2020 Starter Rankings

by Matthew Pouliot

July 17, 2019, 5:11 am ET

Updated On: July 17, 2019, 5:11 am ET

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.