Top 150 SP & RP Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Rankings For 2025


Baseball America is kicking off dynasty ranking season with positional breakdowns of the top fantasy players heading into the 2025 season.
Paul Skenes, who burst onto the major league scene as a bona fide star in 2024 by going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts en route to claiming BA’s Rookie of the Year award, heads up our ranking of the top 150 SP/RP options for next year.
- C/1B/3B: Top 100 | Targets, Sleepers & Fades
- 2B/SS: Top 100 | Targets, Sleepers & Fades
- OF/UT: Top 100 | Targets, Sleepers & Fades
Note that these rankings do not measure 2024 value or projected 2025 value. Instead, our rankings look at a three-to-five-year window in an attempt to balance a variety of scoring types, with proximity and peaks highly weighted in the analysis.
1. Paul Skenes, SP, Pirates
Skenes cemented himself as the top pitcher in dynasty with an outstanding rookie campaign. His combination of elite stuff, command and a deep arsenal of secondaries is unmatched. At 22 years old entering 2025, there’s plenty of tread left on the tire.
2. Tarik Skubal, SP, Tigers
The 2024 AL Cy Young winner just finished an all-time breakout season at 27 years old. Skubal posted an 18-4 record across 31 starts with a 2.39 ERA and a 30.3% strikeout rate. Elite command, power and bat-missing ability make Skubal a true fantasy ace.
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3. Garrett Crochet, SP, Red Sox
After an outstanding 2024 campaign with the White Sox, Crochet traded in his pale hose for red stockings in 2025. As the ace of the Red Sox staff, Crochet will likely have an opportunity to collect more wins in the coming seasons. Durability is a lingering question, but Crochet pitched like an ace in 2024.
4. Roki Sasaki, SP, Free Agent
Projected to be an ace and only just turned 23, Sasaki announcing that he will be posted prior to the 2025 season has drastically changed the dynasty landscape. Likely to contribute immediately to fantasy teams in 2025, Sasaki is a surefire top 20 dynasty asset without having thrown a pitch in the major leagues.
5. George Kirby, SP, Mariners
The best command pitcher in the game, Kirby has walked just 3.1% of batters in his career. Kirby consistently gets deep into starts, allowing his raw strikeout totals to compile. He’s just outside of the upper echelon of fantasy starters.
6. Logan Gilbert, SP, Mariners
Not only has Gilbert been of of the most consistent starters in the big leagues the last three years, he’s been one of the most durable. Gilbert has made 32 or more starts in each of the last three seasons while not posting an ERA over 3.75. In 2024, Gilbert surpassed the 200 strikeout mark for the first time in his career.
7. Spencer Strider, SP, Braves
Strider had Tommy John surgery and made just two starts in 2024. He is unlikely to be ready for opening day but should return during the first half of the season. There’s some risk Strider doesn’t return to his pre-surgery form but the immense upside is worth the risk.
8. Dylan Cease, SP, Padres
After running into some bad luck in 2023, Cease returned to form in 2024 with the Padres. He had arguably his best season based on underlying metrics and looks to be squarely in his peak entering 2025 at age 29.
9. Cole Ragans, SP, Royals
After the trade to the Royals, Ragans transformed into one of the best lefthanded starters in baseball almost immediately. After much skepticism this offseason, Ragan delivered in 2024 with an strong season, going 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA and 223 strikeouts. Ragan enters 2025 at 27 years old and a much more proven commodity.
10. Zack Wheeler, SP, Phillies
After injuries plagued the early years of Wheeler’s career, he’s developed into one of the most consistent starters in the game. In 2024, Wheeler pitched 200 innings and posted an ERA under 3.00 for the fourth time in five years. Wheeler turns 35 years old in 2025, however, and his years of usefulness might be coming to an end shortly.
11. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, Dodgers
The Japanese rookie missed nearly three months with a right shoulder injury. But when he was on the mound, he was excellent. Yamamoto posted a 3.00 ERA while striking out 28.5% of batters to just a 6% walk rate. If Yamamoto makes 26 or more starts in 2025, he could return a top 15 starting pitcher season.
12. Hunter Greene, SP, Reds
After Greene couldn’t surpass 125 innings in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the discourse was whether his elite two-pitch mix would be sufficient to make it long term as a starter and whether he threw too hard to be able to avoid injury and pitch a full season. Well, in 2024, he answered some of that by reaching a career high 150 innings with a 2.75 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Although he is still only 25 years old and has a career 11.2 K/9, his xFIP was in the low-to-mid 4s in large part due to the fact he has one of the lower groundball rates in the majors. Still, a young fireballer who is already succeeding in the bigs with years to go until his prime years is a coveted asset.
13. Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Orioles
After a 2023 season in which the former first round draft pick was sent down mid-season for six weeks but returned to finish the second half with a 2.58 ERA, the expectations were high for 2024. Unfortunately, a lat strain led to him only tossing 116.2 innings, and although the ERA was 3.86 and the WHIP was 1.24, the results were disappointing. He has the floor of a mid-rotation starter, the upside of an ace and will be 25 years old for the entire 2025 season.
14. Blake Snell, SP, Dodgers
The 2023 Cy Young winner started 2024 late after the Boras client didn’t sign with a club until spring training was over, and it seemed like he needed to shake off the rust. In his first six starts through May, he had no wins and a 9.51 ERA. The rest of the way, he went 5-0 over 85 innings with a 1.48 ERA and 12.8 K/9. Huge Ks, ace pedigree and now a spot with the world champs all add up to a top 15 dynasty pitcher.
15. Tyler Glasnow, SP, Dodgers
Another season, another year in which Glasnow failed to surpass 140 innings in a season. We know that the performance when on the mound is great, as, since 2019, he has had a 12.1 K/9, an ERA of 3.16 and a WHIP of 0.99. Of course, the issue is that not only has he been unable to throw a full season, but he missed the Dodgers World Series run being shut down in early August. The reports are that he is fully healthy, but at 31, it is less and less likely that he will be become more durable now. Still, even with 140 innings, he was able to be the 24th best pitcher in fantasy baseball in 2024.
16. Jacob deGrom, SP, Rangers
When healthy, he is probably the best pitcher ever to don cleats on the bump. Of course, the issue is that he has thrown 100 innings in total over the last three years, and the last time he threw 100 innings in a single season was in 2019. He will be 37 years old in 2025, but he still throws 97 mph and the performance level is so elite that, on a per inning basis, he is still one of the best, if not the best, pitcher in baseball. He should still be so through 2026.
17. Corbin Burnes, SP, Diamondbacks
For the fourth consecutive season, Burnes exceeded 167 innings and had an ERA under 3.40. Having just turned 30 years old, there are some yellow flags, as his strikeout rate has dropped from 12.6 K/9 in 2021 to 10.9 to 9.3 to 8.4 K/9 last year. He should regress back to his career average of 10.5 K/9, but he may no longer be the dominant arm who has been in the conversation for best pitcher in baseball.
18. Jared Jones, SP, Pirates
After making the team out of spring training at the tender age of 22, Jones in his first 16 starts had a 3.56 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and a 9.7 K/9. Unfortunately, after a lat injury in July and subsequent minor league rehab stint after his return in August, his final six starts featured a much more pedestrian 1.43 WHIP and 5.87 ERA. The strikeout rate actually went up to 10 K/9 in those final starts, however, and the Pirates were likely to manage his workload anyway. He has top-of-the-rotation upside, though with Skenes, maybe not the top of this rotation.
19. Gerrit Cole, SP, Yankees
No longer a sure-fire top five pitcher in redraft after hurling only 95 innings in 2024—ending his two year streak of 200+ innings—Cole also had a sub-10 K/9 for the second year in a row with his fastball now “only” sitting 96 mph. Now 34, it’s possible that Cole has entered the phase of his career where he is no longer a durable ace but just a (gasp) mid-rotation starter with upside on a World Series-caliber team.
20. Pablo Lopez, SP, Twins
In both 2022 and 2023, Lopez made 32 starts and had ERAs (and all estimators) no higher than 3.75. 2024 was almost identical: 32 starts and all ERA estimators 3.75 or below, except for his 4.08 ERA. In other words, at age 29, Lopez is as consistent as they come and was merely a victim of variance.
21. Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Braves
In his scintillating 123.2 inning debut for the Braves in his age-24 season, Schwellenbach had a 3.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with a 9.2 K/9. With his excellent team context, young age and low mileage on his arm after only recently converting to the mound, Schwellenbach is in that dynasty space where the sky seems the limit despite the short track record. With his six-pitch mix, there are more than enough ingredients for it to stick.
22. Freddy Peralta, SP, Brewers
Peralta continues to be a tantalizing enigma who always seems on the verge of a Cy Young season but has never quite put one together. Last season, Peralta set a career high in innings and finished with a 1.21 WHIP, 3.68 ERA and 10.4 K/9. This is his walk year at age-29 and the Brewers have shown a willingness to move their star players to contenders.
23. Chris Sale, SP, Braves
From 2020 through 2023, Sale didn’t exceed 103 innings in a season, as his durability concerns have been well-documented. After the Braves took a “flier” on him for 2024, they were rewarded with 177.2 innings with 18 wins and a 2.38 ERA, ultimately ending the season as the third best pitcher in fantasy. The perception of fragility will dog him the rest of his career, considering at the end of 2024 he shockingly missed his last start in a must-win game for the Braves and is already 35 years old.
24. Tanner Bibee, SP, Guardians
After completing his second full season at age 25, Bibee has a career 3.25 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP over 315.2 innings. His four-pitch mix grades out as above average, and he also has above-average command. He does give up a lot of fly balls so there will be some home run susceptibility.
25. Bryce Miller, SP, Mariners
Armed with a fastball with some of the most rise in the major leagues, Miller in his age-25 season finished 2024 as the eighth-best pitcher in fantasy with 180 innings of a 2.94 ERA. Blessed with the most pitcher-friendly park in the majors and only 26 years old, Miller’s floor will remain high, but note that he doesn’t strikeout as many batters as his rotation mates and has the highest flyball and lowest groundball rate of the quintet.
26. Eury Perez, SP, Marlins
After a 91-inning debut in 2023 in which the 20-year-old had a 3.15 ERA with a 10.6 K/9, the sky seemed the limit for the dynasty star. Unfortunately, Tommy John surgery led to him missing the entire 2024 season. He should be back in the second half of 2025, though don’t expect the Marlins to rush him back.
27. Shane McClanahan, SP, Rays
From 2021 to 2023, McClanahan threw 404 innings with an ERA of 3.02, a WHIP of 1.10 and 10.1 K/9. After missing 2024 from Tommy John surgery, McClanahan is poised to return to where he left off in 2025 at 28 years old.
28. Logan Webb, SP, Giants
In the last three seasons, Webb has made at least 32 starts per year and has never exceeded last season’s 3.47 ERA. Just turning 28 now, the only issue with Webb is that his strikeout rate is below average, especially for the pitchers in the same tier, due to his high groundball approach.
29. Joe Ryan, SP, Twins
In a four-year major league career spanning 470 innings, the 28-year-old Ryan has a 1.07 WHIP and a 10 K/9. The ERA has not been as scintillating as those other metrics would suggest, mostly due to the fact that his high fastball approach with his flat heater leads to a very few ground balls and makes him susceptible to the long ball. 2025 will see him returning from a shoulder injury, but he is firmly in his prime now.
30. Framber Valdez, SP, Astros
In the four seasons starting in 2021, Valdez has had double-digit wins in each season and an aggregate ERA of 3.08 over a bulky 688 innings. 2025 was the latest in the long line of productivity, coming in as the 12th-best pitcher in fantasy. He’s never been below the 90th percentile in groundball rate, meaning he keeps the ball in the ballpark. One of the highest floors of any pitcher, Valdez will be 31 years old the entire season.
31. Andrew Painter, SP, Phillies
Before getting Tommy John surgery and missing the last two seasons, Painter was one of the best pitching prospects in baseball and earmarked to pitch in 2023. His showing in the AFL in 2024 indicates that his stuff seems back, and he should be ready to contribute to the Phillies late in the season, presumably in a playoff push and beyond. Now that they traded for Jesus Luzardo, there is less urgency to fast track their star prospect to a major league mound prematurely.
32. Jackson Jobe, SP, Tigers
With four plus pitches and control that is plus-or-better, the only reason why he is behind Painter is that he may be in the bullpen for 2025 and not contribute as much this present season. We may swap the order by mid-season.
33. Bryan Woo, SP, Mariners
In 2023, hitters with the platoon advantage had a .928 OPS while nearly the same number of righties only had a .494 OPS. The platoon split essentially disappeared in 2024, as Woo hurled 121 innings with an ERA of 2.89, ultimately ranking as an SP2 at the age of 24. Especially with his friendly home park, his ERA for the next few years should remain in the low 3s, and really it’s only the shaky injury history that caps his ranking.
34. Zac Gallen, SP, Diamondbacks
For the third straight year, Gallen made at least 28 starts, struck out more than a batter per inning, got 12 or more wins and had an ERA under 3.70. Heading into 2025 for his age-29 season, there is no reason to expect a different outcome than his extremely consistent yearly results.
35. Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins
From 2021 to 2023, Alcantara made 93 starts across 619 innings and had a 3.14 ERA. After seeming like the model of durability, Alcantara missed 2024 with Tommy John surgery and looks to regain his form in 2025 at age 29. He’s never overpowered in the strikeouts, but his command and high groundball rate are key elements of a profile that should age gracefully.
36. Mason Miller, RP, Athletics
At the beginning of 2024, it wasn’t clear if Miller would be the Athletics closer. Well, by the end of April, after converting eight straight save opportunities with an 18.9 K/9, the question was answered emphatically. His Statcast percentiles in which he ranks in the 100th percentile require a double take: xERA (1.77), xBA (.150), Whiff% (40.1%), K% (41.8%) and fastball velocity (100.9 mph). Even with the health concerns, he’s clear No. 1 dynasty reliever in fantasy.
37. Luis Castillo, SP, Mariners
In two full seasons with the Mariners, Castillo has made 63 starts, totaling 372 innings with a 3.48 ERA. Having T-Mobile as a home park is better for pitchers than having Coors may be for hitters, as the park effect, as with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo, essentially knocks off half a run from a league-average pitcher. All this to say, as long as Castillo remains a Mariner, expect 180 innings, a mid 3s ERA and over a strikeout per inning.
38. Taj Bradley, SP, Rays
In his 242 major league innings, Bradley has not quite dominated, (4.75 ERA), but would you be surprised to learn that his career SIERA is 3.75 and his WHIP is 1.22? Both his 96 mph fastball and his splitter grade out as plus pitches on Stuff models, and his 91 mph cutter is harder than the average MLB cutter. Heading into his age-24 season, projection systems for 2025 have him essentially duplicating Robbie Ray, while being ten years younger.
39. Hunter Brown, SP, Astros
When April ended, Brown had a 2.22 WHIP and a 9.78 ERA after six starts and 23 innings. Those brave enough to buy low at that point—he still had a 9.4 K/9 over that stretch and his BABIP was an unsustainable .444—were paid off handsomely as the Astros righthander had a 1.12 WHIP and 2.51 ERA the rest of the way over 147 innings. The entire season counts, of course, and in aggregate, all of his ERA estimators still finished 3.75 or below. That is probably right in line with what to project for the 26-year-old in 2025, with over a strikeout per inning.
40. Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies
For the fourth straight season, Nola topped 180 innings with an xFIP never being higher than 3.63. The bad news is that his strikeout rate has declined each year, landing in 2024 at 8.9 K/9. Now heading into his age-32 season, it seems unlikely that this will reverse course, but there may not be a safer floor pitcher out there.
41. Kumar Rocker, SP, Rangers
Rocker completed one of the biggest career comebacks in recent memory, returning from Tommy John surgery and post-hype to blaze through the minors in 2024 en route to debuting in the major leagues in the second half. Although his 96 mph fastball and hellacious slider didn’t dominate the major league hitters as much as they had carved up the upper minors, he did show that his top-of-the-rotation stuff and a profile that can play in the big leagues.
42. Carlos Rodon, SP, Yankees
In 2021 and 2022, Rodon was arguably the best pitcher in baseball, with 300 innings of an ERA in the 2s, with 12+ K/9 and accruing 11 WAR. Since arriving in New York in 2023, his production has been wildly uneven, with a 4.74 ERA (4.42 xFIP) over 239 innings. The good news is that his performance in 2024 was better than 2023 and trended up as the season wore on, including in the postseason. With a 10+ K/9 and a mid 3s ERA projection, it’s the ceiling of an ace that boosts Rodon’s value.
43. Sonny Gray, SP, Cardinals
From 2021 through 2023, Gray averaged 27 starts per season and had xFIPS of 3.66, 3.66, and 3.64, respectively. In 2024, his xFIP was 2.82 with a scintillating WHIP of 1.09, and he also earned 13 wins—the most in his career since 2015—to rank as the 23rd-best pitcher in fantasy. Surprisingly, Gray set career highs in swinging strike rate and chase rate. Heading into his age-35 season, Gray is a high floor, volume pitcher who has shown several years of consistently stabilizing ratios while still getting over a strikeout per inning.
44. Bubba Chandler, SP, Pirates
Chandler hopes to be the third straight Pirate starter to take the fantasy world by storm. Although he would be hard pressed to out produce Paul Skenes or Jared Jones, it is interesting to note that Chandler in Double-A at age 21 had a 10.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 80 innings and Jones at the same age in 2023 had a 9.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9.
45. Michael King, SP, Padres
In his first season in the majors in which he made more than nine starts, King blew the roof off of expectations, making 30 starts across 173 innings with 13 wins, a 2.95 ERA and striking out 10.4 K/9. With over 31 inches of East-West break on his sinker and slider, King has been able to prevent hitters from barreling him up and was not hit hard the third time through the order. Heading into his age-29 season, on one hand you should expect some minor regression to the mid 3s in ERA, but considering the fact that his ERA in the second half was 2.15, it’s not outrageous to think that he began to get more comfortable in the role.
46. Reynaldo Lopez, SP, Braves
Any skepticism around whether Lopez could succeed as a starter went out the window in 2025, as he put up a 1.99 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 135 innings for the Braves. He did battle some arm woes but returned late in the season as dominant as before. Expect some regression, but he should have a mid 3s ERA with high strikeouts and the corresponding double digit wins for pitching for a playoff contender.
47. Shota Imanaga, SP, Cubs
In the WBC, we saw how Imanaga’s extremely flat fastball might be successful in the major leagues despite averaging only 92 mph. Together with his baffling splitter—the two offerings made up 83% of his pitches thrown—the “rookie” grabbed 15 wins, with an ERA of 2.91 and a WHIP of 1.02. The xFIP was 3.62 and, with the short track record in MLB, that’s a prudent projection for his 2025 with a WHIP corresponding to having a 97th percentile walk (and chase) rate.
48. Jack Flaherty, SP, Free Agent
Flaherty had his best season since the pre-pandemic days back when he was a mid 3s ERA pitcher with a 10.5 K/9. Now heading into his age-29 season, and without a team yet, he is more like a mid to high 3s ERA pitcher with a 10 K/9. More than likely he will sign with a contender.
49. Max Fried, SP, Yankees
Now a Yankee for the next eight years, Fried has a 3.07 ERA over his eight-year career. His five-to-seven pitch mix has always had elite run value due in large part to his elite command. That kind of profile ages better than most, so expect a gradual decline. Of course, heading into his age-31 season, that decline is starting.
50. Emmanuel Clase, RP, Guardians
Clase had one of the best reliever fantasy seasons of recent memory, with 47 saves and a 0.61 ERA which was, absurdly, even lower than his 0.66 WHIP. Considering he throws a 100 mph cutter, Clase has strangely not had more than a strikeout per inning in his last two seasons, instead “settling” for xERAs that have been in the 90th percentile his entire career. The tradeoff is worth it for dynasty managers as he is more than three years younger than the next five closers in this tier.
51. Edwin Diaz, RP, Mets
After missing 2023 with a knee injury from the WBC, Diaz returned (mostly) to form with 20 saves and an xERA of 2.49. He blew the most saves of his career (seven) and his fastball velocity was down 1 mph from 2022. Still in the top tier of closers.
52. Shane Baz, SP, Rays
After missing the entire 2023 season, fantasy managers were frustrated by the spottiness of Baz’s 2024 campaign, only throwing 79 innings albeit with a 1.06 WHIP and 3.06 ERA. Striking out fewer than a batter-per-inning and with his velocity still not quite to pre-injury levels, he may not yet be back to his previous heights of flashing top-of-the-rotation stuff. But, at the age of 25, we don’t need him to be there in 2025.
53. Felix Bautista, RP, Orioles
As the closer in Baltimore in 2023, Bautista had an unreal season of 33 saves, eight (!) wins, a 0.92 WHIP and a 1.48 ERA. His 99 mph fastball had 21 inches of IVB and nearly five inches more rise than average, but he missed the entire 2024 season after Tommy John surgery. Heading into his age-30 season, he has essentially the same expectations as Josh Hader but is one year younger.
54. Josh Hader, RP, Astros
Like clockwork, Hader grabbed more than 33 saves for the fourth straight season and also struck out 105 batters, his highest mark since 2020. A career 2.70 ERA and 14.7 K/9 pitcher, now that he’s heading into his age-31 season, it’s probably better to assume a low to mid 3s ERA and around 12 to 13 K/9.
55. Brandon Pfaadt, RP, Diamondbacks
In 2024, Pfaadt hurled over 180 innings in his age-25 season with more than a strikeout per inning, earning 3 fWAR. Although the ERA was high, all the ERA estimators were at least a run better, with his botERA suggesting his arsenal “should” have given him a 2.84 ERA.
56. Devin Williams, RP, Brewers
The Yankees’ announced closer forms a solid two-headed beast with Luke Weaver in the Bronx. In 235 major league innings, Williams has a career ERA of 1.83. Thirty years old and as effective as ever.
57. Ryan Helsley, RP, Cardinals
In spring training, there were some questions surrounding Helsley, as his velocity seemed far below expectation. Well, all of that went out the window as the Cardinals closer had a league-leading 49 saves and was the third-highest ranked fantasy reliever. He may not surpass 40 saves again, but 30 saves should be in the bank assuming continued health at age 30.
58. Nick Lodolo, SP, Reds
In his three seasons as a major leaguer, Lodolo has had over a strikeout per inning (career 10.7 K/9) and an xFIP in the 3s. The problem has been durability, as the lefthander has never reached 120 innings in a season. Now 27 years old, the story remains the same: excellent strikeouts and ratios but a question of how much volume he will achieve.
59. Jhoan Duran, RP, Twins
The Twins closer has three pitches per Fangraphs with Stuff+ all above 122, including his devastating 97 mph splinker. Despite averaging 100 mph on his fastball (99th percentile in the league), his swinging strike rate, contact rate, and chase rate has declined the past three years. Despite this, he is still only 27 years old and, barring a trade, is assured to get 20+ saves with around an 11 K/9 and an ERA in the low 3s.
60. Justin Steele, SP, Cubs
For the third straight year, Steele made at least 24 starts and had an ERA in the low 3s with over a strikeout per inning. Weirdly, he only managed five wins in 2024, and in standard 15-team roto leagues, was barely an SP4. Essentially only a two-pitch pitcher, Steele’s fastball and slider combination gets far more gloveside run on both pitches than average and for such a limited arsenal, and he does not get hit the third time through the order as much as you’d expect. He’s an underrated pitcher heading into his age-29 season as the co-ace of a playoff contender, along with Shota Imanaga.
61. MacKenzie Gore, SP, Nationals
In 2023 as a 24-year-old, Gore had a 10 K/9 and an xFIP of 4.11, making him one of the more popular sleepers heading into 2024. For the most part, he lived up to the promise, by getting 10 wins with an ERA of 3.90 and 181 strikeouts over 166 innings. The issue has historically been his command, but he lowered his walk rate from 10% in 2023 to 9% in 2024. His ball rate suggests even further improvement in 2025 where, as a 26-year-old, he should have a mid 3s ERA, an average WHIP and upside.
62. Noah Schultz, SP, White Sox
A Chris Sale starter pack, complete with extra noodly limbs and a release point that leaves lefthanded hitters understanding how John Kruk must have felt when he faced the Big Unit. He may not debut with the White Sox in 2025, but when he does, he will be in the rotation for a while with excellent ratios and ace upside.
63. Jesus Luzardo, SP, Phillies
In 2022 and 2023, Luzardo averaged 96 to 97 mph on his fastball and threw 279 innings with 328 strikeouts, a 3.48 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Unfortunately, in his age-26 season in 2024, his velocity was way down, foretelling of both an arm injury and a back injury that cut his season to only 66 innings of largely ineffective performance. After being traded to the Phillies, it seems that both Luzardo and the team expect him to return to full health in 2025, but it’s probably prudent to expect a bit of regression from his earlier dominance and wide variance on his ceiling and floor.
64. Shane Bieber, SP, Guardians
Bieber will return in the second half of 2025 on a show-me contract and attempt to prove he is once again a top-of-the-rotation starter despite below-average velocity. With his elite command, the 30-year-old has a high floor with room for more. If he were returning earlier in the season than June/July, we’d probably have him higher.
65. Yusei Kikuchi, SP, Angels
With the exception of the COVID-shortened season, Kikuchi has given up hard contact and barrels at a rate in the worst quartile in the major leagues. This has naturally led to a higher home run rate than average, and his xFIP has been better than his ERA for his entire career. This trend continued into 2024 when, for Toronto, he had a 4.75 ERA over 115 innings, but with a 3.43 xFIP. After being traded to the Astros, his ERA for his final 60 innings was 2.70. Signing with the Angels where he’ll pitch for the next three years into his age-36 season, he should continue to be a high-K, mid-rotation starter, though note that Angel Stadium has been one of the top eight parks for homers.
66. Bailey Ober, SP, Twins
Over his four-year major league career, Ober has always projected well but never quite given the opportunity. In 2024, he made 31 starts and had a 3.98 ERA along with a 1.00 WHIP, ranking as the 22nd-best pitcher. He has 97th percentile extension which allows his 92 mph fastball to play up, and he commands his secondaries incredibly well. A solid SP3.
67. Ryan Pepiot, SP, Rays
In his first full season as a starter, Pepiot had a 3.60 ERA and nearly 10 K/9 over 130 innings. Heading into his age-27 season, projections expect some regression to that of a mid-rotation starter. From an upside point of view, however, if you believe in the stuff grades, Pepiot is in the same tier as Yoshinobu Yamamoto for 2025.
68. Quinn Mathews, SP, Cardinals
Our 2024 minor league pitcher of the year, Mathews went from sitting 91 mph in college to 95 mph, touching 97 mph last year and reaching Triple-A. For his minor league season, across four levels, he struck out 202 batters in 143 innings with a sub-1 WHIP and a 2.76 ERA. He should be in the Cardinals rotation in 2025 where he will be 24 years old for the entire season.
69. Robbie Ray, SP, Giants
The former Cy Young winner returned from injury in late 2024, and his velocity was actually ahead of where it was in 2022 when he hurled 189 innings with 212 strikeouts, a 1.19 WHIP and 3.71 ERA. He may only throw 150 innings in 2025, but we should be able to count on a sub-4 ERA with 10 K/9 and the potential to once again show the flashes of an ace.
70. Nick Pivetta, SP, Free Agent
Per Fangraphs’ Stuff+, Pivetta has four pitches that are better than average, and in both 2023 and 2024, his ERA estimators were all better than his actual ERA. Therein is the conundrum with the Canadian entering his age-32 season: He hints at what he should have done but hasn’t quite ever attained it. Perhaps this is the year, but at the very least, you should be able to count on a 10+ K/9 and an average WHIP and ERA. Don’t be surprised if a contender signs him.
71. Kyle Harrison, SP, Giants
Still only 23 years old, Harrison hasn’t been able to find any sustained success in the majors the last two seasons, most recently with a 1.34 WHIP and 4.456 ERA over 124 innings in 2024. The good news is that he’s still so young and pitching in a good ballpark. Considering that he is already a mid-rotation starter with years to go until his prime, at his peak, his ERA should be in the 3s with strikeout rates in the 24 to 25% range.
72. Kyle Bradish, SP, Orioles
Although not expected back until mid-2025 after Tommy John surgery in June, Bradish’s last 200 innings for the Orioles has been a WHIP of 1.05, an ERA of 2.92 and 213 strikeouts. His bread and butter pitches are his 88 mph slider, which is arguably one of the best sliders in the league per Stuff+ and Run Value and has the most horizontal movement of any slider thrown harder than 86 mph, and his curveball, which has the second-most drop of any curve thrown 84 mph or harder. One of the most devastating two-pitch combinations of any starter, and he also throws a 94 mph fastball. If healthy, he could be an SP1 in 2026.
73. Andres Munoz, RP, Mariners
Munoz is one of the rare relievers who you consistently roster despite not knowing whether he is the closer or not. Heading into his age-26 season as the presumptive closer in Seattle, it’s fair to note that Munoz’s average fastball velocity has declined from 100 mph to 99 mph to 98 mph last year. It’s not nothing, but he is a fair bet to have a sub 1.20 WHIP, a sub 3 ERA and 15 to 25 saves for the next few years, unless there is an injury lurking.
74. Kodai Senga, SP, Mets
Hopes were high for Senga in 2024 after his 12 wins, 1.20 WHIP and 2.98 ERA in 2023. Unfortunately, he only appeared in one game in 2024 after a shoulder capsule strain and calf strain shut him down. 2025 will be his age-32 season, but he still throws 96 mph and has a ghost fork. The health is obviously a concern, but Senga, especially with the team context, feels like one of the safer mid-rotation starters in this ranking area for the next two years.
75. Mitch Keller, SP, Pirates
With Keller you get consistency, as he’s averaged 30 starts over the last three seasons and ERA and its estimators of around 4.00 in each of those years. The bad news is that his fastball velocity has also dropped each year by about 0.5 mph per year since 2021, and he is now entering his age-29 season. In other words, what you see is probably what you get with little chance of him reaching the upside we had dreamed about when he was a top pitching prospect before the pandemic.
76. Tanner Houck, SP, Red Sox
In 2023, Houck made 21 starts and, despite the 5.01 ERA, had an xFIP and xERA of essentially 4.00. In 2024, he streamlined his pitch mix to his slider/sweeper with 16 inches of gloveside break and sinker/splitter, which have over 13 inches of armside run. This difference in East-West movement is one of the largest in the majors, but he had historically been ineffective in neutralizing lefthanded hitters. That changed in 2024, as his FIP against lefties lowered from 5.70 to 3.53. Whether that sticks for 2025 and beyond is not assured, but Houck showed that he can handle 180 innings as a mid-rotation starter and, with his high ground ball rate, he should have a fairly high floor.
77. Gavin Williams, SP, Guardians
On the surface, Williams had a disappointing 2024 with a 4.86 ERA and a 9.6% walk rate. The good news is that the ERA estimators are about a full run lower than his ERA, and his ball% suggests his walk rate should have been more like 7.5%. The 25-year-old averages 97 mph on his fastball and has some of the biggest extension in the majors, but actually doesn’t generate as many whiffs as you would expect. So for now, we have him positioned as a mid-rotation starter but with the corresponding upside associated with his raw stuff and varied pitch mix.
78. Ranger Suarez, SP, Phillies
For three straight seasons as a starter, Suarez has given up batted balls at a lower-than-league-average exit velocity and at lower barrel and hard-hit rates. Although limiting hard contact is more a hitter than pitcher skill, it does seem like his five-pitch mix does deceive opposing batters year after year after year. However he does it doesn’t matter: He is a pitcher who should have a sub-4 ERA and, being on a contender, should be reasonably assured of double digit wins.
79. Brayan Bello, SP, Red Sox
We’ve been waiting for the now-25-year-old to take a step forward, but he has never been able to reach 9 K/9 or an ERA under 4 or WHIP under 1.34. The good news is that, in each of the last three years, his groundball rate has been above 50%, giving him a high ffloor reflected in his xFIP never exceeding 4.02. He signed an extension with the Red Sox through 2029, so his role seems to be fairly solid: a mid-rotation starter on a playoff caliber team who has improved every year. He just may never develop into an SP2 as we’d hoped.
80. Kevin Gausman, SP, Toronto
In essentially the same number of innings, Gausman’s strikeouts dropped from 237 in 2023 to 162 in 2024, causing worry that at 34 years old, this is the beginning of the end for the Blue Jays’ ace. The good news is that even in a terrible year in which he was 2 WAR worse than any of his previous three seasons, he still finished as an SP4. His historical record implies that he should be at minimum a better-than-average SP but with the potential to reclaim top of the rotation status.
81. Luis Gil, SP, Yankees
The book on Gil has always been that he has a huge fastball but poor command. In the first half of the season, it seemed like it had all come together with a manageable 4.31 BB/9 leading to a 1.08 WHIP, 3.17 ERA. Whether it was fatigue or not, as his 151 innings was a career best, his second half regressed to a 5.1 BB/9 and a 1.42 WHIP and 4.20 ERA. It’s more likely that he will always battle the command, giving him high strikeouts and an average ERA, but his high whiff rate on his three-pitch mix–his 10.2 K/9 was 10th-highest among starters with at least 150 innings in 2024–gives him a higher ceiling than most.
82. Clarke Schmidt, SP, Yankees
In 2023, Schmidt made 32 starts and finished with a 1.35 WHIP, 4.64 ERA and fewer strikeouts than innings. Last season went far better on a per appearance basis, as he raised his strikeout rate, lowered his ERA to 2.82 and lowered all ERA estimators by about half a run to a run. This season, the 29-year-old should be somewhere in between: a sub 4 ERA and the wins associated with pitching for a World Series contender.
83. Cristopher Sanchez, SP, Phillies
In 2023, Sanchez came out of nowhere to make 19 starts across 99 innings with a 3.44 ERA. In 2024, those who believed that his changeup would continue to befuddle major league hitters were handsomely rewarded, as Sanchez was a 4.7-WAR pitcher over 181 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.32. His double plus cambio is the key to victory, and he threw it over one third of the time. There’s no reason to believe he won’t be a low 3s ERA pitcher again in 2025 at the tender age of 28. We might be too low on him still.
84. Brandon Woodruff, SP, Brewers
If Woodruff returns from his shoulder injury as a similar pitcher, this ranking is about fifty slots too low. If he battles shoulder woes for the rest of his career, this ranking is probably too high by the same number of slots.
85. Zebby Matthews, SP, Twins
Early in 2024, Matthews was making waves having not walked any batters until his seventh start of his minor league season. He ended up debuting, making nine starts with a 10.3 K/9 and a walk rate in the stingiest quartile of the league. Unfortunately, he had a 6.69 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP having yielded an unsightly .364 BABIP. Expect a low-WHIP, mid-rotation starter in the mold of Zach Eflin, but six years younger. Speaking of whom…
86. Zach Eflin, SP, Orioles
In 2023, Eflin was a 5-WAR pitcher who also won fantasy teams some leagues with a 3.50 ERA and 16 wins. In 2024, he started off slowly, striking out fewer than 8 K/9 and ultimately being traded to the Orioles. The good news is that his xFIP has been consistently below since 2019, and we can expect more of the same for the 31-year-old for the next few years.
87. Chase Burns, SP, Reds
The top pitching prospect in this offseason’s FYPD, Burns is an electric, hard-throwing righthander. The Reds had him working with major league balls in instructs and he could move quickly. Burns has a plus fastball that sits in the high 90s with a plus-plus slider and a curveball he could neutralize lefties with. Burns has monster upside.
88. Tink Hence, SP, Cardinals
It’s been three straight years that Hence has been a top five prospect for St. Louis, but he’s been brought along with such kid gloves, it’s not clear when they will ever let him eat. The stuff is undeniable, but the endurance and health are the only questions. Hopefully it’ll be 2025 when we see how he handles a major league workload.
89. Raisel Iglesias, RP, Braves
Two straight seasons of 30+ saves? Check. Firmly in the closer role? Check. ERA below 3 since 2020? Check. Will the Braves be even better in 2025? Checkmate.
90. Bobby Miller, SP, Dodgers
Fresh of a 2023 season in which he had a 1.10 WHIP and a 3.76 ERA across 124 innings, Miller was taken in early rounds of redraft. Unfortunately, he had one of the most abominable statlines of recent memory with an 8.52 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. Not only couldn’t he command his five-pitch arsenal, he had lost 1.5 mph on his fastball and got barreled at more than an 11% rate. The stuff, though, is undeniable, and the Dodgers will more than likely right the ship. Buy the ceiling.
91. Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Rangers
Signing back with the Rangers for three more years, Eovaldi hasn’t had an ERA over 4 since 2019. The velocity is now in the 96s rather than the 97s, but the command–and his splitter–are so good that it might be another four years before his ERA starts with a 4.
92. Chase Dollander, SP, Rockies
If not for his organization, Dollander might very well be the highest-ranked pitching prospect in the minors. Unfortunately, he will be calling the rarefied air of Coors his home and his ERAs may never be below 4. From a stuff perspective, his 96 mph fastball eats up batters despite him throwing it nearly two thirds of the time and they know it’s coming. He may not debut in 2025, but it will be sooner rather than later.
93. Jose Berrios, SP, Blue Jays
The model of consistency, with the exception of the partial COVID season, Berrios has made exactly 32 starts in his last six seasons. In his last three seasons, all with Toronto, the strikeouts have dipped below 9 K/9, but he’s a solid volume play, as he was the 27th-ranked starter in fantasy on account of his ERA once again starting with a 3.6. Now in his 30s, the regression should begin, so plan accordingly.
94. Sean Manaea, SP, Mets
Over 181 innings for the Mets, Manaea had a 3.47 ERA though with a 4.04 xFIP. A year earlier in San Francisco, Manaea had a similar 4.01 xFIP with a 4.44 ERA. In 2025, expect an ERA of around 4.00 with 150+ innings and more strikeouts than innings.
95. Kutter Crawford, SP, Red Sox
In three major league seasons spanning nearly 400 innings, Crawford has never had an ERA on the season under 4.00, though with his command his WHIPs the last two seasons have been at an elite 1.11. His five-pitch arsenal grades out as a 108 Pitching+ and it seems only a matter of time until the results catch up to his botERA of 3.56
96. Spencer Arrighetti, SP, Astros
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: an Astros pitching prospect surpastas…er, surpasses expectations and has MLB success. Arrighetti may not have had the same superficial success that Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, or even J.P. France had, but 145 innings across 28 starts with a 10.6 K/9 and a 4.00 xFIP is portentous of future success. Arrighetti’s arsenal consists of a 94 mph fastball and three breaking pitches that all grade well and have more horizontal break than average. He also has some of the biggest extension in the major leagues.
97. Nestor Cortes, SP, Brewers
Traded for Devin Williams in the off season, Cortes now will ply his shimmying ways in Wisconsin. The 92 mph fastball, although below average in velocity, has tremendous ride and with his antics to throw off a hitter’s timing, generates excellent run value. Despite the down season, Cortes still manages a sub-4 ERA and, due to his fantastic command, a better-than-average WHIP. Expect more of the same in Milwaukee.
98. Luis Severino, SP, Athletics
In one of the more surprising moves at the Winter Meetings, the Athletics signed Severino for three years and $67 million. Now 32 years old and no longer the dominant ace that he once was, we can expect a mid-rotation starter with occasional flashes of top-of-the-rotation potential.
99. Cade Horton, SP, Cubs
After 2023, Horton looked like a top pitching prospect in the minor leagues, but thanks to a lat injury in June, his stuff took a dip in quality until ultimately being shut down in August. He might no longer be a slam dunk mid-rotation starter, depending on how he bounces back in 2025, but his combination of fastball and slider should see him have a fallback option of high-leverage reliever.
100. Jeffrey Springs, SP, Athletics
Springs broke out in 2022 with a 2.46 ERA over 25 starts and 135 innings for the Rays before an arm injury ended his 2023 and limited him to 33 innings in return in 2024. The fastball was never overpowering, but he did have more ride and tail than expected, and his craftiness led to a chase rate in the upper percentiles of the league. Now entrenched in the Athletics rotation, projections believe he’s back giving him a mid 3s ERA.
101. Tobias Myers, SP, Brewers
In early April, RoboScout identified Myers as a top 10 ranked pitcher in Triple-A upon which he debuted in Milwaukee en route to 25 starts in which he garnered nine wins, had an ERA of 3.00 and a 1.17 WHIP. The arsenal doesn’t grade well on stuff models, but all of his four primary pitches have more ride than expected and are commanded well, leading to poor quality of contact. He won’t overpower you, but the results at age 25 are undeniable.
102. Alejandro Rosario, SP, Rangers
RoboScout’s biggest pitching prospect breakout, Rosario finished the season in Double-A, where each of his three pitches, including a 97 mph fastball, generated above-average whiffs for the level. Hemay not debut for the Rangers in 2025, but when he does, expect a mid-rotation starter with flashes for more in his peak seasons.
103. Brandon Sproat, SP, Mets
At one point in the minor league season, Sproat looked like he had the best stuff of any prospect with a 96 mph fastball, an 86 mph slider that graded as a 125 Stuff+ on our internal model and a changeup that graded better-than-average en route to a 2.45 ERA in Double-A with an 11.1 K/9 and 2.2 K/9. After being promoted Triple-A, the wheels fell off the rest of the way with a 7+ ERA in 28 innings. The real Sproat is somewhere closer to the early-season ace and should be a solid MLB mid-rotation arm in a good park.
104. Hayden Birdsong, SP, Giants
The 22-year-old Birdsong had a 72-inning debut in 2024 and finished with an uninspiring 4.75 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. On deeper dive, his changeup graded at the top of the Stuff+ and pitching bot charts, and, overall, he had an 11 K/9. With an extremely pitching friendly home park, 96 mph fastball and expectations to be a regular in the Giants’ rotation at 23 years old, Birdsong should bring high strikeouts and an average ERA for a decade.
105. David Festa, SP, Twins
One of the top pitchers in Triple-A per RoboScout on account of an 95 mph four-seam fastball with unexpected cut, 87 mph plus slider and solid change up–all of which got above average whiffs–Festa made his major league debut for the Twins in 2024, making 14 starts. Although his ERA was an unsightly 4.90, his xFIP was 3.58, and he had a lofty 10.8 K/9. The Twins’ rotation is pretty flush so a role is not guaranteed, but when he pitches, he should be a solid mid-rotation starter.
106. Robert Suarez, RP, Padres
In a bullpen that boasted Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and Tanner Scott, the 32-year-old Suarez was never really challenged to lose the closer role at any point during the season and finished the season with 36 saves. The strategy is heat and more heat, with a fastball averaging 99 mph. Expect more of the same from Suarez as long as he sustains his velocity as he enters his mid 30s.
107. Christian Scott, SP, Mets
Scott was one of the more highly-regarded pitching prospects heading into 2024 after a 2023 season in which he had a 10+ K/9, 2 BB/9 and 2.40 ERA over 95 innings. Unfortunately, his season was cut short, ultimately ending in Tommy John surgery. He may be back in 2025, but really it’ll be 2026 when he attempts to reclaim a spot in the middle of the Mets rotation at the age of 26.
108. Bowden Francis, SP, Blue Jays
After a 2023 season that caught RoboScout’s eye, Francis was considered as only pitching depth for the Blue Jays heading into 2024. After both Alek Manoah and Ricky Tiedemann went under the knife, an opportunity arose for Francis and he was a revelation, ultimately hurling 103 innings with a 3.30 ERA and a 0,93 WHIP. Although his fastball only averaged 93 mph, with its high ride and his big extension, it ended up generating 92nd percentile run value. With his excellent command, Francis should prove to be a high-floor starter in 2025 who should exceed public projections regressing him heavily based on his short track record.
109. Ben Joyce, RP, Angels
The hardest thrower in the major leagues, Joyce became the Angels closer when the Halos traded Carlos Estevez to the Phillies. After getting four saves, Joyce was shut down with shoulder troubles but is expected to be fully ready for 2025. An interesting note: Joyce gave up runs in only two of his 28 appearances after June 14. Has the potential to be a top-tier closer.
110. Rhett Lowder, SP, Reds
The young righthander got over some early struggles and pitched his way to the big leagues in 2024. Lowder has advanced command and pitchability with enough swing and miss to compile 175+ strikeouts in a season. Lowder is more of a mid-rotation ratio booster than a future ace.
111. Yu Darvish, SP, Padres
Although Darvish had the lowest K/9 of his career in 2024, the 37-year-old Japanese star still had an ERA in the low to mid 3s over his 81 innings of work. Signed through 2028, Darvish is still projected to be an SP4 with the arsenal and canniness to sustain it.
112. Hagen Smith, SP, White Sox
Smith is a powerful lefthander boasting a mid-90s fastball with a deceptive approach angle and more ride than you’d expect from his arm slot. his slider might be a plus-plus pitch, but he’ll need to develop a true third offering to ascend to the top 20 of this list at peak.
113. Dustin May, SP, Dodgers
Over roughly 200 major league innings, May has a 1.05 WHIP and a 3.10 ERA. His four-pitch mix starts with a 97 mph fastball and, although it doesn’t generate the whiffs you might expect from 90th percentile velocity, it does limit hard contact. Returning from elbow surgery in 2025, May, now 27 years old, should once again be in the Dodgers’ plans as a mid-rotation starter with upside.
114. Luke Weaver, RP, Yankees
After being heavily leaned on in the postseason and World Series, Weaver looked like a shoo-in to be the closer for the Bronx until the recent trade for Devin Williams, which now casts doubt on his role. Worst case, he should get 12+ saves with excellent ratios with the opportunity to get 30 saves. Considering that he only got four saves in 2024 and was still the 19th-ranked reliever in fantasy, regardless of role, he should be a dynasty asset in 2025 and beyond.
115. Seth Lugo, SP, Royals
In 2023 and 2024, Seth Lugo has made 59 starts spanning 353 innings, with a 1.14 WHIP and 3.24 ERA. Now entering his age-35 season, 2025 should feature some regression–likely to around a 4.00 ERA–but the fact that he has both excellent command and an outlier curveball that breaks six inches more than average and grades highly via Stuff models, Lugo potentially could confound standard age curves and have an extended career like Rich Hill. He’s a solid SP3.
116. Lucas Erceg, RP, Royals
Stuck behind Mason Miller in the Athletics bullpen, a trade to the Royals gave him the opportunity to be a closer and he nabbed 11 saves in his 25 innings in Kansas City. Armed with a 99 mph fastball, an above average slider and an effective changeup, Erceg has the arsenal that could work in a rotation, giving him the unusual path of potentially becoming the next Michael King or a solid closer.
117. Travis Sykora, SP, Nationals
In September, we identified Sykora as having three plus pitches, as his 95 mph four seam fastball generated 34% whiffs and his slider and changeup both generated over 50% whiffs. Perhaps the most dominant minor league pitcher in the second half, Sykora will turn 21 years old just before the 2025 season. He is expected to begin in High-A.
118. Drew Rasmussen, SP/RP, Rays
In his 300-inning major league career, Rasmussen has a 1.09 WHIP and a 2.95 ERA. Returning from a UCL injury in 2024, Rasmussen was again dominant out of the pen, leading to optimism in 2025. His role is not clear, but he should reach 100 innings with excellent ratios.
119. Tanner Scott, RP, Free Agent
Unsigned at publication, Scott was a dominant high leverage reliever for both the Marlins and the Padres in 2024. If we knew where he would sign and what his role will be, his ranking would be easier to assert. But for now, we split the difference, minimally expecting the lefthander’s two-pitch mix with iffy control to bring a low ERA and high strikeouts with the potential for 20+ saves to any team, but also with the potential for a higher WHIP on account of his command.
120. Ronel Blanco, SP, Astros
At the age of 31, Blanco burst onto the scene, hurling a no-hitter in his debut. From there, it never really got much worse, as he finished with 13 wins, a 2.80 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. The ERA estimators are all a full run higher, and public projection systems expect his 2025 to be even worse than those, but Astros pitchers with their high-riding fastballs tend to out-perform expectations.
121. Ryne Nelson, SP, Diamondbacks
As a 26-year-old, Nelson was a 2-WAR pitcher, hurling 150 innings with an ERA and its estimators all around 4.00. Although his fastball is over 95 mph, Nelson does not overpower with stuff, but rather succeeding with command and limiting hard contact. As such, he doesn’t have a high upside, but a sturdy floor.
122. Reese Olson, SP, Tigers
The past two years, Olson has thrown 216 innings with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Armed with a four-pitch starter’s mix, Olson generates a high groundball rate, raising his floor. He is probably one of the safest mid-rotation starters in this range, and at age 25, pairs his high floor with one of the higher ceilings on an ascending major league club.
123. Pete Fairbanks, RP, Rays
After two years in the 95th percentile for xERA, Fairbanks lost 1 mph on his fastball and had a very uncharacteristic 3.57 ERA in 2024. He still had 20+ saves for the second straight year on a team that doesn’t like to formalize the closer role, but, now heading into his age-31 season, the years of having extremely-minute ratios may be behind him.
124. Braxton Garrett, SP, Marlins
In the 250 innings that Garrett threw in 2022 and 2023, he had a mid 3s ERA and a 9 K/9. Unfortunately, arm troubles led to him only throwing 27 innings in 2024, but he expects to be fully healthy come spring training. If that is indeed the case, expect a low WHIP, mid 3s ERA and a high groundball rate that keeps blow-up outings minimized. Only 27 years old, even if 2025 is an uneven one, barring something unforeseen, he should be back to form in 2026,
125. Ben Brown, SP, Cubs
In his 55-inning debut, including eight appearances as a starter, Brown had a 3.58 ERA and a WHIP of 1.08 with over a strikeout per inning. Primarily a 96 mph fastball and knuckle-curve pitcher, he might end up in the bullpen, or with his whiff rate, a Reynaldo Lopez-type starter, being taken out before seeing his third time through the order. He has an uncertain role but excellent two-pitch stuff.
126. Thomas White, SP, Marlins
The No. 1 prospect for the Marlins in 2025, White has the ingredients to be a top-of-the-rotation starter in the mold of Blake Snell. Only 20 years old, he should reach Double-A in 2025 and potentially Miami in 2026. He’s a ways off, but the ceiling is extremely high.
127. AJ Smith-Shawver, SP, Braves
After a 2023 major league debut at the age of 20 didn’t go as planned, Smith-Shawver pitched mostly in Triple-A in 2024 and had a K/9 over 10.8 but an ERA near 5.00. Twenty-two years old and on the cusp of being an MLB mainstay, Smith-Shawver should be a mid-rotation starter for a first division team for years.
128. Erick Fedde, SP, Cardinals
In 2021 and 2022, Fedde was one of the worst pitchers in major league baseball, ultimately landing in Korea for the 2023 season. There, his command flourished and he became more cutter-heavy, which was something he brought back the White Sox and then the Cardinals in 2024, with a 1.16 WHIP and 3.30 ERA to rank as the 43rd SP in fantasy. He is due for some regression but should still be an SP4 in 2025 and, in his walk year, a potential target for a contender in the second half.
129. Emmet Sheehan, SP, Dodgers
After a middling 2023 debut for the Dodgers, Sheehan had internal brace surgery at the beginning of 2024 and missed the entire season. The righthander should return in 2025 with his three-pitch starter’s mix and should be a mid-rotation regular for the Dodgers in the second half of 2025.
130. Ryan Weathers, SP, Marlins
In 2022, Weathers had an average fastball but now comes in 2 mph hotter than the average major league lefthander. The results followed in 2024 with a 1.18 WHIP and 3.63 ERA over 16 starts. The 25-year-old is penciled into the rotation for the Marlins and should provide solid ratios—though with fewer wins and strikeouts than average–barring an injury.
131. A.J. Puk, RP, Diamondbacks
After the starting pitcher experiment in Miami failed, Puk found himself traded to Arizona where he pitched out of the pen and put up his highest K/9, lowest BB/9 and all ERA estimators under 2.01. He may not be the D-backs’ closer, but he should be one of the next in line or at the very least, a reliever with great ratios and excellent strikeouts. He’s onee of the few non-closer relievers in our top 150.
132. Michael Kopech, RP, Dodgers
After being traded to the Dodgers, Kopech was a dominant high-leverage arm out of the bullpen with some of the best Stuff+ numbers of any pitcher. The World Series champions have a lot of options in their bullpen, so saves are not necessarily guaranteed for Kopech, but with his high strikeouts and great ratios, he has a very high floor, even more so in leagues that value holds.
133. Michael Wacha, SP, Royals
For the last three seasons, Wacha has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, throwing at least 127 innings, with at least 11 wins, a WHIP under 1.20 and an ERA never exceeding 3.35. The changeup remains his bread and butter, and the Royals re-signed him through 2027. Expect some regression, but he should be a high-floor, mid-rotation starter for at least three more years.
134. Brady Singer, SP, Reds
After being traded to the Reds for Jonathan India, Singer’s value does drop a bit, though perhaps not as much as the park factors would have you believe due to his high groundball rate. Perhaps in Cincinnati, he will shake the reverse-Bret Saberhagen trend where he seems to do better in even years than odd years. He’s a solid SP 4/5 type still in his 20s with a virtually-guaranteed role.
135. Jacob Misiorowski, SP/RP, Brewers
With some of the best stuff in the minor leagues–along with some of the biggest extension–the only thing holding back Misiorowski is his command. He has had a BB/9 above 5 for the last two seasons and the bullpen seems his destiny. The good news is that it might also be as a high-leverage option or even a closer’s role. Finishing 2024 in Triple-A, he should be pitching for the Brewers in 2025.
136. Landon Knack, SP/RP, Dodgers
When the eventual 2024 World Series champions needed arms, Knack answered the call with 69 innings, some of which were as a starter, and a 3.65 ERA with exactly a strikeout per inning. While a large contingent of the pitching cavalry for the Dodgers should be returning in 2025, leaving his role up in the air, the 27-year-old and his four-pitch starter’s mix should be a fixture for the major league club for the next few years. He has the high floor of a Matt Strahm-type long reliever with 100-ish innings, solid ratios, and a high wins per IP rate.
137. Aaron Civale, SP, Brewers
When the Brewers acquired Civale, his third team in as many seasons, they had hoped for more of a return to his “odd-year” form of sub 4 ERAs. Unfortunately, a combination of his lowest groundball rate and highest walk rate led to him continuing his “even-year” trend of a mid-to-high 4s ERA. He won’t light up the strike out column, but his pitchability gives him a high floor as he enters his age-30 season.
138. Luis Garcia, SP, Astros
In each of 2021 and 2022, before an elbow injury ended his 2023 season prematurely and lost his 2024 entirely, Garcia threw 150 innings with a mid 3s ERA and with around a strikeout per inning. Returning in 2025, we’re hoping for a return to his pre-injury form, though keep in mind, he may not throw more than 100 innings in his first full season back.
139. Jameson Taillon, SP, Cubs
In 2024, Taillon had his best season since the pandemic with 12 wins, a 3.27 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. His command remained impeccable–his 4.9% walk rate was in the 93rd percentile for all MLB qualified pitchers–but he will be entering his age-33 season and his ERA estimators had him as more of a mid 4s ERA pitcher rather than the 34th-highest rated starter in fantasy. In other words, expect some regression, but he should still be a solid SP4 or SP5 and is under contract with Chicago through the 2026 season.
140. Nick Martinez, SP/RP, Reds
Over the last three seasons, Martinez has averaged 120 innings per season and never had an ERA over 3.50. 2024 was his best season of the bunch, with a 3.10 ERA and 16 starts, and he ended the season as the 29th-ranked SP in fantasy. Heading into his age-34 season, expect the production to begin its decline, but he’s already being penciled into the Reds 2025 rotation. He should log a sub-4 ERA in his walk year, potentially being traded to a contender to boost his 2025 value even more.
141. Andrew Abbott, SP, Reds
In 2023, after dominating the Southern League to the tune of a 20.7 K/9, Abbott made his major league debut and earned 2 fWAR in just over 100 innings. Last year was a bit rougher for the 25-year-old, as his season ended prematurely with a shoulder injury. He should be all systems go in 2025, though be aware that pitching in a tough park will likely have his ERA in the mid 4s, despite a career MLB ERA of 3.78 (over 250 innings).
142. Porter Hodge, RP, Cubs
The Cubs in 2024 had a few characters grab some saves, including Hector Neris and Jorge Lopez. But by the end of August, it became clear that Hodge had taken the job and run away with it. His sweeper is graded a 65 by PitchingBot, and his 95 mph fastball, which has some unexpected cutting action, is graded a 70. Only 23 years old, he is the incumbent closer for a team in the playoff hunt.
143. Orion Kerkering, RP, Phillies
The Jordan Romano signing leaves Kerkering’s role a bit unsettled, but it seems all but preordained that the 23-year-old from South Florida will eventually claim the closer role. His sweeper has over 16 inches of horizontal break and is one of the highest graded pitches in the league. Last year, he essentially only allowed one baserunner per inning and had an ERA under 3, all while still being years away from his prime.
144. Cristian Javier, SP, Astros
Out with an elbow injury until late 2025, Javier will only be 28 years old. With a four-seam fastball featuring some of the biggest ride in the majors, along with a slider with nearly 17 inches of horizontal break, the Dominican righthander will look to reclaim his 2022 dominance. His buy-low window may be closing quickly.
145. Ricky Tiedemann, SP, Blue Jays
It was only a year ago that Tiedemann with his wipeout slider was viewed as one of the top minor league starting pitching prospects in the game. The discussion then was how many major league innings we expected him to have in 2024. Unfortunately, arm injuries again scuttled his season, and his late-July Tommy John surgery leaves his near-term future murky. Expected to return in 2026, Tiedemann will still only be 23 years old, giving him plenty of opportunity to build back to one of the best lefthanded pitching prospects in the game.
146. Edward Cabrera, SP, Marlins
Cabrera’s main issue is his command–he has had a walk rate in each of the last three years in the bottom 10th percentile of the league–but the stuff remains tantalizing. Heading into his age-27 season, Cabrera should be firmly cemented in the Marlins’ rotation, where he will have a 10+ K/9 with a mid-4s ERA and a high ceiling.
147. Jarlin Susana, SP, Nationals
After a disappointing 2023 season following his inclusion in the Juan Soto trade, Susan returned in 2024 with a flourish. Blessed with a four-seam fastball that averages 100 mph and a hellacious slider that sits at 89, it was always the command that needed to improve for the 20-year-old. In 2024, his ball rate vastly improved to 36%, which is more than sufficient for a starting pitcher. If he is unable to remain a starter, his fallback plan is a high-leverage reliever who should rack up strikeouts.
148. Walker Buehler, SP, Red Sox
After returning from his second Tommy John surgery that had him miss the entire 2023 season, Buehler’s fastball velocity was once again hovering around 95 mph, but he wasn’t able to elicit the chases and whiffs that he once did and it had lost the above average ride that it once had in his heyday of 2021. That changed in the postseason, when he reworked it to get more ride and excelled under the World Series lights.
149. Griffin Jax, RP, Twins
Over his major league career, Jax has a 1.12 WHIP across 300 innings and most recently has developed into one of the premier setup men. In 2025, though, Jax has expressed the desire to try his hand as a starter, and the Twins have not ruled it out. His most likely outcome is remaining the handcuff to Jhoan Duran with great ratios. As a best case, he is the 2025 version of Michael King.
150. Reid Detmers, SP, Angels
It’s been a roller coaster ride the last few years for Detmers, but the potential remains tantalizing. Surprisingly only 25 years old, the lefthander has averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings for his career, but his wildly-uneven results have been frustrating for fantasy managers. Because of his age and strikeouts, projections still view him as a wildly-undervalued dynasty asset if he can find some consistency in a major league rotation.
rank | player | position | prospect? |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Paul Skenes | P | |
2 | Tarik Skubal | P | |
3 | Garrett Crochet | P | |
4 | Roki Sasaki | P | X |
5 | George Kirby | P | |
6 | Logan Gilbert | P | |
7 | Spencer Strider | P | |
8 | Dylan Cease | P | |
9 | Cole Ragans | P | |
10 | Zack Wheeler | P | |
11 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | P | |
12 | Hunter Greene | P | |
13 | Grayson Rodriguez | P | |
14 | Blake Snell | P | |
15 | Tyler Glasnow | P | |
16 | Jacob deGrom | P | |
17 | Corbin Burnes | P | |
18 | Jared Jones | P | |
19 | Gerrit Cole | P | |
20 | Pablo Lopez | P | |
21 | Spencer Schwellenbach | P | |
22 | Freddy Peralta | P | |
23 | Chris Sale | P | |
24 | Tanner Bibee | P | |
25 | Bryce Miller | P | |
26 | Eury Perez | P | |
27 | Shane McClanahan | P | |
28 | Logan Webb | P | |
29 | Joe Ryan | P | |
30 | Framber Valdez | P | |
31 | Andrew Painter | P | X |
32 | Jackson Jobe | P | X |
33 | Bryan Woo | P | |
34 | Zac Gallen | P | |
35 | Sandy Alcantara | P | |
36 | Mason Miller | RP | |
37 | Luis Castillo | P | |
38 | Taj Bradley | P | |
39 | Hunter Brown | P | |
40 | Aaron Nola | P | |
41 | Kumar Rocker | P | X |
42 | Carlos Rodon | P | |
43 | Sonny Gray | P | |
44 | Bubba Chandler | P | X |
45 | Michael King | P | |
46 | Reynaldo Lopez | P | |
47 | Shota Imanaga | P | |
48 | Jack Flaherty | P | |
49 | Max Fried | P | |
50 | Emmanuel Clase | RP | |
51 | Edwin Diaz | RP | |
52 | Shane Baz | P | |
53 | Felix Bautista | RP | |
54 | Josh Hader | RP | |
55 | Brandon Pfaadt | P | |
56 | Devin Williams | RP | |
57 | Ryan Helsley | RP | |
58 | Nick Lodolo | P | |
59 | Jhoan Duran | RP | |
60 | Justin Steele | P | |
61 | MacKenzie Gore | P | |
62 | Noah Schultz | P | X |
63 | Jesus Luzardo | P | |
64 | Shane Bieber | P | |
65 | Yusei Kikuchi | P | |
66 | Bailey Ober | P | |
67 | Ryan Pepiot | P | |
68 | Quinn Mathews | P | X |
69 | Robbie Ray | P | |
70 | Nick Pivetta | P | |
71 | Kyle Harrison | P | |
72 | Kyle Bradish | P | |
73 | Andres Munoz | RP | |
74 | Kodai Senga | P | |
75 | Mitch Keller | P | |
76 | Tanner Houck | P | |
77 | Gavin Williams | P | |
78 | Ranger Suarez | P | |
79 | Brayan Bello | P | |
80 | Kevin Gausman | P | |
81 | Luis Gil | P | |
82 | Clarke Schmidt | P | |
83 | Cristopher Sanchez | P | |
84 | Brandon Woodruff | P | |
85 | Zebby Matthews | P | X |
86 | Zach Eflin | P | |
87 | Chase Burns | P | X |
88 | Tink Hence | P | X |
89 | Raisel Iglesias | RP | |
90 | Bobby Miller | P | |
91 | Nathan Eovaldi | P | |
92 | Chase Dollander | P | X |
93 | Jose Berrios | P | |
94 | Sean Manaea | P | |
95 | Kutter Crawford | P | |
96 | Spencer Arrighetti | P | |
97 | Nestor Cortes | P | |
98 | Luis Severino | P | |
99 | Cade Horton | P | X |
100 | Jeffrey Springs | P | |
101 | Tobias Myers | P | |
102 | Alejandro Rosario | P | X |
103 | Brandon Sproat | P | X |
104 | Hayden Birdsong | P | |
105 | David Festa | P | |
106 | Robert Suarez | RP | |
107 | Christian Scott | P | X |
108 | Bowden Francis | P | |
109 | Ben Joyce | RP | |
110 | Rhett Lowder | P | X |
111 | Yu Darvish | P | |
112 | Hagen Smith | P | X |
113 | Dustin May | P | |
114 | Luke Weaver | RP | |
115 | Seth Lugo | P | |
116 | Lucas Erceg | RP | |
117 | Travis Sykora | P | X |
118 | Drew Rasmussen | RP | |
119 | Tanner Scott | RP | |
120 | Ronel Blanco | P | |
121 | Ryne Nelson | P | |
122 | Reese Olson | P | |
123 | Pete Fairbanks | RP | |
124 | Braxton Garrett | P | |
125 | Ben Brown | P | |
126 | Thomas White | P | |
127 | AJ Smith-Shawver | P | X |
128 | Erick Fedde | P | |
129 | Emmet Sheehan | P | |
130 | Ryan Weathers | P | |
131 | A.J. Puk | RP | |
132 | Michael Kopech | RP | |
133 | Michael Wacha | P | |
134 | Brady Singer | P | |
135 | Jacob Misiorowski | RP | X |
136 | Landon Knack | P | X |
137 | Aaron Civale | P | |
138 | Luis Garcia | P | |
139 | Jameson Taillon | P | |
140 | Nick Martinez | P | |
141 | Andrew Abbott | P | |
142 | Porter Hodge | RP | |
143 | Orion Kerkering | RP | |
144 | Cristian Javier | P | |
145 | Ricky Tiedemann | P | X |
146 | Edward Cabrera | P | |
147 | Jarlin Susana | P | X |
148 | Walker Buehler | P | |
149 | Griffin Jax | RP | |
150 | Reid Detmers | P |