2022 STARTING PITCHERS
(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
by Greg Fishwick
The number of starting pitchers BABS projects as full timers (180-plus IP) remains steadily small at 18 in 2022, down one from 19 in 2021 and down 19 from 37 in 2019. BABS’ top 16 full-time SPs have ADPs ranging from 10 to 85. (The remaining two are German Marquez (239), who’s expected to stay in COL, and Kyle Hendricks (279), who has no impactful Assets.)
Getting one popular full-time starter and one popular mid-timer is an expensive proposition. The first 15 starters are gone by pick 51. They include nine FT and six MT. The second 15 are off the board by pick 98 and include the seven remaining FT and eight more MT. Will you be at a big disadvantage if you don’t have your ace halfway through Round 4 and your No. 2 by Round 7? Never fear, BABS has ways to accumulate the skill Assets you need to compete without breaking your budgets. Here are the SP who can add Assets to your staff with Full- or Mid-time workloads:
| ADP | R$ | STARTING PITCHERS |
Tm | PT | Er | K | Sv | Rg | Sk | Inj | Ex | Ag | Rg | RISK | ||
| 11 | $34 | Burnes,Corbin | MIL | M | E+ | K+ | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 24 | $27 | deGrom,Jacob | NYM | M | E+ | K+ | INJ | Rg- | 5.25 | |||||||
| 9 | $36 | Cole,Gerrit | NYY | F | ER | K+ | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 18 | $29 | Scherzer,Max | NYM | M | ER | K+ | inj- | Ag | Rg- | 3.75 | ||||||
| 31 | $24 | Bieber,Shane | CLE | F | ER | K+ | INJ | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 54 | $19 | Sale,Chris | BOS | M | ER | K+ | INJ | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 139 | $9 | Baz,Shane | TAM | M | ER | K+ | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 47 | $20 | Ray,Robbie | SEA | M | e | K+ | Rg- | 0.50 | ||||||||
| 56 | $18 | Peralta,Freddy | MIL | M | e | K+ | Rg- | 0.25 | ||||||||
| 119 | $11 | Snell,Blake | SD | M | e | K+ | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 173 | $7 | Kopech,Michael | CHW | M | e | K+ | inj- | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 8 | $37 | Ohtani,Shohei | LAA | M | ER | KK | inj- | e | 5.00 | |||||||
| 16 | $31 | Buehler,Walker | LA | F | ER | KK | inj- | Rg- | 3.25 | |||||||
| 19 | $29 | Woodruff,Brandon | MIL | F | ER | KK | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 41 | $21 | Nola,Aaron | PHI | F | ER | KK | Rg+ | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 63 | $17 | Gausman,Kevin | TOR | F | ER | KK | 0.50 | |||||||||
| 79 | $15 | Musgrove,Joe | SD | F | ER | KK | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 94 | $13 | Rogers,Trevor | MIA | M | ER | KK | e | Rg- | 1.25 | |||||||
| 96 | $13 | Morton,Charlie | ATL | M | ER | KK | inj- | Ag | 1.25 | |||||||
| 110 | $12 | McClanahan,Shane | TAM | M | ER | KK | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 131 | $10 | Rodon,Carlos | CHW | M | ER | KK | INJ | Rg- | 3.25 | |||||||
| 163 | $8 | McCullers,Lance | HOU | M | ER | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 184 | $7 | Kershaw,Clayton | LA | M | ER | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 199 | $6 | Houck,Tanner | BOS | M | ER | KK | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 715 | -$7 | Winn,Cole | TEX | P | ER | KK | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 23 | $27 | Wheeler,Zack | PHI | F | ER | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 39 | $22 | Alcantara,Sandy | MIA | F | ER | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 59 | $18 | Webb,Logan | SF | M | ER | k | INJ | e | Rg- | 7.25 | ||||||
| 72 | $16 | Fried,Max | ATL | F | ER | k | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 140 | $9 | Valdez,Framber | HOU | M | ER | k | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 260 | $3 | Whitlock,Garrett | BOS | M | ER | k | EX | Rg- | 2.25 | |||||||
| 42 | $21 | Giolito,Lucas | CHW | F | e | KK | inj- | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 63 | $17 | Lynn,Lance | CHW | F | e | KK | inj- | Rg- | 1.25 | |||||||
| 70 | $16 | Flaherty,Jack | STL | M | e | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 81 | $15 | Castillo,Luis | CIN | F | e | KK | Rg+ | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 85 | $14 | Cease,Dylan | CHW | M | e | KK | e | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 87 | $14 | Montas,Frankie | OAK | F | e | KK | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 91 | $14 | Manoah,Alek | TOR | M | e | KK | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 99 | $13 | Darvish,Yu | SD | M | e | KK | Rg+ | inj- | 1.00 | |||||||
| 113 | $11 | Verlander,Justin | HOU | P | e | KK | INJ | Ag | 3.25 | |||||||
| 125 | $10 | Mahle,Tyler | CIN | M | e | KK | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 133 | $10 | Eovaldi,Nathan | BOS | M | e | KK | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 152 | $9 | Garcia,Luis | HOU | M | e | KK | e | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 153 | $9 | Rodriguez,Eduardo | DET | M | e | KK | Rg+ | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||
| 175 | $7 | Gray,Sonny | CIN | M | e | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 190 | $6 | Skubal,Tarik | DET | M | e | KK | e | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 196 | $6 | Clevinger,Michael | SD | P | e | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 219 | $5 | Sandoval,Patrick | LAA | M | e | KK | INJ | e | 4.00 | |||||||
| 240 | $4 | Ynoa,Huascar | ATL | P | e | KK | INJ | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 308 | $2 | Carrasco,Carlos | NYM | M | e | KK | Rg+ | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||
| 317 | $1 | Megill,Tylor | NYM | M | e | KK | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 332 | $1 | Strasburg,Stephen | WAS | M | e | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 405 | -$1 | German,Domingo | NYY | P | e | KK | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 500 | -$3 | Cabrera,Edward | MIA | M | e | KK | Rg+ | EX | 2.00 | |||||||
| 298 | $2 | Reyes,Alex | STL | P | K+ | e | Rg- | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 35 | $23 | Urias,Julio | LA | F | e | k | Rg- | 0.25 | ||||||||
| 75 | $15 | Berrios,Jose | TOR | F | e | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 127 | $10 | Lopez,Pablo | MIA | M | e | k | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 139 | $9 | Gallen,Zac | ARI | M | e | k | Rg+ | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||
| 145 | $9 | Anderson,Ian | ATL | M | e | k | inj- | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 150 | $9 | Manaea,Sean | OAK | M | e | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 171 | $7 | Suarez,Ranger | PHI | M | e | k | INJ | e | Rg- | 4.25 | ||||||
| 198 | $6 | Ryu,Hyun-Jin | TOR | M | e | k | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 209 | $5 | Syndergaard,Noah | LAA | M | e | k | Rg+ | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||
| 218 | $5 | Montgomery,Jordan | NYY | M | e | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 222 | $5 | Wood,Alex | SF | M | e | k | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 245 | $4 | Marquez,German | COL | F | e | k | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 261 | $3 | Matz,Steven | STL | M | e | k | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 264 | $3 | Gray,Jonathan | TEX | M | e | k | inj- | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 278 | $3 | Rasmussen,Drew | TAM | P | e | k | EX | Rg- | 2.25 | |||||||
| 707 | -$6 | Alexy,A.J. | TEX | P | e | k | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 150 | $9 | Gilbert,Logan | SEA | M | KK | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 235 | $4 | McKenzie,Triston | CLE | M | KK | e | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 312 | $2 | Heaney,Andrew | LA | M | KK | Rg+ | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 315 | $1 | Javier,Cristian | HOU | P | KK | e | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 326 | $1 | Gonsolin,Tony | LA | P | KK | INJ | EX | Rg- | 5.25 | |||||||
| 374 | $0 | Kluber,Corey | TAM | P | KK | INJ | Ag | 3.50 | ||||||||
| 432 | -$2 | Pearson,Nate | TOR | P | KK | INJ | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 449 | -$2 | Detmers,Reid | LAA | P | KK | inj- | EX | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 199 | $6 | Urquidy,Jose | HOU | P | k | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 225 | $5 | Means,John | BAL | M | k | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 273 | $3 | Ober,Bailey | MIN | M | k | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 306 | $2 | Patino,Luis | TAM | M | k | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 309 | $2 | Taillon,Jameson | NYY | M | k | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 316 | $1 | Lauer,Eric | MIL | M | k | Rg- | 0.25 | |||||||||
| 336 | $1 | Hernandez,Elieser | MIA | P | k | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 340 | $1 | Kikuchi,Yusei | SEA | M | k | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 342 | $1 | Alzolay,Adbert | CHC | M | k | Rg+ | inj- | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 361 | $0 | Cortes,Nestor | NYY | M | k | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 363 | $0 | Pivetta,Nick | BOS | M | k | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 404 | -$1 | Dunning,Dane | TEX | M | k | inj- | e | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 407 | -$1 | Corbin,Patrick | WAS | M | k | Rg+ | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 452 | -$2 | Weaver,Luke | ARI | M | k | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 461 | -$2 | Suarez,Jose | LAA | M | k | inj- | e | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 495 | -$3 | Brubaker,Jonathan | PIT | M | k | Rg+ | e | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 505 | -$3 | Gomber,Austin | COL | P | k | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 605 | -$5 | Peterson,David | NYM | P | k | Rg+ | INJ | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 630 | -$5 | Price,David | LA | P | k | inj- | Ag | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 683 | -$6 | Steele,Justin | CHC | P | k | inj- | EX | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 737 | -$7 | Martinez,Carlos | STL | P | k | Rg+ | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 750 | -$7 | Thompson,Keegan | CHC | P | k | inj- | EX | Rg- | 3.25 | |||||||
| 140 | $9 | Bassitt,Chris | OAK | M | e | inj- | Rg- | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 172 | $7 | Stroman,Marcus | CHC | M | e | inj- | 1.50 | |||||||||
| 275 | $3 | Cobb,Alex | SF | M | e | INJ | 3.25 | |||||||||
| 337 | $1 | Sanchez,Sixto | MIA | P | e | INJ | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 402 | -$1 | Pineda,Michael | MIN | M | e | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 574 | -$4 | Soroka,Michael | ATL | P | e | INJ | 3.00 |
ASSETS: PT (Playing time), Er (Pitching Effectiveness), K (Strikeouts), Sv (Saves), Rg (Regression help). LIABILITIES: Sk (Skills risk), Inj (Injury), Ex (Inexperience), Ag (Age decline), Rg (Regression hurt), Risk cost
Despite exceptional skill Assets, you may want to let others fight over deGrom, Scherzer, Bieber (pictured), Sale, Ohtani, Webb, Sandoval and Ynoa, and take on the risk costs that range from 3.75 to 7.25. Assuming Burnes (E+,K+) at ADP 10 and Cole (ER,K+) at ADP 9 are out of reach, who are BABS’ top targets?
In the (ER,K+) Asset group, she suggests a Round 9 flyer on Shane Baz and build in his 2.00 risk. From the (e, K+) group, assuming Robbie Ray and BABS find Freddy Peralta are unavailable, you can still shop for Blake Snell (e,K+|inj-) and Michael Kopech (e,K+|inj-,e) at 4-8 round discounts.
In the (ER, KK) Asset group, you’ll find five BABS bargains with risk costs of 2.00 or less who could even work as No. 1s, and two more with 3.00 costs who would help if they could stay healthy. Sure, it would be great if Buehler, Woodruff, Nola, or Gausman landed in your lap, but there will be strong competition for them. BABS has her eyes on Joe Musgrove, Charlie Morton (whose spring training should show us if his leg is ready) and Trevor Rogers. Shane McClanahan joins Baz on the Rays hype train, talented Tanner Houck may be the best bargain and if your risk budget can fit another 3.00, you could bet either Lance McCullers or Clayton Kershaw avoid injury.
Moving to (ER, k) and (e, KK), and assuming Wheeler and Alcantara are out of reach, BABS’ top targets are full-timers Max Fried, Lance Lynn, Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas. They’re not inexpensive, but their risk costs are 1.25 or less, and they’re going at least two rounds later than Wheeler or Alcantara. Close behind are mid-timers Alek Manoah, Dylan Cease, and Yu Darvish with risk costs 2.00 or less, and all within a round of Montas. Better BABS bargains are Tyler Mahle, Nathan Eovaldi, Luis Garcia, and Tarik Skubal, who have risk costs under 1.50 and go 3-7 rounds later than Montas. For speculators, BABS suggests Tylor Megill and rookie Nicholas Lodolo.
The (e, k) Asset group contains the final three full-timers. Last season’s only 20-game winner Julio Urias is a bit over-priced here, but Jose Berrios has no Liabilities, and at ADP 73 he’s in the same budget area as Fried, Lynn, Castillo, and Montas. The BABS bargains here are the aforementioned German Marquez and mid-timers with risk costs of 2.00 or less, Ian Anderson, Sean Manaea, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Jordan Montgomery, Steven Matz and Jonathan Gray. Any of those six could fill your final one or two SP slots.
Finally, if you still have any room left, BABS might give Andrew Heaney (KK,Rg+) one more try; hope Eric Lauer (k|Rg-) has found something, or pray Sixto Sanchez (e|EX) recovers well from shoulder surgery.
NOTES: The chart above may vary slightly from the latest database update which was run after this analysis was written. To engage with other readers on this topic, head over to the Reader Forums. If you have a question that would be best answered by one of our experts and benefit everyone, submit it on our Contact Page and put MAILBAG in the Subject Line.