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

Starting Pitcher Prospect Rankings - 2018 Impact Rookies

Edward Sutelan's top 10 starting pitcher prospect rankings for 2018. His fantasy baseball rankings for MLB rookie SP who can make impacts in 2018 redraft leagues.

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm updating my top 10 starting pitchers - MLB prospect rankings for the 2018 fantasy baseball season.

There’s already been a ton of top pitching prospects promoted this season. Let’s take a look at some of the rookie pitchers at the MLB level: Shohei Ohtani, Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Josh Hader, Fernando Romero and Tyler Mahle. All of these guys were considered consensus top 100 prospects before being called up and now are all contributing to fantasy owners fortunate enough to pick them up earlier in the year.

In a year with one of the strongest rookie classes to date, it could only get better with guys like Alex Reyes and Michael Kopech knocking on the door. You won’t find guys like Buehler or Ohtani on here since they are already in the majors. Instead, these are guys who have not had a chance to shine just yet, but bring plenty of fantasy upside for owners looking to make a clutch snag on the waiver wire to help fill in some holes in the rotation.

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

 

Top Starting Pitching Prospects Moving Forward

1. Alex Reyes (STL, AA)
Stats: 16.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.84 FIP, 52.5% K%, 10.2% BB%, 0.0% HR/FB
ETA: Late May
Before he had Tommy John surgery, Reyes was widely regarded as the top pitching prospect in baseball and was seen as someone ready to help out the St. Louis Cardinals entering the 2017 season. He’s now back and he’s dominating minor-league hitters once again in his rehab outings. Though there was a chance he would be eased back into the pitching staff of the big-league club, Reyes will reportedly rejoin the Cardinals once he is activated from the DL, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold.

As evidenced by those numbers, Reyes is an absolute machine for strikeouts and has the stuff to be a true top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. His control could waver and he might have a couple rough starts here and there. It also feels likely he will be moved to the bullpen near the end of the season to monitor his innings. But for owners in redraft leagues, there is no more valuable pitcher in the minors to own the rest of the season. He should be added to all rosters ASAP.

2. Michael Kopech (CWS, AAA)
Stats: 40.1 IP, 4.02 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 30.6% K%, 11.0% BB%, 5.4% HR/FB%
ETA: Early July
For as good as Reyes, there are some scouts who feel Kopech could be better. He throws just as hard if not harder than Reyes with a better breaking ball, spinning up a low-90s slider that can be an untouchable pitch for him. The biggest difference between the two is that Reyes has a better changeup than Kopech — one of the main reasons the Chicago White Sox have provided for keeping Kopech in the minors — and Reyes’ control is probably a little more consistent (at least, before he had surgery). But Kopech has another unhittable repertoire and should be among the American League’s leaders in strikeouts for seasons to come. For redraft owners in 2018, Kopech will provide incredible strikeout upside with the risk of the occasional clunker. He will probably be promoted later this summer and will be worth owning in most leagues for that strikeout upside.

3. Nick Kingham (PIT, AAA)
Stats: 33.2 IP, 2.94 ERA, 2.41 FIP, 24.5% K%, 7.9% BB%, 0.0% HR/FB
ETA: Early June
Kingham is not a dominant pitcher like the ones mentioned above. His fastball is more of a low-90s pitch with movement with a pair of average, low-90s breaking balls and an above-average changeup that’s about 7 miles per hour slower than his fastball. Where Kingham finds success is with his control. He can locate his pitches effectively and keeps the ball in the yard. He also has spent time in the majors this season with success and just needs a rotation spot to open up for him to stay up for good. He won’t always be the King of the hill like some of the other pitchers on this list, but Kingham should be a consistent starting option by the end of the summer who provides value to owners in 12-plus-team leagues.

4. Kolby Allard (ATL, AAA)
Stats: 49.0 IP, 2.02 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 18.4% K%, 6.6% BB%, 5.7% HR/FB
ETA: Mid-June
If you could spin Kingham around and make him pitch left-handed, the product would probably look a lot like Allard. The Atlanta Braves’ 20-year-old southpaw doesn’t blow hitters away with gas, but mixes an average fastball up well with a plus curveball and a plus changeup. Like Kingham, Allard hits his spots consistently and will keep the ball from leaving the ballpark because of his impeccable command of the strike zone. The youngest pitcher on this list, Allard has a chance to join teammate Mike Soroka later this season in the Braves’ rotation and form the middle of what figures to eventually become one of the most dominant starting fives in baseball when the rest of the Braves’ pitchers are developed. He will also be a consistent option for fantasy owners once he’s called up for owners in 12-plus-team leagues.

5. Max Fried (ATL, AAA)
Stats: 26.0 IP, 3.12 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 23.6% K%, 10.9% BB%, 0.0% HR/FB
ETA: Early June
Fried is often a frustrating pitcher to watch. It’s tough to call a 24-year-old a Quad-A player, but right now, that seems to be where he is. His plus fastball/curveball combination is simply overpowering Triple-A batters right now, but he can’t locate well enough to get big-league hitters out and has consistently been clobbered when he reaches the majors. Fried has what it takes to succeed in the majors, but he needs to find a way to become more consistent with his command. He’s been up and down throughout this season and that should probably continue until eventually he shows that he belongs. He could bring strikeout upside worth owning in 12-plus-team leagues to justify taking the risk on him. But owners are advised to exercise caution with Fried.

6. Shane Bieber (CLE, AAA)
Stats: 58.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 24.8% K%, 1.4% BB%, 5.9% HR/FB
ETA: Early July
Both Kingham and Allard at least had one plus offering. Kingham had his fastball and Allard has the changeup. Bieber has none. His repertoire is all average or above-average pitches at best. However, Bieber brings truly elite control to the mound when he starts. He can locate his average repertoire wherever he needs and that has allowed him to dominate minor-league hitters throughout his pro career since he debuted in 2016. Walks will never be an issue for him at the big-league level unless something drastic happens to him and he just falls off a cliff. He might not strike out a lot of batters out, but he certainly could be a consistent starting option for fantasy owners. And with the Cleveland Indians currently lacking a great fifth option, Bieber could be their guy by the time the middle of the summer rolls around. His high floor makes him a potentially attractive asset to owners in 12-plus-team leagues who don’t want to take a risk on someone like Fried who could be hit or miss.

7. Chance Adams (NYY, AAA)
Stats: 40.1 IP, 4.69 ERA, 4.57 FIP, 24.9% K%, 9.5% BB%, 13.0% HR/FB
ETA: Early August
Adams had been producing solid results each of his past two seasons in the minors and people began to wonder why the New York Yankees weren’t giving him a Chance at the majors. It seems the concern was justified given how much Adams has struggled this season. He brings two plus pitches and two average offspeed offerings, but his command has wavered in 2018. His walk rate is way up and he often misses over the heart of the plate, which has led him to be susceptible to home runs this season. Adams has shown he has what it takes to get batters out and he could still be a No. 3 starting pitcher.

In his last outing, he spun seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts, one hit and two walks. Maybe he’s turning things around. Regardless, he probably won’t be called up by New York this year unless there’s an injury. But he seems like a pretty likely trade chip and could debut with another team that doesn’t have as deep of a rotation. He still offers enough to be a worthy add in deeper leagues if he does get his chance.

8. Corbin Burnes (MIL, AAA)
Stats: 41.0 IP, 4.83 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 24.4% K%, 8.3% BB%, 7.1% HR/FB
ETA: Early August
The numbers don’t look great for Burnes, but he has pitched in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in the brutal home of Colorado Springs. Nearly every Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect to go through there experiences difficulties, and even Burnes was no exception to this rule. This should not discourage fantasy owners however. Burnes’ peripherals show a glimpse of what kind of pitcher he could be. With a well-rounded repertoire and plus control, Burnes stands out for his high floor as a reliable middle-to-back-end-of-the-rotation starter with decent strikeout numbers. And with Milwaukee’s struggles to round out its pitching rotation this season and keep everyone healthy, Burnes could be a midseason promotion candidate to help shore up the rotation.

9. Sandy Alcantara (MIA, AAA)
Stats: 46.0 IP, 3.52 ERA, 4.36 FIP, 19.2% K%, 8.8% BB%, 7.7% HR/FB
ETA: Late July
There’s pitchers on this list like Bieber, Burnes and the next pitcher on our list with a fairly average repertoire of pitches yet a high strikeout rate. Alcantara’s repertoire is closer to that of the two names at the top: high-octane fastball and wipeout breaking ball that give him a dominant one-two punch. However, the stuff has not equated to decent strikeout numbers this season. Oddly enough, his walk rates are low as well, which given his track record of below-average control is bizarre. Alcantara has what it takes to strike plenty of batters out as he showed in the majors last season when he K’d 10 batters in eight innings. He should get a chance later this season to start with a really bad Miami Marlins team and could find his strikeout groove there. If not, as long as he can keep that walk rate down, he should have some value to owners.

10. Griffin Canning (LAA, AA)
Stats: 27.2 IP, 1.95 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 27.5% K%, 12.8% BB%, 9.1% HR/FB
ETA: September
This might seem bold given that he was just drafted in 2017, but Canning was been better than advertised since the Los Angeles Angels selected him 47th overall. Canning dominated Advanced Class-A earlier this season in his professional debut before earning a promotion to Double-A, where he has started two combined no-hitters already. His repertoire has just one plus pitch — his changeup — but also does not have a below-average pitch in a four-pitch mix. He also boasts plus-control that should help him adjust to the majors quicker. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times noted that while Angels’ general manager Billy Eppler doesn’t promote prospects from Double-A, Canning could be someone who reaches Triple-A and then serves some role in September. If he has able to carry over this success to the majors, he could be a valuable arm to own for fantasy owners down the playoff run of the season.

 

More MLB Prospects and Rookies




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

Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF