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MLB starting pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. is a potential 2022 fantasy baseball sleeper and ADP draft value. Target him as an undervalued SP and late-round sleeper.
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 310
CURRENT ADP: ~339 overall
ANALYSIS: Cortes rocks a five-pitch mix with three primaries (four-seamer, cutter, slider) and embraces his slot as a Mario Brother. What more could you ask for? Alright, we’ll go on. Cortes had bounced around the league, spending 2019 with the Yankees before a wayward 2020 with Seattle, but found his form in ‘21. The lefty was a strong multi-inning reliever in June for NYY before his success (17 ⅔ IP, 2 ER, 8 BB, 25 K) yielded an opportunity as a starter.
The 27-year-old started slowly but was eventually going five innings or more at will, though Aaron Boone loves his bullpen and rarely let Cortes go more than six frames. Perhaps it all worked out, as Cortes would deliver a 3.07 ERA with a 75/17 K/BB ratio in 73 ⅓ IP as a starter. There is the .255 BABIP and 4.21 FIP, this isn’t THAT easy, as Cortes struggled with homers (1.6 HR/9). Low walks helped limit the damage, but it is a tenuous tightrope to walk. Now preparing as a starter, Cortes can lean on his wider pitch mix to battle both lefties and righties in the box and would be an excellent mid-tier SP to pick up in the final rounds.
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