Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings: Pitchers (2024)

The 2023 MLB season is in the books, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the upcoming campaign. While much of the MLB landscape is sure to change over the offseason, it can be helpful to get an early sense of where the experts stand in terms of initial fantasy baseball rankings. We’ll have you covered as we approach the spring and new season, but for now let’s take a look at early 2024 fantasy baseball rankings.

2024 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Rank	Player	Team	Positions	Overall	Best	Worst	Avg	Std Dev	ADP	vs. ADP
1	Spencer Strider	ATL	SP	14	1	3	1.1	0.3	13	-1
2	Gerrit Cole	NYY	SP	17	1	2	2	0	15	-2
3	Corbin Burnes	MIL	SP	25	1	5	3.3	0.5	20	-5
4	Zack Wheeler	PHI	SP	28	3	8	4.5	0.9	27	-1
5	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SP	30	3	8	5.4	1	31	1
6	Luis Castillo	SEA	SP	36	5	18	6.8	1.5	33	-3
7	George Kirby	SEA	SP	39	6	10	7.8	1.1	41	2
8	Pablo Lopez	MIN	SP	40	6	16	8.1	1.5	47	7
9	Zac Gallen	ARI	SP	42	3	23	9.3	2.8	37	-5
10	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	SP	46	3	35	13.6	5.4	54	8
11	Tarik Skubal	DET	SP	48	6	34	14.6	3.8	46	-2
12	Aaron Nola	PHI	SP	47	8	24	14.8	2.8	40	-7
13	Devin Williams	MIL	RP	55	10	75	15.4	5.1	38	-17
14	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	SP	54	5	39	16.3	5	136	82
15	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP	57	12	27	17.4	3.5	67	10
16	Logan Webb	SF	SP	56	10	25	17.5	4.5	58	2
17	Max Fried	ATL	SP	58	11	28	17.7	3	50	-8
18	Framber Valdez	HOU	SP	60	9	29	17.9	2.2	53	-7
19	Emmanuel Clase	CLE	RP	64	11	76	19.3	5.7	42	-22
20	Josh Hader	HOU	RP	67	10	77	20.2	5.9	45	-22
21	Blake Snell		SP	65	7	33	21	3.8	61	-4
22	Logan Gilbert	SEA	SP	70	11	36	21.8	3.5	68	-2
23	Kodai Senga	NYM	SP	68	12	37	22.5	4.5	75	7
24	Grayson Rodriguez	BAL	SP	73	18	45	25.2	4.2	93	20
25	Edwin Diaz	NYM	RP	92	10	104	27.7	21.1	65	-27
26	Jhoan Duran	MIN	RP	78	13	78	27.9	7.7	82	4
27	Eury Perez	MIA	SP	75	18	53	28.3	3.9	85	10
28	Zach Eflin	TB	SP	80	19	36	29.4	4.6	97	17
29	Bobby Miller	LAD	SP	84	21	47	30.4	6.2	81	-3
30	Jesus Luzardo	MIA	SP	85	25	38	32.3	3.2	86	1
31	Joe Ryan	MIN	SP	91	24	47	32.5	3.4	98	7
32	Kyle Bradish	BAL	SP	90	22	40	33.1	5.5	83	-7
33	Camilo Doval	SF	RP	89	16	79	33.4	14	64	-25
34	Jordan Romano	TOR	RP	97	25	80	33.7	7.1	70	-27
35	Raisel Iglesias	ATL	RP	96	17	83	33.8	7.5	78	-18
36	David Bednar	PIT	RP	94	23	82	34.6	7.7	80	-14
37	Joe Musgrove	SD	SP	104	9	50	37.4	4.8	94	-10
38	Justin Steele	CHC	SP	109	30	65	40.1	4.8	90	-19
39	Walker Buehler	LAD	SP	107	27	60	40.3	5.5	96	-11
40	Alexis Diaz	CIN	RP	110	19	84	41.5	10.4	91	-19
41	Justin Verlander	HOU	SP	112	22	54	42.9	6.7	95	-17
42	Sonny Gray	STL	SP	113	32	54	44.1	6.7	126	13
43	Tanner Bibee	CLE	SP	114	17	64	44.4	9.4	123	9
44	Dylan Cease	CWS	SP	116	26	61	45.4	7.6	84	-32
45	Paul Sewald	ARI	RP	118	35	86	46.4	10.1	112	-6
46	Ryan Helsley	STL	RP	117	38	70	46.6	9.2	106	-11
47	Andres Munoz	SEA	RP	129	31	85	48.2	10.6	132	3
48	Evan Phillips	LAD	RP	125	39	52	48.2	2.9	133	8
49	Cole Ragans	KC	SP,RP	130	34	59	49.2	6.5	99	-31
50	Pete Fairbanks	TB	RP	136	30	88	50.2	13.9	121	-15
51	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SP	138	35	67	53	5.9	135	-3
52	Clay Holmes	NYY	RP	143	43	62	53.8	3.5	122	-21
53	Jordan Montgomery		SP	139	41	64	54.3	5.5	155	16
54	Hunter Greene	CIN	SP	147	38	86	55.8	6.3	141	-6
55	Shane Bieber	CLE	SP	151	42	80	59	10.1	125	-26
56	Merrill Kelly	ARI	SP	155	39	70	60.6	5.3	156	1
57	Mitch Keller	PIT	SP	160	33	69	61.1	7.3	178	18
58	Tanner Scott	MIA	RP	153	20	74	53	11.7	146	-7
59	Gavin Williams	CLE	SP	158	36	93	62	11.2	158	–
60	Chris Sale	ATL	SP	165	50	81	63.5	7.2	159	-6
61	Carlos Rodon	NYY	SP	169	43	83	64.6	5.9	157	-12
62	Kenley Jansen	BOS	RP	176	45	104	64.6	17.5	138	-38
63	Cristian Javier	HOU	SP	166	37	91	65.3	6.8	144	-22
64	Jose Berrios	TOR	SP	167	40	83	65.4	5.2	167	–
65	Hunter Brown	HOU	SP	173	45	73	65.9	6.4	187	14
66	Michael King	SD	SP,RP	184	43	110	66.2	16.1	148	-36
67	Bailey Ober	MIN	SP	178	44	81	67.2	8.7	186	8
68	Shane Baz	TB	SP	188	48	90	67.5	6.1	174	-14
69	Yu Darvish	SD	SP	185	47	82	70.6	8.2	173	-12
70	Craig Kimbrel	BAL	RP	196	43	85	63.9	11.6	161	-35
71	Eduardo Rodriguez	ARI	SP	193	51	85	71.5	10	195	2
72	Braxton Garrett	MIA	SP	195	38	86	71.6	10.9	193	-2
73	Bryan Woo	SEA	SP	211	49	92	73.1	8.6	205	-6
74	Bryce Miller	SEA	SP	197	51	89	73.7	9.9	199	2
75	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	SP	208	54	108	74.6	12	200	-8
76	Ryan Pressly	HOU	RP	198	34	108	60.1	28.2	101	-97
77	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	SP	205	53	99	76.2	4.1	217	12
78	Aaron Civale	TB	SP	223	56	93	79.8	7.8	215	-8
79	Adbert Alzolay	CHC	RP	216	52	110	73.8	15.6	166	-50
80	Ryan Pepiot	TB	SP,RP	227	68	90	80.5	6.2	202	-25
81	Alex Lange	DET	RP	230	66	107	81.8	12.1	216	-14
82	Triston McKenzie	CLE	SP	224	49	94	82.3	10.8	233	9
83	Nick Pivetta	BOS	SP,RP	233	55	85	76.7	6.7	213	-20
84	Lucas Giolito	BOS	SP	235	59	101	83.2	7.1	214	-21
85	Charlie Morton	ATL	SP	229	58	92	84.5	8.6	210	-19
86	Brayan Bello	BOS	SP	238	61	108	85.2	4.9	229	-9
87	Nick Lodolo	CIN	SP	243	61	114	86.9	9.7	220	-23
88	Max Scherzer	TEX	SP	248	29	110	87.9	17.3	184	-64
89	Jose Leclerc	TEX	RP	242	71	95	83.1	6.8	224	-18
90	Shota Imanaga	CHC	SP	252	60	148	91.6	14.3	262	10
91	Kenta Maeda	DET	SP	258	67	130	94.3	5.3	273	15
92	Andrew Abbott	CIN	SP	259	63	112	94.4	7.3	234	-25
93	Emmet Sheehan	LAD	SP	262	70	125	97	8.5	278	16
94	Mason Miller	OAK	SP	261	62	126	97.4	14.1	252	-9
95	Jose Alvarado	PHI	RP	264	56	116	94.7	12.7	218	-46
96	Michael Wacha	KC	SP	267	74	113	98.8	9.3	310	43
97	Taj Bradley	TB	SP	266	73	118	99.3	5.8	306	40
98	Reid Detmers	LAA	SP	269	66	117	100.6	8.9	268	-1
99	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	SP	277	72	122	102.7	8.8	320	43
100	Kyle Finnegan	WSH	RP	281	80	111	101.8	7.9	236	-45

What is Fantasy Baseball?

Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.

Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success

1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring

Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.

2. Drafting Your Team Wisely

A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:

Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.

3. In-Season Management

Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.