Fantasy: Starting Pitcher Composite Rankings
theScore's 2015 fantasy rankings apply to standard 10-team, 5x5 rotisserie leagues. Our MLB editors - Jonah Birenbaum, Dan Toman, Greg Warren and Brandon Wile - ranked 70 starting pitchers and the top 50 are listed below. Check out all of theScore's fantasy content for the upcoming season here.
View rankings by position: C I 1B I 2B I SS I 3B I OF I SP I RP
Injury notes
* Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish diagnosed with torn UCL and will miss the 2015 season.
* Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman diagnosed with torn ACL and will miss the 2015 season.
* Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler diagnosed with torn UCL and will miss the 2015 season.
Analysis: 4 high/low rankings
Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays
Rank: 30.8 (Birenbaum: 20)
JB: Blessed with a droolworthy combination of stuff and command, Marcus Stroman quickly cemented his status as the Blue Jays' best starter last season, authoring a 3.29 ERA with a 3.81 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 20 starts after joining the rotation in late May. The diminutive right-hander discovered a sinker in July that fueled a 2.43 GB/FB rate throughout the second half of the season, the second-best mark among qualified starters. Stroman's newest weapon helped him curtail the home run issues he battled in Double-A, too, as the 23-year-old allowed just two round-trippers over his final 77 1/3 innings in 2014. Though he isn't the most intimidating figure on the mound - he's listed at only 5-foot-9 - Stroman is poised to be a fantasy monster this season.
Zach Wheeler, New York Mets
Rank: 43.5 (Toman: 37)
DT: Only 16 pitchers recorded more strikeouts than Wheeler last year and his 23.6 percent punchout rate ranked 19th among all major-league starters. Despite his early-season struggles and susceptibility to the long ball, the 24-year-old flamethrower showed maturity in his second year. He increased his groundball rate from his rookie season, cut down on flyballs, and showed a greater reliance on his secondary offerings. You can rest assured Wheeler won't be on an innings cap this year after throwing 185 1/3 innings in 2014, and his stronger second half peripherals (3.09 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) are encouraging for a young arm. Be extremely confident you're drafting a top-40 pitcher with plenty of upside, and don't be surprised if you get at least top-30 value.
Matt Harvey, New York Mets
Rank: 21.8 (Warren: 18)
GW: Don't forget about Matt Harvey! If you're new to fantasy baseball this year or joined your first league last season, you might not be aware of this young right-hander's potential. The Mets hurler is coming back from Tommy John surgery so you'll want to monitor his progress this spring, but the team doesn't plan to cap his innings moving forward which enhances his fantasy value. Harvey went 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA in 2013 before suffering the injury, and averages more than a strikeout per inning for his career. It's not unreasonable to peg him as a 15-win guy, especially in a division with the offensively-challenged Phillies and Braves.
Yordano Ventura, Kansas City Royals
Rank: 31.5 (Wile: 41)
BW: Ventura, like many Royals, will be overvalued following the team's surprising World Series run. The hard-throwing right-hander logged 208 1/3 innings last season, almost doubling his career-high throughout the minor leagues, and like all fireballers, he's susceptible to breaking down. Ventura doesn't strike out a lot of batters; he fanned 173 last season, while posting a pedestrian 2.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranked 68th among qualified pitchers. With a dependence on a strong bullpen, Ventura didn't pitch deep into many games either, making it past the sixth inning just 15 times in 31 starts.