The fantasy baseball season is right around the corner, and there are a lot of great starting pitchers to draft. With two elite Cy Young winners from last year, taking one of Tarik Skubal or Paul Skenes would be wise. But Shohei Ohtani leads the list of fantasy baseball starting pitchers. The four-time MVP is expected to be a part of the rotation heading into the season. Who makes up the rest of the list?
#1: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
For however long Shohei Ohtani plays baseball, he will be the number one pick in fantasy baseball drafts. His offensive firepower is the biggest reason why, but this year, he is expected to become a full-time starter. With his arm injuries in the past, Ohtani is the top starting pitcher available in drafts.
You are not going to get Ohtani in drafts unless you are drafting first. He is an incredible fantasy baseball piece, with value in offensive and pitching categories. The Dodgers are set up to be a superteam in 2026, with Ohtani as the face of the organization.
#2: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Among pitchers who don't also hit 50 homers in a season, Tarik Skubal is the best option in fantasy baseball drafts. He is in a contract year, so he should be out there every fifth day and going deep into games. Plus, the Tigers should be a strong team this year, giving Skubal some wins to help that category.
There will be conversations all year about where Skubal pitches in 2027. With his contract ending and no extension in place with the Tigers, he could be traded if the season goes south. If not, it will be a fascinating free agency paired up with a CBA dispute. The
#3: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Paul Skenes comes in at number three and finishes off tier one of the fantasy baseball pitchers. He won the Cy Young Award last year after a Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024. His career ERA is 1.96, a ridiculous mark for a pitcher with 55 starts. The Pirates do not have the elite upside of the Tigers, which puts the wins category in Skubal's favor. Other than that, these two assets are neck-and-neck.
Skenes is finally going to get some help from his offense this year with the additions of Ryan O'Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Marcel Ozuna. The Pirates could be in the NL Wild Card race, but even if they don't, Skenes will be a great fantasy baseball pitcher.
#4: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending World Series MVP, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, starts off the next tier of fantasy baseball pitchers. Injuries impacted Yamomoto's draft stock before 2025, after making only 18 starts in his rookie season. But after a 30-start campaign in 2025 and his historic World Series performance, Yamamoto should be one of the top pitchers off the board.
The Dodgers are significant favorites to win the World Series this year, in part because of their elite rotation. While Ohtani will get the attention, Yamamoto should be the ace of the rotation to start the season. Locking him in as your fantasy baseball ace is a smart bet.
#5: Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
The second American League pitcher on the fantasy baseball rankings finished second in last year's Cy Young race. Garrett Crochet was phenomenal in his first season with the Boston Red Sox, posting a 2.59 ERA in 32 starts. He was great in his one playoff start for the Sox, throwing 7.2 innings of one-run ball against the Yankees.
The Red Sox boosted the rest of their rotation, but Crochet will be the workhorse once again. His history may have some concerned, as he had never thrown over 150 innings until he tossed 205.1 last year. Injuries have been a problem for him in the past, but the future is bright and worth a fantasy bet for managers.
#6: Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have built an American League contender on their pitching staff, and Bryan Woo is the best option for fantasy baseball. In 70 starts across three seasons, Woo has a 3.21 ERA and 28 wins. Those stats will boost your fantasy baseball rotation, plus Seattle should win even more games this season.
Woo is not the household name that the first five entries on the list are. Depending on your league mates, Woo could fall in fantasy baseball drafts. But if you took him late in the 2025 Draft, you know that he is the pitcher who can win your league from Seattle.
#7: Hunter Brown, Houston Astros
Elsewhere in the AL West, the Houston Astros have a new homegrown ace that you should bet on in fantasy baseball. Hunter Brown was great last year, posting a 2.43 ERA in 31 starts. Even for a Houston team that missed the playoffs, Brown was a great fantasy baseball pickup. He will rocket up the draft board after finishing third in Cy Young voting and making his first All-Star team.
#8: Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have two entries on the fantasy baseball pitcher rankings, and Logan Gilbert could be a league winner in the middle of the draft. Gilber is not an ERA guy, never posting a mark below 3.20, but strikes out a ton of batters. He has 884 strikeouts and 181 walks in his MLB career, which is an incredible rate. An injury derailed his season last year, but a healthy Gilbert could be a fantasy star.
#9: Max Fried, New York Yankees
Max Fried will be the unquestioned ace of the New York Yankees rotation when the season opens. With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt injured, the ex-Atlanta Brave will be the workhorse. He was sensational in his first year in The Bronx, leading MLB with 19 wins and winning the Gold Glove. They are counting on another great season for the lefty, which should start right out of the gates.
Fantasy baseball managers should flock to draft Fried in the early rounds. He is a bona fide ace on a team expected to win 90 games once again. That is very valuable in fantasy.
#10: Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
Rounding out the fantasy baseball pitchers ranking is Hunter Greene, the ace of the Cincinnati Reds. He will be the Opening Day starter in Cincy again after his name floated around in trade rumors during the offseason. After two consecutive seasons with a sub-2.80 ERA, betting on Greene is a smart move for managers. If mid-season trade rumors pop up, don't panic because Greene should be great no matter where he goes.
