Top 400 Starting Pitchers For Fantasy Baseball 2025 – SP Rankings 301-450

Tier 29 – Prospects Who Likely Aren’t A Spec Add (Cont’d)

It’s absolutely possilbe I’m overlooking these prospects and we should pay attention when they get their chance to start. Keep in mind, these arms are not ranked inside the tier – it’s so late in the rankings y’all. I just grouped them all together.

302. Jean Cabrera (PHI, RHP)

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He’s an interesting arm. He’s mid-90s on the heater with a legit changeup and decent slider who, according to MLB.com’s report, is built to throw harder with more development. I doubt we’ll see him this year, but he already has some time in Double-A and if he’s showcasing a step forward, we may see the Phillies get aggressive with their lack of quality depth.

303. Sem Robberse (STL, RHP)

304. Hurston Waldrep (ATL, RHP)

306. Jhancarlos Lara (ATL, RHP)

307. AJ Blubaugh (HOU, RHP)

308. Troy Melton (DET, RHP)

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Melton dealt with a shoulder strain in August last year and I’m curious to see him get his feet wet in Triple-A. His fastball zips to the glove with a big breaker underneath and it could be a super hittable offering or one with a little extra giddy-up on it that would explain the 28% Strikeout rate and low 7% walk rate. I believe in that control and wonder if he can maintain mid-90s instead of touching it. I don’t have the highest hopes, but he could be better than someone like Montero if the Tigers need an arm this year.

309. Noah Cameron (KCR, LHP)

310. Logan Henderson (MIL, RHP)

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Henderson is kinda cool. He earned 17″ of vert with a great attack angle and solid command, allowing him to throw a ton of strikes and generally stay upstairs effectively despite terrible extension (six feet on the dot, blegh) and just 92/93 mph velocity. He doesn’t have a good feel for spin with his sole breaker coming from an 87 mph cutter that flutters to the plate, but his changeup feel is solid with 19″ of horizontal break. I worry the pitch’s locations are a little too high at the moment for not just a #2 pitch but the only secondary that matters. Henderson may have trouble against RHB without a better cutter or slider, though I can see him carving up LHB with the four-seamer and changeup regularly. I dig it, we just need to see one more offering for RHB.

311. Travis Adams (MIN, RHP)

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He throws 93 mph with a cutter he trusts in the zone at 87+ mph, with a slider and changeup he spots effectively on opposite corners. Maybe that secondary command dictates legitimacy in the majors, though the fastball and cutter aren’t wowing me enough to endorse excitement. He was protected on the 40-man roster by the Twins, suggesting he could get the call earlier than others and we should wait-and-see what we get should the time come.

312. Andrew Morris (MIN, RHP)

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He sits 94 mph and loves to go upstairs with the four-seamer in two-strike counts despite a steep attack angle and mid vert and extension, though he throws lots of strikes. The slider is split into a tighter cutter shape and a slider with more drop, both of which find the zone plenty, the changeup lands down-and-glove side consistently, and the curve can be in the zone or under it, but the stuff? It’s not stellar. He’ll probably produce a sub 8% walk rate with more time in Triple-A and would he get the call, we need to hope he can get the heater closer to 96 mph to make up for the lack of whiffability in the arsenal. With his kind of control and command, he has my attention as a potential innings eater in the majors (it is 93/94 mph, after all), but I’m hesitant to chase for a rookie callup.

313. Cory Lewis (MIN, RHP)

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Lewis has a knuckle ball in the low-80s that he whips out every so often. I question if that will actually carry over into the majors when he gets a shot, but hey, it’s a thing. His time in Triple-A saw a decline in four-seamer velocity to 89 mph, but from a super steep attack angle that granted 18+ inches of iVB, while he pairs it with a gyro slider and curve from the high arm angle. It doesn’t seem too promising from here, though if the velocity returns to 92/93 mph and the breakers are reliable whiff pitches, he could turn into something.

314. Justin Wrobleski (LAD, LHP)

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We saw Wrobleski and his 5.3 feet extension (two feet less than the elites ummmmmmmm) surprise with his four-seamer, holding both LHB and RHB to a stunning sub 30% ICR, though the rest of his arsenal was lacking. He did showcase a solid cutter 10% of the time to RHB, but this was mostly the low extension four-seamer game with somewhat deadzone movement and…I find that really hard to bank on. Is it because it was relatively flat and at 95 mph? But he had sub 50% hiLoc%…I don’t quite get it. Maybe we didn’t see his best slider with its two-plane movement and there’s more to unlock across additional opportunities in the future, but I’m not all too excited about it for now.

315. Connor Phillips (CIN, RHP)

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Phillips’ four-seamer at 96/97 mph is paired with terrible extension and poor iVB and HAVAA marks with what it needs to be as a true whiff pitch. The sweeper and curve show potential, but his command is awfully inconsistent, and I’m not interested in Phillips, even when he makes his return to the majors. Unless our PLV app displays legit changes in Triple-A before the call, I’m carrying awfully low expectations for this season.

Tier 30 – They Don’t Have A Spot And It’s Meh

I can see some interesting things but mostly this will be a temporary starter who isn’t worth the add.

316. J.T. Ginn (ATH, RHP)

He’s a sinker/slider right-hander who somehow had far better contact allowed with the sinker against LHB. The secret? Not chucking the bowling ball down the pipe, instead favoring it up-and-in or down-and-away with surprising consistency. Meanwhile, RHB saw the pitch over the heart of the plate constantly with too few sinkers jamming inside or dropping just under the zone. He should fix that. Yeah, I think he’s trying. Pitching ain’t easy.

The slider was great against RHB, though its 38% putaway rate is laughable, making his 20% strikeout rate likely to fall closer to 15% in 2025 when he becomes far less efficient. To put that in perspective, Glasnow is one of the elite putaway rate masters, and he hovers around 25-30% putaway rates on his pitches. Oh no. Oh no indeed.

I should also mention that the slider isn’t great against LHB, which is pretty standard unless Ginn had the feel to go back-foot under the LHB danger zone. Narrator: He doesn’t. Think of Ginn as a worse Brady Singerand the Athletics may replace him as the season goes on once the sinker fails to replicate its 2024 performance against LHB & the slider regresses against RHB.

317. Brady Basso (ATH, LHP)

Basso isn’t a finished product yet. The southpaw with a super high release point makes for a Zito-esque curve, opening the door for strikeouts and whiffs to RHB, while the cutter has success nailing the outside edge to LHB, but that’s where his glaze ends. His 92-93 mph four-seamer gets pummeled by RHB as he elects to stay upstairs with an absurdly steep attack angle, and I’m not sure there’s a great solution for the pitch as he doesn’t get the traditional bump in iVB for the high arm angle featured by his contemporaries. The cutter should work against RHB if he can nail the same consistency it featured against LHB, but the mental adjustment of jamming batters hasn’t been conquered quite yet and may take some time.

I’m curious what we see in Year Two of Tread Basso (I actually don’t know if he went to Tread. I hope he did) and if he can find a way to get strikes with pitches other than his heater. The curve has legit plus plus potential akin to peak Drew Smylyor Drew Pomeranz, keeping hope alive for productive frames in the future.

318. Jared Shuster (CHW, LHP)

Ayyyy, remember Shuster? You know, one of the two left-handers from Atlanta I was suddenly excited about in 2023 after throwing legit sliders inside to RHB and spotting fastballs on the edge? Well, he’s on the ChiSox now and will likely get a few starts here and there as they figure out how to get through another season without setting another  Loss record. The four-seamer is all kinds of meh, the slider is saved for LHB and is decent at what it does, but the changeup? The pitch that was featured over 40% of the time to RHB last year? That thing needs to get its act together. Shuster’s slowball held a 51% strike rate across that heavy RHB usage, which is as detrimental of a pitch as I’ve ever seen. If that pitch makes giant strides, Shuster will have another shot at a starting gig, but even then, he’ll still just be a two-pitch guy per handedness with half his offerings featuring a hittable four-seamer on a losing squad. No thanks.

319. Graham Ashcraft (CIN, RHP)

Does he belong in the pen? Probably not. Ashcraft’s 95/96 mph cutter isn’t a whiff pitch as he fails to locate with precision, especially against RHB. The slider is a strong offering and pairs well with the lively “fastball”, but without a four-seamer or sinker of value, nor a routine stay inside the strike zone, Ashcraft’s slider doesn’t do enough to prevent batters from teeing off the poorly located cutter. I could be interested if the Reds elect to send him to another squad where he could hopefully make an adjustment to get the dang cutter down for a change, and until then, I have no interest.

320. Carson Spiers (CIN, RHP)

Spiers is a deep league Toby at best when he gets his chances to start. His deep pitch mix opens the door for games where he can flex his pitch separation and generate outs, though the 11+ hit-per-nine should tell how rare those moments were. Without strikeout punch in the mix, Spiers is a desperate stream against a poor lineup when he’s displayed a leash longer higher than 80 pitches.

321. Mason Black (SFG, RHP)

Black has a sinker with good lateral movement at 92/93, a four-seamer saved for two strikes that is rightfully saved and not overused, and a big sweeper that failed to earn whiffs against RHB during his brief nine games (eight starts) of 2024. Wait, what does that leave for LHB? Uhhhh. Nothing? 4% changeups? Okay, the slider was featured 12% of the time and it looks more like a cutter at 88 mph, though his feel for it was spotty and I don’t trust it to come together. Without an efficient approach nor a clear path toward debilitating RHB and LHB, I’m not interested in Black this year when he gets another shot in the rotation. Maybe he’ll find a way through 5+ against a weak lineup, but I need more.

322. Carson Fulmer (PIT, RHP)

Fulmer has a full pitch mix and he tries awfully hard to spot everything exactly where they should be (well, maybe not the four-seamer as much), but nothing is exceptional, save for a changeup that he can’t quite land where he wants to. There is a world where he can find six innings of production for a stretch if he’s landing all of his pitches exactly how he wants to, though it’s too small of a hill to stand on after slogging through all the mud. I can’t even see my house from here. You rent a ground floor apartment. Yeah, and it’s MINE. You may see Fulmer grab a spot if the Pirates aren’t ready to call up Chandler or Harrington or Burrows or anyone, and I’d be surprised if he was given an extended runway in this rotation.

323. Matthew Liberatore (STL, LHP)

The good news: Liberatore embraced his slider over his curve to RHB and it fares far better. The bad news: I really don’t like the rest of his arsenal. The four-seamer and sinker feature poor shape and I dislike their approaches to both RHB and LHB.

I imagine we’ll see him starting before too long with something breaking inside this rotation, though I’m not going to jump in when the time comes. Maybe there will be a touch of success rooted in that slider, but it’s just not the full arsenal I want to see from a fringe starter that would make me endure the waiting game.

Quick Take: Liberatore’s slider is a strong offering, but there’s little else to support it, breaking the Huascar Rule and I wouldn’t even rate the breaker as highly as those branded with the scarlet HR. He’s sure to get a shot starting at some point this year and I’ll have to see something new paired with success to take a sho

324. Roddery Muñoz (STL, RHP)

Oh hey, it’s Roddery! What are you doing here on the Cardinals?! You had your MLB debut with the Marlins last year, featuring cutters and sinkers gloveside with a touch of intrigue as 95/96 mph four-seamers were sprinkled in upstairs, but it all faded as strikes were hard to find against LHB, while the cutter and slider were punished often by RHB. Sigh. Maybe in your second season you’ve grown a bit across the board? Maybe? I sure hope you can bring a sense of wonder to this highly suspect rotation.

325. Brandon Waddell (NYM, LHP)

The 30-year-old signed with the Mets this offseason after spending a trio of season in the KBO and I seriously can’t find anything about him. The southpaw limited walks across fourteen starts and seven frames with a strikeout per inning, suggesting he can be a strikethrower if the Mets need him for a spot start here and there. Expect him to start in the minors where we can get a better understanding of what he can do and take note inside our PLV app. I have low expectations and hope for a Toby at best when he gets his shot.

326. Gordon Graceffo (STL, RHP)

We saw Gordon for a start and a relief appearance last year and I’m left with a lot of ehhhhhh. I’m not a fan of his four-seamer at all, but the breakers at least looked pretty with some potential in the changeup too. Maybe with more starts he can become a secondary-first arm and make this work? I’m not holding my breath.

327. Valente Bellozo (MIA, RHP)

That stretch of four ER across four games was a fun time, but hot dang does his four-seamer/cutter combination lack any sort of pizzaz. Sure, if Bellozo finds another rhythm of locating cutters and four-seamers perfectly, it’s possible he can be a desperate 15-team streamer during the year and toss 5+ innings of decency. Do you really want to trust sub 90 mph heaters with an 8th percentile SwStr rate? Didn’t think so.

328. JT Brubaker (NYY, RHP)

Yoooo it’s Coffee Cakes! In New York Citttt-aaay! And he’s charging $10 a beer-battered croissant! It’s called a Coorsant! Dang, I should have saved that for his inevitable signing in Colorado. Annnnyway, we haven’t seen Brubaker in the league since 2022 after getting TJS in early 2023, and I’m wondering if he still has his whiff heavy slider and decent curveball. The sinker’s 17″ of horizontal run can be interesting, but moreso as a surprise pitch to RHB, not as the pitch to get strikes. That’s not right. I’m awfully curious if the Yankees can make something out of this and watch Coffee Cakes appear out of nowhere with a new cutter and changeup to be the latest mold of the Schmidt/King/Warren to hit the Bronx. Wouldn’t that be something.

Tier 31 – But You’re A Reliever

Do I wish they started? Absolutely! Do I expect them too? Not at all!

329. Louie Varland (MIN, RHP)

Varland changed his name from Louie to Louis (pronounced the same…?) and likely won’t have his role changed from the pen. I still have dreams of the man learning how to keep his four-seamer upstairs and land his cutter and [insert reliable breaker here] underneath consistently, taking advantage of the great 96 mph / 7+ feet extension / 1.4 HAVAA trio of his four-seamer. IT’S RIGHT THERE. Sadly, command isn’t his forte and we’re still waiting for that #3 pitch to arrive in full. Sigh. I’m looking forward to those rare spot starts that leave me disappointed.

330. Prelander Berroa (CHW, RHP)

You may recall my idolization of Berroa last season in hopes he would force the White Sox to let him convert to a starter and enter the rotation. After time on the IL and a season in the pen, there’s no indication that the White Sox are stretching Berroa out to be a starter, and understandably so. His four-seamer has fun metrics like 97/98 mph velocity, 16+ iVB, and 1.3 HAVAA (poor extension, but the velo and shape make up for it!), which suggests it can dominate…if he can locate the dang thing. Its 55% strike rate was felt by every fan watching his at-bats, groaning as the ball left his hand and lasered toward a skittering glove far off the plate. It’s why Berroa featured 57% sliders last season – 67% strike rate! – and would have to be corrected if he were to become a start. But hot dang, the one-two punch has legit potential if the strikes are found on the heater and you should at least be aware of the upside despite the minuscule chance of it all coming together.

331. Nate Pearson (CHC, RHP)

The Cubs expressed their intent to stretch out Pearson as a starter in the spring…but not entirely. Pearson the starter has obvious appeal with a 95 mph four-seamer (97+ out of the pen) that comes with near seven feet of extension and a phenomenal 1.6 HAVAA with decent iVB (all the good things!), backed up by a whiff-inducing slider and…well that slider. Pearson’s biggest enemy is his command, which limits his whiffs on both the heater and slider despite their overwhelming stuff. It’s the classic reliever mold and even if he becomes a regular starter, his volatility is sure to follow, creating a HIPSTER, not a stud.

332. Drey Jameson (ARI, RHP)

I remember when it was Jameson vs. Ryne two years ago and Jameson’s TJS in April made Ryne a winner by default. We should expect Jameson to return to the club as a reliever, leaning into his 97+ mph heater and filthy slider out of the pen. It makes all the sense given Jameson’s lack of whiffs on the fastball (blame the super low 5.8 feet of extension that makes it more like 95 with poor shape!) and it could allow Jameson to push the heater a little more than he would as a starter to give him a stronger one-two punch.

But maybe he starts again and has more than just the filthy slider and ineffective velocity? Who knows, maybe he’s found a changeup, a better delivery to get more out of the fastballs, or something else entirely. When you throw hard and have a whiff-heavy slider, fantasy managers should be watching. Let’s see what happens.

333. Garrett Whitlock (BOS, RHP)

Whitlock is a reliever. He’s happy he’s a reliever. I hate that he’s a reliever, but alas, Boston told him to prepare as a reliever as he returns from injury and will be with the team leaving camp. But who knows, maybe it all goes haywire and Whitlock turns into the clear option they need to stretch out to start once again. His excellent extension paired with a heater he can locate on both sides of the plate and a pair of whiffable breakers will always have me salivating for a healthy full season in the rotation BUT WHATEVER.

334. Elvin Rodríguez (MIL, RHP)

Elvin went to Japan for a season and signed with the Brewers this year in hopes of making the squad out of camp. It could very well be as a reliever, though he does have a few starts under his belt with the Tigers in 2022. Elvin featured a 94 mph heater with legit iVB last time we saw him, and we can only hope the slider and/or changeup have gotten far better than the last time he appeared in the bigs. Take note of him if he wiggles his way into the rotation as a “mystery box” option given how the Brewers were willing to spend on him this winter, though you should have very low expectations.

Tier 32 – They Don’t Have A Spot For Obvious Reasons

These guys aren’t expected to be a starter but if they do, they are reserved for the oh-so-desperate Sunday.

335. Colin Rea (CHC, RHP)

There’s little to love about Rea’s arsenal. It’s a sinker/cutter/four-seamer mix that fails to excite against LHB or RHB, save for four-seamers becoming an effective(ish) putaway offering to RHB last year as he saved it for two-strike counts. The sweeper looks good on paper, but it’s likely due to its rare usage under 15% to both LHB and RHB and wouldn’t carry the same success if used more often.

Rea throws strikes and the Cubs may need someone like that across the season, leaning on their defense to find a way through 5-6 frames. It’s hard to decipher when Rea will have the good grace of Koufax, making him a desperate streamer when starting and a clear avoid during draft season.

Quick Take: Rea may get a chance in the rotation if Assad stumbles in the spring or an injury appears early, but he’s a low impact arm reserved for desperate streams. His fastballs are too mediocre and he lacks a reliable whiff pitch to carve lineups. Look elsewhere.

336. Bryse Wilson (CHW, RHP)

Sure, it makes sense for the White Sox to add Bryse after he returned to make more starts with the Brewers last season (often with an opener, too). But he’s not a great SP. He throws strikes. The White Sox want pitchers who throw strikes and have a chance to go at least five without blowing up the jumbotron. Bryse does this with a cutter and a whole lot of nothing else. It’s not exciting and while it works decently against RHB with sinkers mixed in, everything is positively atrocious against LHB. There’s little reason to expect more is coming, though he is only 27-years-old and who knows, maybe he unlocks more velocity or a proper slider over the winter.

At any rate, there’s no reason to chase this now. If he does something new, I’ll let you know in the SP Roundup as everyone else ignores him based on it being the wrong Bryse. And just because it’s new, doesn’t mean it’ll be good.

Quick Take: Another man with two first names who can’t be trusted. His cutter has its moments but there is nothing else to support a case for Wilson as a reliable fantasy pitcher in 2025.

337. Paul Blackburn (NYM, RHP)

Oh right, you’re still here. Blackburn gets by as your Bassit-type: throw  lots of pitches and keep ’em guessing as they hope it’s a four-seamer. The changeup had plenty of success against LHB while the cutter was the overall “stabilizer”, if you can call his outings stable. The arsenal outlines Blackburn as a desperate streamer and a possible NL-Only Toby if he’s regularly starting for the Mets. You’re really just chasing a rare Win or decent ERA on a given night and you deserve a better time playing fantasy baseball.

As if you needed another reason to ignore Paulie Punchouts, Blackburn is behind on his throwing program and it may cost him the rotation spot out of camp if he needs to ramp up a touch more for an extra week or two.

Quick Take: Blackburn is a bit delayed with his throwing program and is the ultimate depth piece you want to ignore for fantasy. Sure, he’ll have some decent starts here and there, but you’ll have no idea when.

338. Bryce Elder (ATL, RHP)

I know we’re told to respect our Bryces but he’s just a sinker/slider arm with a changeup that wants to be more than it is. He’s gone on some fun runs in the past rooted in great feel for both pitches at the same time and Atlanta could very well make him the #5 starter out of camp if Anderson isn’t up to snuff. He’s done it before, after all. That doesn’t mean you should trust him in the slightest, sadly, and if Elder is getting regular starts, he’ll be reserved as a desperate Win chance for 15-teamers.

339. Randy Vásquez (SDP, RHP)

His best quality is jamming sinkers mostly inside to RHB and pairing it with a heater that can land upstairs at 94/95 mph to earn some whiffs. Sadly, the curve is inconsistent, and his time against LHB is rough. We’re talking zero pitches above a 10% SwStr rate against LHB and the rare days he succeeds are when he’s able to work the curve better than usual. It’s possible he’s in contention for a rotation spot (especially if Cease is dealt) but it’s far from something you actually want to go after outside of an NL-Only league. He lacks any excitement you need for the heavy majority of leagues.

Quick Take: Randy needs something new inside his arsenal to deal with LHB while he doesn’t overwhelm RHB nearly as well as he needs to for us to endure his low floor.

340. Matt Waldron (SDP, RHP)

We all want Waldron to be a thing. A knuckleballer in this day and age?! He does too, you know. Sadly, it’s up to everything else in his arsenal to be good enough when the knuckleball isn’t there, and you know the answer. The fastballs and sweeper aren’t enough? Sure aren’t. Thing is, the knuckleball is arguably his worst pitch given its inconsistency and demolition when batters make contact, but then again, his other offerings have their results because they can act as a surprise pitch, not the main pitch.

In short, let me direct you to the first shirt we made at Pitcher List back in 2015. Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer.

Quick Take: The knuckleball is cool and fun and no one knows when it’ll actually be effective. Waldron’s supporting cast has good results but mostly because it isn’t used a whole lot relative to the knuckler. On their own, it’s not enough to stand on as a proper starter.

341. Taijuan Walker (PHI, RHP)

Oh right. You’re still around. Walker’s fastballs are terrible at 91/92 mph and his best offering is an unreliable splitter (Gasp!) that can work against LHB, but gets punished plenty by RHB. The sweeper, cutter, curve, and whatever else he elects to try on a given day are not the dependable companions they need to be – there’s no Samwise here – and I sincerely hope the Phillies aren’t in a position where they need innings from Walker this season. Maybe a spot start here and there until Painter arrives, and I feel for everyone involved. This ain’t it y’all.

Tier 33 – You’re Injured And Will Forget When You Return

They’ll start the season on the IL and I have very low expectations for them once they get a chance to start, whenever that is.

342. Ken Waldichuk (ATH, LHP)

Waldichuk underwent TJS in May of 2024, suggesting a possible return post-ASB, and you won’t care about it for fantasy, but there are interesting aspects of Waldichuk that make for a foundation in future years. It all comes down his seven feet of extension at 94+ mph and decent HAVAA with meh iVB, creating a foundation for high heaters + changeups underneath. He had some success with the approach before it came to an abrupt end in 2024 and I wonder if a hard reset with his mechanics can polish his changeup feel (and four-seamer feel, for that matter) to prevent so many wasted pitches armside.

There is a path to fantasy relevance here, monitor if he’ll actually take that step forward with his precision.

343. Jesse Scholtens (CHW, RHP)

Jesse had Tommy John surgery on 3/1/2024, making his 2025 appearance delayed until mid-season at the earliest, though I’m not sure anyone is holding their breath. Scholtens lacks an explosive set of breaking balls, while his four-seamer failed to eclipse an 8% SwStr rate to either LHB or RHB. But hey! At least he has 7 feet of extension at 92/93 mph, right? But his changeup! Uhhh, yes, it does look pretty in the GIF on his player page! That was one of his two whiffs earned on the pitch in 2023. Oh. But yes! If only he could execute that offering all the time.

344. Wade Miley (CIN, LHP)

Wade went under the knife for TJS in May of last year and could miss all of 2025. However, keep an eye on him in the summer in deeper formats – Miley has made a name for himself as an innings eater who could return a cheap Win here and there with his great changeup and cutter combo that carves up RHB-heavy lineups. A desperate streamer for 12-teamers when the time comes, though.

345. Luis Patiño (SDP, RHP)

Patiño underwent TJS in spring 2024 and is now throwing bullpens…which means he’s still very far away. Don’t expect Patiño healthy until the summer and even then, is he going to be a productive arm? He hasn’t flexed the absurd ceiling we dreamed of when he was a prospect and was nothing of note after being dealt from the Rays. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Padres waited until 2026 for Patiño to get an actual shot.

346. Tyler Wells (BAL, RHP)

Wells also endured elbow surgery last year, but it was the internal brace surgery, that places his timeline to roughly June/July this summer. Sadly, the skills are not elite and the Orioles are sure to play this one safe and slow instead of throwing him back into the fire quickly. I’m not interested here until I see something real from Wells leading up to his return…which may be in the pen and not the rotation.

347. Clayton Kershaw (LAD, LHP)

Yes, Kershaw hasn’t retired yet. No, I don’t think he’ll be all that great when he returns. It was tough to watch last year and there’s a chance at some point he returns and gives us one or two games of max juice just to call it quits after. I don’t know, he’s not the Kershaw of old without the same slider or heater and we shouldn’t trust it for fantasy. But unlimited IL? Sure, have a ball.

348. Alek Manoah (TOR, RHP)

Oh right, he’s still a thing! Kinda! He underwent Internal Brace surgery in June, suggesting a potential July return, though the Jays may not be up to throw him straight into the rotation upon return. I’m curious if he can complete his redemption arc this year and those looking for any potential at the very end of drafts could consider stashing Manoah. For us normies, Manoah is something to lightly consider in the heat of the summer.

349. Patrick Sandoval (BOS, LHP)

The Irish Panda underwent Internal Brace surgery in June of last year, marking a possible return for the Red Sox in the second half. Sandoval hasn’t been helpful in fantasy for a long while, though, so let’s get ahead of all the “should I stash Sandoval?!” questions this summer and say “Sure, if you have an open spot, there’s zero harm. If it costs you anything, don’t do it. He doesn’t have a clear path to a rotation spot and his terrible fastballs without legit slider + changeup command have done him in for years.”

350. Emmet Sheehan (LAD, RHP)

I was jazzed for Sheehan this time last year and unfortunately he was delayed out of camp with an arm injury that turned into TJS in May. It does suggest a possible return to the rotation by the summer or later, though the Dodgers have set themselves up to have plenty of options by that time of year. You’d think Sheehan would head to the minors to be an option for 2026…right? I wouldn’t hold my breath here.

Tier 34 – He’ll See Some Starts I Guess

Sure, you’ll see this name appear on our new Sit/Start chart this season. You may not know who they are and you’ll like be better off that way.

351. Jackson Rutledge (WSN, RHP)

We’ve had a few quick glimpses of Rutledge in 2023 and 2024 and there isn’t a whole lot to get excited about. He’s four-seamer/sinker at 95/96 mph, though the extension is just above six feet (read: poor) and his movement + attack angles grant few favors. He leaned more into his sinker against RHB with its near 80th percentile iVB, though he needs to jam a bit better in the future to generate outs. The slider and cutter show a touch of promise as “yeah, those are pitches” and not your promising 18%+ SwStr rate offerings in the future. If whiffability arrives + the cutter can become the leader against LHB, Rutedledge could be a sneaky Quality Start arm with the sinker getting quick outs against RHB. However, the team offense and defense are not on his side, making him a QS volume play more than anything else.

Quick Take: If Rutledge gets consistent starts, he could be a consistent six-inning arm with sinkers to RHB and cutters + sliders to LHB. However, the strikeout upside is low and without Wins or a strong defense behind him, his 12-teamer value is capped as a rare streaming option.

352. Yilber Diaz (ARI, RHP)

We saw Yilber in the majors last year and he’s certainly better than the other depth options past the main starters, though I’m not falling in love with Diaz’s low whiff four-seamer (even at 95/96 mph!). The slider’s massive gyro drop is interesting if he can spot it, while the curve is good but not a dependable pitch that it needs to be if he’s three-pitch with a whiff-resistant four-seamer. He should get more chances this year and in NL-Only leagues he may be worth it, but I want more from Yilber’s heater if I’m to trust the success of an 83/84 mph slider.

353. José Suarez (LAA, LHP)

He’s made rare starts across the last two seasons after being relied upon for twenty in 2022 and there are some elements of intrigue, from his 17″ of iVB with a solid 1.3 HAVAA (at 93 mph and six feet of extension, sadly) to a changeup that can mess up RHB and a slider that works against LHB. That fastball doesn’t perform well, though, and he’s awfully risky of an option would Suarez get a chance to start again in 2025. There are worse options when that happens – after all, carrying a 15%+ SwStr pitch each for LHB/RHB opens the door for decency on a given night.

354. Zach Penrod (BOS, LHP)

Penrod made seven relief appearances and is on the 40-man roster after starting a bit in the minors last season. He throws 95 mph four-seamers with 17″ of iVB from the left side with decent sliders + a changeup for RHB, but the whole thing isn’t well commanded and I don’t trust him to be super filthy if he winds up in the rotation after whatever chaos that would attack New England to place Penrod in the rotation.

355. Adrian Houser (TEX, RHP)

He’s a non-roster invitee to spring training and if Leiter and Rocker still need some seasoning, Houser should be expected to be used as a depth option this year. He’s not of heavy consideration for fantasy outside of deep draft-and-hold leagues, though Houser’s heavy reliance on sinkers does lean into the Rangers’ defensive strength, creating a possibility of routine starts if multiple starters are out of commission. Even then, he’s a dire Quality Start/Win play at the risk of few strikeouts and a ratio implosion.

356. Bryan Mata (BOS, RHP)

He throws hard and will likely get some look for the Red Sox this year, but the fella doesn’t grade well with PLV as his command can be all over the place, nor does he feature great movement or extension. I think we can properly ignore Mata unless he shocks us by making the team out of camp (he’s out of options) and does more than sits as a reliever.

357. Dane Dunning (TEX, RHP)

I appreciate that Dunning does his best to lean into the strength of the Rangers defense to throw 90 mph sinkers at seven feet of extension, hoping to jam RHB enough to ground into an out (59% ground ball rate). There are also times where his slider shows up to take down RHB and forms an alliance with his cutter to silence LHB, calling themselves the “Circuit Breakers”, like any of us actually remember Circuit City existed and would understand why they would even want to reference Circuit City anyway.

He’s a backup in case everything goes wrong and even then, I wonder if other names will get the shot instead of Dunning. It’s a desperate play chasing Dunning, who may not even be stretched out enough to go five frames when the opportunity calls. A Vargas Rule is always a possibility, though the stars need to align…along the first base line with the hockey gear on beforehand to show their city-siblings support…if that were to ever happen.

Quick Take: Dunning is sinker-first arm who sometimes has his slider and cutter (or changeup…?) cooking enough to have a surprise outing. He’s a backup for the Rangers and likely won’t get enough runway in the rotation to see the time he needs to flirt with Quality Start ability. This ain’t it.

358. Lyon Richardson (CIN, RHP)

He throws hard at 95/96 mph, but with blegh shape and sub six feet of extension without a devastating breaker. The changeup can work and look pretty, but I need to see a whole new Lyon to get excited at all this season. He had a decent sinker at 17+ inches of run! At 93 mph, not 95+ and his command is all kinds of terrible. I wonder if he even gets a chance to start this year.

359. Joey Wentz (PIT, LHP)

Wentz had a fair number of “starts” (some real, some as an extended follower) in 2023 and was reserved for long(ish) relief in 2024, which makes him a possible starter at times in the year ahead. Wentz’s greatest skill is nailing his cutter against LHB, without a whole lot else going for him. The same cutter is fine against RHB, and so is the changeup, and so is the curve…with the four-seamer lagging far behind to both sides of the plate. If Wentz lines up against a LHB-heavy lineup while stretched out to over 75 pitches, there’s an intriguing stream to be had, but otherwise, you’re yelling at Joey in the third to grab the vehicle and head home. Huh? GRAB THE CAR, SON. WENTZ IS DONE. Is…is that a football joke? What have I become.

360. Koyo Aoyagi (PHI, RHP)

He’s a legit side-armer (with a touch of submarine) who generates grounders (Thanks The Good Phight!) and could be a surprise for five innings of 1 ER ball at some point. While I hope he shocks us all and has some stability when covering for an injured starter (I’d love Philly to go Heyo Koyo!), ignore him in your drafts.

361. Michael Mercado (PHI, RHP)

Another Philly who saw a few starts last year and could do the same again this year with the team’s lack of depth. He throws strikes with a blegh 95 mph heater, 87/88 mph cutter, and a hard 83 mph curveball, and it’s possible he’s improved since we last saw him, though I’m currently very tepid on turning Mercado into something more. Maybe if the hard curveball sees more action with the cutter landing down more frequently…?

362. Logan Allen (CLE, LHP)

Take Cantillo and make him worse. That’s Allen, unfortunately. His sweeper gets whiffs but few strikes to LHB, the changeup isn’t stellar against RHB, and the heater is middling. There are days when all three pitches come together gracefully, though I’d hate to bank on that with any regularity. Expect Allen to get some starts across the season when the Guardians are searching for an arm, when you notice and promptly ignore it.

Tier 35 – He Exists And You Forgot He Did

Yooooo, it’s that guy! You know, him! Wow. So cool. YES I’M STILL WRITING THINGS ABOUT PITCHERS.

363. Joe Ross (PHI, RHP)

We saw a game or two last year of Ross flexing a legit slider and plenty of called strikes with his sinker, acting like the arm I fell for back in 2015, and I won’t rule out the possibility of him getting by a few games on that breaker alone. Yes, the Huascar Rule is present and unless he finds himself with a long leash inside the rotation and showing more than just that slider (pristine sinker command? Anything else?) you should reserve Ross for extreme streaming moments only.

364. Seth Johnson (PHI, RHP)

Johnson made his debut and was demolished by the Marlins. That’s all we have on him, with a poor 5.8 extension 95 mph four-seamer but some promise on his slider and changeup. Some. Ignore this, too. Let’s move on.

365. Dylan Dodd (ATL, LHP)

Is Atlanta going to give this another shot? I remember getting excited about both Dodd and Shuster two years ago after they displayed a legit slider inside to RHB paired with solid fastballs inside. It didn’t last. He could find a few starts across the season and I’ll let you know if there’s something new for you to care about. In all likelihood, there isn’t.

366. Davis Daniel (ATL, RHP)

When the best skill for a pitcher is to throw fastball strikes, I generally get worried. But that’s a good skill! It can’t be the best skill. Daniel’s four-seamer is 91/92 with middling shape and above-average extension and it strolled into the zone 62% of the time last season. If it were a tough pitch to hit, that’s one thing. When it returns 42% ICR, that’s another. Yes, this did mean Daniel’s four-seamer held a 100th percentile called strike rate in its limited sample at a 28% clip, but hot dang, that’s not what you want.

The high called-strike rate does suggest batters are looking for something else, which should surprise you considering there’s nothing to fear. The slider is decent but not electric and the changeup earned an abnormally high strike rate, rooted in a massive foul ball rate when swung at off the plate. In other words, he got the chases, but its minimal break allowed batters to still make contact.

And that’s it. Really, not much else to talk about with Daniel. If he’s in the rotation, it’s either because A) He massively upgraded his ability over the winter or B) The Angels Atlanta ran out of alternative arms. Don’t be like the Angels Atlanta.

367. Carlos Carrasco (NYY, RHP)

Tier 36 – Prospects Who Need To Do More

I wrote about these arms for their team’s breakdown and I felt all of them lacked something major to become a fantasy relevant starter. I could be very wrong and remember, these arms are not ranked inside the tier. I just grouped them all together to fit the tier.

370. Trevor McDonald (SFG, RHP)

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He’s a groundball-focused arm who relies on his 92/93 mph sinker to find the zone and pairs it with a solid slider and developing changeup. I kinda like him as a decent option for the Giants when they need a start here and there, possibly more than Black if McDonald can nail down the changeup and locate the slider well to become a strong putaway offering. Sadly, he’s not a guy to grab when he gets his shot in all likehood, save for deep 15-teamers.

371. Carson Seymour (SFG, RHP)

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Another sinker/slider guy, Seymour’s breaker is a phenomenal offering and could become more of a focus over time as he lacks strong weapons in his grounder-seeking sinker and mediocre changeup. If he’s able to turn his sinker into a called strike machine, he could turn into a Brady Singer type. Not the greatest mountain to climb, but there could be value to be had as a rare streamer.

372. Chase Hampton (NYY, RHP)

373. Cam Schlittler (NYY, RHP)

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He throws low-to-mid 90s sinkers with some depth pieces that lack electricity. He was able to collect strikeouts nearly 30% of the time in Double-A, using his hard slider as his favorite breaker, but it’s not a skill set that speaks toward replication in the majors.

374. Brock Selvidge (NYY, LHP)

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A lefty with a good slider and developing changeup paired with a low-90s heater. If he finds the control and feel for the fastball and changeup, Brock could squeeze his way into a spot start after 16 games in Double-A last year, though it’s more likely than not he’ll have to wait until 2025. Without the velocity, Selvidge needs that command to flirt with relevancy.

375. Robby Snelling (MIA, LHP)

376. Anthony Solometo (PIT, LHP)

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He’s an odd one. Solometo sits 90/91 with a funky Bumgarner-esque delivery and it’s unclear if it can continue to be deceptive to RHB as he scales the ranks. There is a changeup, cutter, and slider in there as well, and I’m cautiously optimistic he can perform in Triple-A if he’s able to add a touch more velocity to his heaters. The odd release may work in his favor from the left side, allowing his arsenal to perform better than expected, especially breakers at the back foot of right-handers. It’s a bit of a gamble on development here and I’m curious what data we get when he hopefully moves up the ranks this year.

377. Patrick Reilly (BAL, RHP)

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His focus is a four-seamer upstairs around the mid-90s with plenty of vert, though his over-the-top arm angle may nullify some of it. He’s tossed only a few games in Double-A and likely doesn’t make an appearance in 2025, though I’m curious what data we’ll get when he gets the call to Triple-A. I’m not expecting much but there may be a streaming play here.

378. Brandon Young (BAL, RHP)

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He tossed nearly 90 frames in Triple-A last season at a 3.44 ERA, which may be enough for the Orioles to give him a chance at some point this year. Nothing sticks out as a major plus offering to make you interested in fantasy, sadly, but he does feature his 17″ iVB four-seamer upstairs frequently at 92/93 mph and finds the zone often with his changeup and cutter underneath. There’s also a slider and curve in the mix making him a kitchen-sink arm with possible whiff potential in the high heater and changeup down. Not quite enough for my taste, but I’ll scrutinize him more when he gets a shot.

379. Michael Kennedy (CLE, LHP)

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Acquired in the same trade as Ortiz, Kennedy is a southpaw with low 90s velocity and a great slider as he’s working to improve his changeup across his second full season in professional ball. It’s possible he jumps to Double-A and gets a moment in the bigs this year, though it’s a clear “wait and see.”

380. Drue Hackenberg (ATL, RHP)

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He fanned sixteen batters in a game and failed to hit double-digit strikeouts otherwise. The four-seamer sits at 93 mph without exceptional shape and I’m not falling in love with the cutter or curve he displayed in his brief Triple-A stint. He may get a chance this year given time already spent in Triple-A, but I’m not all that interested until I see something with a WOW factor.

381. Ryan Gusto (HOU, RHP)

382. Colton Gordon (HOU, LHP)

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He’s a soft tossing southpaw with nearly seven feet of extension without an elite changeup. Naaaaah. That may work in Triple-A, but I don’t see this panning out super well in the majors unless that slider is far better than what the Triple-A marks have shown.

383. Austin Krob (SDP, LHP)

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From the left side, Krob features a strong breaker that catalyzed a trio of double-digit strikeout games in Double-A last year, but he lacks a supporting cast to turn him into a legit arm to target for fantasy. He needs to add velocity and a changeup to get us interested and let’s monitor his development in 2025 when he makes the jump to Triple-A.

384. Omar Cruz (SDP, LHP)

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He’s a southpaw with a great changeup and a not a whole lot else. If he can figure out the rest of the arsenal to support it, the Padres could give him a shot this year when in need of starts. Sadly, that’s not a great endorsement and he’ll be a major “wait and see” for most leagues.

385. Ty Madden (DET, RHP)

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I’m struggling to find the element of Madden’s arsenal to latch onto and say “Aha! There’s the upside we’re looking for.” There are moments with his slider and cutter, but the 94 mph heater lacks the punch you want as a foundational pitch and the splitter is not a reliable offering (shocking, I know). Until he develops further (not a given), I’m out on Madden.

386. Lael Lockhart (DET, LHP)

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I’m not too impressed with the southpaw with his high 80s heater, but the kicker here is his age – at 27 years old and experience in the minors, I’m expecting Lockhart to get a look in the majors this year when the Tigers need innings. There’s a splitter from the left side with a decent slider, and while he may be able to sneak in some strikeouts, this isn’t the play you want it to be.

387. Chandler Champlain (KCR, RHP)

388. Ben Kudrna (KCR, RHP)

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He looks like a fastball, slider, and splitter arm at low-to-mid 90s velo and he struggled plenty after making the jump to Double-A, but finished the year strong with a great 0 ER, 9 K performance. There is some excitement in there, but I think we’re a little ways away until we fully know what we’re getting. I need some Triple-A data first.

389. Yu-Min Lin (ARI, LHP)

Tier 37 – He’ll Be DFA’d And Added Somewhere

These guys are currently on a team (bonus points if you already knew which team they joined) and after losing their NRI and getting DFA’d, I imagine another team will take a shot during the season for random depth.

390. Joey Lucchesi (SFG, LHP)

Oh boy, Lucchesi is still around. He’s a non-roster invitee. And still throwing the “Churve”, a curveball thrown with a circle-changeup grip. It kinda makes sense, it kinda hurts my elbow thinking about it, and I kinda want to stop talking about Lucchesi. I don’t expect him to join the team out of camp, though there will be some team that needs random SP depth when the season hits and you may see Joey get a few starts here and there, just like he did last year with the Mets. No, you don’t want him when those starts happen.

391. Bruce Zimmermann (MIL, LHP)

Oh wow, Zim is a Brewer now? Ah, a Non Roster Invitee to the spring. Yeaaaah, I don’t think this is going to go all too well. He’s trying to do everything he can as a crafty southpaw with roughly 20-25% 90 mph fastballs, and I expect the Brewers to look elsewhere.

392. Roansy Contreras (BAL, RHP)

He’s been all over the place since March last year. Pirates, Angels, Orioles, and now Yankees WE BACK WITH THE ORIOLES, traveling at 25-years-old like LeBron’s crab-dribble days. Contreras has a good slider and sadly nothing else to back it up. This isn’t the 96-mph heater with legit iVB anymore but a deadzone 94/95 mph flubber of a pitch and I can’t help but feel for the guy. I wonder if the Yankees have something up their sleeve to fix him…maybe jamming that two-seamer (it doesn’t sink!) inside to RHB more often? Then what about LHB? I DON’T KNOW.

393. Kolby Allard (CLE, LHP)

DRALLA! You’re here now? Good luck with your invitation to spring training. I’ve been impressed at your resilience in the majors despite, um, you know.

394. Chad Kuhl (ATL, RHP)

395. Chris Flexen (CHC, RHP)

Doesn’t Chris know that you don’t want to dip into the Chicago beaches? The Cubs signed Flexen on 2/17 to give them a touch more depth in their rotation, who has his moments where the changeup cooks and all his pitches across the deep arsenal find their role to land on the edges and mix up batters enough across five or six frames. I have no belief the Cubs will be in a situation where they are rolling Flexen out there with any regularity but in a super desperate moment? Yeah, I can s

396. Thomas Pannone (MIL, LHP)

Pannone has been in the minors with the Cubs and Yankees after spending 2023 with the Brew Crew, and he’s returned with a Non Roster Invitation to spring. I have low expectations for the southpaw to earn a rotation spot, but as most teams do, they add a guy like Pannone in case everything goes haywire. Gotta have a backup option to your Plan C and Plan D, you know?

397. Huascar Ynoa (MIN, RHP)

Oh snap! You’re back! Ynoa had a wonderful start to 2022, punched a bench and wasn’t the same after, then underwent TJS to start 2023. We haven’t seen him since. The story back then was a filthy slider to go with 96+ mph velocity that was too dang hittable and nothing else, creating the Huascar Rule. It wasn’t sustainable even before the stupid punch many pitchers do for idiotic reasons and I should have known better. Sadly, Ynoa was sitting just 93 mph in Triple-A last year and his formerly 85/86 mph slider fell to 83 mph in step. Ynoa this won’t work. Sorry fella.

398. Eric Lauer (TOR, LHP)

Lauer! You ole rascal, how have you been? Oh, you were in Triple-A last year and then tossed seven starts in the KBO?! Huh, that must have been a wild time, I hope you’re looking better than the 91 mph we saw in the minors this year…you’re not? Dang. Please prove us wrong in the spring, that would be awesome.

399. Ross Stripling (KCR, RHP)

Tier 38 – He’ll Be Added Somewhere And DFA’d

These guys are free agents who are likely to be added somewhere before the season starts and then get DFA’d.

400. José Ureña (FA, RHP)

Remember kids, if you draft José, Ureña boatload of trouble.

401. Jordan Lyles (FA, RHP)

Lyles dealt with a personal issue last season and after the Royals dropped him, the Dodgers signed him and you didn’t even realize it. I imagine this is the end of the line for Jordan – I don’t expect teams to have a sight for sore Lyles.

402. Alex Wood (FA, LHP)

Wood’s stint with the Athletics was highly uneventful, ending in May with rotator cuff tendoitis. Sadly, that feels like too steep of a hill to climb for the 34-year-old vet. He would if he could. Yes, he, Wood, would.

403. Anthony DeSclafani (FA, RHP)

Tony Disco ended his 2024 undergoing flexor tendon surgery and he’s looking for a team to get him through the recovery. Sadly, no team has wanted to dance with the Disco as you see the spinning ball with no one on the floor. You should have very low expectations for 2025, but hey, if he does reappear at some point, maybe he can throw enough sliders over the plate to get through five. Just like the 70s…

404. Noah Syndergaard (FA, RHP)

The word is Syndergaard lost 30 pounds (it took him what, eight years to correct this?) and is ambitiously seeking a contract before the season starts. I’m awfully curious if he can make it happen and what he could possibly look like now, but yeah, don’t draft this.

Tier 39 – Prospects Who Need To Do A LOT More

I was left awfully unimpressed by these pitchers and if they get a chance to start this year, I will need to a vastly different arsenal.

405. Taylor Dollard (SEA, RHP)

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Dollard missed most of 2023 and all of 2024 with a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder. Prior to injury, Dollard showcased seven feet of extension…and that’s about it. His #2 is a sweeper that is easier to pick up given his over-the-top release that creates decent iVB but poor HAVAA, and for Dollard I don’t see this working out unless he can develop a legit cutter or changeup to take advantage of his elite extension. Let’s hope the 92 mph heater climbs up to mid-90s at the very least when fully healthy, but even then, I have major concerns.

406. Barrett Kent (LAA, RHP)

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Kent’s best asset is a slider without a strong fastball to back it up. He’s adding a changeup that could help with his ability to take down both sides of the plate, but without a strong heater at the front of the arsenal, I find it awfully hard to do anything but “wait and see” with Kent.

407. Dylan Lesko (TBR, RHP)

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Lesko moved from the Padres in the Jason Adams deal at 2024’s trade deadline after showcasing a low 90s heater with legit iVB, dwarfed by an elite changeup. His slider and cutter also flash plus ability, though the slowball is the star of the show…when it works. Lesko had a nightmare of a season as his command faded dramatically – Lesko walked at least three batters in each of his nine final games of the year beginning July sixth and it’s unclear what caused his collapse. Given his lack of overpowering heater, control is a must for Lesko, placing his fantasy outlook is at its nadir. The Rays will be sure to take it slow with Lesko after a year in A+ ball, making him look like a 2026/2027 ETA.

408. Brody Hopkins (TBR, RHP)

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After pitching 115 frames in A/A+ between Seattle and Tampa Bay, I’m expecting Hopkins to stick in the minors for another season as he gets a better feel for his low-arm angle from the right side that has affected his ability to throw strikes. I’ve seen worse than a 10/11% walk rate, though when it comes with fewer whiffs than most (12/13% SwStr rate at this low of a level isn’t promising), I worry about the impact at the fantasy level. His mid-90s heater relies on horizontal movement more than iVB, which amplifies grounders while highlighting his control issues and lack of whiffs. His slider could become a larger force + the development of his cutter and changeup may pull him away from the traditional warts of sinker/slider arms, but it does seem unrefined and in need of a full season in Double-A before success in the majors.

409. Mason Adams (CHW, RHP)

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He’s armed with a legit slider in the mid-80s that he can dot down-and-away from RHB, but the right-hander doesn’t have an overpowering heater to match it. The 91 mph sinker is his favorite heater (blegh) and the changeup can be decent against LHB, but doesn’t blow me away. It’s possible the 80 mph curve and legit slider are enough to get by at times, and with five Triple-A starts in 2024, the White Sox may look to him for some frames early. Expect a lot of damage against those fastballs.

410. Jake Eder (CHW, LHP)

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He’s a southpaw with a pedestrian four-seamer, a decent cutter to help against LHB, and a changeup that could be the money pitch against RHB. I’m not interested here unless I get evidence of an elite changeup to mask the awfully hittable heater, and even then, his lack of fantastic breaker will make him a Toby at best on a poor team.

411. Wil Jensen (CHC, RHP)

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Jensen was taken by the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft and doesn’t look to be anything at all. Low 90s heaters with poor movement, a decent slider, and rare change/curves as well. Now on the 40-man, we may see Jensen appear in relief or the rare spot start, but hot dang does this not look like an arm worthwhile for your fantasy teams. H*ck, it was hard enough to even find anything on him in the first place. Let’s move on.

412. Connor Noland (CHC, RHP)

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Noland is a crafty right-hander with a deep arsenal, paving the way for a few starts here and there across 2025 when the Cubs need an arm. His lack of whiffability makes him a poor choice for fantasy squads and given the likely role of spot-starter, he may not be stretched out enough to consider for QS leagues if given the chance for starts. He’s not the one to target.

413. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (NYY, RHP)

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He’s a 21-year-old who has been in the minors for a few years now and experienced a career high in innings with a velocity jump to mid 90s in the first, only for it to decline in the second. There seems to be another year or two until we see ERC show up in the bigs after pitching as high as A+ ball for the Red Sox last season, though his slim 180-pound frame could fill out further as he refines his full arsenal. He’s an interesting dynasty play for 2027, but not for 2025 redraft.

414. Yoendrys Gómez (NYY, RHP)

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I’m not seeing much here to excite me about Gómez. It’s a low 90s heater without great shape with a typical sweeper for RHB and a good curve + changeup against LHB. It’s fine, I guess. There’s no need to target Gómez.

415. Cade Smith (NYY, RHP)

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Not to be confused with the reliever on the Guardians, Cade features a flat HAVAA four-seamer with above-average vert that gets me a touch excited and pairs it with a legit slider that could turn him into an effective arm out of the pen even at 92/93 mph. That dreaded “reliever” tag could be eradicated if his control improves or another secondary comes alive in the arsenal and it may be a bit before we see those come to fruition.

416. Ben Hess (NYY, RHP)

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Drafted in the first round out of Alabama by the Yankees in 2024, you should not expect to see Hess in the year ahead. He’s a large fella who sat 94 mph (touched 98) with good extension and ride, working off a huge curveball in the upper 70s that misses a ton of bats and a high 80s slider. I’m awfully curious how his first year in professional ball plays out and if he can build on top of this foundation to make an appearance as soon as 2026.

417. Bryce Cunningham (NYY, RHP)

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Like Hess, Cunningham was drafted in 2024 and has yet to pitch professionally. He throws in the mid 90s with a great changeup and it’ll take some time for the Yankees to work with him to a point that he becomes fantasy relevant as a starter.

418. Levi Sterling (PIT, RHP)

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He was drafted 37th overall in 2024 out of high school at 17-years-old. So, he won’t pitch in the bigs this year? Absolutely not. He’s already 92/93 mph at such a young age, though, and he’s projected to push those marks further in time with a trio of secondaries that could get polish as well. Who knows, let’s tackle this again in, I dunno, three years?

419. Zander Mueth (PIT, RHP)

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He’s 19-years-old after getting drafted out of high school in 2023 and still has work to do. He’s in the low-to-mid 90s with a big slider from his low slot and is still working on his changeup. The hope is that he can become a strong sinker/slider arm with more velocity over time, though it’s hard to tell with such limited development thus far. He’s at least another year away from making any sort of impact in the bigs.

420. Dom Hamel (NYM, RHP)

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There are some areas of intrigue with Hamel – 17″ of vert on the four-seamer, sweepers and cutters that he locates decently well – but he struggled with his command in Triple-A, leading to a 13% walk rate and absurdly high 10.18 hits-per-nine. Until Hamel makes an adjustment to find the zone more often, we (and the Mets) should ignore Hamel.

421. Trace Bright (BAL, RHP)

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He doesn’t look all too impressive without massive velocity and cut action on his heater, though there are reports of a big curveball and a variety of pitches to turn to. He’s had walk issues throughout the minors and I’m not interested in 12-teamers this year unless something pops out when he gets promoted to Triple-A.

422. Mick Abel (PHI, RHP)

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He has a great slider… oh, there was supposed to be more? He only threw said slider 20% of the time in Triple-A last year with far too many blegh heaters and it led to a nightmarish 6.46 ERA with a 1.81 WHIP and 23% strikeout rate in 108.2 IP. Yikes. He did fan nine batters in September that showed a little more potential, only to allow 8 ER in his next and final game. This isn’t what we want it to be.

423. Tekoah Roby (STL, RHP)

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Once an interesting prospect, Roby hasn’t progressed a whole lot as he’s endured injuries aplenty. He’s more of a kitchen-sink arm than an overpowering one and unless he shoots up through the ranks this year due to significant growth, I’m going to pass whenever he makes his debut.

424. Royber Salinas (ATL, RHP)

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Oh snap it’s Salinas! The guy who was traded from Atlanta to Oakland in 2022 hath returned and I remember being super intrigued by him last year before he started walking the farm in Double-A with the Athletics in 2024. Sadly, he had to get shoulder surgery and will miss at least the first half of 2025, so he shouldn’t be expected until 2026, let alone pitch at a quality level. Bummer.

425. Ryan Bergert (SDP, RHP)

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Bergert’s breaker has kept him around, but like the other fringe 2025 SPs here, he lacks the explosiveness to make him a contender for your fantasy teams when he gets the call.

426. Henry Baez (SDP, RHP)

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Baez has eight Double-A starts under his belt and isn’t a major strikeout arm. It’s a decent fastball and splitter merged with a curve and it’s possible that’s enough to hint at a rotation spot for a team with little depth, but I’m not doing a whole lot when he gets the call.

427. Luinder Avila (KCR, RHP)

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He’s a strange one. Four-seamers and cutters at nearly the same 93/94 mph velocity and cut-action movement + sliders and curves…at nearly the same 81/82 mph velocity and movement. He’s not a strikeout guy and more of a pitch-to-contact, which didn’t work out well for him in Double-A, nor the sole Triple-A start in September. He’s not a guy to target for fantasy.

428. Hunter Dobbins (BOS, RHP)

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He throws 95+ mph and peppers the zone, but with poor shape and pairs it with suspect sliders and curves with a meh cutter that finds the zone. There is an interesting power sinker in here with proper drop that can beffudle LHB and RHB alike under the zone, but I doubt he’ll get the same whiffs on the pitch in the bigs. I need to see more growth here before becoming an auto-add when he arrives.

429. Carlos Rodríguez (MIL, RHP)

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Rodriguez is a kitchen sink arm on the 40-man roster who I wouldn’t focus on for my fantasy leagues. I’m not finding anything to point to that gets me excited to see him get more opportunities in the big leagues. It’s 92/93 mph without a filthy breaker and terrible fastball shapes. Maybe it all works well together with a whole lot of bridge pitches and blended movement, and that’s not the kind of arm we chase from the minors. Those types of arms click after a whole lot of MLB refinement, if they ever do. Womp womp.

430. Adam Macko (TOR, LHP)

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Macko is likely to undergo meniscus surgery and we shouldn’t expect him this year. He wasn’t the most exciting southpaw prospect, though, with a low-to-mid 90s heater, big curve, good slider, and developing changeup. Let’s wait for him to arrive.

431. Dax Fulton (MIA, LHP)

Dax hasn’t stayed healthy during his time in professional ball (TJS in April 2024), though he has a wide arsenal that speaks to a decent starter once he gets the shot. He features a pair of strong breakers with a mid-90s heater, and once getting enough time on the bump, he may form into a back-end of the rotation arm with some strikeout games fueled by the breakers. That said, it’s unlikely he gets the shot this year after showcasing a lack of health for years.

432. Justin Jarvis (LAD, RHP)

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Jarvis is a Non Roster Invitee for the Dodgers after electing free agency following six years across multiple minor league systems. He has solid vert at 93 mph with a changeup and curve + a slider with multiple shapes. I’m skeptical it adds up to a proper fantasy starter, but we may see him in camp as he fights to take a role akin to Michael Grove on the squad.

Tier 40 – Depth Pieces To Ignore

These pitchers are on teams at the moment and you can completely ignore them as starting pitchers. Except me, because I got you.

433. Adam Kloffenstein (TOR, RHP)

Kloffenstein has a low arm angle and gets a ton of legit drop on his sinker (hey, a real sinker!) and has a solid changeup to spot underneath. There’s a cutter and sweeper in the mix as well, with the former acting as an alternative fastball look over the zone and the latter as a “hey, it’s a sweeper.” He has an invitation to spring training, though you should not expect him to steal the rotation. He made 17 blegh starts in Triple-A and shouldn’t be considered a fantasy asset until proven otherwise across multiple starts.

434. Jhonathan Díaz (SEA, LHP)

I really hope the Mariners don’t have to resort to Díaz inside their rotation this year. He’s Victorian in the way he lacks electricity and should not be considered save for the most desparate AL-Only leagues. His only hope is being the craftiest of crafty lefties at 90 mph. Shudders.

435. Hogan Harris (ATH, LHP)

It’s all just…not the worst. An awfully pedestrian four-seamer at 92/93 from the left side, a changeup that doesn’t miss bats against RHB but induces plenty of weak contact as he rarely misses terribly in the zone with the offering, and a pair of breakers to help deal with LHB that generally avoid the heart of the plate. I can see the Athletics turning to Harris when they need a spot starter instead of routinely gifting him the daily pearl, and the potential here is a middling streaming option on a desperate Sunday, with highly unlikely peak of a Vargas Rule summer.

436. Gerson Garabito (TEX, RHP)

There’s a chance Garabito transitions to the rotation after starting plenty in the minors, though I wouldn’t hold my breath. Garabito has a mediocre four-seamer and sinker, with a curveball he leans on heavily, but is more good than great. The changeup tried its best against LHB and it doesn’t seem be an offering that will save Garabito against LHB, making a highly suspect arm unlikely make waves if granted regular starts.

437. Kyle Tyler (PHI, RHP)

He’s cutter first and is your standard “Imma throw this pitch with weirder movement than you’re used to, hoping Koufax saves the day and I can go five frames without destroying this game.” That’s a long quote. YOU’RE A LONG QUOTE. I can see the Phillies giving Kyle a moment or two when they are desperate for arms, and I’d be shocked if he became fantasy relevant this year.

438. Tyler Phillips (PHI, RHP)

Hey, remember that CGSHO he tossed last year against the Guardians? And you may have taken a chance in Seattle in his next start to get burned for 8 ER in 1.2 frames? Times. Those were times. Yep. Welp, Phillies throws a decent sweeper and whole lot of nothing else, which makes me awfully hesitant to care if he shows up again this year without anything improved in his arsenal. The Phillies have an array of these “we need something” pitchers who will see a random start and you can mostly forget about them all.

439. Shawn Dubin (HOU, RHP)

No, I do not expect the Astros to actually rely on Dubin as their SP #5, but if the prospects aren’t ready and Wesneski isn’t up to snuff or something goes wrong with their other five, I’m not sure who else they have to turn to. His heaters are far from special and there is some promise in his curveball to LHB, but the cutter and sweeper have a whole lot of work to do against RHB. He’s a depth piece you can easily ignore until he shows us some jazz hands.

440. Stephen Kolek (SDP, RHP)

After pitching out of the pen in 42 games last season, Kolek is apparently stretching out to be a starter in the spring to act as more potential SP depth for the Friars. He carried impressive ICR marks against both LHB and RHB with his four-seamer, sinker, and cutter, but I’m not buying it. He doesn’t seem to have absurd command, nor do these pitches appear to be anything special. The four-seamer is saved for two-strike counts (explains the SwStr rate), the sinker is a bit all over the place, and the cutter is meh. I have very low expectations here.

441. Tommy Henry (ARI, LHP)

Two first names. But…I got nothing. Neither does Tommy, sadly. It’s 90 mph from the left side without a stellar changeup and the sinker inside to LHB is meh. Poor fella. I know. It can’t be easy.

442. Blake Walston (ARI, LHP)

He’s a lefty without a good changeup to RHB and a sweeper that can work against LHB, but sits 91 mph and will struggle if given proper starts unless all the pieces are working properly. Wait to see when Walston is thrown in to cover some starts before we make a move.

443. Drew Rom (STL, LHP)

Ohhhhh right! Rom dealt with a shoulder injury all of 2024 and is trying to make his way back in 2025. Cool cool cool. I’m highly skeptical he’ll do so while also carrying upside worthwhile of your fantasy teams (especially with the whole “sinkers side-arm, four-seamers at three-quarters arm angle thing”) but hey, good luck Drew! I hope you force us to download the Rom onto our fantasy teams in the future.

444. Levi Stoudt (BAL, RHP)

The man known as Jeans and a Guinness has been given a non-roster invite by the Orioles after making a brief appearance in the majors with the Reds in 2023. This isn’t going to go well, is it. Probably not. Maybe that slider is everything now? Probably not. Hey, that’s my line.

445. Thaddeus Ward (BAL, RHP)

Another year of wondering if Thaddeus can make it as a starter for a club. Really? Okay, not wondering, just hoping for his own sake with a non-roster invitation to the spring. It’s just so a great name, you know?

446. Easton McGee (MIL, RHP)

He’s a seam-shifted wake 90/91 mph sinkerballer who underwent TJS in 2023 and got an NRI from the Brewers. You have no idea who he is, and as much as I want this to be a real thing (19-20 inches of horizontal break on the sinker!), it’s such a dark horse that you’re wondering if that’s just a strange shadow from the oak tree.

447. Michael Grove (LAD, RHP)

Grove has had random moments as an opener or limited starter over the last few years and he’ll likely be used as a flex play for the Dodgers this year. Fle–Don’t you bring that other sport in here. Sadly for Grove, he breaks the Huascar Rule with a great slider and nothing else to support it. This is not the sneaky Dodger you should focus on.

448. All The Colorado Rockies Depth Pieces (COL, LHP/RHP/ALLHP)

I’m not going to put you through reading about Karl Kauffman and Jake Woodford (ayyyy The Amish Mustang!) and so on and so forth. You know it’s just going to hurt. A lot. I feel worse for their egos. And career numbers. Y’all deserve better.

Tier 41 – He’s Likely Out For The Year And I’m Sad

All of these arms should be out of 2025 due to injury but I wanted to make sure you knew I didn’t forget them. I GOT YOU.

449. Robert Gasser (MIL, LHP)

Gasser underwent TJS in June of last year, and I’d be shocked if the Brewers threw him straight into the fire when he returned. I love his low release and decent extension on his four-seamer from the left side, I dig the sweeper to LHB, and it’s clear he has the skill to toss low changeups to RHB. There’s potential here, and it’s too bad we won’t see him truly spread his wings until 2026. I hope he can pick up where he left off.

450. Josiah Gray (WSN, RHP)

This is to remind y’all that JoJo underwent TJ Internal Brace surgery in late July last year. It could spell a return in the second half instead of a 2026 return (the internal brace is supposed to be quicker than traditional TJS), but Gray is far from an IL stash given his lack of fantasy relevancy for many seasons. Wait and see if his recovery period allowed him to improve his abilities.

451. Luis Medina (ATH, RHP)

Medina will likely miss all of 2025 after getting TJS in August of 2024. But hey, let’s not forget who the fella is in the meantime. Medina throws 96 mph and can push it toward 100 mph, but the shape is blegh. Low extension, low vert, steep attack angle. It all makes for a 6% SwStr rate on his four-seamer in both 2023 and 2024, and he’s fortunate for his sinker to return solid ICR marks against RHB + carrying a slider that has returned excellent SwStr numbers and led the way…when he’s in a groove. He’s far too volatile and his lack of control merged with poor four-seamer marks makes me concerned long term, and that’s ignoring his heavy reliance on changeups and curves that he can’t command.

452. Brandon Williamson (CIN, LHP)

Williamson got TJS in September of 2024. Sooooo…He won’t pitch at all this year. Ah. Right. Cool cool cool.

453. Julian Aguiar (CIN, RHP)

There’s not a whole lot to chase here. The sinker at 94+ mph does little to excite, while the changeup and slider look to be middling offerings that do just enough to wrap Julian as a present. “Here you go,” he says, handing you a mysteriously wrapped gift in the unmistakable silhouette of a vase you hated in that random small shop in Connecticut. What was it called? Ah, yes. Shapes and Sizes. Thanks, Julian. I know just the place to put this in my closet. Does that mean you don’t like Aguiar for 2025? No no no, I love it! Really? Did I mention he got TJS? NO. Oh. Yeah, he got that, too.

454. Gavin Stone (LAD, RHP)

Stone underwent TJS in October and we hope he’ll return for opening day 2026. Dang, I thought he was just a stone’s throw away from being great. Nah, he was a Stone’s throw from getting hurt, clearly. Poor fella.

455. River Ryan (LAD, RHP)

I was PUMPED for Ryan when he first arrived (no, I didn’t realize he had a deadzone fastball, MY BAD) and he underwent TJS in August last year. I guess I’ll just go listen to my favorite Springsteen album now. Sigh.

456. Kyle Hurt (LAD, RHP)

Don’t make the joke. Kyle underwent TJS in July and should miss the season. Don’t do it. I guess he’s…DON’T…not someone we should chase. Phew. Because he’s Hurt. COME ON NICK.

457. Braxton Garrett (MIA, LHP)

He’s out for the entire season with UCL revision surgery. Why did you bother? Because you may not have known that! But what should we expect when he returns? Struggles as his valuue comes not from stuff, but from precision. We need to see precise fastballs and cutters glove-side, changeups landing down-and-gloveside like a classy southpaw, and a slider that can land for strikes and silence LHB. Braxton didn’t do that in 2024 and only had a stretch of it in 2022. Don’t expect a swift redemption in 2025.

458. J.P France (HOU, RHP)

France had surgery for a torn shoulder capsule (yikes) and is likely waving the white flag for all of 2025. I’m sorry France, you deserve better. Than that joke? Yes, that too. Even if he does come back, I highly doubt he’ll have good enough feel for everything to be worthwhile.

459. Marco Gonzales (FA, LHP)

He’ll miss the majority of the 2025 season with flexor tendon surgery. No need to consider the spice Marco’s selling.

460. José Urquidy (FA, RHP)

Urquidy is recovering from his June ’24 TJS and I wouldn’t be shocked if he found a two-year deal somewhere that allowed him to recover and potential provide some value for squads in 2026. There’s a very slim chance he returns for a random team in August/September and we’ll deal with that if it comes. Very likely by ignoring it entirely.

461. Joe Musgrove (SDP, RHP)