March Composite Rankings – Starting Pitcher

by
March 16, 2018

Our staff composite rankings are back! We’re onto starters and we’ll be rolling out a new position each day over the next week-plus.

We’re using Yahoo! eligibility requirements which is 5 starts or 10 appearances. These rankings assume the standard 5×5 categories and a re-draft league. If we forgot someone, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure he’s added for the updates. If you have questions for a specific ranker on something he did, let us know in the comments. We can also be reached via Twitter:

There will be differences, sharp differences, within the rankings. The rankers have different philosophies when it comes to ranking, some of which you’re no doubt familiar with through previous iterations. Of course the idea that we’d all think the same would be silly because then what would be the point of including multiple rankers?! Think someone should be higher or lower? Make a case. Let us know why you think that. The chart is sortable. If a ranker didn’t rank someone that the others did, he was given that ranker’s last rank +1.

Key:

  • AVG– just the average of the seven ranking sets
  • Adj. AVG– the average minus the high and low rankings
  • SPLIT– the difference between the high and low rankings

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March SP Rankings
NAME Paul S Mike Jeff Justin AVG Adj. AVG Split
1 Clayton Kershaw 2 1 2 2 1.8 2.0 1
2 Max Scherzer 1 3 4 1 2.3 2.0 3
3 Chris Sale 3 2 1 3 2.3 2.5 2
4 Corey Kluber 4 4 3 4 3.8 4.0 1
5 Stephen Strasburg 8 5 5 7 6.3 6.0 3
6 Jacob deGrom 6 9 6 6 6.8 6.0 3
7 Luis Severino 9 8 7 5 7.3 7.5 4
8 Madison Bumgarner 7 6 9 11 8.3 8.0 5
9 Noah Syndergaard 5 12 13 9 9.8 10.5 8
10 Carlos Carrasco 11 7 8 13 9.8 9.5 6
11 Justin Verlander 10 13 11 14 12.0 12.0 4
12 Chris Archer 14 10 10 18 13.0 12.0 8
13 Carlos Martinez 12 16 17 10 13.8 14.0 7
14 Yu Darvish 13 11 14 17 13.8 13.5 6
15 Robbie Ray 15 22 15 8 15.0 15.0 14
16 Zack Greinke 22 15 12 12 15.3 13.5 10
17 Jose Quintana 21 20 16 16 18.3 18.0 5
18 Aaron Nola 16 27 19 15 19.3 17.5 12
19 James Paxton 17 19 22 19 19.3 19.0 5
20 David Price 19 14 18 28 19.8 18.5 14
21 Gerrit Cole 18 23 21 22 21.0 21.5 5
22 Jeff Samardzija 29 24 25 21 24.8 24.5 8
23 Dallas Keuchel 25 25 24 26 25.0 25.0 2
24 Masahiro Tanaka 20 26 23 32 25.3 24.5 12
25 Jake Arrieta 32 18 27 29 26.5 28.0 14
26 Luis Castillo 23 40 34 23 30.0 28.5 17
27 Alex Wood 37 28 35 20 30.0 31.5 17
28 Shohei Ohtani 31 31 31 38 32.8 31.0 7
29 Johnny Cueto 30 29 42 31 33.0 30.5 13
30 Lance McCullers 26 32 51 24 33.3 29.0 27
31 Jon Lester 46 21 20 46 33.3 33.5 26
32 Rich Hill 38 34 32 34 34.5 34.0 6
33 Zack Godley 27 37 49 27 35.0 32.0 22
34 Trevor Bauer 42 35 33 30 35.0 34.0 12
35 Kyle Hendricks 47 17 26 55 36.3 36.5 38
36 Kenta Maeda 40 30 43 43 39.0 41.5 13
37 Luke Weaver 45 38 28 45 39.0 41.5 17
38 Jon Gray 44 51 29 35 39.8 39.5 22
39 Marcus Stroman 51 42 30 36 39.8 39.0 21
40 Jameson Taillon 34 39 39 48 40.0 39.0 14
41 Jose Berrios 35 66 46 25 43.0 40.5 41
42 Taijuan Walker 36 41 44 54 43.8 42.5 18
43 Michael Wacha 39 44 52 42 44.3 43.0 13
44 Garrett Richards 24 72 53 33 45.5 43.0 48
45 Sonny Gray 56 36 45 49 46.5 47.0 20
46 Michael Fulmer 28 56 67 39 47.5 47.5 39
47 Gio Gonzalez 52 46 36 56 47.5 49.0 20
48 Kevin Gausman 48 47 50 47 48.0 47.5 3
49 Danny Salazar 54 54 37 51 49.0 52.5 17
50 Dylan Bundy 57 59 48 41 51.3 52.5 18
51 Charlie Morton 41 57 66 44 52.0 50.5 25
52 Chase Anderson 43 74 55 37 52.3 49.0 37
53 Sean Manaea 49 43 58 64 53.5 53.5 21
54 Drew Pomeranz 50 48 40 77 53.8 49.0 37
55 Blake Snell 59 58 41 61 54.8 58.5 20
56 Rick Porcello 68 33 38 81 55.0 53.0 48
57 Danny Duffy 53 75 56 50 58.5 54.5 25
58 Marco Estrada 60 60 61 62 60.8 60.5 2
59 J.A. Happ 64 64 47 68 60.8 64.0 21
60 Joe Musgrove 65 49 62 70 61.5 63.5 21
61 Julio Teheran 76 45 64 73 64.5 68.5 31
62 Lance Lynn 55 77 74 53 64.8 64.5 24
63 Jake Faria 63 70 68 60 65.3 65.5 10
64 Dinelson Lamet 77 69 57 59 65.5 64.0 20
65 Patrick Corbin 67 53 60 83 65.8 63.5 30
66 Alex Cobb 69 50 71 80 67.5 70.0 30
67 Felix Hernandez 80 52 63 75 67.5 69.0 28
68 Jordan Montgomery 61 71 69 71 68.0 70.0 10
69 Aaron Sanchez 33 113 87 40 68.3 63.5 80
70 Mike Clevinger 58 98 75 52 70.8 66.5 46
71 Jake Odorizzi 70 65 78 74 71.8 72.0 13
72 Tanner Roark 72 63 59 100 73.5 67.5 41
73 Luiz Gohara 66 89 76 65 74.0 71.0 24
74 Cole Hamels 78 55 54 112 74.8 66.5 58
75 Dan Straily 82 61 65 103 77.8 73.5 42
76 Sean Newcomb 83 62 72 98 78.8 77.5 36
77 Miles Mikolas 86 73 79 82 80.0 80.5 13
78 Ivan Nova 93 68 73 89 80.8 81.0 25
79 Lucas Giolito 71 85 99 72 81.8 78.5 28
80 Tyler Chatwood 75 80 77 99 82.8 78.5 24
81 Hyun-Jin Ryu 73 67 70 131 85.3 71.5 64
82 Brad Peacock 62 126 101 57 86.5 81.5 69
83 Tyler Skaggs 90 86 86 84 86.5 86.0 6
84 Ervin Santana 95 82 84 88 87.3 86.0 13
85 German Marquez 79 101 85 86 87.8 85.5 22
86 Chad Kuhl 74 108 92 87 90.3 89.5 34
87 Kyle Gibson 81 107 105 69 90.5 93.0 38
88 Anthony DeSclafani 108 95 96 63 90.5 95.5 45
89 Jakob Junis 88 81 95 102 91.5 91.5 21
90 Eduardo Rodriguez 100 93 106 67 91.5 96.5 39
91 Mike Leake 84 76 82 131 93.3 83.0 55
92 Matt Shoemaker 91 88 91 110 95.0 91.0 22
93 Chris Stratton 96 109 110 66 95.3 102.5 44
94 Zach Davies 112 78 80 114 96.0 96.0 36
95 Alex Reyes 85 134 88 79 96.5 86.5 55
96 Jaime Garcia 98 84 103 107 98.0 100.5 23
97 Jerad Eickhoff 107 91 102 94 98.5 98.0 16
98 Ian Kennedy 120 79 90 108 99.3 99.0 41
99 Jhoulys Chacin 87 92 93 128 100.0 92.5 41
100 Tyler Anderson 97 96 83 127 100.8 96.5 44
101 Jimmy Nelson 101 125 121 58 101.3 111.0 67
102 Mike Foltynewicz 119 90 81 119 102.3 104.5 38
103 Mike Fiers 125 87 108 91 102.8 99.5 38
104 Mike Minor 92 104 89 131 104.0 98.0 42
105 Nick Pivetta 94 105 98 120 104.3 101.5 26
106 Homer Bailey 143 99 104 96 110.5 101.5 47
107 CC Sabathia 110 123 109 105 111.8 109.5 18
108 Andrew Triggs 118 83 117 131 112.3 117.5 48
109 Reynaldo Lopez 89 136 114 117 114.0 115.5 47
110 Jason Vargas 128 106 94 131 114.8 117.0 37
111 Jason Hammel 136 94 100 131 115.3 115.5 42
112 Daniel Norris 103 118 130 113 116.0 115.5 27
113 Carlos Rodon 106 144 137 78 116.3 121.5 66
114 Clayton Richard 126 121 111 111 117.3 116.0 15
115 Andrew Heaney 122 132 127 90 117.8 124.5 42
116 Erasmo Ramirez 123 103 115 131 118.0 119.0 28
117 Matt Boyd 116 131 120 106 118.3 118.0 25
118 Zack Wheeler 113 120 123 125 120.3 121.5 12
119 Vince Velasquez 115 124 112 131 120.5 119.5 19
120 Matt Andriese 138 112 107 131 122.0 121.5 31
121 Daniel Mengden 109 100 150 131 122.5 120.0 50
122 Josh Tomlin 146 116 97 131 122.5 123.5 49
123 Brandon Finnegan 150 139 128 76 123.3 133.5 74
124 Michael Kopech 102 152 150 92 124.0 126.0 60
125 Brandon McCarthy 141 110 118 131 125.0 124.5 31
126 Walker Buehler 99 135 138 131 125.8 133.0 39
127 Jose Urena 130 143 133 97 125.8 131.5 46
128 Collin McHugh 127 128 125 124 126.0 126.0 4
129 Doug Fister 140 117 116 131 126.0 124.0 24
130 Jack Flaherty 104 157 124 122 126.8 123.0 53
131 Jordan Zimmermann 148 97 131 131 126.8 131.0 51
132 Tyler Glasnow 131 147 135 95 127.0 133.0 52
133 Francisco Liriano 114 114 150 131 127.3 122.5 36
134 Luis Perdomo 144 119 126 123 128.0 124.5 25
135 Matt Moore 162 102 119 131 128.5 125.0 60
136 Nathan Eovaldi 105 133 150 131 129.8 132.0 45
137 Matt Harvey 133 115 140 131 129.8 132.0 25
138 Adam Wainwright 159 111 122 131 130.8 126.5 48
139 Jharel Cotton 132 153 113 131 132.3 131.5 40
140 Nathan Karns 142 127 134 131 133.5 132.5 15





 

Paul is the Editor of Rotographs and Content Director for OOTP Perfect Team. Follow Paul on Twitter @sporer and on Twitch at sporer.

18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
martyvan90Member since 2026
8 years ago

I’ll say a lot of variability. Gerrit Cole’s high ranking doesn’t match the negative comments I heard, including some from the panel- as I recollect. I guess upside/bounce back/fresh environment?

0
Sully3Member since 2025
8 years ago

Thanks for knocking these out before the weekend Paul! I’m sure tons of fantasy drafts are this weekend!

4
Mike PodhorzerFanGraphs Staff
8 years ago

Before I get a million questions, remember these are projected end of season rankings based on dollar values earned. It’s absolutely not exactly how I would draft these pitchers, as I will always prefer a lower IP guy with better ratio projections than a higher IP guy with worse ratios, but more wins and Ks to boost his dollar value. That preference is not reflected in the ranking above, as it’s a strategic choice, not a mathematical one.

5
themightypeace
8 years ago

I love the recognition of Jon Gray at 38 … he is goIng to win or lose a lot of pools this season. Coors versus his skills are constantly juxtaposed against his projections – some thing wil give.

0
LightenUpFGMember since 2018
8 years ago

Very helpful, thanks!

I’m surprised Justin missed on Hyun-Jin Ryu. To not rank a guy (“131”) must mean that Justin thinks Ryu won’t make it through the year, as Ryu was rather effective last year and plays for a very good team. To not even beat out stalwarts like Matt Boyd (105), Ian Kennedy (108) and Jhoulys Chacin (128) is a head scratcher.

Unless, of course, Justin just forgot about him. That happens in these long lists, I imagine.

0
tommyGunZ
8 years ago

Tyson Ross is 100% healthy, back in San Diego with Darren Balsley, and hungry for a big contract. Probably the best SP sleeper no one is talking about.

3
wagfg7
8 years ago

Are we the only ones with Thor at 5, Paul?

0
MoodyJames
8 years ago

This is a great list to start with, if youre trying to do a quickie ranking of your own. The only surprise to me was Shark above Keuchel, but it may end up being correct

1
Roger21
8 years ago
Reply to  MoodyJames

Shark’s HR problems make me wonder about him. Last year seemed like a fluke, but the HRs have persisted so far in spring training as well. Hard to say whether Shark’s HR trend or Keucheul’s injury history is more worrisome.

1
TimeToMakeTheDonuts
8 years ago

Aaron Sanchez the most controversial with a spread of 80!! The projection guys are way down on him, the touts are big optimists.

0
BallparkFrank
8 years ago

I have done 9 money leagues on Yahoo so far and I have been sticking to this format for my starting pitching. I wont be picking many of the top relief pitchers so I prioritize WHIP early to offset the potential bad WHIP from my lower tier RPs. I also dont want someone to go all RPs and try and steal the rate stats (ERA/WHIP)

My first tier has 7 people in it. I want at least one of these guys to be my SP1 as these are the guys I trust to have a sub 1.10 WHIP

1. Kershaw
2. Scherzer
3. Sale
4. Kluber
5. Syndergaard
6. Bumgardner
7. Carrasco

My second tier is only 6. Ideally I want 3 of the top 13 guys. As a Met fan, I love DeGrom and have him close to the 1st Tier but I dont trust him on WHIP.

8. DeGrom
9. Strasburg
10. Severino
11. Verlander
12. Darvish
13. Martinez

After this you fall into the Glob.

I like Paxton if he falls as my SP3/4 but that hasnt happened often………. I think Lester is worth the risk for where he is falling……. Trevor Bauer has been all over the place in drafts. He was going high a week or so ago but a few rough outings in spring training has pushed him down to a good buy this week. Thank god for recency bias……..Garrett Richards is another guy I love with the defense he has behind him. His injury risk has him priced to buy. He might not give you a lot of innings but they will be of high quality…… Rich Hill is dropping like a rock after getting lit up by the Royals. He will give you SP2 quality on his rates for the 140-160 innings he pitches…… Kenta Maeda is my favorite post hype guy this year. He gives you very good K/9 and WHIP late.

0
magee406Member since 2020
8 years ago

Amir Garrett not even ranked? Give me the 25 year old over some of these guys in the bottom 40. Paul your boy Fulmer is criminally under-ranked at SP46

1
quintefox
8 years ago
Reply to  magee406

I also noticed Kendall Graveman isn’t ranked.

0
tcrondeauMember since 2018
8 years ago

Two questions: 1. Would one of you guys update the hyperlink in the position rankings? It’s still linked to last year’s composite rankings.
2. Mike, your projection for Garrett Richards is vastly different from the rest of the group. Is it an innings projection issue, or is it just the way the projections worked out for you based on skills?

0
Average Fastball VelociraptorMember since 2016
8 years ago

Thanks these are really helpful. It would be cool if the March ranks for all positions were linked.

0
madjockmcferson
8 years ago

this is awesome. would be great to have it in excel so i can incorporate it into my rankings.

0
madjockmcferson
8 years ago
Reply to  madjockmcferson

oops…i was copying and pasting into a csv document. it all good now! keep up the great work

0
rsvp_nj
8 years ago

Always love this. THANKS!!! It helps me to find draft-day bargains. My only wish is if it was updated during the final days of Spring Training.

0