Procuring undervalued players in fantasy baseball drafts is an outstanding building block for a championship run. Here are 10 undervalued pitchers and must-have picks at or slightly before their average draft position (ADP). Below we dive into a few notable names to target in fantasy baseball drafts.
Must-Have Pitchers
Nick Pivetta (BOS – SP/RP) – 218.8 ADP
Pivetta had a rocky start to the season last year. He was able to right the ship as a bulk reliever before the Red Sox gave him a few more opportunities to start in addition to serving as a bulk reliever. Pivetta was pulled from Boston’s rotation after a start on May 16 and didn’t start for them again until July 31.
From July 31 until the end of the season, Pivetta had 13 appearances (eight starts) spanning 61.2 innings, spinning a 3.94 ERA, 2.99 xFIP, 2.94 SIERA, 1.05 WHIP, 6.5 BB%, 33.6 K% and 31.8 CSW%. The veteran righty also had blistering pitch-modeling data, recording a 127 Stuff+, 105 Location+ and 112 Pitching+. Pivetta could turn into a pumpkin. However, he’s a steal after the 200th pick if his production at the end of last season sticks.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI – SP) – 225.5 ADP
Pfaadt didn’t hit the ground running in his rookie season. Still, he saved his best work for last and flashed fantasy baseball utility. In his final 13 appearances (12 starts) in the regular season, Pfaadt had a 4.22 ERA, 4.06 xFIP, 3.90 SIERA, 1.24 WHIP, 5.4 BB%, 24.4 K%, 28.4 CSW%, 102 Stuff+, 106 Location+ and 107 Pitching+.
Moreover, in five starts totaling 22.0 innings in the playoffs, Pfaadt had a 3.27 ERA, 3.23 xFIP, 2.96 SIERA, 1.09 WHIP, 5.7 BB% and 29.9 K%. The 25-year-old hurler had pedigree as a prospect and results in the playoffs. As a result, Pfaadt is an ascending young pitcher gamers shouldn’t sleep on.
Mason Miller (OAK – SP) – 263.0 ADP
Miller has been unable to stay healthy. Thus, the A’s are likely moving Miller to the bullpen, where he’ll have a chance to win the closing job. Miller got his feet wet in 10 appearances (six starts) for the A’s last season.
The righty’s fastball had an average velocity of 98.4 mph and could tick upward in shorter relief stints. He also showcased incredible bat-missing stuff in the minors, tallying a 21.1 SwStr% in 12.0 innings in Triple-A last season. Even bad teams can produce saves, and Miller could help fantasy teams more than the typical late-round dart throw at saves.
Graham Ashcraft (CIN – SP) – 343.5 ADP
In 26 starts spanning 145.2 innings in 2023, Ashcraft had a 4.76 ERA, 5.00 xERA, 4.57 xFIP, 4.80 SIERA, 1.37 WHIP, 8.3 BB%, 17.8 K% and 26.2 CSW%. Those numbers don’t provide a compelling case for selecting Ashcraft in fantasy leagues this season.
However, the soon-to-be 26-year-old righty’s 47.8 GB% last season and 50.7 GB% in the majors can help him navigate the homer-amplifying nature of Great American Ball Park. The actual draw for taking a chance on Ashcraft is his pitch modeling, though.
Among starting pitchers who had at least 120 innings in 2023, Ashcraft’s 128 Stuff+ was the highest mark. He also had a 99 Location+ and 103 Pitching+. Ashcraft’s cutter and slider had Stuff+ grades of 116 and 166.
Encouragingly, Ashcraft’s electrifying arsenal began to produce results in the second half of last year. In his final 10 starts totaling 64.0 innings, Ashcraft had a 2.81 ERA, 4.28 xFIP, 4.42 SIERA, 1.09 WHIP, 6.8 BB%, 19.9 K%, 26.9 CSW%, 47.2 GB%, 130 Stuff+, 103 Location+ and 106 Pitching+.
Ashcraft’s ERA estimators indicated he had good fortune. Nevertheless, they were an improvement, and the seeds are planted to blossom into a fantasy asset this season.
Check out our early 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit 
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
