Fantasy Baseball 2020: SP Rankings, Top Prospects and Sleepers

In baseball, the team with the best starting rotation is often the one hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy come October.

The 2019 Washington Nationals are a perfect example of this notion. 

Washington rode their starters throughout the playoffs. World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg dominated all three rounds, and Max Scherzer had his moments as well. The Nats also got sensational performances from Anibal Sanchez, while left-hander Patrick Corbin was used as both a starter and a reliever.

Fantasy baseball often has a similar formula for success. Owners who stock their rosters with starters who routinely go deep into ballgames and get their strikeouts usually dominate the pitching categories, which usually make up half of all league configurations.

It is never a bad idea to prioritize starting pitching, which is why starters make up four of the top-10 spots in ESPN's Top 300 rankings.

Here are some of the top starters, as well as the best sleepers to watch on draft day.

Starting Pitcher Rankings (via ESPN)

1. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

2. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees

3. Jacob deGrom, New York Mets

4. Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

5. Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

6. Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers

7. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

8. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

9. Zack Greinke, Houston Astros

10. Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals

11. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

12. Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers

13. Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies

14. Mike Soroka, Atlanta Braves

15. Chris Paddack, San Diego Padres

16. Charlie Morton, Tampa Bay Rays

17. Patrick Corbin, Washington Nationals

18. Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox

19. Jose Berrios, Minnesota Twins

20. Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians

Top Sleepers

Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs (Pos. Ranking 21, Ovr. Ranking 85)

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Hendricks has quietly been one of the best pitchers in baseball since he debuted in 2014. In fact, he ranks 15th among all starting pitchers in fWAR, per FanGraphs. 

The 30-year-old had another solid campaign in 2019, going 11-10 with a 3.46 ERA in 30 starts. Despite the slight year-over-year increase in ERA, Hendricks actually had a better ERA+ (129) while also lowering his walk rate and increasing the amount of strikeouts per nine innings.

The argument can be made Hendricks' steadiness and previous performance make him the ace of the Cubs staff, though fantasy owners are sleeping on Hendricks as far as potential aces go. According to Fantasy Pros, Hendricks' average draft position (ADP) ranks 40th among starting pitchers.

Hendricks is a model of consistency on the bump, and he churns out quality starts. The strikeout rate might not be as high as some owners would like, but Hendricks (at 30 years old) is right in the middle of his prime and delivers good numbers on a yearly basis. He is a safe bet.

David Price, Los Angeles Dodgers (Pos. Ranking 68, Ovr. Ranking 240)

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

Price's best years are certainly behind him. Still, there are reasons to be excited about the guy he could be with the Dodgers.

The veteran left-hander finally gets out of hitter-friendly Fenway Park in favor of Dodger Stadium, which ranked as the 24th run-scoring environment in baseball, according to ESPN's Park Factor.

Moreover, Price was actually having an excellent 2019 before injuries ruined his season. The 34-year-old went 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA and a .648 OPS against in the first half of the year, but he eventually succumbed to a wrist injury and was officially shut down in September. Even with the injury, Price still posted 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Dodgers lineup should provide ample run support for Price, who is also able to move away from a Boston environment that seemed downright toxic at times.

Price's ADP is 41st among all starters, but his ranking on ESPN is clearly much lower. Regardless, Price might establish himself as one of the best No. 3 starters in baseball behind Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw.

Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox (Pos. Ranking NR, Ovr. Ranking NR)

David Banks/Associated Press

Kopech is not even listed on ESPN's Top 125 starting pitchers, which is why drafters should be vigilant in looking for him in the later rounds.

The 23-year-old was called up to the majors in 2018, making five starts before he eventually was shut down and had Tommy John surgery (which forced him to miss all of 2019).

Kopech has plenty of stuff: a fastball that can consistently reaches the upper-90s and a hard-biting breaking ball. He also looked impressive in his lone outing of the spring, tossing a scoreless inning and pitching with good velocity and command.

Naturally, Kopech would have had to earn his spot out of camp. However, he should have every chance to compete for the last spot in Chicago's rotation.

Kopech's ADP is 77 among starters, so he is essentially an afterthought. But for those owners who have the majority of their rotation figured out, Kopech could be a guy with major upside.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference and all fantasy information via ESPN, unless otherwise noted.