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 Prospects Rankings for 2023 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Leagues

Hunter Brown - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

Thunder Dan Palyo's top 10 starting pitcher prospects for redraft leagues in 2023. Make sure to target these top pitcher MLB prospects in redraft leagues.

Draft season is upon us, and I am getting incredibly hyped for this upcoming MLB season. We have a ton of young talent in the league at every position, but I can't remember the last time we had so many exciting young arms either set to debut or waiting in the wings at Triple-A.

Today I give you my top 10 starting pitcher fantasy baseball prospects for re-draft leagues. My rankings take into account the overall talent of the pitcher but also have to factor in the odds of each pitcher actually seeing meaningful time with the big-league club because a really good pitcher who doesn't pitch much this season doesn't do anything for us in redraft leagues. We are not talking dynasty leagues here, people.

There's a pretty strong consensus around the top 2-3 spots, but the rest of my rankings might vary compared to others. And remember, the opportunity to produce this season is being factored in here, and not just the potential of each pitcher!

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

 

Top 10 Starting Pitcher Prospects For Fantasy Baseball

10. Drey Jameson and Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks

I'm cheating here by not picking just one guy and saving myself a spot for another high-upside rookie in the process.

Jameson was an impressive 3-0 in four starts for the Snakes last season, though his 1.48 ERA was likely a mirage based on his other ERA indicators and a 95% strand rate. Still, the 25-year-old showed some nice velocity (96 MPH) on his fastball and had a solid 56% GB rate. It depends on which reports you to read coming out of Arizona camp, but he could end up winning the last rotation spot out of camp and start the season in the rotation.

His minor league stats aren't all that impressive, however, especially the 6.95 ERA he was sporting at AAA last year before being called up. Of the three young Arizona arms, I like him the least, but there's certainly a path to productivity here for fantasy if he can remain in the rotation and keep the ball on the ground.

If it's not Jameson as the fifth starter to open the season, then Nelson is another possibility, and FanGraphs' Roster Resource has him penciled in there for now. Like Jameson, Nelson is already 25 years old, and Arizona likely wants to know what they have with their young pitchers this season, so the fact that they're being blocked by has-beens like Madison Bumgarner and Zach Davies doesn't mean all that much. We are very likely to see all three of these guys in the big leagues at various points this season.

Nelson also pitched well at the end of last season in a very small sample (18 innings), going 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA in three starts. He showed more consistency in the minors than Jameson but doesn't bring quite the same strikeout upside. He was too dependent on his fastball last year, throwing it nearly 70% of the time, and even at an average velocity of 95 MPH, he's asking for trouble.

 

9. Kyle Muller, Oakland Athletics

Muller isn't a lock to make the opening-day rotation in Oakland, but he should definitely get a shot to debut with his new team, likely early in the year. Muller came over in an off-season trade that sean catcher Sean Murphy to Atlanta, and personally, I like his stuff more than his fellow lefty teammate Ken Waldichuk's.

The breakdown by my buddy Eric Samulski is over a year old but does a great job of highlighting Muller's arsenal of pitches. He flashed some nice upside in 2021 and pitched well at Triple-A last season before struggling at the big league level to the tune of an 8.03 ERA over 12 innings (3 starts).

The walks are my biggest concern and something he needs to reign in quickly. He throws four pitches and has a plus slider, and has shown that he can strike out major-league hitters. I'm intrigued.

 

8. Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers

Stone's path to the majors is a little trickier than some of the guys further up my list, but his talent is indisputable, and he would likely be in the starting rotation for a lesser organization. He and fellow 24-year-old righty Bobby Miller are both turning some heads this Spring with their swing-and-miss stuff.

Miller is the former first-round pick who's throwing serious heat, but you could argue that Stone is the guy who is more polished at this stage of their careers, and everyone is raving about his changeup.

Stone had a 1.60 ERA across 73 innings in Double-A and then finished with a 1.16 ERA across his six starts at Triple-A last season. He had a 35% K rate at both levels and walked only 8-9% of batters. The Dodgers are well-known for resting their starters and managing innings, so it's plausible that they get these young bucks some experience sooner than later and could even employ a six-man rotation at some point.

 

7. Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks

This is the guy that SHOULD be in the rotation right off the bat for Arizona, and I have him pretty far ahead of teammates Jameson, Nelson, and Tommy Henry. Pfaadt was the minor league leader in strikeouts last season and, upon arriving at Triple-A midway through the season, put up some eye-popping numbers.

In 10 starts at Triple-A: 5-1, 2.63 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 30.6% K%, 5.8% BB%, OPP AVG .209

That's nothing to sneeze at, and that type of strikeout potential paired with superb control simply isn't easy to find among young hurlers.

As you can see, he's looked good this Spring, too. Even if Arizona opts to send him down to AAA and go with Jameson or Nelson, it's probably only a matter of time before he's back up with the club at some point. The K/BB ratio is just super impressive.

 

6. Kyle Harrison, San Francisco Giants 

He's being hailed as the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball by many, and his 36% strikeout rate at Double-A last year is something to behold. He's still only 21 years old, but Harrison feels like he's on the fast track to the majors with a flame-thrower for a left arm.

He's being blocked by a bunch of veterans in this Giants rotation, and it would make sense for them to send him to Triple-A to start the season and continue to work on his secondary pitches and his control, as his walk rate is still a bit higher than you'd like to see.

But if we are talking pure talent, Harrison has it in spades, and if he can dominate at Triple-A the same way that he's mowed down hitters at every other level, then the Giants would be foolish not to call him up and give him his shot later this year.

 

5. Andrew Painter, Philadelphia Phillies

Painter had a legit shot at competing for the fifth and final spot in the Phillies rotation but is now injured, and that could end up really delaying his debut.

The massive 6'7" righty is still only 19 years old and has been so lights-out in the low minors that Philly had no choice but to consider jumping him right from Double-A to the bigs. But now he's likely to start the year at AAA once he's healthy, and that might not be all that bad of a thing considering he only threw 28 innings at Double-A last season.

Make no mistake about it, though, this kid is as talented as any young pitcher in baseball, and if he comes back and pitches as well at Triple-A, then he could easily push to get back up with the big league club. And since Philly has their eyes set on a title this season, they'd be wise to consider what he could offer this year as they are in "win-now" mode.

 

4. Jared Shuster, Atlanta Braves

Our only other lefty, Shuster, looks ready to make an impact for the Bravos right out of the gate and has a beat on the fifth spot in the rotation. He dominated in the low minors, but his strikeouts disappeared last year once he got to Triple-A with only a 19% K rate. His control is excellent, however, and he has command of all his pitches which is not something we can say for most young pitchers.

He doesn't throw overly hard, topping out around 94 MPH on his fastball, but his changeup and slider are plus pitches, especially his changeup, which has been his main out pitch. Spring Training results should always be taken with a grain of salt, but it is certainly better to see him pitching well than getting hit around.

He might not be the most talented pitcher on this list, but if he's going to get the ball every fifth day backed by a dominant offense, I'd expect him to pick up his fair share of wins.

 

3. Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

Brown is penciled in as the fifth starter for Houston right now, but some still feel he could be moved to a relief role at some point. Either way, the kid has electric stuff with a high 90s fastball and a big breaking ball that he uses to get whiffs. He had an ERA under one last season in 20 innings with the Astros and looks poised for a huge rookie year.

Walks are a bit of a concern, but the strikeouts should be there, and he will be backed by a solid defense and a really good offense. There's no reason to think that if he can stick in the rotation, he won't put up some very useable stats, especially some wins, and strikeouts.

 

2. Hayden Wesneski, Chicago Cubs

I have Wesneski pretty high on my list, and I have been actively trying to draft him when I can. The former Yankee prospect looked every bit the part in his late-season audition with the Cubs last fall, compiling a 2.18 ERA across 33 innings. Everything checks out with Wesneski as he gets a good amount of groundballs and keeps his walks down.

The strikeouts have been largely just average across his minor league career, but you're trading some of that big-time strikeout upside here for a guy who looks polished and can throw all of his pitches for strikes. This is a 25-year-old with a lot of experience and who could end up being one of the most productive pitchers the Cubs have by season's end.

I'm all in on him, and I think he's probably one of the least risky rookie starters you can draft in redraft formats. You can grab him around pick 400 well after Brown and Rodriguez are off the board.

 

1. Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles

You were waiting for this one, admit it. To no one's surprise, Rodriguez is atop my list and just about everyone else's, too. He's being drafted around pick 210, and I'm comfortable reaching for him a bit because I like to be aggressive in going after pitchers I like. I would expect other managers in your league to be salivating at the chance of having him on their rosters, too.

Rodriguez was on pace to make his debut last season before getting injured, as he dominated at Triple-A to the tune of a 35% K rate with only a 7% BB rate. He throws hard, has a solid slider, and a 70-grade changeup that really sets him apart from most other young hard-throwers.

Baltimore needs pitching in the worst way, and I won't be surprised if Rodriguez isn't their ace by the end of the season. Don't hesitate to snag him ahead of his ADP, the only thing that may end up slowing him down would be Baltimore limiting his innings late in the season as a precaution.



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
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF