Welcome to the Top 400 Starting Pitchers For 2024 Fantasy Baseball. This is an update to my Top 200 Starting Pitchers For 2024 from October last year.
After shoving all my strategies and write-ups of all 400 players + something close to 300 videos into one article, I quickly found out it crashed phones and browsers, and I felt like an idiot. I’m so sorry everyone, I really should have just done these individually spliced articles first.
Here’s what we’ve done:
- All ranks are now spliced into groups of 20, 25, and 50
- Rankings Philosophy article to read separately
- Left the main up for those who can handle it
Please read the Rankings Philosophy article before reading the rankings. I cannot express enough how it outlines my thoughts on drafting in 12-teamers and why I have ranked these players as I have.
Thanks for your passion and enthusiasm for this article – it pushes me more every year, and I already have new ideas for next year to make this easier a better presentation for all of you.
AGA,
-Nick
Tier 26 – The Nomads Of Baseball (Cont’d)
These guys aren’t the main swing-men, nor are they to be trusted for any regularity if they happen to grab a start out of the blue. There’s a shot that one or two of them can make it happen, but that’s about it.
351. Jared Shuster (CWS, LHP)
I wish I had better things to say about Shuster. I was hyped for him in March last year as the possible #5 for Atlanta (great situation!) after seeing him nail inside fastballs + a slider underneath to RHBs consistently. That’s a skill that plays, and with Shuster dropping changeups away as a mix-up pitch, it made for a delightful arsenal. Unfortunately, that command was fleeting, leaving his poor four-seamer ripe for the swatting. It’s hard to jump back in on Shuster with that rough heater, especially if he doesn’t have a sinker to pair it inside to left-handers, nor a slider with exceptional movement. You don’t want to chase this command-focused arm.
352. Drew Smyly (CHC, LHP)
I saw moments where Smyly was able to sit 93/94 mph on his sinker upstairs and execute the BSB with his reliable hook under the zone. Those moments are behind us. Smyly’s “sinker” had a 16.8 iVB in 2022, which is absurd, to say the least, and he had precision keeping the pitch upstairs. Sadly, the iVB came down to 16″ in 2023, with less extension and velocity, dropping its SwStr from 12% to 8%. There’s yer problem. Batted balls were worse as well; its average went up 60 points as a result, and Smyly, a pitcher who we could barely trust in 2022, became a clear avoid once 2023 began. Turning 35 in June, it’s a hard sell to believe Smyly will regain the sinker he once had.
353. Joan Adon (WAS, RHP)
Yeaaaaaah. It’s difficult to discern Adon’s best pitch (changeup…?) as none of them excel to outline an arm you hope gets playing time in 2024. The fastball’s shape is poor, the slider is rough, the curve is unreliable…just don’t do this.
354. Daniel Lynch IV (KCR, LHP)
Lynch is really good at getting his four-seamer upstairs and has elite extension…but the rest of the pitch shape is terrible and, sadly, the product is a sub 10% SwStr rate. Womp womp. The changeup is the true money maker and if he’s able to locate it more consistently down (10th percentile loLoc%) while trusting it against left-handers (just 2% usage?!), Lynch may be able to get more production from his four-seamer. He’ll need to fix his slider as well, a pitch that looks more like a cutter and is poorly located to left-handers, while not looking tempting enough to right-handers. There’s a lot to fix here and I don’t trust the Kansas City crew to know how to fix it.
355. Cooper Criswell (BOS, RHP)
He came over from the Rays and his movement profile is ridiculous. Sinkers 19 inches one way, sliders 21 inches the other, making a 40 inch gap between the two. The cutter lands right in between the two, and the changeup has legit drop that makes you wonder how the h*ck he’s not missing more bats with his excellent extension…ohhhh he doesn’t hit 90 mph. Criswell isn’t a pristine command arm, sadly, with his sinker failing to jam RHBs, leading to a 50%+ ICR last year, while the slider returned just a 14% SwStr rate and the changeup failed to earn enough strikes despite 30% usage to LHBs. The movement is there, the command isn’t, and without the velocity, Criswell needs that extra polish to make it work.
356. Chad Kuhl (CWS, RHP)
His slider is still really good, but there’s just nothing else there. The days of 96+ mph sinkers are gone, with the pitch returning a 70%+ ICR against left-handers last year in the small sample. Nick, small sample! Don’t care, that’s dumb. He’s a Huascar Rule at best and if he makes the club to grab some innings, at least he has a long enough leash to go 5+ as the White Sox need all the innings they can get.
357. Jake Woodford (CWS, RHP)
Ah, the Amish Mustang. The Cardinals moved on from him and he has a sinker that aims to steal backdoor strikes to right-handers and a blegh slider that aims to be more in the zone than miss any bats. You’re trying to find some value in your drafts and this ain’t it. Sure, he’ll find a night or two where he survives five, or even six frames, but there’s no, what’s the word, electricity here.
358. Kolby Allard (PHI, LHP)
Atlanta elected to give Dralla a shot in 2023 where he tossed 12.1 frames, so of course the Phils brought him in on a one year deal for a cool mil. Nothing quite speaks Rotation Depth like Dralla’s 90/91 mph heater and array of middling cutters, curves, and rare changeups. Suitman whispers in my ear. He’s only 26-years-old?! Whoa. Welp, still don’t believe his command is enough to make this work, sorry Dralla.
359. Angel Zerpa (KCR, LHP)
You know, he has a solid slider and sinkers that can sometimes work when elevated. I have seen worse pitchers get their shots as a starter, but it doesn’t seem like the Royals truly want to move forward with Angel in the rotation. I think that’s the right call.
360. Brandon Bielak (HOU, RHP)
He somehow found himself starting thirteen games in 2023, where he fanned more than five just three times. One of those was a whopping nine batters, though it was against the Athletics and came on the back of the best changeup he had all year (its precision was sublime, returning 10/28 whiffs). This isn’t going to repeat itself, though if the Astros need to start bielak, he has a decent Win chance with his leash to toss 90 pitches in front of that offense and defense. He won five games in just 80 innings last year, after all.
361. Sixto Sánchez (MIA, RHP)
I legit miss early Sixto. His MLB debut is still inside my Top 5 SP debuts and we’ve since lost him for three seasons to shoulder problems. He gave us a look in September in Double-A, but instead of flirting with 100 mph, he was flirting with 90 mph, you know, the velocity of his changeup back in 2020. Obviously he wasn’t at full blast, but it’s far from encouraging. One last note – I looked up Sánchez’s four-seamer shape from 2020 out of curiosity and, well, it’s not great. None of the Triangle (the three parts of shape that matter, Extension, iVB, Adj. VAA I can’t believe it took me this long to call it that) are good, let alone average and it’s pretty clear this isn’t going to work unless he has that elite velocity. At least it explains the lack of explosive strikeout rates, in retrospect.
362. Cody Morris (NYY, RHP)
The Yankees acquired him as a super sneaky depth piece and I’m actually into it a little…? A Teres Major strain got in the way of 2023 after showcasing a legit cutter and changeup in 2022 when he had the rare moments of escaping damage off the 94/95 mph heater. It’s a long road ahead for him, but who knows. Injuries are weird.
363. Connor Overton (CIN, RHP)
There are moments with the change and slider, but the heater is 91 mph with horrific shape and those secondaries don’t make up for it in a terrible team context. This it not what you’re looking for out a guy who’ll randomly get starts this year when the Reds are desperate.
364. Beau Brieske (DET, RHP)
Nick, he’s not a starter. I know, his only “start” was as an opener last year, but he started 15 games in 2022 and we’ve seen weirder things happen. With Brieske’s effective changeup and phenomenal ability to jam RHB inside with sinkers, I kinda wish he was given a shot on another team. He really needs a better slider/cutter, though, or he’ll have to keep throwing the terrible four-seamer.
365. Jesse Scholtens (CHW, RHP)
His elite extension helps his 92/93 mph perform better than it should, but that’s about all I can get behind here. If the breakers can become legit strike pitchers, then sure, there’s a chance, but I don’t see this panning out well for Scholtens unless something major changes. I always love that major change at the end of a minor song. NOT NOW. THERE’S NO TIME.
366. Shawn Dubin (HOU, RHP)
Dubin got a start when Valdez was suddenly unavailable and he looked like every Astros starter we see these days – a dude who finds a way despite lacking the Nikolai electricity we want to tell everyone about, UNLIKE THAT CROOK EDISON. Anyway, the Astros could give Dubin another shot or two this year as he tried to make a four-pitch mix work but doesn’t have the sharpness yet to get you excited, even at 95 mph with the four-seamer. It’s okay at best.
Tier 27 – You Don’t Choose The Team Who Drafts You
Rockies starters who don’t even have volume. H’oh boy.
367. Noah Davis (COL, RHP)
He has a decent cutter and slider, though I have plenty of worry about the sinker, which he tosses away from both LHBs and RHBs. As y’all know, I rarely trust pitchers who rely on backdoor sinkers to same-handed batters, and I definitely don’t like sinkers away to opposite-handed batters. I don’t see enough in the cutter and slider to transform Davis into a legit starter, sadly, but given the chance to start, there will be rare games where the two secondaries take over for a number of strikeouts. It’s too scary for me.
368. Ty Blach (COL, LHP)
Oh hey, a Rockies pitcher who has a sinker that gets demolished and doesn’t have a whiff pitch over a 12% SwStr. Oh no. Yeah, that’s the life of Blach, who had a moment of seven strikeouts across seven frames of 1 ER ball when he was suddenly able to spot cutters and changeups beautifully while the Orioles were passive on the sinker over the plate. Everyone is a major leaguer for a reason. Don’t get enamored here.
369. Peter Lambert (COL, RHP)
It’s four-seamer/slider against righties, with neither pitch returning a 10% SwStr rate. Oh dear. Lefties get a changeup heavily mixed in and it earns some whiffs, but a 58% strike rate doesn’t do enough to save the destruction caused by left-handers getting their swings against Lambert’s fastball and breaker. This doesn’t sound good. Sure doesn’t. Stay away.
Tier 28 – The Last Prospects I’d Consider For 2024
And I know I missed a few that will make debuts, though some of them seem so dang pedestrian I hand waved them away. Again, I’m sorry I missed that other prospect pitcher. Please let me know who it was!
370. Landon Knack (WAS, RHP)
WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES LANDON KNACK pic.twitter.com/tiyO4499Uz
— RB (@rbhockey6) July 6, 2023
We may see some Knack this year with 10 games in Triple-A, and I wonder what impact it’ll be for fantasy. His 91 mph heater has 17 iVB, but middling VAA and extension and that vertical movement isn’t enough to outweigh the rest. However, injuries got in the way for Knack last year, and there are reports of higher velocity that could hold through a season of consistent innings. Meanwhile, he has a trio of secondaries in a curve, change, and slider that could all be effective at the big league level. Nothing that makes me leap out of my chair, though I can see Knack blossoming as he gets calibrated in Triple-A this season. Monitor the SwStr rates that fell from 15% to 10-11% moving from Double-A to Triple-A. If those start surging again, you’ll know he’s found it.
371. Corbin Martin (ARI, RHP)
3️⃣⬆️3️⃣⬇️ all via the strikeout for Corbin Martin to get tonight's game going 🔥@martin_corbin | #Aceball pic.twitter.com/kjFiyaCEDT
— Reno Aces (@Aces) June 22, 2022
He suffered a lat tear and missed all of the 2023 season. Martin was a major part of the Zack Greinke trade years ago and could vault to the majors quickly if he performs well in Triple-A early in the year. He came to the majors in 2022 with a four-pitch mix without nailing down a proper approach to merit a regular starting gig. It was a 94 mph heater that needed an extra tick or two to get over the hump, while his curve and slider were inconsistent despite showing flashes of promise. Martin leaned on a changeup a bit too often and failed to find a rhythm, returning horrid strike rates despite over 15% usage. There’s potential if he can hit the reset button in 2024, but it needs to come with obvious growth.
372. Mason Montgomery (TBR, LHP)
Mason Montgomery tossed 6 innings of 1 hit ball tonight for Durham! pic.twitter.com/L1gkyV4vbQ
— Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Updates (@raysfarmreport) September 14, 2023
I want to be more excited, but it’s heavy reliance on a 91/92 mph heater that plays up a bit more than the velocity, but not enough to justify its enormous usage. The changeup has promise and it’s possible a slider (and a curve?) can develop with his over-the-top delivery, but this ain’t it.
373. Cole Wilcox (TBR, RHP)
#Rays No. 9 prospect, Cole Wilcox, looked great last night throwing for 9 strikeouts! #ButterUp 🧈 pic.twitter.com/DH2raK9Z5O
— Montgomery Biscuits (@BiscuitBaseball) May 17, 2023
Looked rough in his first year back from TJS, but could get his mid-90s velocity back with more time on the bump. At just 24 years old, he’s got plenty of time to develop and rise up the system. Expect a fastball + slider approach, hoping to have a changeup in the tank when he eventually gets the call in late 2024 or early 2025.
374. Keider Montero (DET, RHP)
He’s kinda interesting…? Not a great Triple-A line with a near 5.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP at a strikeout per inning, though he sports a 95 mph heater that excels when he’s able to spot it upstairs. It’s a low arm angle that helps the7 pitch perform upstairs, while the days when his slider can find the zone keep the approach alive. It’s most likely to be a headache of unreliability if he does get opportunities.
Keider Montero needed just four pitches to record his first Triple-A strikeout. pic.twitter.com/PbpFrDjXK3
— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) August 10, 2023
375. Darius Vines (ATL, RHP)
It’s a good changeup that stays around the zone, but it doesn’t come with the fade or drop that you’d expect in a pitcher’s #1 offering. The four-seamer’s 90 mph velocity (at best) needs more help in the secondaries, with a cutter to earn strikes that is fine, and a slider that doesn’t do a whole lot. Nah.
376. Taylor Dollard (SEA, RHP)
He tossed just eight frames after enduring a labrum injury that led to season-ending surgery and sadly, there isn’t much to attract fantasy managers. His low-90s fastball features few exciting attributes, his slider is standard and lacks electricity, while his big low-70s curveball is his most effective offering. Wait, I can’t think of a pitcher who only excels with a 72-mph curveball. Exactly. Throw in the fact Dollard shouldn’t arrive until the middle of the year at the earliest – remember, just eight frames last year and will need some time to find a rhythm – you can likely forget all about this blurb.
Taylor Dollard had to work hard against a hot hitting lineup in his last start before break. Final line: 4.1IP, 5H, 3R, 3BB, 5K, 99-56. pic.twitter.com/1gFjg85zsK
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) July 17, 2022
377. Thaddeus Ward (WSN, RHP)
The dude has a ridiculous slider but that’s it. He seems more like a relief option than a proper starter without a strong heater or other secondaries on which to rely heavily.
378. Josh Stephan (TEX, RHP)
He made a splash in Double-A last season with 66 frames of 30%+ strikeouts and a near 5% walk rate. Thing is, it’s a heavy slider focus without a great fastball, and his changeup lacks the consistency to pull him from the lamented two-pitch pitcher moniker. He’ll need to do more with his heater (low 90s with sink and East/West focused) and find a strong third pitch to be of proper consideration for fantasy.
#Josh_Stephan KKKKK 🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/2bVxB7mpSP— #🎗추장군🕯🕯💙 (@heleunandeseuk) May 14, 2023
379. Carson Palmquist (COL, LHP)
He’s a southpaw similar to Mr. Rock, but with a better, more debilitating slider, as he held a 34% strikeout rate in Double-A last year across 92.1 frames and a very funky delivery. However, it’s the only weapon for Palmquist, who doesn’t have the heater or changeup to become a reliable starter quite yet. I wonder if he can take another step and lean into the delivery to get more out of his arsenal, but it’s not there yet.
To all of my fellow college baseball nerds:
If you aren’t watching Carson Palmquist tonight vs. #13 UNC, you’re doing it wrong pic.twitter.com/Bdh0aoZr05
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) March 25, 2022
380. Joe Rock (COL, LHP)
He’s a low 90s velocity, 6’6″ lefty without the best stuff. A good breaker that sweeps across to mess up left-handers, but the fastball doesn’t dominate and the changeup isn’t far enough along to help against right-handers. His name is perfect for Colorado, but the stuff just isn’t there yet to be considered for fantasy given the whole “Coors is Undefeated” schtick.
#Rockies No. 15 prospect Joe Rock spun seven scoreless innings, yielding one hit and striking out seven, over two starts last week.@ANG_Recruiting #ServeYourWay pic.twitter.com/X9wsouEQMa
— Hartford Yard Goats (@GoYardGoats) May 30, 2023
381. Michael McGreevy (STL, RHP)
I’m not going to go deep into McGreevy as the reports I’ve seen outline a pitcher without proper fantasy relevance. He’s a Toby in his best world, with a sinker focus and without a proper whiff pitch. Maybe the slider or curve develop, or maybe his low-90s heater can gain some velocity, but he shouldn’t be on your radar at the moment.
McGreevy is getting into a McGroove.
In his Palm Beach Cardinals debut, Michael McGreevy strikes out 2⃣ in his first inning of work. #BeachBirds pic.twitter.com/T1ZRJ4Wkf6
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) August 27, 2021
382. Cristian Mena (ARI, RHP)
His command was a bit wonky in 2023 and I worry that he doesn’t carry the velocity nor VAA you want for his extension and 17+ iVB to blossom properly. The slider gets a larger focus than his curve, though the latter grades far better, and I’m trying to squint to see an arm we can trust in our fantasy leagues. He’s certainly a “wait and see” kind of pitcher who could force his way into the rotation once other options have been depleted. I wouldn’t carry high expectations as nothing in the profile stuck out in a major way.
Cristian Mena got his 5 innings in Tuesday for the #Knights, in what will likely be his last start of the season. He allows 3R on 8H. He strikes out 4. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/LlnNsb8JUe
— Ian Eskridge (@dailywhitesox) September 20, 2023
383. Ky Bush (CHW, LHP)
Low 90s heater from the left side, with a solid slider and curve, and a changeup that flashes plus. Command has been an issue and without a plus heater or a neck-breaking weapon in his arsenal, Bush doesn’t seem destined to dominate your fantasy leagues when he gets the call. If the walk rate comes down and the changeup takes form or velocity bump comes his way, he could get more attention as he nears his debut.
Quero was the Angels #2 prospect.
Ky Bush was #3. The White Sox need left-handed starting pitching. Bush has swing and miss stuff, and a low walk rate. Big guy. 6 foot 6. pic.twitter.com/ke70QUIw9V— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) July 27, 2023
384. Carson Seymour (SFG, RHP)
It’s a great slider from Seymour, but sitting 93/94 isn’t enough to warrant your attention quite yet. He’ll likely get his chance in Triple-A this year and if he’s showcasing a bit more in his arsenal to improve upon last year’s 11% SwStr rate, then we can begin to pay attention properly.
Carson Seymour fanned 5 over four innings of work vs the Brewers on Friday pic.twitter.com/8tDVtRwMwf
— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) April 2, 2023
385. Blayne Enlow (MIN, RHP)
Enlow took a major step back in 2023, dropping velocity as his SwStr rate fell four points to just 9.3% in 45 frames of Triple-A. Yikes. When he’s cooking, his pair of breakers demolish batters, throwing effective strikes while limiting free passes easily. However, that loss of velocity changed everything, which made all of his stuff take a massive dip. Pay attention if the whiffs return, but in all likelihood, they aren’t coming back for a while.
Blayne Enlow continues his impressive start to the season in Wichita💪
Enlow goes 5.1 innings, strikes out 10 and walks 0, allowing just 1 run. He's now striking out 31.8% and walking just 6.8% so far this season🔥 pic.twitter.com/enFsNBQXYw
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 19, 2023
386. Maddux Bruns (LAD, LHP)
He’s young and very likely doesn’t see the bigs this year as he’ll turn 22 years old in June and has only pitched as high as A+ thus far. Walk rates are high as well and there’s still a ton of command wrinkles to iron out, though he’s an explosive arm. He’s a large southpaw with a strong heater in the mid-90s and a pair of stuff heavy breakers that suggest a legit arm if he can make the tweaks to find the zone. We’ll talk more in 2025.
Maddux Bruns put together a solid outing for Great Lakes:
4.0 IP
3 hits
1 run (unearned)
1 BB
4 Ks⬇️Pxp mentioned FBs at 95-97 pic.twitter.com/aLO7MIYLMD
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) June 30, 2023
387. Blake Walston (ARI, LHP)
He’s a lefty sitting around 90 mph without distinct command nor the overwhelming breaker that demands success in the majors. He could get a shot among an Arizona team with few depth starters and I wouldn’t raise an eyebrow when the time comes.
Blake Walston was nearly unhittable for the @HillsboroHops.
The No. 4 @Dbacks prospect fanned a season-high 10 in five scoreless innings: https://t.co/BXk31FWGyq pic.twitter.com/oO0ZulYick
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 1, 2022
388. Dylan Dodd (ATL, LHP)
Sadly, my hype in early 2023 was unfounded. I thought he was a command southpaw who could go up-and-in with four-seamers and spot sliders underneath, and while that slider was generally effective, the four-seamer was not. It’s not wise to jump into this one.
Tier 29 – You Thought I Forgot About Them
Just a few last ones to end it to make sure you didn’t think I forgot about them (I refused to rank those three pitchers. You know the three.). it’s been a wild ride y’all and my sincere apologies for getting it out a little later than expected. If you’re reading this, then you’re a real one. Hope to see you inside the Discord and during the Playback livestreams.
389. Tejay Antone (CIN, RHP)
It was a sad time returning from TJS only to be limited by more elbow pain in 2023, but Antone hopes to return to regular playing time in 2024, initially as a long reliever. If Antone finds his way back to the starting job, his curve and slider are both exceptional breakers that can do it all – earn whiffs, find strikes, and mitigate hard contact – while his four-seamer & sinker are quite the opposite. It’s the typical Guardians-style SP lost in Ohio, and it’ll make him a deep strikeout arm if he gets the chance. He seems to be far back on the depth chart, though, and given his lack of health, a bullpen role to oversee his workload makes the most sense.
390. Sean Newcomb (OAK, LHP)
It was a summer surprise to see Newcomb get a start for the Athletics years after being a man of consideration for Atlanta well before the pandemic. Sadly, there isn’t anything new to excite us about the prospect of more frames for the southpaw, making him a reluctant backup option with little to no fantasy value.
391. James Kaprielian (FA, RHP)
He’s returning from a labrum tear in early 2023 that led to shoulder surgery in the middle of the year and it’s unclear how healthy he is now as he searches for a team to take a chance on him. If he comes out of the injury with his old slider, there’s hope for Kaprielian to find some innings somewhere like Tony Disco or Lorenzen. Sadly, there’s a high likelihood he simply doesn’t have it anymore.
392. Bryse Wilson (MIL, RHP)
Brewers. Please. You’ve collected oh so many interesting options to start this year. Please don’t make me come over there if you overlook them in favor of Bryse. I’m not sure even Bryse wants that at this point. Just let me have a role I can be decent at. Honestly, that’s what the best coaches do. Get their players in roles where they have purpose. Not everyone has to be The Guy. And hey! They did that last year with 53 games for Milwaukee, all out of the pen, leaning into his cutter more for success. There’s no way they renege on that, right?
393. Ben Lively (CLE, RHP)
I imagine the Guardians will go through many other options to replace a member of their start rotation before setting on Lively, though the season is long and full of terrors and there could be moments where Lively needs to go hyper-slider to find his way through five frames. Didn’t he do that once or twice and then completely lose it after? Yup. Those were the days…
394. Jonathan Heasley (BAL, RHP)
He moved around this off-season and…wait. I always get him and Jackson Kowar confused, who oddly enough, I didn’t put inside these rankings despite SP history. LET’S GO TO 500. Anyway, Heasley was acquired from the Royals and should be seen more as a desperate reliever piece, not as a possible spot start should the Orioles need it this year. But who knows, he did make 21 starts for the Royals in 2022 and I trust Baltimore’s pitching development far more. Maybe they can unlock something inside his 94/95 velocity and slider/curve/change secondaries. Naaaaaaaah.
395. Tyler Alexander (TBR, LHP)
The Tigers saw some stupid good starts at the oddest of times from T-Lex in 2022, and now the Rays have signed him as they needed someone to fill their Ryan Yarbrough void of getting value from southpaws with sub 90 mph velocity. It’s the law. You may see Alexander get some random bulk moments this year, but a proper starting gig seems outlandish.
396. Luis Cessa (KCR, RHP)
The Reds called upon Cessa to start games when all he’s ever had is a decent slider, and now the Royals signed him, likely hoping he can steal more than one inning in some games this year. It’s far from enough to warrant your attention in fantasy leagues, even if he actually gets the pearl to kick off a game.
397. Levi Stoudt (CIN, RHP)
Cincinnati gave this a try during desperate times in early 2023 and there’s not a whole lot here for us to latch onto. Well, the sweeper is a pretty offering and maybe it’s good enough to go 50% usage and find a way to navigate a start? Maybe?
398. Spenser Watkins (WSH, RHP)
There was a hot moment in 2022 when the Orioles looked to Watkins for starts and he was kinda decent for some of them…? With his move to the Nationals, it opens up a new path toward frames given the situation going on there. There should be no expectations of promise or excitement, though finding a guy who may actually start down here is an accomplishment on its own.
Tier 30 – The End Is Nigh
These two both deserved the last spot and I gave them their own finale tier.
399. Danny Duffy (TEX, LHP)
Wait, he’s still here? Sure, why not? He hasn’t pitched since 2021, but he has a non-roster invite to spring training with the Rangers and get this – HE’S ONLY 30 YEARS OLD. Nick, he’s 35 years old. Oh right. Well, maybe he’s figured something out in the last three years and this is the last spark of wonder. Or more than likely, we all forget that he had this final opportunity in, oh I don’t know, three hours.
400. Tyler Beede (CLE, RHP)
HE’S BACK YA’LL. AND HE’S READY FOR VENGEANCE. Nothing quite like 36/21 K/BB in 50 IP with a 3.99 ERA across 30 games in relief in the NPB to excite you, am I right? Hey. You made it. Let’s get you some rest. DON’T FORGET BEEDE! Uh huh. DON’T! I won’t. Good. I can sleep easily now.
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AGA,
-Nick