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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Starting Pitcher Breakouts Who’ll Continue to Improve - Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets

Freddy Peralta - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

Each year in the MLB, there’s always a handful of players who finally breakout and show their true potential. Oftentimes, some of these breakouts are legit, and for others, it’s just a fluke solid season.

That was again the case during the 2021 regular season. We saw a ton of strong showings from some unexpected contributors. We’ll see this season if those were legit breakthroughs or just one-year wonders.

Nevertheless, here are three breakout pitchers from 2021 who I feel will build off that strong campaign and will only continue to improve this upcoming season. 

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

 

Freddy Peralta - Milwaukee Brewers

I personally have always been a big Freddy Peralta fan. It was only a matter of time before he would put it all together.

In his fourth season in the big leagues, the righty solidified himself as one of the top young starters in the game. Peralta was named to his first-career All-Star game and finished with a 2.81 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 27 starts.

Peralta has always been a high swing-and-miss pitcher over his career, recording 195 strikeouts over 144 innings and an average of 12.2 K/9 innings. He finished 39th in baseball (92nd/95th percentile, respectively) in both whiff rate (34.1%) and strikeout rate (33.6%). 

Peralta relies on a nice five-pitch mix consisting of a fastball, changeup, slider, curveball, and sinker. One of the biggest differences we saw this past season from the right-hander is his increased usage of his breaking balls.

(Via: Baseball Savant)

Peralta leaned on his fastball just 51% of the time, compared to 73% in 2020 and 78% in 2019. He increased his slider usage to 26.4% this past season and registered a 43.1% whiff rate and 2.5% put away percentage with the pitch.

While Peralta saw a slight increase in the home run department (0.9 HR/9), he had a significant improvement with a 6% barrel percentage. That mark improved from the 35th percentile two seasons ago, all the way up to the 78th percentile this season.

With his new and improved arsenal and a solidified spot in the Brewers' rotation, the 25-year old should only continue to get better during the 2022 season and beyond.

 

Logan Webb - San Francisco Giants

Just as we all expected at the beginning of last season, Logan Webb figures to open the 2022 season as the San Francisco Giants' ace.

Heading into this past season, Webb had pitched to a 5.36 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over a combined 21 appearances at the big league level. His struggles even continued to begin the year as his results were up and down and he was bounced between the bullpen and rotation.

Then, suddenly in the second half, it all clicked for Webb. The young right-hander finished the year pitching six or more innings in 12 of his 14 outings. He allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of those outings, and the Giants went 13-1 as a team over that span.

He continued to shine on the biggest stage of them all, allowing just one run and striking out 17 during 14.2 postseason innings against the high-powered Dodgers lineup. Webb finished the year with 26 starts and posted a 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 2.72 FIP.

So, what led to the sudden turnaround? Webb changed his plan of attack on the mound this season. The right-hander relies on a five-pitch repertoire consisting of a sinker, slider, changeup, fastball, and cutter.

Over his first two big league seasons, the fastball was Webb’s go-to pitch, throwing it 44% and 34% of the time in 2019 and 2020. This past season, he changed things up a bit, turning himself into more of a three-pitch pitcher.

Webb leaned on either his sinker, slider, or changeup 89% of the time this past season, and just 10% of the time he turned to the fastball. It certainly worked, as Webb generated stellar ground ball rates with both his sinker (68.8%) and changeup (67.3%).

Additionally, he saw a decrease in his walk rate and an increase in his strikeout, whiff, and chase rates. Webb’s 26.5% overall strikeout rate and 46.7% strikeout rate with his slider were both career-highs. 

I think this is just the beginning of the Logan Webb breakout. He dominated later in the season and carried it into the postseason. Still, at just 25 years old, the former fourth-round pick has the ability to solidify himself as the Giants' ace this season.

 

Dylan Cease - Chicago White Sox

The ceiling has always been sky-high for hard-throwing right-hander Dylan Cease. During spring training, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal even went as far as saying Cease could possibly be a Cy Young winner down the road.

He finally backed up his teammates' talk and showed his true colors with a breakout 2021 season. Cease posted a 3.91 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, and struck out 226 batters over 165 innings. He led the league with a career-high 32 starts and an average of 12.3 K/9.

His 31.9% strike-out rate (45th in baseball) and 34.6% whiff rate (32nd in baseball) finished in the 93rd and 92nd percentiles, respectively. That K-rate was a significant 14.6% increase from the prior season.

As pointed out by Vinnie Duber of NBCSports Chicago, Cease certainly benefited from working with pitching coach Ethan Katz, who also helped transform fellow White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito into the ace he is today.

Cease’s biggest issue thus far at the big league level has been the walks. He was able to cut them down a bit last season, finishing with a 9.6% walk rate. While he could still use some work in that area, it was certainly a step in the right direction. 

Cease just began to scratch the surface this season, and with the help of Katz, he should only continue trending up next season and beyond. Look for Cease to be a big piece in the middle of the White Sox rotation during the 2022 season.

 

Who’s Next? Potential 2022 Breakouts

Some pitchers to keep an eye on as potential breakouts for the 2022 season include youngsters Triston McKenzie of the Guardians, Jesus Luzardo of the Marlins, Patrick Sandoval of the Angels, and Logan Gilbert of the Mariners. 

If he just stayed healthy, Sandoval could’ve easily been on this list for the 2022 season. Prior to being shut down due to a stress fracture in his back, the young southpaw had pitched to a 3.62 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and had a 27.9% whiff rate over 87 innings.

Luzardo hasn’t had much success so far at the big league level, but he is still just 24 years old and has a solid four-pitch mix. Gilbert struggled at times during his first stint in the majors but has shown some flashes of his upside and true potential.

McKenzie is probably the most intriguing of all four guys here. He is also still just 24 and has looked really impressive in his brief stints with Cleveland prior to injuries. If he can stay healthy, the Brooklyn native could play a huge role for the Guardians this season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Grayson Allen5 hours ago

Ruled Out Versus Kings
D'Angelo Russell6 hours ago

Suiting Up On Wednesday
Bradley Beal6 hours ago

Unavailable Wednesday
DK Metcalf7 hours ago

Puts In Full Practice On Wednesday
Henrik Norlander7 hours ago

Needs Strong Showing At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Michael Kim7 hours ago

Playing Well Down The Stretch
Nick Taylor7 hours ago

Returns To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Jhonattan Vegas8 hours ago

Playing Well Heading To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Matthias Schmid8 hours ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Patrick Rodgers8 hours ago

Heads To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Mackenzie Hughes8 hours ago

Debuts At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Maverick McNealy8 hours ago

Seeking Back-To-Back Top-10 Finishes In Bermuda
Lucas Glover8 hours ago

In A Groove Ahead Of Bermuda Championship
Andrew Putnam8 hours ago

A Player To Watch In Bermuda
PGA8 hours ago

Nico Echavarria In Top Form Heading To Bermuda
Jusuf Nurkic8 hours ago

Back On Wednesday Night
Anfernee Simons8 hours ago

Won't Suit Up Against The Timberwolves
Robert Williams III8 hours ago

Resting In Rematch With Minnesota
Deandre Ayton8 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Andre Drummond9 hours ago

Out Sick On Wednesday
Paul George9 hours ago

Won't Play Versus Cleveland
Joel Embiid9 hours ago

Sitting On Wednesday
Tage Thompson9 hours ago

Labeled As Day-To-Day
Mattias Samuelsson9 hours ago

Out Indefinitely
Gabriel Landeskog9 hours ago

Remains Without A Timeline
Jonas Brodin9 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Thursday
Tank Bigsby9 hours ago

Listed As DNP On Wednesday
Andre Drummond9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable On Wednesday
Tyreek Hill9 hours ago

Misses Wednesday's Practice
Hampus Lindholm10 hours ago

Expected To Miss "Weeks"
Jani Hakanpaa10 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Tee Higgins10 hours ago

Officially Limited On Wednesday
Marcus Smart10 hours ago

Set To Play Wednesday
Seth Jarvis10 hours ago

Set To Miss A Second Consecutive Game
Michael Pittman Jr.10 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Brian Thomas Jr.10 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Josh Jacobs10 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Mike Conley10 hours ago

Resting Wednesday Versus Portland
Kirk Cousins10 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Najee Harris10 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey11 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
George Kittle11 hours ago

Not Practicing On Wednesday
Brian Robinson Jr.11 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
DK Metcalf11 hours ago

To Be Limited In Wednesday's Practice
Sam LaPorta12 hours ago

Misses Practice, Remains Day-To-Day
J.J. McCarthy13 hours ago

Undergoes Second Knee Surgery
Gardner Minshew II13 hours ago

Will Start In Week 11
Tee Higgins14 hours ago

Won't Practice But Bengals Encouraged With His Progress
Isiah Pacheco14 hours ago

Unlikely To Return In Week 11
Younghoe Koo14 hours ago

Falcons Sticking With Younghoe Koo As Their Kicker
Dalton Kincaid14 hours ago

No Practice For Dalton Kincaid On Wednesday
Amari Cooper14 hours ago

To Be Limited On Wednesday
Nick Hardy17 hours ago

Looks To Find Consistency On The Greens In Bermuda
Carson Young18 hours ago

Hopes To Carry Recent Form To Bermuda
Brandon Clarke18 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday's Action
Kevin Yu18 hours ago

A Name To Watch At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Marcus Smart18 hours ago

Picks Up Questionable Tag Ahead Of Wednesday
Fred VanVleet18 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Wednesday
Steven Adams18 hours ago

Questionable For Meeting With Clippers
Dorian Finney-Smith18 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Another Game
Obi Toppin19 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday Night
Anthony Davis19 hours ago

Expected To Play Wednesday
Connor McDavid19 hours ago

Leads Oilers To Victory With Four-Point Effort
Neal Pionk19 hours ago

Records Three Assists In Historic Win
Linus Ullmark19 hours ago

Records First Shutout As Senator
Hampus Lindholm19 hours ago

Taken Out By A Lower-Body Injury
Sam Bennett19 hours ago

Battling An Upper-Body Injury
Lars Eller20 hours ago

Returns To Washington
Shohei Ohtani1 day ago

Among NL Silver Slugger Winners
Aaron Judge1 day ago

Headlines AL Silver Slugger Winners
Jose Alvarado1 day ago

Out Against OKC
Dante Fabbro1 day ago

Makes Blue Jackets Debut Tuesday
Wander Franco1 day ago

Now Facing Weapons Charges
Spencer Knight1 day ago

Set To Face Devils Tuesday
Travis d'Arnaud1 day ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Angels
Logan Stanley1 day ago

Added To Injured Reserve
Philipp Grubauer1 day ago

Remains Out On Tuesday
Shane Pinto1 day ago

Returns To Senators Lineup
Cam Fowler1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Robby Fabbri1 day ago

Lands On Injured Reserve
Brendon Todd1 day ago

A Hard Sell At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Greyson Sigg1 day ago

May Surprise In Bermuda
Jacob Bridgeman1 day ago

In For Adventure At Port Royal Golf Course
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Plays Solid In Bermuda
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Tries To Build Off ZOZO Championship
Daniel Berger1 day ago

Looks To Continue His Consistent Run At Port Royal Golf Course
Justin Lower1 day ago

Looks To Continue His Hot Play At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
2 days ago

Blue Jays, Red Sox To Meet With Juan Soto
Dustin Wolf2 days ago

Cools Off Kings Monday
Jasson Domínguez3 days ago

Yankees Expect Jasson Dominguez To Have A Big Role In 2025
Carlos Correa3 days ago

Progressing
Carlos Prates3 days ago

Gets Higlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC Vegas 100
Neil Magny3 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 100
Cortavious Romious3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 100
Gaston Bolaños3 days ago

Gaston Bolanos Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Joey Logano3 days ago

Holds On At Phoenix To Win His Third Cup Series Championship
Los Angeles Dodgers3 days ago

Dodgers Considered Favorites For Roki Sasaki
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Falls Short Of The 2024 Cup Series Title At Phoenix
Dusko Todorovic3 days ago

Gets TKO'd At UFC Vegas 100
Wander Franco3 days ago

Arrested On Monday After Altercation
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Lacks Speed Of Other Championship 4 Contenders But Drives Well
William Byron3 days ago

Finishes Third In Phoenix Race And Championship
Miami Marlins3 days ago

Marlins Hire Clayton McCullough As New Skipper
Mansur Abdul-Malik3 days ago

Gets First-Round Finish At UFC Vegas 100
Luana Pinheiro3 days ago

Falls Short At UFC Vegas 100
Gillian Robertson3 days ago

Extends Win Streak At UFC Vegas 100
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

Gets Finished At UFC Vegas 100
MMA3 days ago

Reinier de Ridder Gets Submission Win In UFC Debut
4 days ago

Rays Have Interest In Juan Soto
NASCAR4 days ago

Bubba Wallace Is A Top DFS Recommendation With Upside For Phoenix
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Is Expected To Compete For The Title At Phoenix
Joey Logano4 days ago

Is One Of The Favorites To Win At Phoenix
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Could Be A Favorable DFS Option For Phoenix Lineups
Corey Lajoie4 days ago

Corey LaJoie Will Start 20th At Phoenix
Brad Keselowski4 days ago

Is A Solid Recommendation For Phoenix DFS Lineups
Erik Jones4 days ago

Will Start 19th At Phoenix This Week
Carson Hocevar4 days ago

Will Compete For A Top-10 Finish At Phoenix
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Should DFS Players Fade Ty Gibbs At Phoenix?
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Is Chase Elliott A Solid DFS Pick For Phoenix Lineups?
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

The Championship Favorite Despite Qualifying Blunder
William Byron4 days ago

Will Be Strong In Fight For Championship
Austin Cindric4 days ago

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Phoenix DFS Lineups?
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Is Great At Phoenix
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Looking To Go Back-To-Back At Phoenix After Championship Snub
Chase Briscoe4 days ago

Can Be Worth Rostering In Tournaments At Phoenix
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Could Contend At Phoenix
5 days ago

Nick Martinez Expected To Accept Qualifying Offer
MLB5 days ago

Roki Sasaki Will Be Posted, Opens Door For 2025 MLB Debut
Nolan Arenado5 days ago

Could Be On The Trade Block
Zach Neto5 days ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Could Miss Start Of 2025
Mason Miller6 days ago

To Stay In The Bullpen
Shohei Ohtani6 days ago

Shoulder Surgery Could Delay His Pitching
New York Yankees6 days ago

Yankees Exercise Aaron Boone's Option
Carlos Prates6 days ago

Looks For His Fourth Win In A Row
Neil Magny6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
MMA6 days ago

Benardo Sopaj Looks For His First UFC Win
Ricky Turcios6 days ago

Returns At UFC Vegas 100
Dusko Todorovic6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 100

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
David Montgomery - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 11) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

The Cardinals, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Giants will all be on a bye during Week 11. There are still some great matchups on the board, including when the Steelers host the Ravens. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who play in a format […]


Jauan Jennings - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers - Week 11

Week 10 of the 2024 season is in the books. That means another week of cold, hard data to analyze. We’ll try not to overreact, but instead, use logic and reasoning as the foundation for our decision-making in the weeks ahead. Each week, we’ll take a look back at the previous week to see if […]


Austin Ekeler - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL News

High-Value Touches and Opportunities - Fantasy Football Underperformers, Overperformers (Week 11)

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to my weekly series, "High-Value Touches and Opportunities" for Week 11 of the 2024 fantasy football season. We're nearly a month before the fantasy football playoffs begin, depending on if leagues go through Week 17 or 18. It's crunch time, and we'll want to pay attention to the news, noise, and trends, […]


Houston Texans Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Derek Stingley Fantasy Football IDP

Week 11 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2024 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Week 11 fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, I'll go through the best and worst fantasy defenses. There are four more teams on bye this week (Cardinals, Panthers, Giants, and Buccaneers), so I'll be ranking defenses from No. 1 to No. 28.  There's […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

2024 Fantasy Football Rankings (Weekly Rankings)

Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 11 Include Drake London, Justin Herbert, Joe Mixon, George Pickens, Chase Brown

Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson lit the world on fire on Thursday Night Football to send fantasy managers into a love/hate frenzy heading into the weekend. Unfortunately, the weekend did not deliver the same level of goodness that fantasy managers were hoping for. There were several duds from players fantasy managers have come to expect […]


Tampa Bay Bucs Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Vita Vea Fantasy Football IDP

Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 11, 12, 13, 14) - Defense Streamers and Starts

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our fantasy football D/ST streamers and starts for Weeks 11, 12, 13, and 14 -- looking at the next four weeks and identifying the best D/ST matchups. Streaming defenses each week is a strategy that some fantasy managers have adopted over the years, and looking ahead weeks in advance could give you an […]


Mike Williams - Fantasy Football Waiver Wire, Rankings, Sleepers

Week 11 Waiver Wire Rankings (2024) - Fantasy Football Pickups Include Audric Estime, Quentin Johnston, Ricky Pearsall, Taysom Hill, Mike Williams

The fantasy football playoffs are rapidly approaching, as most leagues have four weeks left in the regular season. At RotoBaller HQ, we have more waiver wire advice with our Week 11 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for 2024 to help add those players for that playoff push. There were more crucial injuries in last week, […]


Christian McCaffrey - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

Rest-of-Season Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 11 Updates for Top 200 (2024)

It's the thick of November with four games left before the playoffs for many of you, which means it's time for an updated rest-of-season rankings chart! We keep sifting through evolving developments, such as key players returning from injuries or dealing with fragile quarterback situations. Let's see who is rising and falling with our Week […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Trade Targets - Buy/Sell For Week 11 Including Najee Harris, Christian McCaffrey, Calvin Ridley, Brian Thomas Jr.

I'm not sure how we are at this point in the season already, but the end of Week 11 marks the trade deadline in most fantasy football leagues. The past 10 weeks have flown by, despite the countless ups and downs that have brought us immeasurable joy and pain. Fortunately, I avoided pain with my […]


Nick Chubb - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Matchups to Target, Avoid (Week 11) - Offensive Line Champs and Chumps

Week 10 featured an excellent Thursday night game but plenty of struggles on Sunday and Monday. Some rough offensive performances from historically reliable players this season made fantasy scoring hard to come by for many. The injuries kept racking up along offensive lines across the league. In Week 10, 18 teams were missing at least […]


Jake Bates - Fantasy Football Rankings, Kicker Waiver Wire Pickups, Streamers

Week 11 Kicker Streamers and Starts - 2024 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

As we head into Week 11, some essential kickers, including Chase McLaughlin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are on bye. McLaughlin currently sits fifth among fantasy kickers. If McLaughlin has been a staple in your lineup, you need a replacement this week. Eddy Pineiro (Carolina Panthers), Chad Ryland (Arizona Cardinals), and Graham Gano (New York […]


Derek Carr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fact or Fiction: Fantasy Football Outlooks for Derek Carr, Austin Ekeler, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tylan Wallace, Tanner Hudson

Week 10 of the NFL is behind us, and it's time to look ahead to next week's action. There were some surprising performances in the 10th week of the season, but were those surprising performances a sign of things to come for players? Every week, I'll examine five NFL players whose numbers from the previous […]