Brandon McCarthy (SP, LAD) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target Mid-to-Late Rounds in All Leagues

ANALYSIS: An increasingly popular strategy in fantasy drafts is to wait until the middle and later rounds to find starting pitching. Brandon McCarthy (ADP 235) is a prime example as to why it is best to follow this strategy during your draft. After the Diamondbacks traded McCarthy last season to the Yankees, he was encouraged to revert back to throwing his cutter more often in place of his sinker. The change in pitch selection paid major dividends, as he put up a fantastic 2.89 ERA and 8.2 K/9 in 14 starts for the Yankees last season. The exceptional 2nd half performance helped him cash in on a 4-year deal with the Dodgers this past offseason.

McCarthy pitched 200 innings for the first time in his career in 2014 and he struck out 175 batters, also a career high. His draft position is likely so low because of his 3-10 record and 5.01 ERA for the Diamondbacks last season before being traded to New York. However, his 3.82 FIP for Arizona indicates he wasn't pitching nearly as poorly in the desert as his ERA and record suggested.

It isn't so far-fetched to expect McCarthy to pitch similarly to how he ended last season with the Yankees. With Oakland he was very good when healthy from 2011-2012, accumulating a 3.28 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 43 starts.

At age 31, signs are pointing towards a career year in 2015 for a rejuvenated McCarthy if he can continue to avoid the disabled list. The move to a more pitching-friendly park should only help his numbers, and the Dodgers figure to give him plenty of run support. Currently the 66th overall SP being selected on average, McCarthy represents one of the finest starting pitching values to target in all of fantasy baseball.