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Griffin Canning 2021 Outlook: In Search of a Higher Ceiling
4 years agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning didn't take the step forward in his second season that many had hoped for. In fact, his WHIP took a slight downturn to 1.37 due to an elevated walk rate of 9.7%. Otherwise, his peripherals were mostly the same as 2019 and produced a ho-hum profile from a fantasy perspective. There are some silver linings, though. First, he never got truly beat up, never yielding more than four earned runs in a start. Also, he was at his best in his final two starts of 2020, giving up one ER in each while striking out 17 in his final 11 innings.
Canning may not be ready to make huge strides to fantasy stardom but he offers a high degree of safety at the back end of a rotation. He is still experimenting with his four-pitch mix to keep hitters off balance but must throw more strikes to last longer into games. Canning's ADP of 305 makes him an afterthought in most drafts. He offers more safety than other young hurlers going around that range such as Mitch Keller and Domingo German but the ceiling may not high enough to entice drafters.
