MLB Top 50 Starting Pitchers For 2025: Honourable Mentions and Conundrums
Who just missed the list
Check out the Top 50 List Here
This article will serve as a way to express any thoughts about pitchers that were considered for the Top 50 but were just cut short. I will also have commentary about my toughest decisions when creating the list.
Honourable Mentions
We will get things kicked off with a handful of pitchers that deserve recognition but just missed the list. For each honourable mention, I will explain why they were close to making the list and ultimately why they just missed out of the Top 50.
Carlos Rodón - NYY
Why he is an honourable mention?
Rodón tosses one of the best changeups in MLB, and he was more comfortable throwing it as the season progressed. The stuff is also strong.
Why he didn’t make the list?
The massive home run issue which plagued Rodón’s Yankees tenure is still very present.
Ranger Suárez - PHI
Why he is an honourable mention?
Suárez posted his most valuable season of his career after being a consistent staple in the Phillies rotation. The command is great, and the arsenal is deep.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Lack of strikeout upside paired with volume concerns given the Phillies deep rotation and Suárez’s injury history.
Luis Gil - NYY
Why he is an honourable mention?
Gil is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year who wields a blistering fastball and killer slider. The strikeout rate is strong.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Gil’s poor command makes me pessimistic he can repeat his 2024 success, and the Yankees have too many mouth to feed and Gil would be the best bullpen from the bottom of the rotation.
Taj Bradley - TB
Why he is an honourable mention?
Bradley had flashes of dominance last season that felt like his breakout was underway. He ran a strong strikeout rate thanks to his array of plus-pitches, with his cutter turning into a true put-away offering.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Bradley struggles against RHH and allows far too many home runs. He now calls George M. Steinbrenner Field (same dimensions as Yankee Stadium) is a massive downgrade from Tropicana Field as a pitcher.
Ryan Pepiot - TB
Why he is an honourable mention?
Pepiot’s stuff was top notch last season and his strikeout rate jumped nearly 3% after the trade to Tampa Bay. He racked up a career high in innings and projects to smash it in 2025.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Similar to Bradley, Pepiot loses the benefit of pitching at Tropicana Field where his stuff had a noticeable bump last season. His fly ball approach will struggle with the move.
Brandon Pfaadt - TB
Why he is an honourable mention?
Pfaadt tossed a career high 181.2 IP and posted a 3.61 FIP last season. His grades out extremely well, and he pairs it with above average command.
Why he didn’t make the list?
A crowded Arizona rotation will likely be relieved prior to the season, but Pfaadt may take a hit to his volume. He doesn’t have a great complementary pitch for his slider.
Nathan Eovaldi - TEX
Why he is an honourable mention?
Consistency has been Eovaldi’s strong suit in recent season and he has exhibited the ability to eat a bunch of innings. The splitter is really strong despite a streaky decline in velocity.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Now in his age 35 season, Eovaldi projects for yet another productive season, but he doesn’t stand out in any specific manner
Shane Baz - TB
Why he is an honourable mention?
Baz made his long-awaited return to the Rays rotation last season, and while the strikeouts weren’t present, his stuff remained strong.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Concerns about his volume still loom and his fly-ball tendencies can turn ugly quickly in his new home park.
Yu Darvish - SD
Why he is an honourable mention?
There is so much to love about Darvish. His delightful 9-pitch arsenal keeps batters guessing and he has maintained strong command deep into his career.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Darvish missed a lot of time last season, and he isn’t getting any younger. Projections are harsh, and although I don’t fully agree with them, father time remains undefeated.
Brandon Woodruff - MIL
Why he is an honourable mention?
Woodruff has been extremely consistent throughout his career leaning on his 5-pitch mix to rack up strikeouts and great command to shut down batters.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Woodruff missed all of the 2024 season following shoulder surgery. There is almost no knowing how he will return and how many innings he will throw.
Nick Lodolo - CIN
Why he is an honourable mention?
An arsenal jam packed with plus offerings including an absurd curveball gives Lodolo a tantalizing ceiling.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Health has not been on Lodolo’s side, and his production hasn’t warranted a spot in the Top 50.
Jeffrey Springs - OAK
Why he is an honourable mention?
Springs returned from Tommy John Surgery in August last season and looked like usual self. An elite changeup and above average command is always a recipe for success.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Springs no longer calls Tropicana Field his home and his lack of volume throughout his career likely lines him up for limited workload next season.
Sean Manaea - NYM
Why he is an honourable mention?
A strong end to the season generated a ton of hype as Manaea worked with the Mets pitching development team to tinker his release. His sinker and sweeper combo were productive, and he racked up a career high 181.2 innings.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Manaea, similar to Eovaldi, should remain effective, but doesn’t stand out.
Nick Martinez - CIN
Why he is an honourable mention?
Martinez’s results have been too consistent for too long to ignore. He navigates his incredibly deep arsenal very well and supports it with strong command.
Why he didn’t make the list?
The strikeouts just aren’t there and Great American Ball Park being his home will only hurt his final line.
Reynaldo López - ATL
Why he is an honourable mention?
López was objectively great last season, posting a 1.99 ERA and 2.92 FIP across 135.2 innings which slashing his walks and limiting damage.
Why he didn’t make the list?
There is a disconnect between López’s stuff and his results that feels too substantial to maintain his results. Volume is also a question despite a very favourable 179.0 IP projection by Steamer.
Roki Sasaki - ???
Why he is an honourable mention?
He should be on the list, and likely sitting in the Top 20 thanks to his incredible stuff and results in Japan.
Why he didn’t make the list?
Sasaki is not (and has never been) signed to an MLB contract and his lack of Steamer projections makes my code go boom.
Conundrums
This will section cover my thoughts about the toughest pitchers to rank and doubling down on some seemingly unpopular rankings.
Spencer Strider
Spencer Strider is one of the best pitchers in baseball, there is no doubt about that. In December, there was an interview where Spencer Strider stated that he is expected to have a normal Spring Training, which is very encouraging given the typical timeline for his elbow surgery. Despite the optimistic statement from Strider, Alex Anthopolous announced that the Braves Ace will not be ready for the start of the 2025 MLB Season. With this information, I found myself aligning closely with Steamer’s projection because it seems clear that Atlanta will be very diligent with Strider’s workload this season. A healthy Strider is no lower than 5th on this list, but with the uncertainty behind his usage, I stand by my #50 ranking for Strider.
Yusei Kikuchi
Yusei Kikuchi hate needs to stop! Since the start of 2023 he is a completely new pitcher with much more refined command. He struggled prior to his trade to Houston, but he made substantial and meaningful changes to his arsenal that led him to an emphatic 2nd half. He has the stuff and strikeout ability to be a SP2, and will be tasked to eat a lot of innings in Los Angeles.
Bryan Woo
Woo was such a tricky pitcher to rank. His profile is so endearing with his brilliant fastballs, but his frequent injury scares feel more than just smoke, given his recurring forearm tightness. I hope he does not miss any time in 2025, but I still expect him to have a limited workload, which hurts his overall production.
Seth Lugo
Seth Lugo was initially much lower on my ranking due to his underwhelming fastballs and poor strikeout rate, however I adore his ability to toss 9 different pitches well. I don’t expect his Cy Young finalist numbers to stick, but the volume should be abundant.
Grayson Rodriguez
Grayson Rodriguez was very fluid in my initial rankings, ranging from the mid 30s all the way to the top 20, but I settled on a happy midpoint in my final iteration. Rodriguez has some extraordinary stuff, fuelled by his high velocity and ability to spin the ball. He struggled with damage mitigation last season, driven by inconsistent command and sequencing. I am banking on his stuff powering through batters and Rodriguez buffing out his flaws.
Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is a phenomenal arm when healthy, but recent reports suggest that we will not get the chance to see him start until May. With that new knowledge, I would likely separate Ohtani from the Tommy John Surgery group of McClanahan and Alcantara, and slot him in the mid 30s where hit stuff should lead to a very effective set of innings.
Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller is one of my favourite pitchers, and his results last season were magnificent. The biggest knock on Miller is his poor results on the road, however his results away from home were significantly better in the 2nd half. This aligned with the inclusion of his knuckle curveball, which sparked an elite stretch that carried Miller through to the end of the season.
Tyler Glasnow
Glasnow’s ranking was heavily influenced by his inability to rack up innings. I don’t expect much to change in 2025, especially with a likely 6-Man rotation for the Dodgers. The stuff is exceptionally good, but the best ability is availability.
Gerrit Cole
I was told I was being too harsh with my ranking of Gerrit Cole. with many people citing his “playoff dominance” as a main talking point. It is true Cole’s stuff looked better in the playoffs, but:
It was 29.0 IP sample
He ran a 17.7 K% and 17.4 Whiff% while allowing a ton of hard contact
In my opinion, ranking Cole 16th was favourable given his Steamer projections.
Blake Snell
I was considering Snell as high as #6, but a few aspects of his game knocked him down to #10. First, he has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, with many of his starts ending before the 7th inning. Second, his high BB%, although a function of his approach, can get him into troublesome scenarios. And lastly, the Dodgers are likely to test out a 6-man rotation which will limit Snell’s usage.
Jacob deGrom
Jacob DeGrom is a bold call on my end. I understand the risk, but he has a newly reconstructed elbow, and he looked great in his short stint in September. Without his appearances during 2024 I would be a lot more bearish on deGrom, but we got a glimpse at his ceiling if he can stay healthy.
Garrett Crochet
Garrett Crochet expressed the desire to pitch a ton of innings for Boston, and he has the tools to be a monster. I am believing in the 2024 results, and so should you.
Paul Skenes
It was a battle to pick between Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes. I ended up opting for Skenes because he is the most hype option. Go big or go home!
Conclusion
Working on the Top 50 was a fun and interesting task that challenged the way I evaluate and project future performance. Please let me know if you have any questions as I am more that happy to discuss any player on (or off) the list.
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nice list, this was a fun read! personally, I think Cole should be a bit higher, and Crochet should probably be behind Burnes and Sale, but no real grudges here!
also, think it's wild that Paul Skenes was pitching at LSU 20 months ago and he's now widely recognized as the best pitcher on the planet already.