Top 125 SP for 2020
It’s time.
After offering up a first run all the way back in mid-August, I let the rest of the season play out but since then I’ve been working on SP rankings day-in and day-out. I contributed the starting pitcher section to the 2020 Fantasy Black Book so I had a working ranking for that but even since then (it was due back in early-December), I’ve made a ton of changes.
As you know, I feel there are globs of talent throughout the SP rankings wherein a 20, even 30 spot difference isn’t as vast as it seems because we’re splitting hairs between very similar arms and yet even knowing that I still agonize over the slottings and move guys up or down 2-3 spots like crazy before posting a new set of ranks. I decided on 125 for this one after paring down a list of 156 and yes, some of those remaining 31 are just as good as the last 7-8 on the list, but I had to cut it somewhere.
You’ll see tiers set up by the blue bars and that indicates the beginning of a new tier, but even those were hard to decide upon except the one starting at 99 which marks a group of prospects who I parked at that level because none are likely to make a rotation out of spring but all could be impactful at some point in 2020.
Enough chatter, let’s get to the rankings and start discussing them in the comments below. Again, if you think #44 should #38, I’m less interested in that as I probably agree that he could be. Let’s focus on the bigger splits, like if you feel #77 should be #40 or #28 should be #66, etc… Of course you can also just make comments or ask questions about a pitcher without relating it to their ranking. I’m open to discussing my thought process on any of the 125 pitchers.
These will be updated again in February and then once more in early March.
Check out Justin’s Top 126 SPs.
Note: these are catered for a roto league of 12-15 teams
the glob is for real after the first two tiers. you could swap 21-25 and 26-30 and wouldn’t get an argument from me.
also… I just noticed Josh James near the bottom. I’m a big fan/believer in the skills but skeptical he will get a chance to start. Where would you look to take him? Is he purely a speculative add or someone you’ll be actively targeting?
Right? It gets globby quickly and becomes hard to DEFINITIVELY rank guys. I feel good about where I have these guys and think everyone just needs to put down their preferences and then map out a draft plan. Some will simply take what the draft gives them, but I prefer to attack the globs and get the ones I think could greatly exceed their expectations, even if their base talent is similar to 10-12 others around them