2016 Starter Rankings

Time for some All-Star break fun: here are my very, very preliminary 2016 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 are likely to be exercised.

Along with the position rankings is a top 300 list for 2016. Click to see other preliminary 2016 rankings:

Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

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2016 Starting pitcher Rankings

2016	SP	Team	2015	July
1	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	1	1
2	Max Scherzer	Nationals	3	2
3	Jose Fernandez	Marlins	75	30
4	Chris Sale	White Sox	8	6
5	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	2	3
6	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	5	4
7	Corey Kluber	Indians	7	7
8	David Price		6	5
9	Gerrit Cole	Pirates	15	10
10	Zack Greinke		12	8
11	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	4	11
12	Matt Harvey	Mets	16	14
13	Sonny Gray	Athletics	14	9
14	Johnny Cueto		9	19
15	Chris Archer	Rays	44	13
16	Dallas Keuchel	Astros	33	15
17	Jacob deGrom	Mets	24	17
18	Cole Hamels	Phillies	10	12
19	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	28	16
20	Jordan Zimmermann		13	18
21	Jake Arrieta	Cubs	34	21
22	Carlos Carrasco	Indians	22	23
23	Carlos Martinez	Cardinals	77	44
24	Garrett Richards	Angels	25	25
25	Tyson Ross	Padres	27	24
26	James Shields	Padres	21	20
27	Michael Pineda	Yankees	19	22
28	Lance Lynn	Cardinals	39	27
29	Shelby Miller	Braves	91	26
30	Taijuan Walker	Mariners	54	33
31	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	11	NR
32	Noah Syndergaard	Mets	137	52
33	Jeff Samardzija		43	42
34	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	30	29
35	Jon Lester	Cubs	31	36
36	Yu Darvish	Rangers	NR	NR
37	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	NR	NR
38	Danny Salazar	Indians	67	38
39	Julio Teheran	Braves	18	59
40	Francisco Liriano	Pirates	57	32
41	Andrew Cashner	Padres	47	40
42	Steven Matz	Mets	200	54
43	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	35	46
44	Jason Hammel	Cubs	81	28
45	Jake Odorizzi	Rays	63	34
46	Patrick Corbin	Diamondbacks	126	102
47	Anibal Sanchez	Tigers	46	37
48	Alex Wood	Braves	23	39
49	Eduardo Rodriguez	Red Sox	276	63
50	Trevor Bauer	Indians	84	51
51	Lance McCullers	Astros	341	77
52	Carlos Rodon	White Sox	98	71
53	Jose Quintana	White Sox	50	43
54	Scott Kazmir		55	45
55	Derek Holland	Rangers	42	87
56	Clay Buchholz	Red Sox	65	49
57	Justin Verlander	Tigers	36	57
58	Hisashi Iwakuma		26	41
59	Matt Cain	Giants	32	56
60	Chris Heston	Giants	326	61
61	Jesse Hahn	Athletics	70	58
62	John Lackey		48	35
63	Kevin Gausman	Orioles	64	83
64	Collin McHugh	Astros	53	48
65	Vincent Velasquez	Astros	266	104
66	Yordano Ventura	Royals	45	68
67	Ian Kennedy		49	47
68	Drew Smyly	Rays	38	155
69	Doug Fister		20	50
70	Matt Wisler	Braves	170	85
71	Mike Leake		78	72
72	Wei-Yin Chen		82	69
73	Drew Hutchison	Blue Jays	58	66
74	Brandon McCarthy	Dodgers	29	NR
75	Jake Peavy	Giants	62	74
76	Alex Cobb	Rays	17	NR
77	Danny Duffy	Royals	72	80
78	Brett Anderson		89	55
79	C.J. Wilson	Angels	80	64
80	Mike Fiers	Brewers	59	65
81	James Paxton	Mariners	66	93
82	Julio Urias	Dodgers	229	NR
83	Phil Hughes	Twins	52	70
84	Zack Wheeler	Mets	NR	NR
85	Rick Porcello	Red Sox	71	82
86	Aaron Nola	Phillies	214	153
87	Yovani Gallardo		113	78
88	Jimmy Nelson	Brewers	96	89
89	Jaime Garcia	Cardinals	107	53
90	Hector Santiago	Angels	182	86
91	Mat Latos		68	67
92	Kyle Gibson	Twins	116	76
93	Joe Ross	Nationals	332	148
94	A.J. Burnett		83	31
95	Wade Miley	Red Sox	69	79
96	Daniel Norris	Blue Jays	87	160
97	Roenis Elias	Mariners	102	75
98	Matt Shoemaker	Angels	41	60
99	Charlie Morton	Pirates	95	73
100	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	40	NR
101	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	88	90
102	Lucas Giolito	Nationals	213	NR
103	Matt Moore	Rays	178	84
104	Anthony DeSclafani	Reds	110	96
105	Kendall Graveman	Athletics	90	98
106	Wily Peralta	Brewers	74	116
107	Robbie Ray	Diamondbacks	351	91
108	Tyler Glasnow	Pirates	210	NR
109	Mike Montgomery	Mariners	388	99
110	Marco Gonzales	Cardinals	121	143
111	Ubaldo Jimenez	Orioles	165	97
112	Dan Haren		109	81
113	Nate Karns	Rays	140	95
114	Jesse Chavez	Athletics	122	62
115	Homer Bailey	Reds	37	NR
116	Kris Medlen	Royals	139	113
117	Andrew Heaney	Angels	127	125
118	Tony Cingrani	Reds	56 RP	NR
119	Erasmo Ramirez	Rays	130	101
120	Jose Berrios	Twins	248	NR
121	Archie Bradley	Diamondbacks	105	NR
122	Tanner Roark	Nationals	118	128
123	Edinson Volquez	Royals	333	88
124	Luis Severino	Yankees	203	NR
125	R.A. Dickey		73	94
126	Henderson Alvarez	Marlins	61	130
127	Aaron Sanchez	Blue Jays	119	106
128	Manny Banuelos	Braves	362	NR
129	Bartolo Colon		101	92
130	Jered Weaver	Angels	51	108
131	Aaron Blair	Diamondbacks	251	NR
132	Brian Johnson	Red Sox	263	165
133	Jason Vargas	Royals	92	127
134	Miguel Gonzalez	Orioles	117	110
135	Mike Foltynewicz	Braves	228	NR
136	Trevor May	Twins	232	152
137	Justin Nicolino	Marlins	243	151
138	Shane Greene	Tigers	94	117
139	Ivan Nova	Yankees	163	111
140	Blake Snell	Rays	NR	NR
141	Miguel Castro	Blue Jays	43 RP	NR
142	Ervin Santana	Twins	195	156
143	Raisel Iglesias	Reds	153	NR
144	Mark Buehrle		115	122
145	Brandon Finnegan	Royals	169	NR
146	Chris Tillman	Orioles	111	138
147	Kyle Lohse		56	100
148	Francellis Montas	White Sox	353	NR
149	CC Sabathia	Yankees	93	114
150	Matt Garza	Brewers	86	112
151	Chase Anderson	Diamondbacks	138	136
152	Brandon Beachy	Dodgers	164	139
153	Tom Koehler	Marlins	124	137
154	Cody Anderson	Indians	382	135
155	Nathan Eovaldi	Yankees	112	126
156	Mike Minor	Braves	106	NR
157	Rafael Montero	Mets	103	NR
158	Jake Thompson	Rangers	330	NR
159	Vidal Nuno	Mariners	155	140
160	Adam Warren	Yankees	97	119
161	Jose De Leon	Dodgers	NR	NR
162	Marco Estrada		151	109
163	Henry Owens	Red Sox	177	NR
164	Robert Stephenson	Reds	277	NR
165	Jon Niese	Mets	128	134
166	Jarred Cosart	Marlins	114	133
167	Jeff Locke	Pirates	104	144
168	Yusmeiro Petit	Giants	85	146
169	A.J. Cole	Nationals	256	NR
170	J.A. Happ		135	121
171	Mark Appel	Astros	212	NR
172	Brandon Morrow		99	131
173	Chi Chi Gonzalez	Rangers	281	NR
174	Chris Young		168	105
175	Mike Wright	Orioles	336	NR
176	Tim Lincecum		144	132
177	Bud Norris		100	129
178	Tyler Beede	Giants	292	NR
179	Joe Kelly	Red Sox	136	NR
180	Mike Bolsinger	Dodgers	209	123
181	Tsuyoshi Wada	Cubs	158	120
182	David Phelps	Marlins	147	149
183	Chris Bassitt	Athletics	171	NR
184	Michael Lorenzen	Reds	289	168
185	Alfredo Simon		145	103
186	Jameson Taillon	Pirates	240	NR
187	T.J. House	Indians	79	NR
188	Alex Reyes	Cardinals	NR	NR
189	A.J. Griffin	Athletics	152	167
190	Odrisamer Despaigne	Padres	134	141
191	Jose Urena	Marlins	255	142
192	Rubby De La Rosa	Diamondbacks	201	162
193	Jarrod Parker	Athletics	142	NR
194	Williams Perez	Braves	278	150
195	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	188	NR
196	Buck Farmer	Tigers	219	NR
197	Adam Conley	Marlins	340	NR
198	Tim Hudson		76	107
199	Jonathan Gray	Rockies	176	NR
200	Taylor Jungmann	Brewers	374	NR
201	Corey Black	Cubs	NR	NR
202	Adalberto Mejia	Giants	NR	NR
203	Steven Wright	Red Sox	157	NR
204	Martin Perez	Rangers	221	NR
205	Dan Straily	Astros	179	NR
206	Amir Garrett	Reds	NR	NR
207	Sean Manaea	Royals	262	NR
208	Ryan Vogelsong		184	115
209	Vance Worley	Pirates	108	157
210	Zachary Davies	Orioles	324	NR

Starting pitchers

o This was originally going to be a 170-pitcher list, but it’s just so easy to be optimistic about next year’s starting pitchers, with everyone set to return from injuries and prospects getting called up from Double-A all of the time these days. So, 210 it is.

o Yes, that’s four Mets in the top 42, with the rehabbing Wheeler lurking at No. 84. Only the Cardinals match them there, and that’s counting on Wainwright’s Tommy John rehab going off without a hitch. The Indians are the other team with four starters in the top 50.

o Urias, who turns 19 next month, is the high prospect on the list at No. 82. He’d be 20 spots higher if he had a realistic chance of opening the season in the majors, but the Dodgers are being too cautious with his innings to allow that to happen. Nola is right behind Urias at No. 86. He lacks No. 1-starter upside and he’ll be handicapped by pitching on some lousy teams his first couple of years, but he might have some mixed-league value next year anyway. Giolito checks in at No. 102, since he’ll likely have to wait his turn next year, but he could be a real force in the second half.

o Greinke is listed with the free agents since he’ll almost certainly opt out of the final three years and $71 million included in his Dodgers contract if he finishes the season healthy. It’ll be a strong SP field this winter, with Price, Cueto, Zimmermann, Samardzija and Kazmir also available. Samardzija is the one in the group getting a modest rankings bump because of his impending free agency; he’ll almost certainly land in a better situation than the one he’s currently in.

o Burnett and Hudson are expected to retire, so they’re ranked lower than they might otherwise be. Haren might call it a career as well.