2018 Starter Rankings

Time for some post-All-Star break fun: here are my very, very preliminary 2018 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 2018. Click to see other preliminary 2018 rankings:

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

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2018 Starting pitcher Rankings

2018	SP	Team	2017	July
1	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	1	1
2	Max Scherzer	Nationals	3	2
3	Chris Sale	Red Sox	4	3
4	Corey Kluber	Indians	7	4
5	Yu Darvish		9	7
6	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	13	5
7	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	6	12
8	Jacob deGrom	Mets	10	6
9	Carlos Martinez	Cardinals	18	9
10	Noah Syndergaard	Mets	2	67
11	Jose Quintana	Cubs	21	15
12	Zack Greinke	Diamondbacks	47	10
13	Dallas Keuchel	Astros	38	13
14	Carlos Carrasco	Indians	17	8
15	Lance McCullers	Astros	22	14
16	James Paxton	Mariners	24	28
17	Aaron Nola	Phillies	15	18
18	Jon Lester	Cubs	11	11
19	Masahiro Tanaka		16	16
20	Gerrit Cole	Pirates	20	23
21	Jameson Taillon	Pirates	31	24
22	Chris Archer	Rays	28	19
23	David Price	Red Sox	19	20
24	Jake Arrieta		5	17
25	Alex Wood	Dodgers	74	21
26	Michael Fulmer	Tigers	40	29
27	Luis Severino	Yankees	114	36
28	Justin Verlander	Tigers	12	22
29	Robbie Ray	Diamondbacks	58	27
30	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	34	25
31	Eduardo Rodriguez	Red Sox	76	40
32	Sean Manaea	Athletics	60	50
33	Johnny Cueto		14	30
34	Rick Porcello	Red Sox	27	31
35	Jeff Samardzija	Giants	37	26
36	Michael Pineda		42	37
37	Carlos Rodon	White Sox	65	54
38	Jose Berrios	Twins	122	53
39	Steven Matz	Mets	54	38
40	Jon Gray	Rockies	46	43
41	Rich Hill	Dodgers	30	32
42	Sonny Gray	Athletics	78	33
43	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	8	51
44	Brandon McCarthy	Dodgers	41	35
45	Danny Salazar	Indians	39	49
46	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	36	47
47	Cole Hamels	Rangers	25	58
48	Ivan Nova	Pirates	55	41
49	Alex Reyes	Cardinals	NR	NR
50	Danny Duffy	Royals	49	46
51	Aaron Sanchez	Blue Jays	50	56
52	Joe Ross	Nationals	26	55
53	Taijuan Walker	Diamondbacks	53	48
54	Alex Cobb		43	45
55	Garrett Richards	Angels	59	115
56	Matt Shoemaker	Angels	33	44
57	Jake Odorizzi	Rays	48	39
58	Jacob Faria	Rays	265	63
59	Jimmy Nelson	Brewers	146	68
60	Mike Montgomery	Cubs	63	34
61	Lance Lynn		82	42
62	Marco Estrada		56	52
63	Matt Harvey	Mets	23	124
64	J.A. Happ	Blue Jays	62	60
65	Tyler Glasnow	Pirates	71	134
66	Mike Foltynewicz	Braves	90	76
67	Mike Leake	Cardinals	84	65
68	Vince Velasquez	Phillies	57	88
69	Drew Pomeranz	Red Sox	73	62
70	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	61	59
71	Brad Peacock	Astros	289	66
72	Julio Teheran	Braves	29	72
73	Jordan Montgomery	Yankees	226	70
74	Kevin Gausman	Orioles	52	74
75	Luis Castillo	Reds	356	87
76	Kenta Maeda	Dodgers	44	57
77	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	85	64
78	Patrick Corbin	Diamondbacks	69	69
79	Jesse Hahn	Athletics	101	93
80	Francisco Liriano		70	71
81	Jerad Eickhoff	Phillies	66	83
82	Anthony DeSclafani	Reds	89	127
83	Francis Martes	Astros	220	129
84	Matt Moore	Giants	45	80
85	Blake Snell	Rays	77	85
86	Dan Straily	Marlins	98	73
87	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	97	96
88	Ervin Santana	Twins	135	77
89	John Lackey		32	61
90	Mike Clevinger	Indians	185	90
91	Sean Newcomb	Braves	212	113
92	Daniel Norris	Tigers	75	92
93	Zack Godley	Diamondbacks	213	84
94	Tanner Roark	Nationals	64	75
95	Brent Honeywell	Rays	128	138
96	Luke Weaver	Cardinals	104	78
97	Brock Stewart	Dodgers	132	131
98	Dinelson Lamet	Padres	297	100
99	Tyson Ross		115	108
100	Andrew Heaney	Angels	316	NR
101	Eddie Butler	Cubs	186	114
102	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	51	81
103	Zack Wheeler	Mets	123	103
104	Ian Kennedy		95	86
105	Matt Andriese	Rays	136	91
106	Josh Hader	Brewers	120	130
107	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	83	89
108	Ariel Miranda	Mariners	196	94
109	Mike Minor		312	NR
110	Kendall Graveman	Athletics	99	106
111	Jaime Garcia		80	82
112	Trevor Bauer	Indians	107	107
113	Chance Adams	Yankees	337	NR
114	Andrew Moore	Mariners	281	116
115	David Phelps	Marlins	92	110
116	Jason Vargas		168	79
117	Chad Kuhl	Pirates	126	104
118	Seth Lugo	Mets	118	99
119	Joe Biagini	Blue Jays	82 RP	111
120	Steven Brault	Pirates	179	122
121	Charlie Morton	Astros	108	97
122	Zach Davies	Brewers	93	102
123	Cal Quantrill	Padres	NR	NR
124	Matt Strahm	Royals	88	NR
125	David Paulino	Astros	166	NR
126	Lucas Sims	Braves	354	146
127	Junior Guerra	Brewers	100	101
128	Mike Fiers	Astros	127	98
129	Shelby Miller	Diamondbacks	117	NR
130	Jharel Cotton	Athletics	67	95
131	Erick Fedde	Nationals	342	NR
132	Tyler Beede	Giants	247	162
133	Yohander Mendez	Rangers	162	NR
134	Tyler Chatwood		171	158
135	Luis Perdomo	Padres	167	125
136	Reynaldo Lopez	White Sox	151	168
137	Julio Urias	Dodgers	35	NR
138	Fernando Romero	Twins	NR	NR
139	Trevor Cahill		134	112
140	Nick Tropeano	Angels	NR	NR
141	Kolby Allard	Braves	NR	NR
142	Chase Anderson	Brewers	177	141
143	Jose De Leon	Rays	113	163
144	Nate Karns	Royals	110	109
145	Jordan Zimmermann	Tigers	112	126
146	Michael Kopech	White Sox	345	NR
147	Chris Tillman		133	160
148	CC Sabathia		140	120
149	Jeremy Hellickson		106	123
150	Steven Wright	Red Sox	68	NR
151	Tyler Skaggs	Angels	94	135
152	Scott Kazmir	Dodgers	121	137
153	Lucas Giolito	White Sox	230	NR
154	Nathan Eovaldi	Rays	NR	NR
155	Trevor Williams	Pirates	286	142
156	Nick Pivetta	Phillies	318	105
157	Hisashi Iwakuma	Mariners	91	152
158	Erasmo Ramirez	Rays	130	132
159	Brett Anderson		103	143
160	Tyler Anderson	Rockies	116	167
161	Adam Warren	Yankees	124	128
162	Homer Bailey	Reds	158	172
163	JC Ramirez	Angels	276	117
164	A.J. Puk	Athletics	NR	NR
165	German Marquez	Rockies	188	133
166	Ricky Nolasco		109	118
167	Robert Gsellman	Mets	72	119
168	Matt Boyd	Tigers	137	140
169	Corbin Burnes	Brewers	NR	NR
170	Clay Buchholz		105	NR
171	Brandon Finnegan	Reds	193	166
172	Chase Whitley	Rays	125	139
173	Jose Urena	Marlins	160	153
174	Walker Buehler	Dodgers	NR	NR
175	Cody Reed	Reds	143	179

• Obviously, this week’s column is focused on next year, but I can mention here that I like Jose Quintana quite a bit better for the rest of this year now that he’s a Cub. Unfortunately, the Cubs’ defense isn’t what it was last year, but Quintana is still going to the easier league and he’s been throwing well of late anyway. I’m putting him 11th for next year, and I’d have him right around the same spot for the rest of 2017.

• The high pitcher here who probably won’t have a spot on Opening Day is No. 49 Alex Reyes; he figures to be a bit behind after Tommy John surgery in February. It’s realistic to expect him to perform as a top-30 pitcher while on the mound next year, but he’s going to have to deal with an innings limit. After Reyes is Tyler Glasnow at No. 65; he’s been such a disaster this year that he’s probably a long shot for Opening Day, but his potential is pretty much unlimited. Others in the top 100 who could open up in the minors include Francis Martes (Astros), Brent Honeywell (Rays) and Brock Stewart (Dodgers).

• The Dodgers have eight starters in the top 150, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if they still tried to add another top arm this winter. I’m pretty excited about Stewart, but since he’s going to have a hard time cracking the rotation, I couldn’t see listing him much higher than No. 97. Julio Urias, unfortunately, comes in at No. 137 with a return at the All-Star break probably the best-case scenario for him following shoulder surgery.

• On the other side of the ledger are the Orioles (Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy) and Rangers (Cole Hamels and Yohander Mendez), with just two starters listed apiece. The Marlins have three (Dan Straily, David Phelps and Jose Urena), but they insist on using Phelps as a reliever and both he and Straily could be traded this month anyway. They had better get some replacements if they go that route.

• I’ll be curious to see what happens with Mike Minor, who has a 1.87 ERA in the Kansas City pen and is been throwing far harder as a reliever than he did as a starter before hurting his shoulder. The safe play would probably be for him to continue on as a setup man after becoming a free agent this winter (there’s a mutual option on his contract that probably won’t work out), but if he can hold on to some of the velocity gains, he could go back to being a No. 2 or No. 3 starter next year. He’s No. 109 on here for now.