Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers With RP Eligibility: Yahoo Position Eligibility

March 14, 2026

Joey's sneaky starting pitcher fantasy baseball sleepers, draft targets with relief pitcher position eligibility in 2026. Insert these SPs into RP slots on Yahoo.

There is a real advantage in finding starting pitchers with relief pitcher eligibility in fantasy baseball leagues. Sometimes, it can even be considered a cheat code. A few years ago, Cole Ragans had both SP/RP eligibility in Yahoo leagues. Ragans then had a 3.14 ERA and 223 strikeouts in a breakout campaign in 2024.

In this article, we will be looking at five starting pitchers who have SP/RP eligibility on Yahoo. These pitchers are fantastic value picks at their current ADP and could be a weapon for your fantasy team in that RP slot. All five of these pitchers are currently going outside the top-125 picks in the current Yahoo ADP.

So, who are the best SP/RP pitchers to target in fantasy baseball drafts? Let's dive in and find out.

Ryne Nelson, SP/RP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Yahoo ADP -  192.3

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson was fantastic as a starter last season, with a 3.16 ERA and 105 strikeouts across 23 starts. He was a consistent fantasy option and maintained a low ERA throughout the year. This was easily a breakthrough campaign for Nelson, who finished with a career-high 3.5 WAR.

Following a solid season on the mound, Nelson will remain a starter for the Diamondbacks in 2026. He should slot in behind Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen in the rotation and is a great pick at his current ADP, just above the top-200.

The big reason Nelson is going later in drafts is that he doesn't strike out many batters. He only struck out 105 batters in 154 innings pitched last year and finished with only a 21.6% whiff rate and a 21.3% strikeout rate. However, the right-hander will still be a valuable pick later in drafts due to his potential to carry a low ERA and WHIP this season.

Nelson finished in the upper half of the league in walk rate (6.6%) and barrel rate (7.5%) and ended the year with a stellar 1.07 WHIP. With Corbin Burnes at least out through the first half, the 28-year-old is locked into a consistent role in the rotation. That's enough to take a chance on him in the later rounds.

Quinn Priester, SP/RP, Milwaukee Brewers

Yahoo ADP -  193.4

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester was one of the biggest breakout starters last season. He was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Brewers in early April and immediately became a fantasy star. Priester went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.239 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts across 157 1/3 innings pitched. This was another example of the Brewers fixing a pitcher at the major league level.

Priester was really good for most of the season. His expected ERA (3.66) was very close to his actual ERA (3.32), his 3.01 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 12 starts after the All-Star break were solid, and the right-hander ranked around league average in expected batting average against (.237), average exit velocity (89 mph), walk rate (7.7%), and hard-hit rate (39.4%).

Thinking about that time we won 19 straight games when Quinn Priester pitched pic.twitter.com/XpVQLU8wlo

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 15, 2026

Considering Priester is entering his first full season with the Brewers, he should remain a consistent fantasy piece this year. Opposing hitters really struggled against his off-speed stuff last year, as hitters batted just .216 against his slider and .143 against his curveball. Those two pitches accounted for roughly half of his total strikeouts in 2025.

Therefore, Priester is worth a look at his current price tag. Even though he is expected to begin the season on the injured list, the Brewers right-hander is a strong stash candidate in drafts. He was excellent on the mound last season, and fantasy managers can put him in either the SP or RP spot in all Yahoo! leagues.

Joey Cantillo, SP/RP, Cleveland Guardians

Yahoo ADP -  206.5

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo is currently fighting for that final rotation spot in spring training. Either Cantillo or Parker Messick will earn that  No. 5 spot in Cleveland's rotation to begin the 2026 season. That rotation battle is why the left-hander has an ADP outside the top 200 in Yahoo ADP.

But Cantillo has a good chance to earn that final rotation spot following an incredible September. Although the 26-year-old spent most of the second half in Triple-A, he showed his potential when the Guardians called him up in the final month. Cantillo had a 1.55 ERA and 28 strikeouts across five September starts. His best start during this stretch came when he threw eight shutout innings against the Royals on September 9.

The southpaw spent most of the 2025 season bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen. In both roles, though, Cantillo showed some promise. He ranked in the upper half of the league in expected ERA (3.71), expected batting average against (.229), barrel rate (7.2%), whiff rate (29.7%), and strikeout rate (26.9%).

That strikeout upside makes Cantillo an appealing draft selection in the later rounds. He has a good chance to make Cleveland's rotation and can be started as an "RP" in Yahoo leagues.

Braxton Ashcraft, SP/RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Yahoo ADP -  198.7

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft is one of the best starting pitchers with RP eligibility in fantasy baseball drafts. He made his major league debut with the Pirates last season and immediately made an impact on the mound. Ashcraft finished with a 2.71 ERA and 71 strikeouts across 69 2/3 innings pitched.

Ashcraft spent time as both a starter and a reliever last year, but he was far better as a starter. The 26-year-old had a 2.16 ERA and 35 strikeouts across his eight starts and allowed one run or fewer in six of those outings. It's hard not to fall in love with the right-hander after dominating at the major league level in 2025.

Braxton Ashcraft's 3Ks in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/ebzicT00WG

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 15, 2025

So, Ashcraft should be on every fantasy manager's draft board this year. He is set to start the season in Pittsburgh's rotation, and a potential breakout campaign could be in store for him. The Pirates pitcher ranked in the 75th percentile or better in expected ERA (3.43), average fastball velocity (96.8 mph), average exit velocity (88 mph), and barrel rate (4.6%) last season.

Ashcraft has SP/RP eligibility on most platforms and is a top high-upside pick in the later rounds.

Chase Burns, SP/RP, Cincinnati Reds

Yahoo ADP -  129.9

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns definitely struggled in his first taste of the big leagues last year. He finished with a 4.57 ERA across 13 appearances and was inconsistent as a starter once being called up by the Reds in late May. Burns allowed at least three runs in four of his eight starts, which included giving up seven runs (five earned runs) across 1/3 of an inning in his second career start.

Those struggles are a large reason why Burns has to earn that final rotation spot this spring. The 23-year-old will be battling with Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson over the next month to see who earns that No. 5 spot. However, Burns has the potential to win that spot and become a reliable fantasy option in 2026.

Chase Burns, Dirty 89mph Slider. 😨 pic.twitter.com/5rjNVhiICk

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 21, 2026

Despite plenty of up-and-down performances last year, Burns showed his upside in a number of starts. He gave up two earned runs with 10 strikeouts against the Rockies on July 11 and threw six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts against the Pirates on August 8. The Reds pitcher also had a stretch where he struck out 10 batters in four of five starts.

If he indeed wins that final rotation spot out of spring, Burns is a great pick at his current ADP. His expected ERA (3.48) was 109 points lower than his actual ERA (4.57) last year, and the young right-hander ranked in the upper half of the league in expected batting average against (.218), chase rate (31.5%), whiff rate (31.9%), and strikeout rate (35.6%)

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