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Where Have All The Pitchers Gone?
It is widely believed that the enlightened fantasy baseball drafter can find plenty of talent in the later rounds of the draft. So you finish up the outfield, pick up the all-important backup catcher and then - BAM! - where did all the pitchers go?
Have no fear. There are a few hidden gems in the SP department that most of your competitors will likely overlook. I will take a look at some of the deeper league options below, as these pitchers can return nice production and value based on their lower draft day prices.
Editor's Note: Check out more of RotoBaller's starting pitcher rankings analysis, and also our other fantasy baseball rankings articles for all other positions. Let's win some leagues!
Undervalued Starting Pitcher Options
Josh Collmenter: ADP 285
Rarely does one see a club's unquestioned ace go potentially undrafted. When that ace throws a fastball in the high-80s and is on a team that finished with the worst record in baseball in 2014, it starts to make more sense. No one is saying Collmenter will blow batters away for the Diamondbacks in 2015, especially playing games in a hitter-friendly ballpark. Still, his 285 ADP is too low.
Over the past four years, Collmenter has posted a 3.46 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP in the aforementioned ballpark. Plus, he's entering the prime of his career. Bottom line - if you're looking for the last one or two SPs to sure up your roster, Collmenter will be one of the most consistent options available.
Kevin Gausman: ADP 258
Disclaimer: Gausman is not yet a lock for the Baltimore Orioles rotation. It didn't take long for Gausman and his 99 mph fastball to take over Ubaldo Jimenez's spot in 2014. It's worth noting that Jimenez was dreadful in 2014, walking 77 batters (fifth in the league) and posting all around pitiful stats (4.81 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and a 6-9 record behind Baltimore's high-powered offense).
Management in Baltimore expects Gausman to have a breakout season in 2015. Even after posting handsome numbers in his brief MLB stint last season (88 Ks in only 113.1 innings, 3.57 ERA), the "Gas Man" is still a risky pick. If he's still around in the later rounds, he could be a valuable sleeper pickup.
Matt Shoemaker: ADP 191
If José Abreu were never genetically engineered by the baseball Gods, Shoemaker would have been a lock for AL Rookie of the Year in 2014. Let's compare him to another rookie like Marcus Stroman. Stroman's value was high among starting pitchers prior to tearing his ACL earlier this week. Shoemaker pitched more innings (136.0), sported a significantly lower ERA (3.04), and his 5.17 K/BB ratio was good for 10th in the league. Stroman's ADP was 158 a few days ago. What gives?
Critics say that the 28-year-old Shoemaker will regress to his less-than-impressive minor league numbers. I see a pitcher entering his prime playing at a very high level behind a very strong team. You can believe the skeptics if you want, but Shoemaker was one of the best in the league going down the stretch in 2014. Consider him a high-ceiling SP3 going into the draft.
