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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 100 Starting Pitchers

Ray updates his starting pitcher rankings, ranking his top 100 pitchers for 2015.

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy football season is just about over for most of you out there, but don't fret, fantasy baseball season is creeping closer, and we are here to help you win your leagues in 2015. I have been updating my 2015 position rankings throughout the offseason, and today I publish my Top 100 Starting Pitcher rankings. I have made a few changes to the rankings since my last SP rankings , including going 100 deep in my rankings from 75 the last time I published them.

In addition, I have made the following changes to my rankings:

Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy

I have moved up the Dodgers starters in my rankings after Andrew Friedman's series of trades at the Winter Meetings. Friedman has greatly improved the Dodgers defense through the trades he made for shortstop Jimmy Rollins, second baseman Howie Kendrick and catcher Yasmani Grandal. Add in the fact that the trade of Matt Kemp to the Padres rids the Dodgers of one of the worst fielding outfielders in baseball, and more than likely he will be replaced by top outfield prospect Joc Pederson. Pederson should play center field, so the Dodgers will have an improved defense up the middle, and their pitchers should benefit as a result.

Greinke moves up to #7, while Hyun Jin Ryu moves up to #22 and Brandon McCarthy moves up to #57. I didn't rank new Dodger starter Brett Anderson in my top 100 as he is very injury prone, but he could prove to be an excellent sleeper candidate on draft day.

Jon Lester

I moved Lester up to the #9 spot in my rankings, as I see him maintaining the dominance he showed in 2014. Lester signed with the Cubs for the next six seasons, and he should continue to be one of the best starters in the game, especially moving to the National League where he doesn't have to face a designated hitter four times per game.

Madison Bumgarner

I moved MadBum down a few spots to #13 in my rankings as I have some concerns that his workload in the playoffs may take a toll on his performance in 2015. I could be wrong here, but will play it conservative for now. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants take it easy with him in spring training, and in the early part of the 2015 season.

Gerrit Cole

I moved Cole into my top 20 starters as I think 2015 could be his breakout season, a season where we see him grow into an ace. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he is a top 10-12 starter in baseball this season, as he improved his strikeouts per nine last season, while maintaining a solid walk and ground ball rate.

Jake Arrieta

It took me awhile, but I am buying into the growth we saw from him in his breakout 2014 season. Arrieta pitched like an ace last season, striking out more than nine batters per nine, walking less than three per nine, and inducing ground balls at a 49% clip. I see him repeating his dominance in 2015.

Collin McHugh

McHugh came out of nowhere last season and probably helped many win their leagues in 2014. McHugh flew under the radar for most of the season, and that should hold true on draft day as well. He won 11 of his 25 starts, with a sub - 3.00 ERA, an ace-like WHIP, a K/9 over 9.00 and he limited the free pass as well. Can he repeat this in 2015? I would bet on it.

Let's take a look at my Top 100 Starting Pitcher rankings for 2015:

(Updated for Derek Holland, Wei-Yin Chen and Bud Norris)

Rank

Name

Team

1

Clayton Kershaw

Dodgers

2

Felix Hernandez

Mariners

3

Chris Sale

White Sox

4

Corey Kluber

Indians

5

Max Scherzer

TBD

6

Johnny Cueto

Reds

7

Zack Greinke

Dodgers

8

Cole Hamels

Phillies

9

Jon Lester

Cubs

10

Stephen Strasburg

Nationals

11

David Price

Tigers

12

Jordan Zimmermann

Nationals

13

Madison Bumgarner

Giants

14

Yu Darvish

Rangers

15

Adam Wainwright

Cardinals

16

Alex Cobb

Rays

17

Garrett Richards

Angels

18

Jeff Samardzija

White Sox

19

Gerrit Cole

Pirates

20

Jered Weaver

Angels

21

James Shields

TBD

22

Hyun-Jin Ryu

Dodgers

23

Mat Latos

Marlins

24

Hisashi Iwakuma

Mariners

25

Matt Harvey

Mets

26

Jake Arrieta

Cubs

27

Sonny Gray

Athletics

28

Julio Teheran

Braves

29

Jacob deGrom

Mets

30

Tyson Ross

Padres

31

Doug Fister

Nationals

32

Masahiro Tanaka

Yankees

33

Zack Wheeler

Mets

34

Collin McHugh

Astros

35

Carlos Carrasco

Indians

36

Kevin Gausman

Orioles

37

Anibal Sanchez

Tigers

38

Alex Wood

Braves

39

Phil Hughes

Twins

40

Marcus Stroman

Blue Jays

41

Lance Lynn

Cardinals

42

Yordano Ventura

Royals

43

Andrew Cashner

Padres

44

Wily Peralta

Brewers

45

Dallas Keuchel

Astros

46

Michael Wacha

Cardinals

47

Chris Archer

Rays

48

Gio Gonzalez

Nationals

49

Tanner Roark

Nationals

50

Drew Smyly

Rays

51

Henderson Alvarez

Marlins

52

Michael Pineda

Yankees

53

Jose Quintana

White Sox

54

Scott Kazmir

Athletics

55

Yovani Gallardo

Brewers

56

Homer Bailey

Reds

57

Brandon McCarthy

Dodgers

58

Ian Kennedy

Padres

59

John Lackey

Cardinals

60

Kyle Lohse

Brewers

61

Rick Porcello

Red Sox

62

Cliff Lee

Phillies

63

Shelby Miller

Braves

64

Danny Salazar

Indians

65

Mike Minor

Braves

66

Ervin Santana

Twins

67

Jake Peavy

Giants

68

Matt Cain

Giants

69

Mike Fiers

Brewers

70

Matt Shoemaker

Angels

71

Jose Fernandez

Marlins

72

Jon Niese

Mets

73

James Paxton

Mariners

74

Matt Garza

Brewers

75

Derek Holland

Rangers

76

Chris Tillman

Orioles

77

Jake Odorizzi

Rays

78

Mike Leake

Reds

79

Francisco Liriano

Pirates

80

Trevor Bauer

Indians

81

Danny Duffy

Royals

82

R.A. Dickey

Blue Jays

83

Jason Hammel

Cubs

84

Jarred Cosart

Marlins

85

T.J. House

Indians

86

Josh Collmenter

Diamondbacks

87

Shane Greene

Tigers

88

Wade Miley

Red Sox

89

Jesse Hahn

Athletics

90

A.J. Burnett

Pirates

91

Bartolo Colon

Mets

92

Tim Hudson

Giants

93

Edinson Volquez

Royals

94

Justin Verlander

Tigers

94

Wei-Yin Chen

Orioles

95

Nathan Eovaldi

Marlins

96

Bud Norris

Orioles

97

Drew Hutchison

Blue Jays

98

Dan Haren

Marlins

99

Alfredo Simon

Tigers

100

Mark Buehrle

Blue Jays


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