The Dynasty Guru’s 2020 Top 200 Dynasty League Starting Pitchers, #91-120

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Without further ado, it’s time to continue our 2020 consensus rankings by looking at the 91-120 best starting pitchers in dynasty leagues.
91) Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 31, Previous Rank: NR)
In 2018, Miles Mikolas accumulated 18 wins with only four losses on his way to an elite 2.83 ERA. Last year, he won 9 games and lost a surprising 14 with a 4.16 ERA. The odd thing? Most of his underlying metrics remained the same or slightly improved. He posted an elite BB/9 and increased his strikeout rate. However, his longball rate nearly doubled last season. Was Mikolas simply a victim of the juiced ball year, or does this foretell a new floor for his abilities? Either way, if you draft him for WHIP and strikeouts, just hope the wins and Earned Run Average follow. The safest bet is to expect somewhere in between his last two seasons. (Steven D. Jaeger)
92) Brusdar Graterol, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 21, Previous Rank: 81)
This offseason saw a flurry of attention for Brusdar Graterol. One of the key pieces in the Mookie Betts deal, Graterol was originally traded to the Boston Red Sox, but medical concerns nixed that deal and he was ultimately traded to the Dodgers. The details of those medical concerns are not disclosed. Is there something seriously medically wrong with him, or were the Red Sox being overly cautious for a return of one of their prized players? Right now, fantasy players don’t know.
What is known is that Graterol is talented. In 2019, while pitching as a starter in Double-A, Graterol went 6 and 0 in 52 innings pitched with 50 strikeouts, a 1.72 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In Triple-A, he was used as a reliever and struggled some in only a brief 5 innings pitched. He was then promoted to the Twins, where he was used in relief during a cup of coffee. Graterol projects as a potential #2 or 3 starter or as a back end of the bullpen reliever. He possess plus-plus velocity (throwing nearly 100 mph) and a three arsenal pitch selection that allows him to strike out a batter an inning. At only 20 years old, Graterol remains a must own for dynasty league owners, just know that you might be buying damaged goods. (Steven D. Jaeger)
93) Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 22, Previous Rank: NR)
The first pitcher selected in the 2019 player draft, Nick Lodolo struck out 30 batters and didn’t issue a single walk in 18.1 innings. A tall, lanky starter (6-foot, 6-inches), Lodolo pitches from a three-quarters arm slot that raises some long-term durability concerns. He uses a plus fastball, plus curveball and an average change-up. More of a high-floor than a high-ceiling pick, Lodolo’s velocity projects to top out in the mid-90’s. While he will likely top out one day as a middle-of-the-rotation arm, that good thing is that the day for Lodolo seems nearer than most others on this list. (Steven D. Jaeger)
94) Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 20, Previous Rank: NR)
Hunter Greene hasn’t pitched since 2018. During that year, he was injured in July and was shutdown for the remainder of the year. Then, 2019 was another wasted year for his development, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in April and missed the entire season. Even when healthy, Greene has yet to show the potential that had dynasty owners excited for his plus-plus fastball, slider and average change-up. Scouts observe that while he undoubtedly throws hard, the ball is easy to spot out of his hand making him easy to hit at times. Barring another injury, 2020 will be a rebuilding year for Greene. If he figures out how to stay healthy, the year will be viewed as a positive step in his development. But he is still likely a couple of years away from making a meaningful impact in the majority, so in the meantime, let someone else take a gamble on him. (Steven D. Jaeger)
95) Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins (Age: 24, Previous Rank: 118)
The jury is still out on Sandy Alcantara. While he was an All-Star in 2019, that is more of a testament to the lack of Marlin’s outstanding players than anything else. He finished the year with six wins and fourteen losses, but posted only a 3.88 earned run average. His biggest weakness was his control, walking an astonishing 81 batters. But Alcantara showed reason for optimism in the second half of last year with increased velocity and better control. Still, on a team as weak as the Marlins, it is better to let another dynasty owner take the gamble on a possible improvement in 2020. (Steven D. Jaeger)
96) George Kirby, Seattle Mariners (Age: 22, Previous Rank: NR)
George Kirby is a control freak. Whether he throws a fastball, slider, curveball or change-up, his double-plus command of each pitch allows him to avoid making many mistakes. He projects as a likely #3 starter in the future for the Mariners. Kirby is about as safe a prospect as you can draft for your future dynasty team, as he has one of the highest floors of any 2019 draftee. Dynasty leaguers may have to wait a few years to fully reap the benefits of having Kirby on their roster, but it will likely be something worth waiting for. He is a solid future keeper to build a staff around. Grab him while you can. (Steven D. Jaeger)
97) Yonny Chirinos, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 26, Previous Rank: 168)
Yonny Chirnos had a split season in 2019. In the first half, he had a 3.10 ERA in 93 innings pitched and a 1.00 whip. In the second half, he accumulated a 5.58 ERA in only 40 innings and had a 1.17 whip. Then, he was sidelined with an injury for six weeks. Home runs were his primary weakness, while control was his primary strength. With a .246 BABIP last season, some regression concerns appear to be realistic. And starting with an already mediocre stat-line, that, along with his proneness to give up the long ball make him a risky bet. (Steven D. Jaeger)
98) Aaron Civale, Cleveland Indians (Age: 24, Previous Rank: NR)
2019 was an outstanding season for Aaron Civale, who made his major league debut for the Indians. He ended his first partial season in the majors with a 3-4 record, a 2.34 earned run average and a 46/16 K/BB rate in 57.7 innings. Civale is an atypical pitcher in today’s game. He doesn’t throw as hard as most pitchers do, but his arsenal of pitches is deep and he is able to induce weak contact through excellent movement on his pitches. He will likely be in the middle of the Indian’s rotation this season, and may put up respectable numbers for the real club. The question is, will he be good enough to add value to you dynasty team? The answer looks unlikely. (Steven D. Jaeger)
99) Ryan Yarbrough, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 28, Previous Rank: NR)
Ryan Yarbrough began 2019 with a trip back to the minor leagues, then was used as a reliever, and finally was moved into the rotation in the second half. In total, he posted a 4.13 earned run average in 142 and 2/3 innings, with 117 strikeouts, 20 walks and a 1.00 WHIP. In total, not a bad season. Yarbrough relies on a deceptive delivery instead of power pitches to trick up hitters. It is uncertain whether he will be used as an opener, starter or reliever this season, but perhaps that versatility can offer dynasty owners some hidden value. After all, his best performances in 2019 seemed to be as a second starter where he was able to rack up some wins with a good Tampa Bay Rays team. Monitor his usage. (Steven D. Jaeger)
100) Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox (Age: 26, Previous Rank: 72)
Perhaps Reynaldo Lopez’s true fantasy stock exists in fantasy owners’ consistent desires to believe that he will put it all together and have a breakout season. Or maybe his true value exists in those same fantasy owners’ continuing disappointment each season when he proves them wrong. Unfortunately, 2019 only served to perpetuate Lopez owners’ frustrations. He allowed an astounding five earned runs or more in 13 of his 33 starts and gave up an inordinate amount of homers on his way to a 5.38 earned run average. But even during those awful stretches, Lopez would periodically have a start that would again remind owners what they love about him. In fact, his entire second half teased owners once again at his possible upside. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself: Are you a believer? (Steven D. Jaeger)
101) Jose Quintana, Chicago Cubs (Age: 31, Previous Rank: 65)
Gone are the days where Quintana was everyone’s favorite under-rated guy. 2019 saw his third straight season with a decrease in innings pitched, down to 171 IP, 152 strikeouts, 4.68 ERA, and a 1.39 WHIP. He did manage to scratch out 13 wins, thank goodness for the Cubs offense. Digging a little deeper into his season, he drastically began to increase the use of his four-seam in the zone in July and saw his xwOBA on the pitch decrease from 0.424 to 0.268. One of the biggest drivers of this change was his 0.469 xwOBA on his sinker so it was getting absolutely crushed. Quintana is going to be a free agent after the 2021 season and there is little hope we will seem him much in the majors after that. (Shelly Verougstraete)
102) Garrett Richards, San Diego Padres (Age: 31, Previous Rank: 134)
After having TJS in 2018 right before free agency (Bad Timing!), Richards signed a two year deal with the San Diego Padres. He did make it back to the mound and threw 18 innings over four levels, ending the year in the majors. It was not a pretty stat line whatsoever but he made it back! At this point, there is little dynasty league value as Richards is already 31 and on the last year of his deal with the Padres. In all honesty, we have no idea how he will look this year and with all of the young pitching talent the Padres have, they just might move on if the team is competing for a Wild Card spot. (Shelly Verougstraete)
103) Dallas Keuchel, Chicago White Sox (Age: 32, Previous Rank: 51)
With the draft pick compensation gone, Keuchel was ‘strangely’ signable all of a sudden when the Braves picked him up in June. Unlike many late signees before him, Keuchel did not seem to be affected by the late start. He upped the usage of his sinker to 49% and got rid of the icky four-seam. He signed with the Chicago White Sox this offseason to provide the team with veteran talent. Will we see Cy Young-winning Keuchel again, no, but he should give you innings with a 4.00 to 4.15 ERA, especially when his battery mate will be one of the best framers in baseball, Yasmani Grandal. (Shelly Verougstraete)
104) Brent Honeywell, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 25, Previous Rank: 32)
February 2018 – TJS -> April 2019 – Nerve Issue -> June 2019 – Fractured Elbow
It is really hard to know what to expect from Honeywell, who has not pitched in two years. There is good news, he began a throwing program in January, so not all is lost. If you want to buy low, this might the lowest price but expect ‾\_(ツ)_/‾. At this point, you might want to cut your losses. (Shelly Verougstraete)
105) Alex Reyes, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 25, Previous Rank: 35)
I really could just cut what I said about Honeywell and paste it in here. However, Reyes is at least pitching at this point. In recent news, the Cardinals have said Alex Reyes will compete for a high leverage spot in the bullpen and it is not surprising to see why.
2016 – 111.1 IP-> 2017 – TJS and 0 IP -> 2018 – Strained Lat muscle/surgery and 27 IP -> 2019 – Broken finger after punching a wall and 40.1 IP
It is a pretty sad fall from grace for the best pitching prospect in 2016. At this point, there is little hope he will return to the starters role and relievers are a very risky bet in dynasty leagues. (Shelly Verougstraete)
106) Ross Stripling, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 30, Previous Rank: 67)
One of the biggest benefactors in the Mookie Betts to the Dodgers deal this offseason was Ross Stripling. In a separate trade, he was traded to the Angels and now has a clear path to a starting role. Well, the idea of Ross Stripling getting a starting role was a fun thought for a couple of days. He is back in the bullpen, but with the lack of health from Alex Wood and Julio Urias, he should make some starts next year. While Chicken Strip is not a star, he is a perfect #4 SP type. As a starter last year, he had a 3.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 71 strikeouts in 70 innings. While his slider and four-seam have become a bit more hittable in recent years, his knuckle curve is disgusting; posting a wRC+ of 35, 44, and 24 the past three seasons. If you are competing now in your league, Stripling might be one of those older players you trade for that will but you over the top. (Shelly Verougstraete)
107) Jordan Balazovic, Minnesota Twins (Age: 21, Previous Rank NR)
After nearly doubling his K% from his 2017 to 2018 season, Balazovic kept up his torrid strikeout rate and moved up the prospect rankings and is our highest ranked Twins pitcher. The 6’4” righty has a mid-nineties fastball that is extremely deceptive due to his mechanics. The hometown boy (he is from Minnesota) has very good control has his BB% has hovered around 6-8% throughout his time in the minors. Next year will be a big test for Balazovic as he should spend most of his time outside of the pitcher’s paradise aka the Florida State League. If he succeeds, we are looking at a #2/#3 starter for sure. (Shelly Verougstraete)
108) Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 28, Previous Rank: 31)
After signing an extension with the Cardinals and his first 200+ IP season, Martinez has struggled with his command but more importantly, he has struggled to stay on the field. After lat and oblique strains that placed him on the IL twice, the Cardinals moved him to the bullpen towards the end of 2018. Things did not get better in 2019 as he started the season on the IL due to a rotator cuff strain. He again returned to the bullpen after being activated and ended up with 24 saves over 48.1 innings last year. The Cardinals have said they plan to have Martinez compete for a spot in the rotation but with his recent track record, he will probably end up as the closer sometime during the season. Just like Honeywell and Reyes before him, it might just be best to cut your losses at this point. (Shelly Verougstraete)
109) DL Hall, Baltimore Orioles (Age; 21, Previous Rank: 142)
DL Hall has some of the most exciting stuff for a lefty in the minors, let alone in the Orioles system. However, Hall has trouble with his release point and his BB% shot up to 15.6% Even with the walk issues, his three pitch mix he has been able to keep the hard contract at bay, posting just a 0.33 HR/9 rate in 80.2 innings in Hi-A. With Adley Rutchman and Grayson Rodriguez, the rebuild in Baltimore has a very interesting young core.He is still very young and if Blake Snell can figure it out, why not DL Hall? (Shelly Verougstraete)
110) Adrian Houser, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 27, Previous Rank: NR)
Alright, take a seat. Adrian Houser is in for an interesting 2020 campaign, y’all. After returning to the Brewers rotation, he had a 3.28 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He was a bit unlucky during this run with a 0.279 wOBA versus a 0.273 xwOBA. The main reason for this change was is two-seam and four-seam fastball generated a bunch of poor contact. 51.6% of all batted balls were poorly hit/topped and 4.6% were barrelled up. He also increased his K/9 to 9.2 with a 2.7 BB/9. If he is able to sustain the gains he made in the second half, we are looking a pretty interesting SP you can pick up very cheaply. (Shelly Verougstraete)
111) Chris Archer, Pittsburgh Pirates, (Age: 31, Previous Rank: 55)
Archer had a down 2019 with a 5+ ERA, but a closer look shows he was a victim of poor luck more than a decline in skill. He lost a modest one mile per hour in velocity compared to 2018, but other than that he looked like the same solid midrotation guy we have grown accustomed to: his expected strikeouts and walks, based on his pitch results (swinging strikes, looking strikes, foul strikes, and balls), were actually slightly improved over 2018 (19% xK-xBB% vs. 18% xK%-BB% in 2018). Look for Archer’s HR/FB rate to decline to career norms and an ERA bounce back in 2020, with a boatload of strikeouts. Of course, he’s no longer the frontline starter he was in Tampa Bay, but he’s a fine buy low anyway. (Jordan Rosenblum)
112) Kyle Wright, Atlanta Braves, (Age: 25, Previous Rank: 78)
Wright has good prospect pedigree and velocity, finding himself on plenty of top 100 lists. His age and league-relative minor league performance, on the other hand, suggests an average MLB starter, with average control, a good amount of groundballs, and slightly below average strikeouts. I project him as my 75th best stats-only SP prospect, with 7.95 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 47% groundball, and a virtually league average 4.52 xFIP. He’ll compete for the Braves 5th starter spot this spring with Bryse Wilson, Sean Newcomb and Felix Hernandez. I’d bet on him spending most of the year in the bullpen. (Jordan Rosenblum)
113) Dakota Hudson, St. Louis Cardinals, (Age: 25, Previous Rank: 147)
…and the Oscar for luckiest 2019 SP goes to: Dakota Hudson! In 2019, Hudson benefitted from a .274 BABIP and a high LOB%. He walks a lot of batters (4.4 BB/9, 11% BB%, well below average) and strikes out very few batters (7 K/9, 18% K%), which is not what you want to do if you pitch for a living. On the bright side, he gets a ton of grounders (57%), probably enough where he can survive as a backend starter for a while longer. Nothing about his minor league numbers suggests there’s much more upside here. Don’t fall for his 3.35 ERA in 2019 moving forward; pay for a low-strikeouts, high-walks innings-eater. (Jordan Rosenblum)
114) Anthony DeSclafani, Cincinnati Reds, (Age: 29, Previous Rank: 180)
After struggling with injuries in the past, DeSclafani stayed healthy in 2019, posting a strong 3.89 ERA. His swinging and called strikes are only modest though, and his strikeout rate is a likely candidate to regress a bit toward career norms. His low BABIP and high LOB% are even more likely to regress negatively—we’re not likely to see another sub-4.00 ERA. Nonetheless, he’s a good source of strikeouts on a surprisingly strong Reds offense, albeit in an unfriendly home park for pitchers. He’s a fine backend fantasy option for the next couple seasons.
115) Adrian Morejon, San Diego Padres, (Age: 21, Previous Rank: 113)
More renowned for his stuff than his minor league performance, Morejon was my #74 stats-only SP prospect, with a peak-MLB equivalent 8.7 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, and 45% GB%, projecting to be league average-ish at peak. He may profile as a reliever in the end, but the Padres are giving him every chance to start. He’ll need to step up his performance in 2020 if he wants to make good on this chance. Given his stuff, his youth, and general industry enthusiasm he’s a fine prospect flier, if not someone you’d want to plan your future around. (Jordan Rosenblum)
116) Cole Hamels, Atlanta Braves, (Age: 36, Previous Rank: 102)
Hamels is well passed his prime but continues to be a reliable midrotation piece. He’s been quite consistent these past few years, with a high 3s ERA, about 9 K/9 and a solid low 3s BB/9 and mid-40s groundball rate. Expect more of the same in Atlanta in 2020: he’ll give you a lot of innings and strikeouts, and decent ratios. His advanced age keeps him this far down the list. His velocity is holding up pretty well still though, so continue to expect typical Hamels until he shows signs of wearing down. (Jordan Rosenblum)
117) Bryse Wilson, Atlanta Braves, (Age: 22, Previous Rank: 116)
My pick for the Braves #5 starter in 2020, Wilson has good stuff and also rated as my #28 stats-only SP prospect based on his age and league relative minor league performance. He’s projected for 8.5 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 45% GB% at peak, which would make him an above average MLB starter. I think he’ll make for a solid midrange fantasy starter at his peak, and he’s only 22 so perhaps there’s some further untapped potential here. He hasn’t been great in a very brief MLB sample so far, but it’s small enough where it’s not worth paying much attention to. Even if he doesn’t win the #5 job outright, keep an eye on him as almost all teams require more than 5 starters to make it through a full season—he’ll likely get his chance in 2020. Further, if he doesn’t win a rotation spot outright, he’ll be available to you on steep discount. (Jordan Rosenblum)
118) Simeon Woods Richardson, Toronto Blue Jays, (Age: 19, Previous Rank: NR)
Woods Richardson was one of the youngest pitchers who made it to High-A in 2019, with a 4-pitch mix, good fastball velocity (touching 97 MPH per Fangraphs), lots of strikeouts, few walks, and a good groundball rate. He is my 12th best stats-only SP prospect, projected for 9.2 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, a 45% groundball rate, and a 4.01 xFIP at his peak (vs. 4.5 MLB league average ERA). It’s a funny thing seeing him on many top 100 lists this off-season throughout the industry when few appreciated him that much in the first half. He was awesome the whole year, though, just a bit unlucky ERA-wise in the first half, leading the Mets to sell him short. Few are sleeping on him nowadays; your time to acquire at a discount is quickly running out—if it hasn’t already. (Jordan Rosenblum)
119) Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners, (Age: 28, Previous Rank: 97)
Gonzales is an established commodity at this point, a control artist offering few strikeouts, few walks, and lots of innings. He’s a low-upside innings-eater to round out the backend of your rotation in very deep leagues or else a fine streaming option in the right matchups. Don’t pay for his 3.99 ERA in 2019–pay for in-between his ~5.00 SIERA and xFIP and 3.99 ERA. His HR/FB rate was unsustainably low and should regress negatively considerably. Gonzales now has a long enough MLB track record where there’s no reason to suspect anything more positive — unless he can regain some of the two miles per hour of velocity he lost in 2019. (Jordan Rosenblum)
120) Michael Pineda, Minnesota Twins, (Age: 31, Previous Rank: 178)
Pineda made his long-awaited return in 2019 after missing 2018 with Tommy John surgery. His velocity was down a modest 1 mile per hour down compared to pre-injury norms, but he was still quite effective. His strikeout rate (23%) and walk rate (a miniscule 5%) were each quite strong, leading to well-above average SIERA and xFIP, only slightly worse than his pre-injury 2017 rates. The Twins liked what they saw, resigning him for 2020 even though he’ll April on an accidental banned-substance use suspension. Look for his strong strikeout and walk rates to continue in 2020, with solid ratios to boot. On the downside, his groundball rate collapsed to 36% in 2019, much lower than career norms, which could mean continued problems with the long ball. Nonetheless, the groundball rate should regress positively somewhat toward career norms, and he makes for a fine rotation piece for the middle of your fantasy pitching staff. (Jordan Rosenblum)