X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 Third-Year Starters Set To Break Out

Baseball continually churns out new stars yearly. Some are stars from the minute they arrive, while others can take some time to reach their sporting pinnacles.

Here we present a quartet of young starting pitchers who are on the verge of new frontiers, destined for previously unseen success.

These are your third-year starting pitchers set to break out in 2017.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Third-Year Starters Bound for a Breakout

Lance McCullers - Houston Astros

Right-hander Lance McCullers has appeared destined for big things since first arriving on the scene back in 2015. However, the 23-year-old has struggled to fulfill his full potential, dealing with elbow and shoulder injuries last season. For that reason, he has a measly 12-12 record through his first two professional seasons. Still, McCullers should be held to high expectations this year, as he already demonstrated in his first spring start, which saw him go perfect in two innings.

Last season, his 81.4 LOB% was one of the top four in the league, while his 57.3 GB% ranked third. Additionally, while his BB/9 ratio went up from 3.08 to 5.00, his K/9 number soared from 9.25 in 2015 to 11.78, evening out well with his ground ball inducing ability. Should he make it the whole season sans injury, McCullers will overtake Dallas Keuchel as team ace. Considering the pieces Houston has in place, he could be one of the top pitchers in the American League this season.

 

Carlos Rodon - Chicago White Sox

After a promising rookie season with the White Sox two years ago, Carlos Rodon appeared to take a step back last year. The 24-year-old won nine games for the second consecutive season, but lost four additional games, finishing the season a game under .500. His ERA also went up, and he gave up more home runs. However, the bright spots came in Rodon’s strikeout and walk rates, which went up and down, respectively. His 2016 campaign was a tale of two halves, as his numbers saw a significant boost after the all-star break. While he posted a 4.50 ERA prior to the break, he pitched to an ERA of a full run less in the second half.

Now a year wiser and with more experience, it shouldn’t be too much to expect a continuation of his second half of last season to drag onto this year. More strikeouts, less walks and more faith in his pitches will go a long way in making Carlos Rodon a revelation and a terrific number two starter in the rotation behind Jose Quintana. With an ADP nearing 200, he'll be available in the later rounds and will be a draft day steal for those who snatch him up.

 

Jerad Eickhoff - Philadelphia Phillies

Indiana native Jerad Eickhoff has displayed flashes of brilliance in his two seasons with the Phillies, but his teammates have failed to carry him and his record. Although he features a 3.44 career ERA in 41 starts, his record stands at a disappointing 14-17. In terms of his stuff alone, the 26-year-old doesn’t strike out a substantial number of batters, but he does walk very few, induce a healthy number of ground balls and strands plenty of runners.

Eickhoff is a horse in the rotation, having nearly surpassed the 200-inning mark last season while not missing a start and going over six innings in over two-thirds of his outings. Run support ultimately felled his record, as he ranked below the top 50 pitchers in the category. While this aspect of his season was one of the reasons for his struggles, his FIP was a high 4.19. Eickhoff's struggles with home runs plays a role in this outcome, but he's been working on improving these situations by ramping up use of his changeup, thus improving his arsenal of pitches. Ultimately, the high ballpark home run factor at Citizens Bank may play a role in this. Considering how he managed last year with an abnormal amount of home runs surrendered, he seems poised to succeed, despite that detriment. Even if he remains a mid-rotation starter, Eickhoff is poised to be a highly consistent one, and even the slightest improvement in run support will work wonders for his record.

 

Brandon Finnegan - Cincinnati Reds

Just a quick glance at Brandon Finnegan’s 10-11 record with a 3.98 ERA doesn’t tell the story of his 2016 campaign. The 23-year-old, in his third season and second as a starter, might have made a monumental discovery late in the season. From his last start in July through the end of the season, he surrendered more than three runs in an outing just once. By late August, he was pitching like a full blown ace, and he posted a 1.93 ERA and an impressive 11.3 K/9 ratio in his last seven starts.

The big change Finnegan made was integrating the changeup more into his pitching repertoire. His changeup wound up becoming his very best pitch down the stretch as he pitched the best baseball we’ve seen yet. Looking forward, everything is firmly in place for Finnegan to emerge as Cincinnati’s best starting pitcher. The one adjustment that could make this official would be lowering his walks, which saw a rise per nine innings last year.

 

More Potential Breakouts




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Keon Coleman

Leads the Team With 11 Targets on Sunday
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Ravens
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates Targets in Seattle, Records 124 Receiving Yards in Week 1
Puka Nacua

Leads Rams in Targets, Catches, and Receiving Yards in Week 1
Logan O'Hoppe

Exits After Concussion Scare, Status Remains Unclear
Christian McCaffrey

Logs 31 Touches in Season Opener
Travis Etienne Jr.

Dominates Backfield Touches in Jacksonville, Posts Monster Day
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Russell Wilson

Giants Won't Commit to Russell Wilson as Week 2 Starter
Drake London

Day-to-Day with Shoulder Sprain
George Kittle

and Jauan Jennings to Undergo MRIs
Jake Moody

49ers to Evaluate Kicker Position After Jake Moody Struggles
Evan Engram

Questionable to Return Against Titans
Daniel Palencia

to Miss Time With Shoulder Injury
Jauan Jennings

Questionable to Return With Shoulder Injury
Emeka Egbuka

Scores Twice in NFL Debut
Aaron Rodgers

Throws Four Touchdowns in Week 1
Justin Fields

Scores Three Times in Loss
Daniel Jones

Excellent in Colts Debut Sunday
Puka Nacua

Clears Concussion Check, Returns to Game
George Kittle

Scores TD Before Being Ruled Out With Hamstring Injury
Puka Nacua

Taken to Locker Room for Concussion Evaluation
Byron Buxton

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Trea Turner

Suffers Hamstring Strain
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP