Parker Messick

Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Parker Messick made his big league debut with the club in 2025, going 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA (2.98 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP in seven starts down the stretch. Impressively, the southpaw walked opposing batters at just a 3.6 percent rate, which was well below league average. It was also well below his career walk rate in the minors of 8.5 read more...

Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Parker Messick made his big league debut with the club in 2025, going 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA (2.98 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP in seven starts down the stretch. Impressively, the southpaw walked opposing batters at just a 3.6 percent rate, which was well below league average. It was also well below his career walk rate in the minors of 8.5 percent, so it would be unreasonable to expect that number to stick over the course of a full season in the majors, which could have a negative impact on WHIP and eventually ERA. Be that as it may, the former second-round draft pick struck batters out at a higher than average clip during those seven starts (23.0 percent vs. 22.2 percent), which followed a history of striking batters out at a high rate in the minors (28.5 percent), so there is still good reason to like him for fantasy as the ERA should be held in check. Armed with perhaps the best changeup of any pitcher in the minor leagues, if the 25-year-old can earn a spot in the Opening Day rotation this spring (or shortly thereafter), he should prove to be a value pick based on his current NFBC ADP of 353, as RotoBaller ranks the 6-foot lefty at 279 overall.less...