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10 Deep Pitchers to Pick Up (Fantasy Baseball)

10 Deep Pitchers to Pick Up (Fantasy Baseball)

Nick Pollack from Pitcher List here for a weekly segment at FantasyPros where I’ll be looking at the deeper options available in your leagues, highlighting my 10 favorite pitchers each week that could quickly return value despite hanging out on your waiver wire. We’ve set the threshold to under 15% owned according to ESPN, leaving a vast majority of leagues to take advantage of these arms that will cost you nothing and possibly return plenty.

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Graduated since last week: Jose Berrios, Nathan Karns.

10. Tyler Chatwood (COL): 6.2% owned
It’s easy to dismiss Chatwood with his 5.25 ERA and sub 7.00 K/9, but his added velocity paired with a 56.7% groundball rate and 3.83 xFIP make Chatwood an intriguing sleeper pickup for those in dire needs of quality innings. Just don’t run him out there against a good team in Coors or on the road.

9. Daniel Norris (DET): 9.5% owned
My conviction that Norris will be the pitcher we want him to be is dwindling, though he’s still a young 24 years old and we’ve seen him suddenly make an adjustment and go on a tear. This pick isn’t about the numbers he’s put up thus far – hard contact sitting at 44.8% is atrocious – it’s about the potential he has to suddenly feature a 9.00 K/9 and sub 2.00 BB/9 across multiple weeks.

8. German Marquez (COL): 3.5% owned
When a pitcher fans eight Cubs batters in Colorado, you have to raise an eyebrow. It’s uncertain how long Marquez sticks around with the club, but there’s clear upside here paired with a 3.35 FIP that could provide dividends where other options on the wire only drag you further down.

7. Zach Davies (MIL): 13.8% owned
2017 sure hasn’t gone Davies’ way thus far, with a 3.79 BB/9 after sporting an elite 2.09 mark in 2016. His ERA has ballooned to 5.80 and his hard contact has only risen to a poor 36.3%. However, it’s early in the year and it’s possible Davies can be a 3.80 ERA arm with a decent amount of Ks and manageable WHIP that you won’t want to drop off your roster in the middle of July. Will it happen next week? Will it happen at all? It’s unclear, but in deep leagues, he’s worth the roll of the die.

6. Jimmy Nelson (MIL): 10.2% owned
Nelson displayed Tuesday evening his value against weaker opponents, fanning eight batters in six innings against the Padres. I would be avoiding Nelson against strong opponents – such as the Cubs and Diamondbacks coming up – but if he escapes with one decent start under his belt, he’ll get the Mets and Giants after, which could both pay dividends given Nelson’s swing-and-miss arsenal.

5. Joe Musgrove (HOU): 10.1% owned
Three of the last four starts from Musgrove have collected just 4 ER total, while he’s walked just one batter in five of his eight starts. There’s clear upside with Musgrove and it’s a matter of time before he blossoms into a stable arm that will be beneficial at the end of your staff. With fewer and fewer options available given the vast amount of injuries, Musgrove might be your best bet for a permanent replacement.

4. Mike Foltynewicz (ATL): 11.7% owned
Folty is a regular on this list as his strikeout potential alone makes him valuable in deeper leagues. Expect an 8.00 – 8.50 strikeout mark as he continues to keep the walks low (2.78 BB/9 thus far). While his 4.15 SIERA isn’t what you’re hoping for, he’s allowing under 30% hard contact suggesting that the best may be yet to come.

3. Eddie Butler (CHC): 5.8% owned
With Brett Anderson hitting the DL, Butler got the call for the Cubs and gave Chicago six innings of shutout baseball last week. He has a track record of low strikeout rates (just 6.61 K/9 in his 64 innings with the Rockies last season), but Butler has showcased increased velocity thus far with a larger emphasis on his curveball that could spell more Ks on a given night. It’s unknown how long this will last, but if you’re in desperate need of an upside play, Butler could fit the bill.

2. Jordan Montgomery (NYY): 12.2% owned
Far from the most exciting of adds, Montgomery can be a stable Quality Start producer through the entire season. He’s sporting a digestible 3.63 FIP with good strikeout potential that can hover above 8.50 K/9 through the year. He has the repertoire that can allow him to head deeper into games than others, and I expect him to lower his poor 3.93 BB/9 as the season continues. Montgomery doesn’t have the same ceiling as a few names behind him, but his stability in the rotation warrants the No. 2 spot.

1. Luis Perdomo (SDP): 6.8% owned
After Monday’s 10 strikeout game against the Brewers, Perdomo holds the highest groundball rate in the majors at 70.5%, while allowing just 23.2% hard contact. His FIP, xFIP, and SIERA are all under 3.00 while he’s nearing a strikeout per inning. He’s increasing his curveball usage, meaning the strikeout rate is here to stay. There’s plenty to like here and his sub 10% ownage rate is incredibly unjust. Snag him before your league mates so you’re not regretting it later.


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Nick Pollack is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nick, find his work at PitcherList.com and follow him @ThePitcherList.

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