Although I help some friends with their teams, specifically around young players, the ones they aren't as familiar with, I don't play fantasy baseball. But whether you're a die-hard fan or a fantasy player or some combination thereof, knowing the young players entering Major League Baseball this season matters at some point. A bunch of names of kids in Class A is only of so much help, so I have instead created a 2020 guide to rookies, trying to balance their talent, proximity to being big league ready and their potential opportunity, when applicable.
We did the hitters on Monday; today we turn to the pitchers. As before, I will refer to a player opening the season at Double-A or Triple-A even though there might not be a minor league season, as a way of measuring how big league ready a player is.
Jump by ranked group:
Top-tier Rookie Pitchers | Triple-A Starting Pitchers
Power Relievers
Top-tier rookie pitchers
1. Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics
2. A.J. Puk, LHP, Athletics
3. Nate Pearson, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
4. Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox
5. Jose Urquidy, RHP, Houston Astros
6. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Patrick Sandoval, LHP, Los Angeles Angels
8. Justus Sheffield, LHP, Seattle Mariners
9. Brendan McKay, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
10. Deivi Garcia, RHP, New York Yankees
These are the top-tier prospects who are both big league ready and will either open in key roles on Opening Day or be among the first to come up for their teams. Jesus Luzardo is the top pitching prospect in the game and will open the season in Oakland's rotation, along with A.J. Puk, who is the ninth-best pitcher in my Top 100.
Jose Urquidy was the last player on the Top 100 but should open in the Houston rotation, as should Mitch Keller in Pittsburgh (who is rated higher on the Top 100 but is less proven at the big league level), as well as Justus Sheffield and Patrick Sandoval in the AL West.
Nate Pearson and Michael Kopech are also among the top 10 pitchers on my Top 100 but should open the season in Triple-A for a bit before getting a shot in an MLB rotation. Brendan McKay and Deivi Garcia are also opening in Triple-A but aren't quite the same level of prospect, as McKay has the least stuff of the group and Garcia likely cannot throw 175 innings over a season due to his build.
Triple-A starting prospects
1. Matt Manning, RHP, Detroit Tigers
2. Casey Mize, RHP, Tigers
3. Dustin May, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Houston Astros
5. Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves
6. Logan Gilbert, RHP, Seattle Mariners
7. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Miami Marlins
8. Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Marlins
9. Brent Honeywell Jr., RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
10. Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers
11. Clarke Schmidt, RHP, New York Yankees
12. Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Dodgers
13. Bryse Wilson, RHP, Braves
14. Adrian Morejon, LHP, Padres
15. Kyle Wright, RHP, Braves
16. Lewis Thorpe, LHP, Minnesota Twins
17. Tucker Davidson, LHP, Braves
18. Justin Dunn, RHP, Mariners
19. Jon Duplantier, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
20. Michel Baez, RHP, Padres
21. Anthony Banda, LHP, Rays
These pitchers are the other key group to keep an eye on in terms of 2020 production. This list is of pitchers projected to start at the top of a Triple-A rotation who are long-term-rotation answers for their clubs, but the exact time of when they will be called up will depend on factors such as team need, service-time manipulation and the competitiveness of the club, and not just their talent per se.
These guys are ranked by prospect value, since you should focus on their overall talent rather than the hard-to-pin-down question of their opportunities. Since all of them are starter types, their control and command project for average to above, so they're loosely ranked in order of stuff or strikeout potential.
Beyond this group, there are other names to clip and save. The Padres' dynamic duo of LHP MacKenzie Gore and RHP Luis Patino should both start in Double-A but get late-season looks with a strong year; each has front-line upside. Phillies RHP Spencer Howard and Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt also figure to start in Double-A but have a shot at earning a midseason opportunity, while Twins RHP Jhoan Duran and Dodgers RHP Josiah Gray could also get a look late in the year.
Power Relievers
1. Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Bryan Abreu, RHP, Houston Astros
3. James Karinchak, RHP, Cleveland Indians
4. Peter Fairbanks, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
5. Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Indians
6. Javy Guerra, RHP, San Diego Padres
7. Nick Burdi, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
8. J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
9. Cody Stashak, RHP, Minnesota Twins
10. Joel Kuhnel, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
11. Alex Vesia, LHP, Miami Marlins
I'm not going to say this category is ranking saves per se, since guessing which rookie-eligible pitcher will rack up saves is basically impossible. So rather than try to do that, these are the relievers with high-octane stuff and results to match that look set for extended big league opportunities with a strong 2020 season. The first eight of these should open in the big league bullpen, be up very soon or be on the DL (Clase).
J.B. Bukauskas has Francisco Rodriguez-type upside from his K-Rod heyday with three plus to plus-plus pitches, reliever-type command, and he was the centerpiece of the Zack Greinke deal; he's especially one to watch if he shifts to relief in a late-season audition, which is what I'd expect if he stays healthy. Joel Kuhnel and Alex Vesia will be among the first options for their clubs when bullpen help is needed; they have posted big strikeout numbers with the stuff to match.