2023 Starter Rankings

Up this week are my mostly-for-fun 2023 player rankings. I’ve done my best to list players where they’ll be 20-game 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.

Click to see other other preliminary 2023 rankings:

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

Starting pitcher rankings

2023	SP	Team	2022	July
1	Corbin Burnes	Brewers	4	1
2	Shane McClanahan	Rays	28	8
3	Jacob deGrom	Mets*	14	12
4	Sandy Alcantara	Marlins	8	3
5	Gerrit Cole	Yankees	1	4
6	Max Scherzer	Mets	3	5
7	Max Fried	Braves	11	7
8	Alek Manoah	Blue Jays	22	15
9	Justin Verlander	Astros*	10	2
10	Brandon Woodruff	Brewers	5	13
11	Zack Wheeler	Phillies	9	9
12	Carlos Rodón	Giants*	27	10
13	Shohei Ohtani	Angels	24	23
14	Walker Buehler	Dodgers	2	117
15	Joe Musgrove		19	6
16	Julio Urías	Dodgers	7	14
17	Kevin Gausman	Blue Jays	15	16
18	Dylan Cease	White Sox	48	20
19	Aaron Nola	Phillies*	23	17
20	Spencer Strider	Braves	126	65
21	Chris Sale	Red Sox	40	38
22	Logan Gilbert	Mariners	33	19
23	Logan Webb	Giants	12	11
24	Tyler Glasnow	Rays	NR	NR
25	Luis Castillo	Reds	32	29
26	Clayton Kershaw		26	18
27	Robbie Ray	Mariners	21	24
28	Freddy Peralta	Brewers	16	58
29	Tarik Skubal	Tigers	42	28
30	Shane Bieber	Guardians	6	25
31	Frankie Montas	Athletics	29	27
32	Yu Darvish	Padres	20	22
33	Lucas Giolito	White Sox	13	42
34	Tony Gonsolin	Dodgers	74	35
35	Cristian Javier	Astros	100	50
36	Pablo Lopez	Marlins	36	34
37	Framber Valdez	Astros	71	31
38	Luis Garcia	Astros	34	37
39	Kyle Wright	Braves	168	43
40	Dustin May	Dodgers	156	134
41	Chris Bassitt		25	26
42	Mike Clevinger		44	47
43	Zac Gallen	Diamondbacks	89	39
44	Sonny Gray	Twins*	38	40
45	Charlie Morton	Braves*	18	30
46	Luis Severino	Yankees*	54	45
47	Lance Lynn	White Sox	31	21
48	Alex Cobb	Giants	41	36
49	José Berríos	Blue Jays	17	76
50	Joe Ryan	Twins	55	41
51	MacKenzie Gore	Padres	191	67
52	Grayson Rodriguez	Orioles	NR	NR
53	Trevor Rogers	Marlins	43	69
54	Mike Soroka	Braves	109	96
55	George Kirby	Mariners	170	73
56	Drew Rasmussen	Rays	81	51
57	Jack Flaherty	Cardinals	30	98
58	Jameson Taillon		83	52
59	Max Meyer	Marlins	182	101
60	Nathan Eovaldi		45	48
61	Taijuan Walker	Mets*	75	57
62	Garrett Whitlock	Red Sox	72	71
63	Michael Kopech	White Sox	68	63
64	Nestor Cortes	Yankees	110	33
65	Taj Bradley	Rays	NR	NR
66	Blake Snell	Padres	35	59
67	Triston McKenzie	Guardians	47	61
68	Marcus Stroman	Cubs	51	72
69	Kyle Muller	Braves	171	99
70	Sean Manaea		49	49
71	Aaron Ashby	Brewers	91	75
72	Tyler Mahle	Reds	57	56
73	Josiah Gray	Nationals	79	62
74	Hunter Brown	Astros	NR	161
75	Patrick Sandoval	Angels	86	66
76	Kenta Maeda	Twins	227	NR
77	Jordan Montgomery	Yankees	50	54
78	Shane Baz	Rays	52	32
79	Lance McCullers	Astros	82	79
80	Ian Anderson	Braves	39	60
81	Tyler Anderson		106	46
82	Tylor Megill	Mets	73	119
83	Tyler Wells	Orioles	64	102
84	David Peterson	Mets	147	84
85	Carlos Carrasco	Mets*	63	55
86	Zach Eflin		87	85
87	Eury Perez	Marlins	NR	NR
88	Jon Gray	Rangers	90	78
89	James Paxton	Red Sox*	207	168
90	Bobby Miller	Dodgers	203	NR
91	Eric Lauer	Brewers	70	64
92	Alex Wood	Giants	66	82
93	Andrew Heaney		58	83
94	Jose Urquidy	Astros	46	80
95	Logan Allen	Guardians	202	170
96	JT Brubaker	Pirates	97	88
97	Miles Mikolas	Cardinals	132	44
98	Jeffrey Springs	Rays	NR	53
99	Jesus Luzardo	Marlins	93	92
100	Tanner Houck	Red Sox	88	23 RP
101	Noah Syndergaard		94	86
102	Nick Lodolo	Reds	159	129
103	Justin Steele	Cubs	175	131
104	Daniel Espino	Guardians	NR	NR
105	Eduardo Rodriguez	Tigers	65	110
106	Braxton Garrett	Marlins	231	124
107	Anthony DeSclafani	Giants	53	74
108	Roansy Contreras	Pirates	172	111
109	Steven Matz	Cardinals	85	109
110	Edward Cabrera	Marlins	111	87
111	Hunter Greene	Reds	181	138
112	Brady Singer	Royals	103	97
113	Dinelson Lamet	Padres	46 RP	NR
114	Brayan Bello	Red Sox	NR	132
115	Corey Kluber		104	77
116	Sixto Sanchez	Marlins	120	121
117	Kyle Harrison	Giants	NR	NR
118	Kyle Gibson		187	115
119	D.L. Hall	Orioles	NR	NR
120	Caleb Kilian	Cubs	188	173
121	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	84	143
122	Aaron Civale	Guardians	69	112
123	Luis Patino	Rays	98	133
124	Ross Stripling		155	91
125	Matthew Liberatore	Cardinals	131	153
126	John Means	Orioles	37	NR
127	Jake Odorizzi	Astros*	101	105
128	Trevor Bauer	Dodgers*	56	NR
129	Mitch Keller	Pirates	125	114
130	Paul Blackburn	Athletics	NR	89
131	Nick Pivetta	Red Sox	124	68
132	Tejay Antone	Reds	NR	NR
133	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	67	104
134	Merrill Kelly	Diamondbacks	204	118
135	Jared Shuster	Braves	NR	NR
136	Ryan Pepiot	Dodgers	234	167
137	Chad Kuhl		NR	162
138	Andrew Painter	Phillies	NR	NR
139	Dane Dunning	Rangers	105	113
140	Ranger Suárez	Phillies	60	81
141	Adbert Alzolay	Cubs	137	137
142	Matt Brash	Mariners	130	NR
143	Marco Gonzales	Mariners	112	107
144	Josh Winder	Twins	173	166
145	Joey Cantillo	Guardians	NR	NR
146	Yonny Chirinos	Rays	122	136
147	Nate Pearson	Blue Jays	99	176
148	Dakota Hudson	Cardinals	121	116
149	Keegan Thompson	Cubs	215	93
150	Elieser Hernandez	Marlins	78	126
151	Adrián Morejón	Padres	223	NR
152	Daniel Lynch	Royals	200	139
153	Dylan Bundy	Twins*	96	94
154	Emerson Hancock	Mariners	NR	158
155	Mitch White	Dodgers	150	125
156	Tucker Davidson	Braves	161	145
157	Jakob Junis	Giants	91 RP	106
158	Spencer Turnbull	Tigers	NR	NR
159	Cade Cavalli	Nationals	240	NR
160	Zack Thompson	Cardinals	NR	163
161	Bailey Ober	Twins	107	127
162	Danny Duffy	Dodgers*	NR	NR
163	Jose Butto	Mets	NR	NR
164	Cal Quantrill	Guardians	92	100
165	Matt Manning	Tigers	123	180
166	Bryce Elder	Braves	NR	NR
167	Zack Greinke		59	103
168	Jack Leiter	Rangers	NR	NR
169	Chris Flexen	Mariners*	115	130
170	Graham Ashcraft	Reds	NR	90
171	Gavin Stone	Dodgers	NR	NR
172	Chase Silseth	Angels	NR	NR
173	Clarke Schmidt	Yankees	205	178
174	Michael Wacha		225	122
175	Yusei Kikuchi	Blue Jays	113	128
176	Andre Pallante	Cardinals	NR	95
177	Kyle Bradish	Orioles	NR	NR
178	Matthew Boyd		184	NR
179	Martín Pérez		NR	108
180	Reid Detmers	Angels	139	174
181	Sam Long	Giants	134	151
182	Gavin Williams	Guardians	NR	NR
183	Joey Lucchesi	Mets	NR	NR
184	Domingo German	Yankees	165	155
185	Mason Montgomery	Rays	NR	NR
186	Zach Plesac	Guardians	116	123
187	Ken Waldichuk	Yankees	NR	NR
188	Brad Keller	Royals	138	156
189	Germán Márquez	Rockies	118	165
190	Brandon Phaadt	Diamondbacks	NR	NR
191	Huascar Ynoa	Braves	77	NR
192	Gordon Graceffo	Cardinals	NR	NR
193	Kumar Rocker	Rangers	NR	NR
194	Matt Strahm		76 RP	85 RP
195	Sam Bachman	Angels	NR	NR
196	Bryan Mata	Red Sox	NR	NR
197	Adrian Houser	Brewers	128	144
198	Wilmer Flores	Tigers	NR	NR
199	Drew Smyly		135	148
200	Simeon Woods Richardson	Twins	NR	NR

• The bounty of riches enjoyed by the Braves and Marlins caused me to be less optimistic with some rankings than I would have if the situations weren’t so crowded. Both teams have 10 pitchers listed here, though the Braves could cut that down to nine by declining Charlie Morton’s $20 million option. They might go that route, depending on how Morton finishes and perhaps how Mike Soroka’s Achilles rehab progresses.

The Marlins have never had everyone healthy at the same time, so they’ve never dealt with any sort of crush. While they have depth with tremendous upside, it’ll be risky for them to trade Pablo Lopez or Trevor Rogers this winter in order to bring in a quality young bat. I’d be willing to push Eury Perez higher if they go that route.

• I’m guessing the Red Sox will go with Garrett Whitlock as a starter next year, and I’ll be rather high on him if they do. I’m not as sure what will happen with Tanner Houck, who is ranked No. 100 here, but my philosophy is to list pitchers as starters if they have any real chance of starting. I’d be higher on Houck for fantasy purposes as a reliever, though there’s a decent chance the Red Sox will bring in a veteran closer at some point anyway. I also have Red Sox prospect Bryan Mata at No. 196; he’s a weaker prospect than some guys who missed the cut, but he’s a guy who could quickly wind up as a saves candidate if shifted to the pen.

• Shane Baz probably would have cracked the top 30 here with a clean bill of health, but his elbow sprain makes him a candidate for Tommy John surgery. As a result, he shows up at No. 78. Baz’s status led me to be more aggressive than I otherwise would have been with top prospect Taj Bradley, who comes in at No. 65.

• Chris Paddack and Casey Mize didn’t make the cut, since they probably won’t return from Tommy John surgery prior to next August. John Means did secure a spot in the bottom half of the rankings, as he could return in June or July.