I usually do this over the All-Star break, but time didn’t allow for it last week. So here now are my very, very preliminary 2020 player rankings. I’ve done my best to list players where they’ll be eligible next year, and the free agents-to-be are listed without teams. Players with options for next year are still listed with their current teams if those options have a legitimate chance of being exercised. Those players are noted with asterisks.
Along with the position rankings is a top 300 list for 2020. Click to see other preliminary 2020 rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH
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2020 Starting Pitcher Rankings
2020 | SP | Team | 2019 | July |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | 1 | 1 |
2 | Jacob deGrom | Mets | 2 | 2 |
3 | Chris Sale | Red Sox | 3 | 4 |
4 | Walker Buehler | Dodgers | 8 | 8 |
5 | Aaron Nola | Phillies | 5 | 6 |
6 | Justin Verlander | Astros | 7 | 5 |
7 | Gerrit Cole | 6 | 3 | |
8 | Trevor Bauer | Indians | 13 | 10 |
9 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 14 | 7 |
10 | Mike Soroka | Braves | 149 | 26 |
11 | Blake Snell | Rays | 9 | 11 |
12 | Noah Syndergaard | Mets | 11 | 12 |
13 | Luis Castillo | Reds | 34 | 16 |
14 | Stephen Strasburg | Nationals* | 16 | 13 |
15 | Patrick Corbin | Nationals | 15 | 9 |
16 | Corey Kluber | Indians* | 4 | 22 |
17 | Shane Bieber | Indians | 33 | 14 |
18 | Jose Berrios | Twins | 29 | 17 |
19 | Jack Flaherty | Cardinals | 12 | 19 |
20 | Zack Greinke | Diamondbacks | 20 | 15 |
21 | Mike Clevinger | Indians | 21 | 32 |
22 | Chris Paddack | Padres | 55 | 44 |
23 | James Paxton | Yankees | 19 | 18 |
24 | David Price | Red Sox | 17 | 20 |
25 | Carlos Carrasco | Indians | 10 | 40 |
26 | Masahiro Tanaka | Yankees | 24 | 23 |
27 | Charlie Morton | Rays | 35 | 24 |
28 | Julio Urias | Dodgers | 70 | 53 |
29 | Luis Severino | Yankees | 27 | 79 |
30 | Yu Darvish | Cubs* | 25 | 29 |
31 | Chris Archer | Pirates | 18 | 34 |
32 | Jameson Taillon | Pirates | 26 | 65 |
33 | Lucas Giolito | White Sox | 127 | 47 |
34 | Tyler Glasnow | Rays | 46 | 67 |
35 | Robbie Ray | Diamondbacks | 32 | 35 |
36 | Frankie Montas | Athletics | 119 | NR |
37 | Kyle Hendricks | Cubs | 30 | 30 |
38 | Marcus Stroman | Blue Jays | 65 | 50 |
39 | Brandon Woodruff | Brewers | 85 | 51 |
40 | Carlos Martinez | Cardinals | 68 | 13 RP |
41 | Matthew Boyd | Tigers | 71 | 37 |
42 | Kenta Maeda | Dodgers | 31 | 27 |
43 | German Marquez | Rockies | 38 | 33 |
44 | Madison Bumgarner | 23 | 21 | |
45 | Shohei Ohtani | Angels | NR | NR |
46 | Pablo Lopez | Marlins | 49 | 68 |
47 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Red Sox | 40 | 42 |
48 | Domingo German | Yankees | 88 | 49 |
49 | Max Fried | Braves | 130 | 45 |
50 | Zack Wheeler | 37 | 28 | |
51 | Joey Lucchesi | Padres | 44 | 46 |
52 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | 61 | 25 | |
53 | Caleb Smith | Marlins | 66 | 60 |
54 | Cole Hamels | 22 | 36 | |
55 | Griffin Canning | Angels | 228 | 74 |
56 | Jose Quintana | Cubs* | 39 | 39 |
57 | Dallas Keuchel | 43 | 43 | |
58 | Ross Stripling | Dodgers | 28 | 31 |
59 | MacKenzie Gore | Padres | NR | NR |
60 | Miles Mikolas | Cardinals | 36 | 48 |
61 | Mitch Keller | Pirates | 220 | 103 |
62 | Bryse Wilson | Braves | 73 | 71 |
63 | Johnny Cueto | Giants | 271 | NR |
64 | Joe Musgrove | Pirates | 42 | 38 |
65 | Dylan Cease | White Sox | 202 | 64 |
66 | Mike Minor | Rangers | 113 | 62 |
67 | Michael Kopech | White Sox | NR | NR |
68 | Nathan Eovaldi | Red Sox | 64 | 19 RP |
69 | Yonny Chirinos | Rays | 63 | 41 |
70 | Sonny Gray | Reds | 48 | 54 |
71 | Jesus Luzardo | Athletics | 98 | 81 |
72 | Brendan McKay | Rays | NR | 110 |
73 | Jon Lester | Cubs | 77 | 59 |
74 | Casey Mize | Tigers | 269 | NR |
75 | Rich Hill | 51 | 63 | |
76 | Zac Gallen | Marlins | 226 | 52 |
77 | Anthony DeSclafani | Reds | 56 | 58 |
78 | Ian Anderson | Braves | 268 | NR |
79 | Lance McCullers | Astros | NR | NR |
80 | Rick Porcello | 59 | 57 | |
81 | Brad Peacock | Astros | 53 | 56 |
82 | Mike Foltynewicz | Braves | 45 | 100 |
83 | Yusei Kikuchi | Mariners | 54 | 107 |
84 | Andrew Heaney | Angels | 62 | 55 |
85 | Josh James | Astros | 60 | 102 |
86 | Luke Weaver | Diamondbacks | 87 | 97 |
87 | Sean Manaea | Athletics | 210 | 160 |
88 | Dakota Hudson | Cardinals | 148 | 91 |
89 | Dinelson Lamet | Padres | 206 | 109 |
90 | Jon Gray | Rockies | 75 | 76 |
91 | Adbert Alzolay | Cubs | 293 | 119 |
92 | Jordan Lyles | 105 | 61 | |
93 | Nick Pivetta | Phillies | 57 | 77 |
94 | Jake Arrieta | Phillies* | 69 | 66 |
95 | J.A. Happ | Yankees | 47 | 82 |
96 | Kyle Gibson | 91 | 86 | |
97 | Matt Strahm | Padres | 80 | 69 |
98 | Alex Reyes | Cardinals | 79 | NR |
99 | Kevin Gausman | Braves | 94 | 94 |
100 | Alex Wood | 58 | 87 | |
101 | Steven Matz | Mets | 52 | 80 |
102 | Adrian Houser | Brewers | 239 | 129 |
103 | Sandy Alcantara | Marlins | 158 | 114 |
104 | Zach Eflin | Phillies | 118 | 83 |
105 | Jalen Beeks | Rays | 106 | 70 |
106 | Tyler Mahle | Reds | 110 | 85 |
107 | Michael Fulmer | Tigers | NR | NR |
108 | Anibal Sanchez | Nationals | 89 | 92 |
109 | Jordan Montgomery | Yankees | 244 | NR |
110 | A.J. Puk | Athletics | 238 | NR |
111 | Freddy Peralta | Brewers | 78 | 115 |
112 | Lance Lynn | Rangers | 213 | 116 |
113 | Elieser Hernandez | Marlins | 384 | 154 |
114 | Jake Odorizzi | 131 | 75 | |
115 | Julio Teheran | Braves* | 86 | 93 |
116 | Daniel Ponce de Leon | Cardinals | 203 | 73 |
117 | John Means | Orioles | 431 | 125 |
118 | Tanner Roark | 116 | 89 | |
119 | Ryan Yarbrough | Rays | 72 | 84 |
120 | Trevor Richards | Marlins | 100 | 99 |
121 | Marco Gonzales | Mariners | 90 | 96 |
122 | Logan Allen | Padres | 255 | 95 |
123 | Wade Miley | 99 | 72 | |
124 | Chris Bassitt | Athletics | 173 | 90 |
125 | Touki Toussaint | Braves | 82 | 98 |
126 | Merrill Kelly | Diamondbacks | 92 | 88 |
127 | Danny Salazar | Indians | 83 | 101 |
128 | Adonis Medina | Phillies | 320 | NR |
129 | Tyler Beede | Giants | 233 | 124 |
130 | Taijuan Walker | Diamondbacks | 178 | NR |
131 | Dustin May | Dodgers | 222 | NR |
132 | Mike Montgomery | Royals | 103 | 148 |
133 | Kyle Wright | Braves | 140 | 167 |
134 | Forrest Whitley | Astros | 122 | 152 |
135 | Spencer Turnbull | Tigers | 187 | 141 |
136 | Aaron Sanchez | Blue Jays | 128 | 127 |
137 | Michael Wacha | 67 | 78 | |
138 | Jeff Samardzija | Giants | 111 | 113 |
139 | Deivi Garcia | Yankees | NR | NR |
140 | Felix Pena | Angels | 115 | 120 |
141 | Joe Ross | Nationals | 95 | 163 |
142 | Justin Dunn | Mariners | 273 | NR |
143 | Cal Quantrill | Padres | 298 | 134 |
144 | Jakob Junis | Royals | 93 | 117 |
145 | Matt Manning | Tigers | 288 | NR |
146 | Jordan Yamamoto | Marlins | 209 | 131 |
147 | J.B. Bukauskas | Astros | 251 | NR |
148 | Vince Velasquez | Phillies | 123 | 132 |
149 | Gio Gonzalez | 139 | 126 | |
150 | Matt Shoemaker | Blue Jays | 102 | NR |
151 | Nate Pearson | Blue Jays | NR | NR |
152 | Austin Voth | Nationals | 344 | 105 |
153 | Dylan Bundy | Orioles | 108 | 142 |
154 | Adrian Morejon | Padres | NR | NR |
155 | Chad Kuhl | Pirates | NR | NR |
156 | Jonathan Loaisiga | Yankees | 117 | NR |
157 | Michael Pineda | 81 | 111 | |
158 | Jose Suarez | Angels | 259 | 169 |
159 | Tony Gonsolin | Dodgers | 287 | NR |
160 | Jose Urena | Marlins | 114 | NR |
- Save for Mike Soroka moving up a bunch, the top 20 here doesn’t look all that much different than the July list from the monthly rankings. I’m nervous enough about a potential decline from Corey Kluber to exclude him from the top 10, but he’ll move back up if he returns in August and looks strong down the stretch. I still feel pretty good about Jack Flaherty, even as he continues to give up too many flyballs and homers.
- Carlos Martinez and Nathan Eovaldi are both a little higher than I’d list them as pure starting pitchers since they could remain closers in 2020. Jakob Junis in Kansas City is another one I think could make that move, which is the main reason he’s listed in the top 160.
- MacKenzie Gore is the high prospect here. Casey Mize is probably the better bet to throw 150 innings in the majors next year, but he’ll be doing so for a bad team in the AL, while Gore will debut for an improving team in the NL. I might rank Ian Anderson over both next spring, but he has several other promising youngsters he has to overtake to get a chance in Atlanta. The Braves are the only team here placing nine pitchers among the top 160.
- Youngsters who would have made the cut had I extended the list to 180 pitchers include Anthony Kay (Mets), Jon Duplantier (Diamondbacks), Jose Urquidy (Astros), Triston McKenzie (Indians), Justus Sheffield (Mariners), Sixto Sanchez (Marlins), Austin Gomber (Cardinals), Brady Singer (Royals) and James Kaprielian (Athletics). I also would have found some room for the Rays’ Brent Honeywell, though it’s hard to say if he’ll really have a chance to be a factor in 2020.