Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Position

Team

Jacob deGrom Note
	1. Jacob deGrom NYM deGrom barely missed out on winning his third straight Cy Young Award last year, but it was yet another dominant season. For the third straight year, he came in with a WHIP under 1.00, an ERA under 2.50, and a strikeout percentage above 31%. deGrom is getting up there in age, but it's worth remembering that he has fewer miles on his arm than most pitcher entering their age-33 season, given that he didn't transition to pitching until late in his college career and missed significant time with injuries during his time in the minors. deGrom has shown no decline in his game, and should hopefully (finally) begin to pile on more wins this year pitching for a better team in front of an improved bullpen. He should be the first or second starting pitcher taken and is an obvious first-round pick. 2 days ago

Gerrit Cole Note
	2. Gerrit Cole NYY Cole was pretty much as advertised in his first season with the Yankees. His ERA rose a tad, as did his home run rate as expected, and his strikeout rate fell a bit, though it remained at an absurdly high level. And, for the most part, all of his expected metrics fell off a tad from his 2019 season. But Cole's numbers from that season were so dominating that he could withstand plenty of regression and still be one of the best pitchers in fantasy. As such, he'll head into 2021 close to the way he came into the 2020 season: a dominant, high-strikeout, low-walk starter who will throw plenty of innings and who is more likely to finish as the top overall fantasy pitcher than he is to finish outside the top-10. It's a matter of personal preference between Cole and Jacob deGrom as the first pitcher off the board, but neither should fall outside the top-10 overall picks on draft day. 2 days ago

Shane Bieber Note
	3. Shane Bieber CLE Bieber took the huge gains he had made in 2019 and kicked the into hyperdrive en route to a Cy Young season. He had a miniscule 1.63 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP, and took his strikeout percentage to 41.1%, which ranked first among qualified starters. Everything was exceptional for Bieber, as he held batters to just a .167 batting average, barely allowed home runs, and earned eight wins in just 12 starts. He may struggle to again find wins given the Indians' depleted lineup, but there is nothing else to think twice about with Bieber. He's part of the ultra-elite tier in starting pitching with Jacob deGrom and Gerrit Cole, and should be a first-round selection. 2 days ago

Walker Buehler Note
	4. Walker Buehler LAD Because the Dodgers wanted to closely watch Buehler's routine and workload, he got a late start to the shortened season, essentially using his first few starts as the end of his spring training. He also dealt with blisters late in the year. All that to say, Buehler's 36 2/3 regular-season innings are, for the most part, largely meaningless. He gave up a few more home runs and walked a few more batters than usual, and he won just a single game. But none of it matters. Value Buehler as you did after his 2019 season - as one of the true stud pitchers in the game. Once the big three of Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, and Shane Bieber are off the board, Buehler should come under immediate consideration, as the type of starting pitcher who can be your fantasy ace. 1 day ago

Trevor Bauer Note
	5. Trevor Bauer FA

Yu Darvish Note
	6. Yu Darvish SD After a career year in 2020, Darvish moves to San Diego in a trade that shouldn't affect his strong 2021 outlook all that much. Despite his advancing age, Darvish built on the gains he had made over the second half of 2019, finishing with a 2.01 ER, a 0.96 WHIP, and a 31.3% strikeout rate. Darvish's walk rate has declined to a level once thought unattainable for the veteran, a mere 4.7%, which was in the top 8% of MLB in 2020. Although he'll be entering his age-35 season, there's simply nothing in Darvish's numbers, metrics, or statcast data that points to a decline. If you are desperate to find a negative, it's a move from the weak-hitting NL Central to the much stronger NL West, but that's hardly a reason to avoid Darvish. Draft him as an easy top-10 starter, and more like a top-5 option. 2 days ago

Aaron Nola Note
	7. Aaron Nola PHI Nola bounced back from his disappointing 2019 campaign, and looked much closer to the 2018 breakout version of himself last year. His set a career mark in strikeout rate (33.2%, which ranked in the top nine percent in the league) and swinging strike rate (13.4%), and brought his walk rate down to just eight percent. Nola also got batters to swing at pitches outside the strike zone at a rate of 38.1%, far better than he had ever done in his career, and they made contact less than ever, at a rate of only 59.1%. The reason for the change was Nola relying far less on his fastball and more on his changeup, which kept hitters off balance and made both pitches more effective. Nola doesn't throw particularly hard, so his success relies much more on command and finding the right pitch mix, both of which he excelled at in 2020. If he can keep that going in 2021, and it's a good bet he will, he should be considered a fantasy ace. 1 day ago

Lucas Giolito Note
	8. Lucas Giolito CWS

Max Scherzer Note
	9. Max Scherzer WSH

Jack Flaherty Note
	10. Jack Flaherty STL

Luis Castillo Note
	11. Luis Castillo CIN

Clayton Kershaw Note
	12. Clayton Kershaw LAD

Blake Snell Note
	13. Blake Snell SD Snell moves to the Padres fresh off a solid year, in which he pitched to a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP, with a memorable early exit in the World Series. Snell has a checkered injury history and has pitched just 157 innings over the past two years, so don't expect him to be a big innings-eater in 2021. And, although he'll escape the dreaded AL East, he'll get a downgrade in park and defense, which largely makes the move a neutral one. All that said, Snell has plenty of talent as he's shown throughout his career, and should be able to pile up wins and strikeouts pitching for a strong Padres team. Draft him as an SP2 with upside. 2 days ago

Brandon Woodruff Note
	14. Brandon Woodruff MIL

Zac Gallen Note
	15. Zac Gallen ARI

Stephen Strasburg Note
	16. Stephen Strasburg WSH

Kenta Maeda Note
	17. Kenta Maeda MIN

Sonny Gray Note
	18. Sonny Gray CIN

Lance Lynn Note
	19. Lance Lynn CWS Lynn turned in another stellar year in 2020, leading MLB with 84 innings pitched, striking out plenty of batters, and keeping his walk rate and overall numbers in check. But there are a few warning signs under the hood, including his 4.19 FIP, his 4.34 xFIP, and his career-high 79.4% LOB rate. Of bigger concern is his trade to the White Sox and hitter-friendly Guaranteed Rate Field, particularly because Lynn had a 38.3% fly-ball rate in 2019 and a 42.3% fly-ball rate last year. That led to the worst HR/9 rate of his career and second-worst HR/FB rate (13.8%) in 2020. Countering those troublesome warning signs, however, is the fact that he'll be caught by perhaps the best pitch framer in baseball in Yasmani Grandal, and that will generally help with his numbers which, again, were excellent last year. Add it all up and Lynn's ERA should likely increase simply because of the additional home runs he'll allow if he can't turn around his trend in fly-ball rate, but Grandal's presence and Lynn's general aptitude on the mound should allow for another strong season and make him worthy of a selection as an SP2. 2 days ago

Tyler Glasnow Note
	20. Tyler Glasnow TB

Dinelson Lamet Note
	21. Dinelson Lamet SD

Max Fried Note
	22. Max Fried ATL

Hyun Jin Ryu Note
	23. Hyun Jin Ryu TOR

Carlos Carrasco Note
	24. Carlos Carrasco NYM

Zach Plesac Note
	25. Zach Plesac CLE

Zack Greinke Note
	26. Zack Greinke HOU

Zack Wheeler Note
	27. Zack Wheeler PHI

Corbin Burnes Note
	28. Corbin Burnes MIL

Kyle Hendricks Note
	29. Kyle Hendricks CHC

Chris Paddack Note
	30. Chris Paddack SD

Jose Berrios Note
	31. Jose Berrios MIN

Jesus Luzardo Note
	32. Jesus Luzardo OAK

Ian Anderson Note
	33. Ian Anderson ATL

Framber Valdez Note
	34. Framber Valdez HOU

Dylan Bundy Note
	35. Dylan Bundy LAA

Charlie Morton Note
	36. Charlie Morton ATL Morton's 2020 numbers were poor, without question. He was limited to just 38 regular season innings because of a shoulder injury, and pitched to a 4.74 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. His velocity was way down early in the season (when he got hit hard) and trickled up after he returned, but he got back to his normal 95 MPH fastball in the postseason and totaled a 2.70 ERA. Now 37 and with the Braves, the question is whether fantasy managers can write off Morton's down 2020 season considering his sterling post-season, or whether his age and injury history means they should avoid him. In reality, the answer is neither. Morton should still have gas left in the tank considering his playoff run, but should only be drafted as a value, meaning no earlier than a low-end SP3. Grab him there, at which point the risk-reward balance should reach an equilibrium. 2 days ago

Patrick Corbin Note
	37. Patrick Corbin WSH

Sixto Sanchez Note
	38. Sixto Sanchez MIA

Julio Urias Note
	39. Julio Urias LAD

Mike Soroka Note
	40. Mike Soroka ATL

Lance McCullers Jr. Note
	41. Lance McCullers Jr. HOU

Frankie Montas Note
	42. Frankie Montas OAK

Pablo Lopez Note
	43. Pablo Lopez MIA

Joe Musgrove Note
	44. Joe Musgrove SD Musgrove has been a popular sleeper the last two seasons and now that he's been traded to the Padres, his ADP is surely going to rise. In 2019, Musgrove continued to improve as a pitcher, upping his strikeout rate and adding velocity. But his 2020 season looked like a step back, until he returned from the IL strong, including finishing his season with back-to-back scoreless outings while getting back some of the lost zip on his fastball. Overall, Musgrove's 2020 numbers suggest a breakout waiting to happen, as he built significantly on his gains in 2019, increasing his strikeout rate to 33.1%. His chances for wins should improve dramatically in San Diego, and he's a fine fourth starter with upside. 2 days ago

German Marquez Note
	45. German Marquez COL

Marco Gonzales Note
	46. Marco Gonzales SEA

Sandy Alcantara Note
	47. Sandy Alcantara MIA

Aaron Civale Note
	48. Aaron Civale CLE

David Price Note
	49. David Price LAD

Dustin May Note
	50. Dustin May LAD

Devin Williams Note
	51. Devin Williams MIL

Dallas Keuchel Note
	52. Dallas Keuchel CWS

Chris Bassitt Note
	53. Chris Bassitt OAK

Triston McKenzie Note
	54. Triston McKenzie CLE

Tony Gonsolin Note
	55. Tony Gonsolin LAD

Chris Sale Note
	56. Chris Sale BOS

Kevin Gausman Note
	57. Kevin Gausman SF

Andrew Heaney Note
	58. Andrew Heaney LAA

Eduardo Rodriguez Note
	59. Eduardo Rodriguez BOS

Brady Singer Note
	60. Brady Singer KC

Cristian Javier Note
	61. Cristian Javier HOU

John Means Note
	62. John Means BAL

Shohei Ohtani Note
	63. Shohei Ohtani LAA

Zach Eflin Note
	64. Zach Eflin PHI

Zach Davies Note
	65. Zach Davies CHC

Jose Urquidy Note
	66. Jose Urquidy HOU

Jameson Taillon Note
	67. Jameson Taillon PIT

Corey Kluber Note
	68. Corey Kluber NYY

Michael Pineda Note
	69. Michael Pineda MIN

James Paxton Note
	70. James Paxton FA

Marcus Stroman Note
	71. Marcus Stroman NYM

Tyler Mahle Note
	72. Tyler Mahle CIN

Sean Manaea Note
	73. Sean Manaea OAK

Justus Sheffield Note
	74. Justus Sheffield SEA

Nathan Eovaldi Note
	75. Nathan Eovaldi BOS

Matthew Boyd Note
	76. Matthew Boyd DET

Ryan Yarbrough Note
	77. Ryan Yarbrough TB

Nate Pearson Note
	78. Nate Pearson TOR

Drew Pomeranz Note
	79. Drew Pomeranz SD

Griffin Canning Note
	80. Griffin Canning LAA

Elieser Hernandez Note
	81. Elieser Hernandez MIA

MacKenzie Gore Note
	82. MacKenzie Gore SD

Taijuan Walker Note
	83. Taijuan Walker FA

Masahiro Tanaka Note
	84. Masahiro Tanaka FA

Dane Dunning Note
	85. Dane Dunning TEX Dunning had an interesting seven-start run in 2020. He started out relying heavily on his outstanding slider and his fastball, which led to a strong swinging strike rate and plenty of punchouts in his first few starts. He then abandoned that approach to focus more on his changeup, which led to him missing fewer bats and being less successful. Now with the Rangers, Dunning should get a chance to compete for a rotation spot right out of the gate. He has the tools and skills necessary to be successful, and the draft capital necessary to acquire him should be minimal. He's worth a late-round pick in nearly all formats. 2 days ago

Diego Castillo Note
	86. Diego Castillo TB

Jordan Romano Note
	87. Jordan Romano TOR

Michael Kopech Note
	88. Michael Kopech CWS

Tarik Skubal Note
	89. Tarik Skubal DET

Brad Keller Note
	90. Brad Keller KC

Jordan Montgomery Note
	91. Jordan Montgomery NYY

Drew Smyly Note
	92. Drew Smyly ATL

Mike Minor Note
	93. Mike Minor KC

Domingo German Note
	94. Domingo German NYY

Justin Verlander Note
	95. Justin Verlander HOU

Tanner Houck Note
	96. Tanner Houck BOS

Deivi Garcia Note
	97. Deivi Garcia NYY

Noah Syndergaard Note
	98. Noah Syndergaard NYM

Jake Odorizzi Note
	99. Jake Odorizzi FA

Miles Mikolas Note
	100. Miles Mikolas STL

Luis Severino Note
	101. Luis Severino NYY

Mitch Keller Note
	102. Mitch Keller PIT

Alex Reyes Note
	103. Alex Reyes STL

Spencer Turnbull Note
	104. Spencer Turnbull DET

Caleb Smith Note
	105. Caleb Smith ARI

Yusei Kikuchi Note
	106. Yusei Kikuchi SEA

Casey Mize Note
	107. Casey Mize DET

Rich Hill Note
	108. Rich Hill FA

Adam Wainwright Note
	109. Adam Wainwright FA

Jon Gray Note
	110. Jon Gray COL

Spencer Howard Note
	111. Spencer Howard PHI

Josh Lindblom Note
	112. Josh Lindblom MIL

Freddy Peralta Note
	113. Freddy Peralta MIL

Dylan Cease Note
	114. Dylan Cease CWS

Madison Bumgarner Note
	115. Madison Bumgarner ARI

Robbie Ray Note
	116. Robbie Ray TOR

Alec Mills Note
	117. Alec Mills CHC

Luke Weaver Note
	118. Luke Weaver ARI

Ross Stripling Note
	119. Ross Stripling TOR

Dean Kremer Note
	120. Dean Kremer BAL

Garrett Richards Note
	121. Garrett Richards BOS

Chad Green Note
	122. Chad Green NYY

Daniel Bard Note
	123. Daniel Bard COL

A.J. Puk Note
	124. A.J. Puk OAK

Keegan Akin Note
	125. Keegan Akin BAL

Tejay Antone Note
	126. Tejay Antone CIN

Dakota Hudson Note
	127. Dakota Hudson STL

Jose Leclerc Note
	128. Jose Leclerc TEX

Austin Gomber Note
	129. Austin Gomber STL

Rick Porcello Note
	130. Rick Porcello FA

Hunter Harvey Note
	131. Hunter Harvey BAL

Adbert Alzolay Note
	132. Adbert Alzolay CHC

Kyle Wright Note
	133. Kyle Wright ATL

David Peterson Note
	134. David Peterson NYM

Gregory Soto Note
	135. Gregory Soto DET

Lucas Sims Note
	136. Lucas Sims CIN

Johnny Cueto Note
	137. Johnny Cueto SF

Danny Duffy Note
	138. Danny Duffy KC

J.A. Happ Note
	139. J.A. Happ MIN

Carlos Martinez Note
	140. Carlos Martinez STL

Anthony DeSclafani Note
	141. Anthony DeSclafani SF

Adrian Houser Note
	142. Adrian Houser MIL

Tyler Matzek Note
	143. Tyler Matzek ATL

Brendan McKay Note
	144. Brendan McKay TB

Luis Patino Note
	145. Luis Patino TB

Cal Quantrill Note
	146. Cal Quantrill CLE

Brusdar Graterol Note
	147. Brusdar Graterol LAD

Ian Kennedy Note
	148. Ian Kennedy FA

Kyle Freeland Note
	149. Kyle Freeland COL

Kyle Gibson Note
	150. Kyle Gibson TEX

Mike Foltynewicz Note
	151. Mike Foltynewicz FA

Joey Lucchesi Note
	152. Joey Lucchesi NYM

Daniel Ponce de Leon Note
	153. Daniel Ponce de Leon STL

Jesse Hahn Note
	154. Jesse Hahn KC

Trevor Rogers Note
	155. Trevor Rogers MIA

Forrest Whitley Note
	156. Forrest Whitley HOU

Clarke Schmidt Note
	157. Clarke Schmidt NYY

Alex Wood Note
	158. Alex Wood SF

Yonny Chirinos Note
	159. Yonny Chirinos TB

Mike Clevinger Note
	160. Mike Clevinger SD

Kris Bubic Note
	161. Kris Bubic KC

Cole Hamels Note
	162. Cole Hamels FA

Jose Quintana Note
	163. Jose Quintana LAA

JT Brubaker Note
	164. JT Brubaker PIT

Jonathan Hernandez Note
	165. Jonathan Hernandez TEX

Logan Webb Note
	166. Logan Webb SF

Adrian Morejon Note
	167. Adrian Morejon SD

Josh James Note
	168. Josh James HOU

Corbin Martin Note
	169. Corbin Martin ARI

Randy Dobnak Note
	170. Randy Dobnak MIN

Steven Matz Note
	171. Steven Matz NYM

Matt Manning Note
	172. Matt Manning DET

Anibal Sanchez Note
	173. Anibal Sanchez FA

Merrill Kelly Note
	174. Merrill Kelly ARI

Antonio Senzatela Note
	175. Antonio Senzatela COL

Jonathan Loaisiga Note
	176. Jonathan Loaisiga NYY

Jeff Samardzija Note
	177. Jeff Samardzija FA

Matt Strahm Note
	178. Matt Strahm SD

Jon Lester Note
	179. Jon Lester WSH

Julio Teheran Note
	180. Julio Teheran FA

Reynaldo Lopez Note
	181. Reynaldo Lopez CWS

Chris Archer Note
	182. Chris Archer FA

Mike Fiers Note
	183. Mike Fiers FA

Justin Dunn Note
	184. Justin Dunn SEA

Bud Norris Note
	185. Bud Norris FA

Homer Bailey Note
	186. Homer Bailey FA

Tanner Roark Note
	187. Tanner Roark TOR

Scott Barlow Note
	188. Scott Barlow KC

Matt Shoemaker Note
	189. Matt Shoemaker FA

Jordan Yamamoto Note
	190. Jordan Yamamoto MIA

Brent Suter Note
	191. Brent Suter MIL

Bryse Wilson Note
	192. Bryse Wilson ATL

Chad Kuhl Note
	193. Chad Kuhl PIT

Daniel Norris Note
	194. Daniel Norris DET

Nick Pivetta Note
	195. Nick Pivetta BOS

Trevor Richards Note
	196. Trevor Richards TB

Joe Ross Note
	197. Joe Ross WSH

Enoli Paredes Note
	198. Enoli Paredes HOU

Tyler Beede Note
	199. Tyler Beede SF

Logan Gilbert Note
	200. Logan Gilbert SEA

Darwinzon Hernandez Note
	201. Darwinzon Hernandez BOS

Jake Arrieta Note
	202. Jake Arrieta FA

Felix Pena Note
	203. Felix Pena LAA

Austin Voth Note
	204. Austin Voth WSH

Jaime Barria Note
	205. Jaime Barria LAA

Brent Honeywell Jr. Note
	206. Brent Honeywell Jr. TB

Michael King Note
	207. Michael King NYY

Edward Cabrera Note
	208. Edward Cabrera MIA

Carlos Rodon Note
	209. Carlos Rodon FA

Steven Brault Note
	210. Steven Brault PIT

Trevor Williams Note
	211. Trevor Williams FA

Tyler Anderson Note
	212. Tyler Anderson FA

Ryan Helsley Note
	213. Ryan Helsley STL

Robert Stephenson Note
	214. Robert Stephenson COL

Asher Wojciechowski Note
	215. Asher Wojciechowski NYY

Nick Kingham Note
	216. Nick Kingham TOR

Vince Velasquez Note
	217. Vince Velasquez PHI

Logan Verrett Note
	218. Logan Verrett BAL

Touki Toussaint Note
	219. Touki Toussaint ATL

Anderson Espinoza Note
	220. Anderson Espinoza SD

John Gant Note
	221. John Gant STL

Michael Fulmer Note
	222. Michael Fulmer DET

Sean Newcomb Note
	223. Sean Newcomb ATL

Kolby Allard Note
	224. Kolby Allard TEX

Jeff Hoffman Note
	225. Jeff Hoffman CIN

Carson Fulmer Note
	226. Carson Fulmer PIT

Brady Aiken Note
	227. Brady Aiken CLE

Erick Fedde Note
	228. Erick Fedde WSH

Yadier Alvarez Note
	229. Yadier Alvarez LAD

Eric Lauer Note
	230. Eric Lauer MIL

Riley Pint Note
	231. Riley Pint COL

Sean Reid-Foley Note
	232. Sean Reid-Foley TOR

Adam Plutko Note
	233. Adam Plutko CLE

Jorge Guzman Note
	234. Jorge Guzman MIA

Jakob Junis Note
	235. Jakob Junis KC

Braxton Garrett Note
	236. Braxton Garrett MIA

Chance Adams Note
	237. Chance Adams KC

Franklin Perez Note
	238. Franklin Perez DET

J.B. Bukauskas Note
	239. J.B. Bukauskas ARI

Nick Neidert Note
	240. Nick Neidert MIA

Anthony Kay Note
	241. Anthony Kay TOR

Jon Duplantier Note
	242. Jon Duplantier ARI

Ranger Suarez Note
	243. Ranger Suarez PHI

Dennis Santana Note
	244. Dennis Santana LAD

Eric Pardinho Note
	245. Eric Pardinho TOR

Logan Allen Note
	246. Logan Allen CLE

Matt Liberatore Note
	247. Matt Liberatore STL

Peter Lambert Note
	248. Peter Lambert COL

Ryan Weathers Note
	249. Ryan Weathers SD

Taylor Clarke Note
	250. Taylor Clarke ARI

Trent Thornton Note
	251. Trent Thornton TOR

Cole Winn Note
	252. Cole Winn TEX

Dereck Rodriguez Note
	253. Dereck Rodriguez COL

Patrick Sandoval Note
	254. Patrick Sandoval LAA

Devin Smeltzer Note
	255. Devin Smeltzer MIN

Josiah Gray Note
	256. Josiah Gray LAD

Mick Abel Note
	257. Mick Abel PHI

Simeon Woods-Richardson Note
	258. Simeon Woods-Richardson TOR

Asa Lacy Note
	259. Asa Lacy KC