features a legit cutter and slider combo where he can save 96+ mph and with an opener for his outing this week, the Win chance is preserved while he ramps up. You should be taking a chance on this.
52. Tony Gonsolin – I prefer Casparius over Gonsolin, while Gonsolin’s situation in Los Angeles is too good to pass up. I don’t believe in the arsenal quite as much as Casparius, but with so many unknowns at the moment (seriously, look at Tier 9. Look at the boredom of Tier 10. Now come back.), you gotta take the chances like this.
Tier 9 – They Will Drive You Up The Wall
I’m willing to bet this tier will upset people the most. I see them as HIPSTER arms who could potentially smooth out into stable arms or make you wish in August that you never drafted them. Who knows when they’ll perform at their potential?
53. Gavin Williams – Gavin is absurdly frustrating to watch. You can see the elite talent in front of you, but he misses a curveball here. A fastball sails out of the zone. The sweeper just misses for ball three. I’m holding as I expect his unlucky strike calls in the shadow-zone will normalize, while I’ll still believe the cutter will show up to help earn more strikes and take the heat off the heater.
54. Kevin Gausman – Gausman finally did the thing! The splitter earned plenty of whiffs, while the four-seamer was a called strike machine. It looked like old Gausman for a moment and boy do I hope that’s who he is moving forward. In the end, he may just be a HIPSTER and that’s that.
55. Landen Roupp – How can you still rank him so high? I know, right? I hate it too. There’s a ton of talk about the Giants’ rotation with Birdsong and Harrison both in the pen now and with Roupp’s ineffective starts as of late (against good teams), it’s easy for us to expect more disaster and a changing of the guard. That said, all it takes is one day of better Roupp for him to hold onto the spot and to make him stand out above everyone else here. The strikeout rate is real, it’s all about nailing down the sinker locations and incorporating a few high four-seamers and cutters into the mix. It’ll come if he gets the time in the rotation to squeeze it out of him.
56. Max Meyer – Those two starts were absolutely terrible. Like really bad. However, he was magnificent the start before. The good news? He gets the White Sox next. Take a shot there and if he’s still horrendous, it won’t be so bad, and we move on.
57. Gunnar Hoglund – I really liked what I saw from Hoglund. His four-seamer has a ton of vert, his sinker gets lots of run, and the changeup flashed devastating drop at times. I wonder what we’ll get out of the breakers in time and if he can sit higher than 93/94 mph in the future. I’d be aggressive going after Hoglund as I see something real in this. He has better command than most rookies.
58. Dustin May – The sinker and sweeper were both improved against Atlanta, but the sinker feel is still a work in progress. He also needs to figure out the four-seamer and cutter once again, too, but it does seem like he took a step forward. If you want to drop May with Arizona up next, I completely understand that. He’ll be in this rotation past that outing, though, making him a worthwhile hold that’s a step above Tier 10.
59. Lance McCullers Jr. – He was the same inefficient HIPSTER of old, but given we have few interesting strikeout arms who can earn Wins and feature a lowish ERA out there, McCullers earns a Top 60 spot. The ceiling of a double-digit strikeout game seems very attainable, while I think he’ll give you a headache more than you’d like, sadly.
Tier 10 – I Just Need To Get My Feet Under Me
These are your Toby types who I’m comfortable rostering moreso than the next tier. Not too much separates Tier 10 and 11, though these should be prioritized first.
60. Michael Wacha – Wacha’s changeup is great and he’s done a fantastic job locating his other offerings around the plate. Nothing special, just a solid QS arm.
61. Matthew Boyd – I want to elevate Boyd into Tier 8 in time, but he failed to take advantage of a weak lineup (or is it? The Pirates are Tier 2 according to PL Bot…) and I’m waiting for Boyd to earn all the whiffs with both his changeup and slider in one outing.
62. Ranger Suárez – It was a disaster on the ERA side, but Suárez’s command impressed me in his return to the field. I think we have a solid Toby on our hands for a fair number of Wins on the horizon.
63. David Peterson – I’d be cautious in his next outing against the Sneks, while Peterson’s extension and change/slider combo should make him hover production even when he’s not at his best.
64. Matthew Liberatore – Liberatore had a rain-shortened outing that masked a worse overall feel, but I won’t judge him for it a whole lot. I see a relatively stable arm who can flirt with six frames regularly.
65. Jameson Taillon – Taillon has been on a heater and there isn’t much more to it. Let it ride for as long as he’s cruising.
66. Brayan Bello – I see Bello’s arsenal and believe he should ultimately be in Tier 8 at least, though it may take a moment for him to settle in. He doesn’t attack the zone with his pitches enough.
Tier 11 – Fine, You Need Innings
I expect them to be rostered in your 12-teamers and will be solid stabilizers throughout the year.
67. Chris Bassitt – The curve has been missing and it’s awfully frustrating. He should be a regular QS threat even without it as the sinker and cutter are still effective.
68. Justin Verlander – I would have him higher if not for the velocity falling from 95 mph to just 93 in his last outing. Now that he gets the Cubs this week, I’m scared we’ll get a disaster that destroys many teams. Or he’ll have his velocity back and the slider will earn plenty of whiffs once again.
69. Casey Mize – Am I in on Mize? I feel like I’m meh on him with this ranking. He’s fine and not doing enough to jump into a higher tier. We need a better #3 pitch.
70. Merrill Kelly – Kelly does what he always does, save for more cramps than usual. The Arizona defense helps him plenty.
71. Nick Martinez – The changeup and slider were incredible in his last outing. Here’s to hoping the feel is always there.
72. José Soriano – I’m a bit weirded out by the sinker failing to get inside to RHB and I hate that the slider is gone. He’s still fine on a given night.
Tier 12 – You Want To Ride The Magic Bus
It’s a little section of arms who everyone is buzzing about. So why not, take a chance and figure out if these stick.
73. Jack Leiter – We know the ceiling. Do you want to roll with it through all the bumps and bruises to experience it later in the year?
74. Tyler Mahle – The cutter focus is helping and yet the bottom feels like it’ll come out at any moment.
75. Taj Bradley – He’s the same guy he’s always been. Absurdly frustrating and with zero indication if he’ll ruin your team or grant a glistening performance. The latter is happening more infrquently this year, unfortunately.
76. Shane Smith – I dig Smith in the longhaul. However, I believe he’s getting away with a decent amount in the late innings of his outings, where he’s failing to hold his 95/96 mph velocity. There’s still work to be done and with the White Sox at his back, he has to do more to be fantasy-relevant.
77. AJ Smith-Shawver – And here I was, out on AJSS, only to slot him inside the Top 80 this week. You hypocrite! Or maybe there are so few interesting guys out there that you might as well take a shot on AJSS finding some command in a great situation.
Tier 13 – Fine, You Need More Innings
I expect them to be rostered in your 12-teamers and will be solid stabilizers throughout the year.
78. Brady Singer – Brady is the sinker/slider guy of old. I was hoping for more from the fastball and cutter and I’ve laid that dream to rest.
79. Tomoyuki Sugano – Sugano’s command has been fantastic as of late. If only I could tell you he’d be able to spot his heater and splitter the same way every game.
80. Clarke Schmidt – We know he can be of value, it’s simply a matter of getting his reps on the mound to return to form. He was delayed from a weekend start with side soreness and hopefully he’s able to be the solid Toby for a winning club once again.
81. Bowden Francis – You all see what I see – a 92 mph fastball that continues to earn a fair amount of weak contact + very little supporting it inside the arsenal. It makes Francis a Toby who can find the outs for six frames randomly or give us the mess we saw in his last two outings.
82. Eduardo Rodriguez – I know, Erod has collected 32 strikeouts across just three of his starts this year. Incredible! And absolutely not the man he’s supposed to be. Not to mention, he earned ten strikeouts on Sunday while carrying terrible ratios. You can do better than this.
Tier 14 – I Need A Purpose
These arms could return a fantastic start and you’re desperate to chase something more than a boring streamer. You want to risk it all to get the next big thing.
83. Jordan Hicks – I’m really sad Hicks couldn’t command his arsneka when he had 97 mph velocity and when he finally had some feel for his sweeper, he’s sat 94 mph and 96. Do what you want with Hicks – I think the Giants might swap him with Birdsong or Harrison if he has another poor outing. For now, I’ll give it one more shot against the Twins and take it from there.
84. Tanner Houck – Houck has been looking terrible all year, but then suddenly added two ticks to his fastball to go from 93/94 to 95/96 mph in his last outing. I sure hope that’s a real tweak we’ll see next time out.
85. Andrew Abbott – Abbott is still under 92 mph and failing to display a consistent change or curve to suggest he can produce night-to-night. That said, we’ve also seen Abbott perform at a high level out of nowhere and he could do so again in a heartbeat.
86. Roki Sasaki – Sasaki’s fastball is now under 95 mph. He doesn’t have a solid third pitch. He needs a sinker or cutter and until I see one, I can’t endorse this. He’s a stash play, for the most part.
87. Jake Irvin – I was gung ho about Irvin until his velocity fell all the way to 90 mph last time out. Yikes. If the velocity is back to 92/93 mph and he still has the curve, then we can bring him back into the fold.
88. Luis L. Ortiz – The whiffs are always present, but hot dang is the command hurting him massively. It’s difficult to assume he’ll iron out all the kinks to make him a regular hold in 12-teamers.
89. Will Warren – Warren has the stuff to be a solid arm for a winning team, though I wouldn’t expect those pieces to fit as a greater whole right away. There’s a chance n all, but even if he performs for a start or two, it could slip in the next. The Shag Rug is real.
Tier 15 – Streamers and WannabeTobys
I like their matchups and they could be productive for a week before we let them go back to the wire.
90. Colin Rea – He’s been a great streamer as a replacement for Steele, but is the 94+ mph velocity real? It doesn’t seem like he’s actually this good and moreso we like the matchups he’s been served.
91. Ronel Blanco – Blanco’s slider and change are getting more attention and he could find some Wins with the Astros.
92. Cade Povich – I question Cade’s overall command, but I love that he’s a tinkerer and constantly working to make himself better. I see a legit Holly type in time and for now, we hope we see growth in a decent set of matchups on the horizon.
93. José Berríos – He’s The Great Undulator. Good luck getting production, I hate risking this each time he takes the pearl.
94. Hayden Wesneski – I wish he was showing something more than his sweeper to grab our attention.
95. Michael Soroka – He’s back! I’m not sure it’ll be as productive as the rehab starts could suggest. He may be a solid Toby eventually (or Holly?!) and that would mean his command is back to its 2019 self. Wouldn’t that be something.
96. Luis Severino – Sevy is using more of his cutter, which is cool n whatnot, but he doesn’t quite do enough to be anything more than a general streaming option.
97. Mitch Keller – Keller’s ceiling is generally not high enough to risk the lava floor. There is value for those who seek Quality Starts, though.
98. Tyler Anderson – Anderson’s changeup is doing everything you want it to. There isn’t more, though, and it means he’s a matchup-only arm for standard leagues.
99. Yusei Kikuchi – Kikuchi’s fastball is worse. The slider is worse. The team context is worse. This doesn’t feel like it’ll get better in a blink, but who knows? We know the upside if it does.
100. Jeffrey Springs – Springs has struggled to execute the BSB and you may want to find sunshine and rainbows somewhere else.
Honorable Mentions
Here is every pitcher who is not on The List and currently has a rotation spot. If I’m missing someone, it’s likely because I removed them from The List last week and forgot to add them here, or I meant to add them to The List and I got crossed up somewhere. Let me know if I’m missing someone, please!
Corbin Burnes (ARI) – He’ll skip his next start with shoulder soreness and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t hit the IL. His cutter’s drop has disappeared on him and the secondaries are failing to get whiffs. The dude needs a moment to hit the reset button.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – With Burnes very likely to hit the IL, Nelson is back in the rotation. I’m happy for him and hope his heater can perform like it did last fall. No need to chase it now.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) – He hit the IL and isn’t worth the stash. Pretty interesting with increased velo at first and more sink. Keep an eye on him for deeper leagues, but definitely not in 12-teamers.
JP Sears (ATH) – Sears is a week-to-week arm if there’s a great matchup and nothing better.
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) – Same goes for Bido.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – I guess he’s getting starts, but hot dang is it not fun.
Brandon Young (BAL) – He entered the rotation and did little to impress. Now he’s out of it and we wait.
Charlie Morton (BAL) – Morton is out of the rotation.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – He’s flexed strikeouts at times and then they disappear randomly. Far too risky.
Kyle Gibson (BAL) – Gibson’s time in the rotation has gone just as expected.
Hunter Dobbins (BOS) – The third Hunter enters the Red Sox rotation for Buehler and doesn’t have enough electricity. Too little to risk the Shag Rug.
Sean Newcomb (BOS) – Wow, he actually did it. No, not even in a good matchup do I want to chase this.
Bryse Wilson (CWS) – You’re always here. Somewhere else, but always here.
Davis Martin (CWS) – The kick change! It’s a thing! And not as elite as the name makes it sound!
Jonathan Cannon (CWS) – This has moments of being cool and then failing to locate the very next inning.
Sean Burke (CWS) – His fastball velocity is still down and he’s working on putting it all together again.
Ben Lively (CLE) – He’s barely a 15-teamer Toby who can pull off a stream with the right matchup.
Logan Allen (CLE) – You’re seeing some decent results from Allen but the arsenal doesn’t speak to viability.
Ben Brown (CHC) – Without a third pitch, I don’t see this working out, even if he has moments when it does.
Cade Horton (CHC) – With Imanaga hitting the IL, it’s possible Horton is the next one up to take the spot and you may have noticed Horton missing from the Stash list above. Wild, right? Here’s the problem. He doesn’t have a good four-seamer. It’s 95 mph of empty velocity and as a two-pitch guy, that breaks the Huascar Rule. The slider should be effective, though, and maybe we see a greater expansion of the arsenal than what we’ve seen in his 2025 minors stretch. As always, a spec add is always an option were he to get the call – I used to rank prospects only when they made their debut in the past – though I personally don’t like the package. It doesn’t speak 12-teamer dominance to chase when risking the Shag Rug.
Chase Petty (CIN) – Yes, he was demolished in his MLB debut. He also displayed legit movement on his mid-to-upper 90s sinker and a fantastic cutter that moves like a slider. He’ll get a chance in the rotation proper at some point and I like him far more than many other prospect pitchers around. He’s supposed to be a command arm, after all.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Germán Márquez (COL) – COL
Ryan Feltner (COL) – Story
Kyle Freeland (COL) – Broooo
Antonio Senzatela (COL) – oooooo
Bradley Blalock (COL) – ahhhhh. COL Story, broaaah? You get the point.
Chase Dollander (COL) – No, I didn’t want to add Dollander. It’s Coors + the Shag Rug and he’s not as filthy as you think. The velocity is there for a rare peak moment, but the fastball isn’t as electric as other young arms and the secondaries are still in development. Maybe he’s worth a play on the road, but even that’s risky.
AJ Blubaugh (HOU) – He had a spot start and I wasn’t too impressed by what we saw. I don’t believe we need to be stashing him.
Ryan Gusto (HOU) – He’s back to the bullpen until next week when the Astros go six-man to endure few days off. Not a huge shock, but I kinda wish we got a longer look at him in the rotation as I worry he’ll be skipped shortly after that next outing. Hopefully he gets a few months later in the year and can develop with the Houston squad.
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) – Oh right, Lorenzen. You’re making a Grave Mistake without the ratios you want on most nights.
Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) – The Jack of One Trade is now the Jack of NO Trade with the sinker feel disappearing. No thanks.
Kyle Hendricks (LAA) – He’s not the worst AL-Only streamer. At least he’s able to go six.
Bobby Miller (LAD) – He didn’t have a good slider or cutter in his return, going fastball and curve mostly and it hurt him in the end. We wait until he returns again and hopefully with a better slider.
Landon Knack (LAD) – He could get us a cheap Win, but last time Roberts pulled him one out shy of completing the fifth. Sigh.
Cal Quantrill (MIA) – He’s getting the second game of the year for the Marlins. Yup. It’s possible the splitter is cooking…?
Connor Gillispie (MIA) – You know, he’s not the worst but far too unrefined.
Edward Cabrera (MIA) – He could be back on The List soon. He’ll get the White Sox and I’m still waiting for a start where he actually executes what he’s trying to do. One day.
Eury Pérez (MIA) – He tossed a single frame in his first rehab start with two strikeouts and 98 mph velocity. Y’all should consider stashing in your IL spots soon if you still can.
Ryan Weathers (MIA) – The rehab starts have begun and I hope we see him return to the squad soon. He’s an arm to consider as a spec add when he does, though we’ve seen his promise fade rapidly in previous seasons. Don’t over-invest in this.
Valente Bellozo (MIA) – Absolutely not.
Aaron Ashby (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Aaron Civale (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Chad Patrick (MIL) – You don’t even know who he is.
DL Hall (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Jose Quintana (MIL) – He simply doesn’t do a whole lot and you’re hoping Koufax is there to help.
Logan Henderson (MIL) – He’s not on the stash list because I generally don’t think he’s that great. Fastball/changeup that need great command on a given night or it’ll be a failure. He really needs a third offering to help mask the 92/93 mph heater (for when it isn’t located upstairs effectively).
Quinn Priester (MIL) – Priester is getting his shot and I’m not seeing enough to hold onto him for the moment.
Tobias Myers (MIL) – Let’s wait for Myers to have an outing that impresses us before chasing this.
Tyler Alexander (MIL) – T-Lex was throwing no-hit ball! That’s awesome and it’s in the past.
Chris Paddack (MIN) – He’s at 93 mph and lacks a third pitch. I don’t care if it’s the Giants.
David Festa (MIN) – He’s back in the minors with the return of PabLó. The command is still an issue and I don’t think he’s worth a stash.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) – He’s doing just enough to prevent Zebby from getting the call. Nick, he had 93+ mph with nearly 20″ of vert on his four-seamer! Fine, it was good and likely not sustainable. WE WANT ZEBBY.
Zebby Matthews (MIN) – I get the most questions about stashing Zebby and while I’m not against it, I don’t feel the need to do so in my 12-teamers. There are plenty of strong arms for streams across the week and value now >> value later. He’ll be around the 60s/70s or so when he gets the call, hoping he can come through on his potential.
Blade Tidwell (NYM) – The Mets had a doubleheader and gave Tidwell the call as the extra man for the day. Tidwell’s four-seamer comes with legit vert and mid-to-upper 90s velocity, though the secondaries weren’t at their best on the adrenaline-fueled day. I’d spec add him in the future if he looks to be entering a secure place in the rotation.
Griffin Canning (NYM) – I know, it’s a two-step this week! I simply don’t believe we’ll see legit Canning against two tough squads. His slider and change are pretty much the same as last year and he’s always struggled locating the breaker down effectively.
Carlos Carrasco (NYY) – Cookie showed he can go five frames of 3 ER or less. That could be a Win!
Andrew Painter (PHI) – We’re about to get some Triple-A data for Painter and you might want to add him before that start. That data may send the hype levels to another level. That said, he won’t be up for a few weeks with some Triple-A games under his belt, likely around the start of June. He’ll be in the 60s at that time.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) – He’s out of the rotation now that Suárez is back. You gave it your all, Walker.
Andrew Heaney (PIT) – After a lovely run, Heaney has turned back into a pumpkin. That’s the Heaney way.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – The ceiling isn’t worth the jump. Until he’s on the Rays. ONE DAY.
Bubba Chandler (PIT) – Is now the time to start stashing Bubba? I’d say so. It feels about two weeks away and given everything we’ve seen and read, he’ll be a Top 60ish starter with potential for much more.
Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – There was a moment he could make it work. Sadly, he’s not a guy to believe it’ll work for 5+ frames.
Mitch Keller (PIT) – You really don’t need to hold Keller.
Emerson Hancock (SEA) – I’m glad he’s had a moment of decency on the bump. Definitely not a believer, sadly.
Logan Evans (SEA) – He’s taking Gilbert’s spot in the rotation and there isn’t enough for us to chase at the moment. Maybe the command is better post-debut, though the stuff doesn’t seem overwhelming. Surely there are better options.
Andre Pallante (STL) – The stuff is…eh. I’d rather not.
Erick Fedde (STL) – We can’t rely on him for the moment. Maybe he’ll return later.
Miles Mikolas (STL) – His four-seamer was one of the worst pitches in baseball last year and is now two ticks slower.
Steven Matz (STL) – He’s back to the bullpen. Womp womp.
Kyle Hart (SDP) – He’s not stretched out in full and I want to see him dominate with both sweepers and changeups before I can trust him to be a reliable Win-focused “TOBY”
Randy Vásquez (SDP) – I don’t dig his overall approach. There’s nothing to speaks to production in 12-teamers.
Stephen Kolek (SDP) – He’s stepping in for a moment and he’s not a 12-teamer streamer you want to chase.
Zack Littell (TBR) – Is he going to be long for the rotation? Does it matter?
Patrick Corbin (TEX) – Corbin hath returned and no, he’s not a new man you can trust.
Easton Lucas (TOR) – We saw one good outing with his four-seamer upstairs and the other two showcasesd how little else he has, in addition to the pitch’s inconsistency.
Eric Lauer (TOR) – You really can’t do this.
Spencer Turnbull (TOR) – He signed with the Jays and he could get a shot at some point. That’s not to say he’ll be just as good as he was during that lovely early run with the Phillies, but let’s keep an eye on it. Not an auto-add to The List when he gets a chance in the rotation.
Brad Lord (WSN) – WHO?!.GIF. He’s in for Soroka and expect nothing.
Mitchell Parker (WSN) – I kinda dig his potential, but y’all see the downside clear as day.
Trevor Williams (WSN) – #NeverTrevor
SCROLL BACK UP AND READ THE NOTES
| Rank | Pitcher | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarik SkubalT1 | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 2 | Paul Skenes | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 3 | Zack Wheeler | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +1 |
| 4 | Jacob deGrom | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +1 |
| 5 | Cole Ragans | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 6 | Hunter Greene | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 7 | Max FriedT2 | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 8 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 9 | Garrett Crochet | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -6 |
| 10 | Michael King | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | -2 |
| 11 | Joe Ryan | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 12 | Bryan Woo | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +4 |
| 13 | Logan WebbT3 | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +1 |
| 14 | Jack Flaherty | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 15 | Pablo López | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 16 | Chris Sale | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +7 |
| 17 | Hunter Brown | Ace Potential Wins Bonus | +5 |
| 18 | Spencer Schwellenbach | Ace Potential Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 19 | Carlos RodónT4 | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | +7 |
| 20 | Dylan Cease | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 21 | Freddy Peralta | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 22 | Robbie Ray | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 23 | Jesús Luzardo | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +12 |
| 24 | MacKenzie Gore | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +20 |
| 25 | Drew Rasmussen | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 26 | Shane Baz | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -9 |
| 27 | Framber Valdez | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -2 |
| 28 | Aaron NolaT5 | Holly Quality Starts | +8 |
| 29 | Nathan Eovaldi | Holly Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 30 | Bailey Ober | Holly Quality Starts | +7 |
| 31 | Seth Lugo | Holly Quality Starts | +2 |
| 32 | Cristopher Sánchez | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +6 |
| 33 | Sonny Gray | Holly Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 34 | Ryan PepiotT6 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 35 | Bryce Miller | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | +4 |
| 36 | Nick Pivetta | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +7 |
| 37 | Sandy Alcantara | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | +3 |
| 38 | Tanner Bibee | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +3 |
| 39 | Kodai SengaT7 | Holly Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 40 | Zac Gallen | Holly Quality Starts | +11 |
| 41 | Luis Castillo | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 42 | Reese Olson | Holly Strikeout Upside | +13 |
| 43 | Nick Lodolo | Holly Strikeout Upside | -9 |
| 44 | Clay Holmes | Holly Strikeout Upside | +12 |
| 45 | Lucas Giolito | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | +17 |
| 46 | Brandon Pfaadt | Holly Quality Starts | +6 |
| 47 | Jackson JobeT8 | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 48 | Kris Bubic | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 49 | Grant Holmes | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +11 |
| 50 | Tylor Megill | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -4 |
| 51 | Ben Casparius | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 52 | Tony Gonsolin | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +27 |
| 53 | Gavin WilliamsT9 | Hipster Quality Starts | -5 |
| 54 | Kevin Gausman | Hipster Quality Starts | +20 |
| 55 | Landen Roupp | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 56 | Max Meyer | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -9 |
| 57 | Gunnar Hoglund | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 58 | Dustin May | Hipster Ratio Focused | -5 |
| 59 | Lance McCullers Jr. | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 60 | Michael WachaT10 | Toby Quality Starts | +6 |
| 61 | Matthew Boyd | Toby Quality Starts | +8 |
| 62 | Ranger Suárez | Toby Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 63 | David Peterson | Toby Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 64 | Matthew Liberatore | Toby Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 65 | Jameson Taillon | Toby Quality Starts | +21 |
| 66 | Brayan Bello | Toby Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +6 |
| 67 | Chris BassittT11 | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 68 | Justin Verlander | Toby Quality Starts | -14 |
| 69 | Casey Mize | Toby Quality Starts | -2 |
| 70 | Merrill Kelly | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 71 | Nick Martinez | Toby Quality Starts | +12 |
| 72 | José Soriano | Toby Quality Starts | +17 |
| 73 | Jack LeiterT12 | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -14 |
| 74 | Tyler Mahle | Hipster Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 75 | Taj Bradley | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -11 |
| 76 | Shane Smith | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 77 | AJ Smith-Shawver | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 78 | Brady SingerT13 | Toby Quality Starts | +7 |
| 79 | Tomoyuki Sugano | Toby Quality Starts | +UR |
| 80 | Clarke Schmidt | Toby Wins Bonus | -10 |
| 81 | Bowden Francis | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 82 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Toby Quality Starts | +5 |
| 83 | Jordan HicksT14 | Frizzle Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 84 | Tanner Houck | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 85 | Andrew Abbott | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -22 |
| 86 | Roki Sasaki | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -13 |
| 87 | Jake Irvin | Frizzle Quality Starts | -30 |
| 88 | Luis L. Ortiz | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 89 | Will Warren | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 90 | Colin ReaT15 | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +3 |
| 91 | Ronel Blanco | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +5 |
| 92 | Cade Povich | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 93 | José Berríos | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 94 | Hayden Wesneski | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | +4 |
| 95 | Michael Soroka | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 96 | Luis Severino | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -8 |
| 97 | Mitch Keller | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 98 | Tyler Anderson | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -7 |
| 99 | Yusei Kikuchi | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -18 |
| 100 | Jeffrey Springs | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -20 |
Labels Legend
Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
Griffin Canning with 5 straight wins and having a very decent year and he can’t crack the top 100 list?
Gavin Williams, I get it; you like him. He is way too high and needs to come. His era is over 5 and he has a 1.75 whip. Another guy to drop Bryce Miller. He hasn’t been right all year whether it is injury or mechanical. He hasn’t gone past 5 innings and has zero command.of his fastball. His era has been saved because of not giving up hr which may be more luck based on how he pitching (it could be worse).
Williams needs to come down.
Agreed! Miller is garbage THIS year so far. Needs to reflect that in the rankings. There are many other players, not just pitchers but especially the hitters, who are ranked high solely on past season’s success. So many former aces and studs are doing absolutely nothing this year so far. I realize April is not a good indicator of how their season will go, but it does matter.
Greene is not tier 1. Nothing wrong with making someone earn it for a full season. He has a lot to prove.
Tier 15 will outperform tier 8 is a solid bet.
I have been doing this for decades and I will take past performance over a month every day. April really does not matter very much.