Let’s continue ranking the best 400 starting Pitchers to draft in fantasy baseball for 2025.
Remember, these ranks are based on a 12-teamer, 5×5 roto format. Adjust accordingly to your situation. I’ve also added the Top 100 SP table at the bottom of this article.
For a table of the entire 400 SP (really 450!) and to read this article Ad-Free (or to simply support me for putting all of this together!), make sure to subscribe to PL+ or PL Pro where I have these rankings inside a massive Google Sheet. You can access the sheet inside our subscriber Discord.
To get the full context of these rankings, read my Rankings outline at the start of the 1-20 rankings and as always…
Read The Notes
Tier 22 – More Prospects Who Could Do Something In 2025 (Cont’D)
I imagine we’ll see many of these pitchers get their shot in 2025 and I’m super curious how they look when they do. Feel free to make a spec-add when they get the nod to start and track their Triple-A data with our PL Pro MiLB app.
201. Jake Bloss (TOR, RHP)
I’m much more interested in Bloss than I am Yariel. The Jays see him as one of their backup starting options when they need room and while he may be behind Yariel as we enter camp, I prefer Bloss’ arsenal and approach over Yariel’s. It’s a four-seamer with decent cut action at nearly seven feet of extension mixed with a legit slider to both LHB and RHB. There’s a sweeper that he failed to command in the bigs last year and a developing changeup, but the four-seamer/slider combo is a stronger foundation than Yariel’s in my view.
I do wonder if Bloss can do more with his curve, sweeper, and changeup. He hasn’t even had a full season, after all, and we could see something fresh in the spring. Pay attention to Bloss as he could get the invitation to the rotation if an opening appears, especially if he shows growth in his arsenal.
Quick Take: Bloss is a deep sleeper who could find regular starts quickly if he surpasses Yariel during spring training as the team’s #6 SP option. With a good fastball/slider combo, Bloss needs to find a little more reliable depth to become a sturdy fantasy option, but the potential is there.
202. Brandon Birdsell (CHC, RHP)
Birdsell’s Triple-A numbers have made many excited, but inspecting his pitches with our PL Pro MiLB PLV cards, I don’t see anything special that translates to the majors. Even giving him the benefit of analyzing just the ten strikeout game shown above, Birdsell’s four-seamer sat 95 mph with terrible 5.8 feet of extension, mid 15″ iVB, and an incredibly steep attack angle that makes me surprised he earned as many strikeouts on the pitch as he did. Its cut action may be helping a touch or maybe his ~90 mph slider (that’s really a cutter) is confusing batters with the heater, but the stuff doesn’t align with the results. What about command? The slider was nestled in the zone without much precision, while the four-seamer sat in the zone and didn’t hug edges. The curve drops plenty and can be a surprise pitch, but it was mostly two-pitch without an elite pitch. That doesn’t sit right with me. I’m curious if Tyler Zombro can work with Birdsell to find another offering or another gear in his arsenal to help Birdsell find success against major league talent.
203. Chase Petty (CIN, RHP)
I get Aaron Nola vibes watching Petty with a sinker/slider approach that has expanded to be more of a two-plane slider near 85 mph mixed with a harder 90 mph cutter. The sinker finds the zone plenty at 94+ mph, which isn’t the flirtation with 100 mph that he had in high school and could ramp up with more frames. I’m curious if he can pair at least one plus whiff pitch with a spotted sinker, though I’m not sure what the plan against LHB is quite yet. Pay attention, there seems to be a good foundation of command here with some above-average stuff.
204. Carson Whisenhunt (SFG, LHP)
He has an 80-grade changeup from the left-side with a 93 mph sinker and a highly suspect cutter and slider around the low 80s. I love an elite changeup from a southpaw, but the sinker command is poor and LHB don’t have a major breaker to fear. I’m conflicted and want to rank Whisenhunt high, though I worry he’ll get banged up without a better supporting cast and poor control.
205. Thomas Harrington (PIT, RHP)
When Harrington arrives, he’ll have a chance every night to give you production, but be careful. He’s a strike thrower with 92/93 mph as his foundation, hoping to surprise with its horizontal movement to set up a legit changeup that dives straight down at a 10 mph discount. There’s a gloveside cutter and more gloveside sweeper to grab strikes and hopefully some whiffs, while the big over-the-top curve is sparingly used as a mix-up pitch. If a velocity bump comes his way, I’d be more intrigued – that cutter at 89/90 instead of 87 mph could be a phenomenal pitch, while the four-seamer needs a little more juice to get him out of Koufax territory. His efficiency makes him more streamable than other young arms when he gets his shot, but don’t expect the world.
206. Hunter Barco (PIT, LHP)
He’s a crafty southpaw with the two secondaries you want to see: a legit slider to take down LHB and a proper changeup for RHB. Unfortunately, the heater is at a middling 92/93 mph, though there are signs of solid command that came through in 83 strikeouts and 22 walks across 66 IP of A+ and AA in 2024. Another season of a leap forward may have Barco getting some time this year and I’ll be paying attention when he does. A legit slider and change from the left side with a heater above 92 mph can work in the bigs, and that’s assuming he doesn’t show gains this season.
207. Jonah Tong (NYM, RHP)
Uhhh, Tong is pretty cool. He’s low-to-mid 90s with absurd over-the-top verticality that he gets over 20″ of iVB and pairs it with a low-to-mid 80s curveball from the slot. He just got promoted to Double-A at the end of last year and will likely continue to push his way into Triple-A before getting the call, but I can see something legit here with a high heater + big hook + a cutter or changeup (I’m hoping for the latter) to get through lineups. The greatest benefit of the vertical approach is control as it is far easier to stay in the zone north-south vs. east-west, which makes me believe his 10% walk rates will come down over time. There’s something here.
208. Blade Tidwell (NYM, RHP)
2024 did not serve Tidwell…well. Life was sparkling after dominating Double-A, but disaster fell across 85 frames of Triple-A with a 5.93 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 20% strikeout rate, and 14% walk rate. You can ignore Tidwell based on those marks alone for an early impact this year, though you should be aware of what he does in case it returns in April or May, prompting a possible rotation spot by the summer. The hope is for Tidwell to return to form with a 95-97 mph four-seamer and an array of breakers to get him to the finish line. We did see a great final outing of the season with 10 K/0 BB across six frames that included a 17″ iVB four-seamer at 95 mph with a well spotted slider and sweeper, hinting at what could be early this year. Let’s hope we get it.
209. Parker Messick (CLE, LHP)
Messick is the one Guardians prospect pitcher I can see making any sort of impact this year after returning a 32% strikeout rate with an 8% walk rate in Double-A last season. Sadly, I don’t have updated reports on what he’s doing to earn those marks, but once he makes it to Triple-A, I’ll have a much better sense outside of last January’s reports of a stellar changeup and low 90s fastball without great breakers. If the Guardians are running low on depth, take a look at Messick’s Triple-A marks inside our PL Pro Apps and hope the intrigue is there.
210. Christian Mena (ARI, RHP)
We saw Mena for one game of three innings last year, and it gave us a taste of what he can do – 100th percentile velocity CURVEBALL at 87/88 (84/85 across the minors) which is all kinds of dope and reminds me a touch of Glasnow. He also had nearly seven feet of extension (Glasnow-lite?) at 95 mph…but 93 mph in the minors. Huh. I’m curious to get more data from Mena, hoping he can wrangle the four-seamer to get the zone more often and stick at 95+ while leaning into that hard curve and a legit sweeper saved for RHB. There’s also a sinker he tries to go inside to RHB with (great if he can keep the high extension and 95 mph) and a changeup he needs to polish as he currently gets too much on the side of the ball. He’s an interesting one to keep an eye on this year.
211. Marco Raya (MIN, RHP)
He’s a kitchen sink guy with an 89 mph cutter, a big curve in the mid 80s, a putaway slider at 85 mph with legit movement (and solid command?) and a 94/95 mph four-seamer without the qualities we look for. He’s interesting with a power curve and reliable cutter while not being fastball-first (third most thrown pitch in his Triple-A start!) and I’d give him a look when he gets the call. This may be a solid Holly type eventually if he continues to polish the command and all around arsenal. The only worry is the cutter + four-seamer effectiveness.
212. CJ Culpepper (MIN, RHP)
Culpepper endured a forearm injury that removed him for two months last year, leading to just six starts in Double-A. He does well with a legit cutter to RHB and sits near mid-90s, though there is a touch more refinement left on the slider’s consistency to project him as a reliable starter this year, especially after his struggles when returning from injury and limitations to roughly 2-3 frames per game. Let’s wait to see him in Triple-A before getting hyped, but if he gets a shot this year he’ll be worth at least your attention. I don’t anticipate a stud, but there may be a worthwhile 12-teamer Toby here.
213. Logan Evans (SEA, RHP)
He was able to be an innings-eater with a breaker for LHB and a cutter against RHB, while the fastball doesn’t impress mightily. I can see Evans as a potential fill-in for the Mariners if they need help after pitching 100+ frames in Double-A last year, though it seems like a Toby at best for Evans, not an overwhelming arm you’ll be sad to miss.
214. Braxton Ashcraft (PIT, RHP)
Looking at the data of Ashcraft’s five Triple-A games, I’m not impressed enough to circle Ashcraft for the year ahead. His four-seamer is below-average and will be the source of pain in the majors, with his stellar slider as the savior of his arsenal. He’s a strike thrower as well, which may mean Ashcraft may have to turn to the slider more than usual once in the bigs, possibly utilizing his low 80s curveball frequently. I like the two breakers, I just wish the 95 mph four-seamer didn’t have 6.3 extension (blegh), 15″ inches of iVB (blegh), and a steep 0.6 HAVAA that sets it up for demolition. I should note, there is a changeup in the mix as well, though it’s easily the fourth pitch and will likely be reserved for 10-15% usage against LHB with limited success.
215. Ben Casparius (LAD, RHP)
Prince Casparius displayed a 95 mph fastball with cut-action that stuck to the top of the zone consistently against RHB and LHB alike and a solid slider underneath. I wonder if that fastball can live up there effectively with a poor attack angle and mediocre vert (and sub six feet extension, blegh), but its cut action does make me intrigued to stunt LHB. Maybe there’s a sinker to help against RHB in the future (or maybe the four-seamer is good enough with that velo?)
216. Cade Cavalli (WSN, RHP)
Cade has endured injury after injury – TJS in 2022, then “dead arm” after just three rehab starts in 2024. The hope is for him to have a strong off-season, establish himself in the minors in the first half and make a play for a call up by the end of the year, though it’s awfully unclear what version of Cavalli we’ll see. He wasn’t the most impressive pre-TJS and it seems the reports of his curve and overall prospect pedigree provided helium more than true results. Keep an eye in the spring and our MiLB PLV apps in-season once he hits Triple-A.
217. AJ Smith-Shawver (ATL, RHP)
I was a bit excited for AJSS last year when he made his debut, but alas, there just isn’t enough in the arsenal for me to get amped. The heater doesn’t have exceptional shape and unless it returns to 97+ mph velocity (95 mph last year), it’ll get punished. The secondaries aren’t at a high enough level to save the heater from destruction, either, but hey, maybe he’s a new arm now and demands a rotation spot? Or maybe Atlanta sends him to Triple-A for a little more development to kick off his 22-year-old season. He’s awfully young and could display many new tricks us old dogs can’t learn, after all. Monitor him in camp, hoping for that extra pizazz that puts egg on my face.
218. Chase Dollander (COL, RHP)
He profiles out to be the best pitcher in Colorado the moment he starts for the major league squad with a mid-to-upper 90s four-seamer, high-80s slider, and changeup + curve to match. After moving to Double-A in his first professional season, Dollander could touch the majors later this year, hoping to retain his 30% strikeout marks with a sub 10% walk rate along the way. That said, it’s Coors. Dollander’s decline in the second half of last year toward decent-but-not-elite mixed with the Shag Rug and Coors outlines a big name I’ll likely pass on when dipping his foot into the major leagues for the first time. He’s not Skenes.
Tier 23 – You Don’t Have A Job For Deep Value. Yet.
They don’t have a rotation spot and all we can do is hope they get a shot and make us lead forward in our seat when they do.
219. Brant Hurter (DET, LHP)
I want to take a moment to let everyone appreciate Hurter’s absurd performance as a follower last year. His sinker held a stupid good 21% ICR across 80% strikes and that’s BONKERS. That same sinker had an 82% strike rate to RHB and earned all of the outs in the process with a sweeper that held a 20% ICR and it’s just so unreal. Fantastic command, sure, but a fair bit of good fortune along the way and I have to believe the Tigers are giving him a look as a follower again (especially after he mentioned he preferred being a follower over being the starter. No, I’ll never understand the man.).
Despite how cool it is for Hurter to have such success with his sinker at 92/93 mph, I cannot buy into the success repeating for another season. His sweeper command was just too dang good and that sinker should get hit a bit harder now that batters are more aware of what he does. In addition, the Tigers have a fair number of options for the open rotation spot and I’d imagine they’d love to save Hurter for the long relief – after all, he prefers it.
Quick Take: Hurter’s ridiculous run last year was an incredible thrill, but unlikely to be replicated for another year given his exceptional sinker performance. If he does get opportunities, feel free to stream it (especially in a Max Starts league), but leave him for the wire in all but draft-and-holds.
220. Jonathan Bowlan (KCR, RHP)
Bowlan’s best skill is a four-seamer with legit iVB that gets more expected vertical break than what you’d expect at his arm angle and I hope he can push it to 60%+ high location moving forward. And he throws a sinker inside to RHB! And has…decent sliders and curves? Hmmm, there may actually be something here if he can consistently get that heater upstairs (it really is sneaky good upstairs at 95/96 mph). You may have another Royals sleeper here…*Suitman whispers into my ear* The Royals moved him to the bullpen in Triple-A during the summer? Oh. WELP. If the Royals elect to stretch Bowlan back out and he flexes good command upstairs with serviceable breakers, y’all know I’m gonna pay attention.
221. Vince Velasquez (CLE, RHP)
Oh snap! Mr. DUB! (VV y’all.) Velasquez underwent TJS and missed all of 2024 and the Guardians extended an invitation to spring training so he can Show Me What You Got. I wonder if we’ll see the slider-heavy approach that brought shocking production for a brief moment in 2023 and maybe that heater is back to 94+ again…? Sorry, I got carried away. If Velasquez earns the #5 spot and is sporting that slider a ton, he does break the Huascar Rule, but could be a valuable arm in 15-teamers. Just a thought.
222. Landen Roupp (SFG, RHP)
I can see why Eno likes him a ton. Roupp’s curve is a legit breaking ball and can be effective to both sides of the plate – CSW darling for LHB, backdoor called strikes to RHB – and the stuff marks are sure to gravitate toward it. There are two problems that need fixing, though. First, Roupp’s sinker has solid lateral movement at 94 mph, but he locates it terribly. This should be a pitch focused on landing inside to RHB, helping the tunneling for his curve, and earning quick outs often. Second, Roupp needs to find his changeup feel against LHB. The sinker’s 30% ICR against LHB is unlikely to stick (he’s working high sinkers against them, which is actually kinda cool…?), and there is some promise in his changeup even with the low strike rate last year – Roupp’s misses were down, not to the side. It makes me see an easier path toward taking a step forward than many others, though I’m not sure Roupp will actually change his sinker approach or refine his changeup to be a proper weapon against LHB. I doubt he’ll beat the other suitors for a rotation spot out of camp, but keep an eye on Roupp as he keeps working in the minors with our PLV Minor League App. If the changeup is improving vs. LHB or sinker gets inside to RHB, you may find a sleeper before anyone else.
223. Jack Kochanowicz (LAA, RHP)
Ah yes, the Jack of One Trade. I have a soft spot for Kochanowicz, the lanky fella slingin’ true sinkers (95th percentile sink!) at 96 mph incessantly at 70-75% usage. Say what you want about that (low strikeouts, high H/9 with grounders, etc.), the fact a pitcher can be an extreme sinkerballer and return a 4.00 ERA across 65.1 IP in this day-and-age is a beautiful thing. Interesting how the Angels have two of the premier sinkerballers in Soriano and Kochanowicz…
What I’m about to say will shock you. The rest of his arsenal isn’t great. I know, such surprise for a guy who has to go 70% sinkers. His four-seamer is wisely saved for two-strike counts and utilized upstairs, where it has had a fair amount of success, while the changeup is terrible and the curve is far from a reliable #2. His lower arm-angle makes me wonder if a sweeper is the better move (think Schmidt, Singer, Houck, etc.), though he still needs a defiant weapon against LHB where the sinker returned a 41%+ ICR. Contrasted to its sub 25% ICR against RHB and you’ll quickly realize how close Kochanowicz is to actually being something. He already silences RHB, what if he found a LHB weapon? But the strikeouts. Yeah, fair. It’s gonna be low. A sweeper + a LHB weapon? Hey, it could happen.
224. Sam Aldegheri (LAA, LHP)
I like watching the curve, but I don’t see it. The four-seamer comes with horrific extension at 92 mph from the left side, missing the movement profile needed to overcome the longer reaction time – its 10 whiff game against the Rangers was weird and not to be trusted – and the slider + change don’t appear to be options to be trusted.
It is an awfully small sample size, though, and it’s very easy for us to get a false sense of understanding across 13.0 IP. That said, he’ll have to change a lot or display reliable command to convince me otherwise.
225. Victor Mederos (LAA, RHP)
Like Bachman, Mederos was used as a reliever in 2024, but also in 2023 and despite taking the first inning pearl in twenty games in Double-A in 2024, Mederos failed to display the ability to succeed in the starting role. Simply put, he held a 1.73 WHIP, 16.5% strikeout rate, and 11.5% walk rate with a sub 10% SwStr rate in that time – you know me, I generally avoid the shallow marks and focus on the arsenal, but you look at that and you know enough. Yes, he does throw 97 mph as a reliever, but can’t spot it, and the slider showed up this year in its ultra small sample (unlike 2023’s performance), suggesting a reliever role may be the future. If he does start, it’s because he tweaked something to make him more reliable in the zone with his heater, but even at 95 mph (you have to expect a dip move from RP to SP, again), it’s not enough.
226. Zack Littell (TBR, RHP)
The Rays had an arduous 2024 including moments with a full rotation on the IL, allowing Littel to grab a sizeable 29 starts across the season and you have to give him respect for a 3.65 ERA across 150+ frames. He did so by squeezing as much as he possibly could out of his arsenal, though, and it may be tough for him to hold the fifth spot of the rotation.
His fastballs are terrible. Littell is aware and avoids them as much as he can, though the sinker and four-seamer combined for nearly 40% of his arsenal last year and it stung. The slider was his savior as a heavy strike pitch against both RHB and LHB, featured 35% of the time universally, though it acted more like a cutter with its low SwStr rate and focus on “efficient strikes”.
That slider couldn’t carry the burden alone and Littell’s splitter did all it could to get him through games. It was an efficient weapon against RHB for a 23% SwStr rate across 67% strikes, but it came up short against LHB for just a 60% strike rate and plenty of hard contact. It’s no fun relying on a splitter as the final piece of an arsenal and I’d hate to be a fantasy manager believing the splitter/slider combo can overcome two very launchable fastballs (in homer-friendly George Steinbrenner stadium, no less).
Quick Take: Littell’s fastballs are bottom of the barrel, forcing a collection of sliders and splitters to find a way to the finish line. It’s difficult to bank on Litell’s 3.63 ERA to be replicated in 2025 as he moves to a worse park and has to find the same peak for another year. Expect Littell to get bounced from the rotation assuming no other openings appear.
227. Jacob Waguespack (TBR, RHP)
He features legit extension (seven feet!) and gets plenty of iVB on his four-seamer and pairs it with high location…at 93 mph. He pairs it with a cutter that should see more action against LHB with its great horizontal movement, though he needs something else. The curve and change aren’t there yet and I’m curious how he looks when he inevitably gets a start this year. Super sneaky sleeper here based on the extension and cutter, though we should expect the standard “five and dive” if he does find regular starts.
228. Jordan Wicks (CHC, LHP)
Pay attention to Wicks. His changeup command is still in development, but looks to be cookie-cutter from the Walmart box for demolishing RHB. With more time on the bump, expect him to refine its precision and trim the mistakes far outside and off the plate.
For now…that’s the exciting part. I liked his high four-seamer intent with 17″ of iVB last year and it could pay dividends if he gets his changeup command in line, but is rather hittable otherwise. His slider lacks the bite and feel you want from a southpaw, making his time against LHB more difficult than others, even with great intent to jam with sinkers inside.
The pieces are there for a decent starter and if the breaking ball improves along with his overall command, a Toby can take shape. It may be a while, though, and it’s not worth a draft pick.
Quick Take: Wicks has a great changeup from the left side, but is still putting together the rest of the repertoire to support it, while needing a sprinkle of command to join him along the way. The Cubs likely see him as a back-up option to the rotation in the spring and if he’s not regularly starting out of the gate, he’ll get his chance early in the season once refined in Triple-A.
229. Will Warren (NYY, RHP)
Hey Warren, you ready to do this? Yep. No, for real this time? Oh. I think so? Good because Stroman is likely to be dealt and you’re looking like the sixth starter on this squad. I have a few favors to ask. Last time, you had horrible strike rates on both your sweeper and changeup. Sure did. You realize that your sinker and four-seamer are not great, right? Uh huh. And that your secondaries are supposed to carry the weights? Yup. Sooooo… OKAY NICK, I GET IT.
Warren may be undervalued because of how poor his rookie campaign went, with the aforementioned sweeper and changeup failing at their roles and allowing batters to swat heaters far too often. As long as both pitches handle RHB and LHB respectively, Warren has good enough sinker command to make it work as a Toby in 12-teamers. I may take a start or two to ensure he’s locked in before chasing it, though.
230. Cade Povich (BAL, LHP)
Povich had his moments in 2024 and even ended the season with a great run via 2.60 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 32 Ks in 27.2 IP in five games (albeit blessed by a 10 K game against the CrySox), but I imagine he’s missing the rotation to begin the season. I wish the curveball were better to RHB and he jammed LHB inside with his sinker, while I wish the four-seamer’s 25% ICR to RHB was actually sustainable but we should expect regression with its middling movement at 92/93 mph.
There’s not a whole lot to latch onto, sadly. The sweeper can work against LHB at least and maybe that hook or changeup takes a step forward to silence RHB, but until then, I’d hold off on Povich unless he gets a good matchup with an 80+ pitch start under his belt. There are better fliers to chase.
Quick Take: Povich is a Toby at best who could benefit from volume on a winning team but needs to do more with his arsenal to become a reliable fantasy starter. Return in-season to see if he’s improved his arsenal before taking a chance in your leagues.
231. Albert Suarez (BAL, RHP)
I remember when Suárez appeared out of nowhere during spring last year, firing 96 mph heaters upstairs with ease and returning all the whiffs. It was fun. And then he got his shot and actually produced a bit…? Thing is, that heater is only effective against LHB (14-15% SwStr!) while RHB were able to tee off the heater, resulting in the cutter having far more success. I wish the cutter was able to dominate both LHB and RHB, but Suárez is forced to go with an 11% SwStr rate changeup against LHB and I’m not sure it’s enough for me to chase. Sure, the putaway rates last year were far lower than expected, which could help him comfortably eclipse 20% strikeouts this year, but I want more.
I don’t expect Suárez in the rotation to start the year (that’s Sugano’s job) but if there’s an opening, I’m favoring him over Povich, leading to a possible depth add in AL-Only leagues. There are so many more options in 12-teamers and even 15-teamers are likely better off with other fliers than Suárez who is unlikely to have a new trick up his sleeve.
Quick Take: The strikeout may come up a bit if he gets another routine shot in the rotation, but even then, I don’t trust the three-pitch mix enough to trust him regularly. There’s some deep AL-Only appeal if he has a job, while 12-teamers can mostly ignore him.
232. Nick Nastrini (CHW, RHP)
Nastrini’s four-seamer had 1st percentile PLV with the worst strike rate in the league…but 94th percentile iVB and 86th percentile HAVAA. What does all that mean?! Nastrini’s fastball has great shape at 93/94 mph, but he can’t command the dang thing in the slightest. I personally believe he has the yips as his slider featured strikes at a solid 65% clip and I’ll continue to carry a sliver of hope that Nastrini can get over his mental hump with heaters and take advantage of the pitch’s shape properly to turn into a solid fastball/slider arm. That said, it’s not an elite combo and his changeup + curve both suffered from inconsistency as well, making Nastrini lack the ceiling to chase in nearly all formats. Sigh.
233. Drew Thorpe (CHW, RHP)
The changeup is fantastic. Thing is, that’s all. The four-seamer has some vert and Thorpe features it upstairs to amplify the deception of his changeup, but the pitch gets crushed and sadly Thorpe doesn’t have a feel for spin. His slider held a poor 51% strike rate in 2024 and doesn’t look to be an excellent offering, and the cutter has some potential against LHB, but still needs Thorpe to throw the low 90s heater to set it up – a pitch that barely eclipsed a 50% strike rate against LHB last year.
If Thorpe can find another comfortable weapon in his arsenal or become a master with the four-seamer/cutter, then I can see this working out. Sadly, it’s just a changeup at the moment on a poor team and that’s not a recipe for fantasy relevance.
234. Trevor Rogers (BAL, LHP)
Apparently, Rogers has been working with Driveline throughout the offseason in hopes to get his velocity back up, but suffered a, ahem, right knee subluxation, which you can translate as a knee problem that will delay him in camp. There isn’t a set timeline now and Rogers is highly likely to be on the IL as the season begins. You can stash him if you like, just drop him if the minor league rehab starts aren’t showing his velocity back up to 94/95 mph, nor a legit changeup and slider. I’m not expecting this to work out.
235. Kyle Wright (KCR, RHP)
Wright hasn’t pitched since 2023 after getting shoulder surgery to repair a torn capsule and he’s a touch behind his peers ramping up in spring training. I’d also reckon he’ll take longer to get up to full strength than others given his long time away from the game, which has me treating Wright like a potential waiver add after his first start of the season. I have low expectations here – we saw a sinker/curve arm during his breakout 2022 campaign that struggled against LHB – and let’s play it slow.
236. Richard Fitts (BOS, RHP)
He was kinda cool for a moment last year and who knows, maybe he’ll get another shot this year as the best potential #7 option for the Sawx with a cut-action four-seamer at 94 mph + a well spotted but not whiff-heavy slider. The splitter is the attack against LHB (noooope) and I wouldn’t get excited if Fitts saw some time in the rotation, but there is Toby potential based on the fastball that should be treated like a hard cutter. He really needs to get that thing inside to LHB and away to RHB instead of trying to rely on its vert that doesn’t surprise batters. Treat it like an opposite-handed sinker, please.
Quick Take: If Fitts leans into the horizontal action on his four-seamer, he could jam LHB incredibly well, allowing him to go fastball/slider to RHB and get outs without the typical splits of a pitcher without a secondary for LHB. If he sees time in the rotation, monitor if the approach has shifted to move away from high heat.
237. Quinn Priester (BOS, RHP)
He’s still a work in progress after the Red Sox targeting him at the trade deadline to pry him away from the Pirates. The slider and curveball have shown promise in the past, though the fastballs are making this whole pitching thing super tough on him. We saw him make a start at the very end of the year where he featured more changeups as well and I’m still waiting to see a legit approach merged with believable repetition that would turn Priester into a starter we can test in fantasy. Maybe this is the year for the high-pedigree prospect arm.
238. Landon Knack (LAD, RHP)
Knack is four-seamer/slider with the former as a good-not-great fastball and the latter as a great all-around slider that we wish had more whiffs against RHB. And nothing else. The Dodgers are stuffed with options this year and I don’t think they’ll turn to Knack much at all, but he could be a sneaky Win play as his one-two punch has been good enough to go 5+ innings previously. That’s all he is, though.
239. José Buttó (NYM, RHP)
The Mets have relied on Butto as the backup starter and for long relief in the pen and he had himself a wonky season. His four-seamer and changeup cooked against RHB with an absurd 20% SwStr rate on the fastball that had no right to do so, joining the changeup with a 30%+ putaway rate. The sinker was a stable strike and out earner as it jammed RHB inside and life was cool.
Until the lefties showed up. Despite featuring 60%+ strikes across nearly all of his pitches to RHB, only his slider eclipsed the mark against LHB. Butto essentially said “either hit this changeup out of the zone or go walk to first,” and the approach led to aa 2.55 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP…despite a 12% walk rate. The dude needed a 5.0 hits-per-nine to return such a low WHIP. What a wild season.
No, this should not happen for another season, though his 2023 wasn’t so far in the other direction that I’d believe Butto has zero value if he’s called upon to be a regular starter for the Mets. Consider him a possible streamer should the time arrive and maybe even a Toby in 15-teamers.
240. Yariel Rodríguez (TOR, RHP)
The Jays are going to be stretching out Rodríguez and I’ll tell you right now, he breaks the Huascar Rule. It’s a great slider without anything else and I’d be ultra cautious targeting Yariel. The Jays knew his faults last year, too, holding him back for the third time through the lineup constantly and not letting him toss too many pitches, and I’d have to see something new in camp or early in the season for me to consider adding him in 12-teamers should he get a role.
It is a really good slider, though. We’re talking 70%+ strike rate with a 20% swinging-strike rate overall that is just dying to get dealt to a contender. My talents belong with a better team around me. I’m sorry slider, but this ain’t the NBA.
Quick Take: Rodríguez is getting stretched out in camp to act as the potential #6 starter for the Jays, though he’s currently lacking support for his elite slider. Until he flexes a reliable offering, he shouldn’t be trusted for six productive frames should he make regular starts.
Tier 24 – The Prospect Stashes For 2026 (Probably)
These prospects are excellent and deserve your attention…which will be in 2026 in all likelihood (and possibly later)
241. Jarlin Susana (WSN, RHP)
The dude throws super hard at triple-digits, but it doesn’t come with a good attack angle or movement but it’s 100+ mph. He’s also just 20 years of age and only pitched in A/A+ ball thus far, making him feel at least a season away as he refines his arsenal and approach against higher caliber hitters in Double-A and above (slider can be filthy in upper-80s as well). However, if the Nationals elect to give Susana a chance this season for whatever reason, just go for it. We see this kind of velocity from a starter once or twice a year and equipped with a whiffable slider is all you really need to go 25%+ strikeouts as a starter.
242. Travis Sykora (WSN, RHP)
He’s just 20-years-old after getting drafted out of high school in 2023 and unlikely to be seen in 2025, but hot dang do you need to know about him. The #2 prospect in the Nats system, Sykora sits mid-90s and has flirted with 100 mph in the past. He comes with a slider and splitter as well that helped him cruise to a 40% K rate and 21% SwStr rate with a sub 10% walk rate in his sole Single-A season across 85.0 IP. Be aware of this fella. I’m incredibly anxious to get proper data on his arsenal this year.
243. Izack Tiger (TEX, LHP)
We haven’t seen Tiger above A+ ball yet and there are concerns about his control, though he sports a big 96+ mph heater and a hard 89+ mph slider to match that suggests he can dominate batters, especially if his splitter can churn out a 60% strike rate (after all, it does pair well with his over-the-top delivery). He may jump up the system quickly as he turns just 24-years-old this year, though his lack of time in the minors in concert with the Rangers’ plethora of quality RHP in the system suggest he’s unlikely to appear in the bigs in 2025. There’s a lot of intrigue here, though. He may form into a reliever over time, but the three-pitch mix could be enough to force a rotation spot in the future.
244. Hagen Smith (CHW, LHP)
Drafted fifth overall in 2024, it’s highly unlikely we see Smith in 2025. But what if we do…? FINE. His three starts in A+ ball can’t be relied upon, so just watch the linked video of his seventeen strikeouts against Oregon State and you’ll get it. He throws mid-90s and flirts with 100 mph as a southpaw, backing it up with a devastating breaking ball. It’s legit y’all. There’s apparently a low-90s cutter that forms from that breaker at times, too, while he doesn’t haven’t a reliable changeup. He doesn’t. It’s a…splitter. GASP. I wouldn’t be shocked if that turns into a traditional change over time, and if he does, hooo boy do we have a fun one on our hands. Even without it, the two (or three?) pitch mix is stupid good and is sure to be fantasy relevant when he gets the inevitable call. But he had TJS in high school! No one is ever good after the second one. MLB organizations don’t seem to care about that, I get the sense that we shouldn’t, too.
245. Chase Burns (CIN, RHP)
Burns was drafted as the #2 overall pick in 2024 after hurling upper 90s and hitting 102 mph with an upper 80s slider and mid-80s curve. With a number of options available for the Reds, I’d be surprised if they let him loose in the majors this season, though if Burns gets the call, you better add him to your squads.
246. Chayce McDermott (BAL, RHP)
Chayce is already delayed by a lat/teres injury that will push him back from pitching at least two weeks, and I doubt we’ll see Chayce any time before May (at the earliest). That said, I love his seven feet of extension merged with plus iVB and flat HAVAA that outlines a four-seamer that could explode at the top of the zone. I dug the shape of his slider as well during his sole game in Miami last year, though I wonder if he’s equipped with a sturdy #3 pitch – the changeup in the debut was flying way arm-side, although that may have been a product of debut-nerves, or it simply may not be a consistent offering. Monitor him aplenty with the Orioles desperately needing depth in their rotation and I like his ceiling much more than Povich’s with his stellar heater shape, even at 94 mph.
247. Alex Clemmey (WSN, LHP)
It’s hard not to like the mid-90s velocity with a proper pair of breakers, though his control is a major issue at the moment. After pitching in just Single-A in 2024, expect Clemmey to spend all of 2025 in the minors refining his ability to earn strikes. However, the ceiling is here for a legit LHP if he ever reigns them in – the stuff speaks to a starter we hold in 12-teamers…if he’s not a stereotypical left-handed HIPSTER, of course.
248. Jake Bennett (WSN, RHP)
He’s been touted as a high Nationals prospect, but he underwent TJS last season and with so many options, the Nationals have no need to push him for 2025. The ideal here is for Bennett to return with the feel of his change and slider intact and a fastball he can spot effectively to RHB to allow his change to thrive. The very quick look I had gave a sense of a solid southpaw with reliable feel for command and flashes of filth – a sturdy lefty who could be a regular starter. We’ll see what we get when he returns.
249. Brody Brecht (COL, RHP)
Brecht was drafted in 2024 and should not be expected to appear in 2025. He throws hard (up to triple digits!) but his fastball command will be the focus on his tenure in the minors. The slider is a legit weapon, though, and he could go the Skenes route with a splitter/splinker in the mix as well. He’s one to know and could break the trend of SP failure in Colorado in due time.
250. Santiago Suarez (TBR, RHP)
Suarez fails to walk batters (sub 5% across 170+ innings in two seasons) while packing a low-to-mid-90s four-seamer and curve combo (with some changeups) that racked up 26% strikeouts and a 15% SwStr rate in 23 starts at Single-A in 2024. That’s a fun combo, though most prospects who make quick impacts push a bit higher in the strikeout department against Single-A batters. I’m less confident in Suarez’s pitch-mix than Hill’s given the rarity of a 93 mph fastball + high-70s curve becoming a foundation of a trusted starter in the bigs, though Suarez just turned 20-years-old in January and has plenty of time for further growth. Don’t expect him in the majors in 2025 – The Rays have all the reason to focus on Suarez’s development at his young age and many alternative prospects who can fill in when needed.
Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
Great stuff as always. Seems 209 to 212 missing, FYI