Landen Roupp, SF
Roupp will be the Giants' 5th starter to start the season, winning that job over Hayden Birdsong. Roupp pitched mostly out of the bullpen as a rookie in 2024, and produced mixed results. His 3.58 ERA was more than adequate, but he also walked 26 batters in 50.1 IP. Roupp has been sensational this spring however, compiling a 14:1 K:BB in 12 IP. He'll be pitching in one of the best pitcher's parks in all of baseball, so if he can continue to limit the walks, he has a chance to have a very strong season as a starter.
Hayden Birdsong, SF
With Landen Roupp being named the final starter in the Giants rotation, Birdsong will open the season as a member of the bullpen. This has to come as a disappointment for Birdsong who has been phenomenal this spring, allowing just 1 ER in 12 IP with an 18:0 K:BB. Birdsong showed off his skills last season as well, when he produced a 2.97 ERA across his first 6 starts with 38 K's in 30.1 IP during that stretch, before slumping terribly in August. He still finished the season with an eye-catching 88 K's in 72 IP, but his high walk rate ultimately led him to uneven results. It's likely that Birdsong should get another starting opportunity at some point this season, and he has the potential for a breakout once that opportunity arises.
Reid Detmers, LAA
Detmers will open the season in the Angels' bullpen as Jack Kochanowicz was named the 5th starter in the team's rotation. Detmers had an enormous gap between his ERA and xFIP last season, posting a hideous 6.70 ERA despite a respectable 3.86 xFIP. He struck out an elite 11.23 K/9 but was bitten by a .357 BABIP (highest in MLB, min. 80 IP) and 62.9% LOB% (4th lowest). He is a prime candidate for a bounceback season in 2025 but for now that will have to come out of the bullpen. There's a strong chance that Detmers rejoins the Angels' rotation at some point this season.
Jack Kochanowitz, LAA
Kochanowitz has secured a spot in the Angels' rotation to start the season with Reid Detmers opening the year in the bullpen. Kochanowicz had a solid rookie season in 2024, posting a 3.99 ERA in 65.1 IP across 11 starts. He exhibited pinpoint control with a 1.38 BB/9, while also putting up an exceptional 57.0% GB%. But his strikeout rate was 3.44 K/9 - no that's not a typo - he struck out the fewest batters per inning of any pitcher in MLB (min. 50 IP). So despite all of his strengths, the lack of strikeouts puts a heavy damper on Koch's fantasy value.
Carmen Mlodzinski, PIT
Mlodzinski has been named the 5th starter in the Pirates' rotation to open the season, earning the spot over Thomas Harrington. Mlodzinski pitched primarily as a reliever over the past two seasons, and the results were solid, as he combined for a 2.91 ERA across 86.2 IP. That came with a 4.24 xFIP though, and his strikeout and walk rates were mediocre, so we should expect well above a sub-3.00 ERA upon his conversion to a starter. He's more likely to produce an ERA somewhere in the 4.00's, which would keep him off the fantasy radar.
Manuel Margot, DET
Margot has signed a one-year deal with the Tigers and is expected to be a member of the team's outfield with Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling, and Wenceel Perez all currently injured. There was a time when Margot was an annual threat for double-digit HR's and steals; he stole 10+ bases every year from 2017-2021 while reaching at least 10 HR's in 3 of those seasons. But he hasn't reached double digits in either category in any of the last 3 seasons, and he has hit exactly 4 HR's each of those years. Margot does still make good contact, but unless his power or speed rejuvenate, he'll have a hard time providing fantasy value.
Mitch Haniger, SEA
Haniger was released by the Mariners on Sunday, ending his second tenure with the club. Haniger has really struggled offensively the past couple of years, combining for a .208/.279/.345 slash line with a 29.3% K% and 18 HR's in 182 games from 2023-24. He can still hit the ball hard (45.9% HardHit%) but the elevated strikeout rate has really diminished his numbers. Perhaps he can latch on to another team and provide some pop, but that's about the most we can hope for at this point.
Ryan Yarbrough, NYY
Yarbrough signed a one-year contract with the Yankees on Monday and figures to slot in as a member of the team's bullpen. The southpaw has spent most of his MLB tenure bouncing back and forth between starting and pitching out of relief for Tampa Bay, but last season, he pitched exclusively as a reliever for the Dodgers and Blue Jays and compiled an impressive 3.19 ERA across 98.2 IP. Yarbrough has consistently limited hard contact throughout his career (28.0% HardHit%), but he doesn't get a lot of strikeouts (career 7.02 K/9) which leaves him as more of a long reliever than a set up guy.
Ranger Suarez, PHI
Suarez (back) will open the season on the IL with Taijuan Walker taking his place in the Phillies rotation. The team is hoping that Suarez could make it back before the end of April, but it seems that he will miss at least the first few weeks of the season. Suarez is coming off a breakout season in 2024 in which he recorded a 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 27 starts. Most of that success came in the first half of the season, when he posted a 2.76 ERA across 19 starts; in the 2nd half, he made just 8 starts and his ERA ballooned to 5.65. His late season slump and middling strikeout numbers have him projected as more of a back of the rotation fantasy option, and you should not feel compelled to stash him if you need the IL slots for other players.
Taijuan Walker, PHI
Walker will fill in for the injured Ranger Suarez as part of the Phillies opening day rotation, as the team hopes the 32 year old can somehow harness some of the success he had in his earlier years. Walker had a strong season as recently as 2022 with the Mets, but it's been downhill ever since, culminating in a 7.10 ERA last season to go with an awful 58:37 K:BB across 83.2 IP. For what it's worth, his spring numbers are not indicative that a turnaround is imminent; he owns a 6.92 ERA with just 6 K's in 13 innings this spring.
Ian Anderson, LAA
Anderson was traded from the Braves to the Angels on Sunday with Jose Suarez coming back the other way to Atlanta. Anderson was competing to be part of the Braves rotation to start the season, but will now become a member of the Angels' bullpen. This obviously removes any fantasy appeal that Anderson may have had, although he was a big question mark regardless, having not pitched in the majors since 2022.
AJ Smith-Shawver, ATL
With Ian Anderson being traded to the Angels, Smith-Shawver seems poised to earn the 5th spot in the Braves rotation to start the season. Smith-Shawver has posted gaudy strikeout totals throughout his minor league career including a 10.92 K/9 last season mostly at AAA, although that has yet to translate in his brief stints in the big leagues thus far (7.28 K/9 across 29.2 IP). He has been off to a good start this spring though with 20 K's in 16 IP. Walks have been a problem for him both in the majors and minors so that will be something he needs to improve in, but the strikeout potential alone makes him someone to keep an eye on.
Logan Allen, CLE
Allen has been named the 5th starter in the Guardians rotation as he looks to rebound from a disappointing 2024 season. Allen posted a solid 3.81 ERA as a rookie in 2023 but that number ballooned to 5.73 in his sophomore campaign. His K/9 dropped from 8.55 to 7.30 while his SwStr% fell from 10.8% to 8.8%. His HardHit% also jumped from 39.0% to 46.1%. On the bright side, he has had a strong spring posting a 19:4 K:BB across 19 IP, and he's still just 26 years old, so perhaps there's still hope that Allen will turn into a successful big league pitcher.
Ryan Pepiot, TB
With Shane McClanahan set to start the season on the IL, Pepiot will get the opening day start for the Rays in 2025. Pepiot had a solid inaugural campaign with Tampa last season, finishing with a 3.60 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 26 starts (130 IP). Those are clearly numbers that will play in fantasy, although his 4.05 xFIP suggests that he may have slightly overachieved. He posted a strong 9.83 K/9 last season, but also walked 3.32 BB/9 and benefited from a .262 BABIP. There's a decent chance that we see some regression at least in the WHIP category, but Pepiot could still come in as a useful fantasy starter.
Kristian Campbell, BOS
Campbell has officially made the Red Sox opening day roster, and there's a chance that he could serve as the team's primary second baseman. An everyday role would be huge from a fantasy perspective, as Campbell has the ability to provide speed and power, having tallied 20 HR's and 24 SB's last year in the minors. He also made solid contact with a 19.9% K% and took plenty of walks with a 14.3% BB%. He's worth snatching late in drafts or off the waiver wire, as the upside is high.
