SP - San Diego Padres
- Age 30
- Boston College
- Bats: R
- Throws: R
2026 Outlook
- Draft Rank (ECR)
- P #45
- Best / Worst
- #33 / #63
- ADP
- #140
Eligibility
- Yahoo
- SP
- ESPN
- SP
- CBS
- SP
Availability
Michael King's transition to a full-time starter in San Diego paid off in 2024, but 2025 brought some mild regression and missed time. After logging 173.2 innings with a 2.95 ERA and 27.7% strikeout rate in 2024, he threw just 73.1 innings in 2025 with his strikeout rate dipping to 24.7% and his HR/9 jumping from 0.9 to 1.5. The underlying profile remains solid — a career 27.0% K rate with consistently better-than-average contact suppression — but his 2025 FIP (4.42) suggests he wasn't as sharp when on the mound. The 2026 projections expect a rebound in workload and a return to mid-3.00s ratios, which aligns more closely with his 2024 form than last year's abbreviated campaign. King still misses bats at an above-average clip and limits batting average against (.225 career), but his margin for error narrows when the home run rate spikes. He profiles as a high-end SP3 with SP2 upside if the strikeouts tick back toward the 27-28% range and he pushes past 160 innings again.
