Fantasy Baseball 2020: Predictions for Dinelson Lamet, Under-the-Radar Pitchers

A shortened MLB season would require fantasy baseball owners to take a different draft approach than in any previous year.

If a condensed schedule is agreed upon, fantasy owners have to get the most out of every single draft selection. That requires more research into which pitchers can bolster rotations and keep weekly numbers as high as possible.

San Diego's Dinelson Lamet was going to be viewed as a sleeper selection in a full season because of the second-half performances he put in last season, and with owners looking for every advantage, his strikeout rate could be more valuable.

Lance McCullers Jr. is another pitcher who could be overlooked since he spent 2019 away from the mound. But if he returns to his 2018 form, he could help the Houston Astros contend for another title.

Predictions for Under-the-Radar Pitchers

Dinelson Lamet, SP, San Diego 

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

Lamet was a popular late-season waiver pickup in 2019 because of his high strikeout rate.

The 27-year-old punched out 107 batters in 73 innings over 14 appearances, but he finished with a 3-5 record. His record and the expectation San Diego will be in the middle of the pack, at best, in the National League West has kept Lamet further down the pitcher rankings.

Lamet's average draft position is 121, per Fantasy Pros, but it varies depending on which fantasy service you use. His ADP on Yahoo is 116, and it is 149 in ESPN leagues.

The variance is likely due to the small sample size we have of the right-handed pitcher at the major league level. He has 35 starts to his name, with 24 coming in 2017 before an extended injury layoff.

But he could be an intriguing selection in the middle rounds because of the numbers he produced in a three-month span to finish the 2019 campaign.

Lamet had at least five strikeouts in all but one appearance and finished with 24 punch outs in two games against the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

If he performs at the same level and receives more run support in his starts to record more wins, Lamet could become one of the steals of the middle rounds in 12-team leagues.

Prediction: 10th-round fantasy draft pick.

Lance McCullers Jr., SP, Houston

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Drafting McCullers comes with a risk since he is coming off Tommy John surgery, but if he returns to the form he was in prior to the surgery, he may be one of the best under-the-radar selections.

In 2018, the right-handed hurler won 10 games for the first time in his career and set a personal best of 142 strikeouts. McCullers' career 10.1 strikeouts-per-nine innings and 2.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio are some of the better numbers you will see from pitchers in the middle rounds.

The 26-year-old has not allowed more than 56 earned runs in a season, and he limited opponents to 12 home runs over 22 appearances two seasons ago. While those numbers make him an intriguing selection, he should not be chosen too high because he is coming off an extended recovery period.

However, McCullers comes with plenty of upside since the Houston Astros should give him plenty of run support.

His presence at the back end of the Houston rotation should see him move a bit above his ADP of 179 in some leagues, and if you can get him in the 12th or 13th round as a fourth or fifth starter, he could be well worth the selection.

Prediction: 12th-round selection.

Keone Kela, RP, Pittsburgh            

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

It may be hard to convince some owners to select a closer for a team projected to be one of the worst in baseball.

However, in a shortened season with less room for error, Keone Kela could carry some value in the later rounds. Kela has experience as a closer from his time with the Texas Rangers, with whom he earned 24 saves in 2018.

In 2019, the right-handed reliever conceded seven earned runs in 29.2 relief innings, and his strikeout-per-nine innings rate has never dropped below 10. Pittsburgh could gain more motivation in a shortened campaign because it would have a better chance of landing a postseason berth than in a 162-game season.

With no pressure on the Pirates to succeed, they could surprise some NL Central opponents. And if they do, Kela will be called on more to finish games.

Kela should be viewed as a complement to one of the top relievers at first, but he could outperform his ADP of 203 if the Pirates are more competitive than expected.

Prediction: 16th round. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.