Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don highlights pitchers who are not getting the ADP they deserve. One of these pitchers is Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers, who is currently being drafted at SP12 but is ranked as SP3 by Del Don. Despite his injury history, deGrom has shown dominant performance when healthy, making him a valuable asset for fantasy managers.
Another pitcher undervalued in drafts is Spencer Schwellenbach of the Atlanta Braves, who is being drafted at SP24 but is ranked as SP15 by Del Don. Schwellenbach has shown promise since returning from Tommy John surgery, with impressive numbers that place him among the top starters in the league.
Grayson Rodriguez of the Baltimore Orioles is another pitcher being drafted lower than he should be, with an ADP of SP31 compared to Del Don’s ranking of SP17. Rodriguez has the potential to be a true ace in 2025, with a strong track record in the minors and promising stats in the majors.
Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins is also undervalued in drafts, with an ADP of SP35 despite being ranked as SP19 by Del Don. Ryan has shown strong performance before his injury last season and is expected to have a breakout year in 2025.
Jared Jones of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds out the list, with an ADP of SP45 but a ranking of SP32 by Del Don. Jones had an impressive rookie season and has the potential for massive upside in 2025, making him a valuable pick in fantasy drafts.
Finally, Ryan Walker of the San Francisco Giants is a relief pitcher to target in drafts, with an ADP of RP13 compared to Del Don’s ranking of RP9. While he may not have a long track record closing games, Walker has the potential to be a valuable asset for fantasy managers.
Walker excelled both before and after taking over ninth-inning duties last season, and manager Bob Melvin has already named him San Francisco’s closer for 2025. Walker ranked in the top 10 among relievers in SIERA (2.45), WHIP (0.85!), K-BB% (26.3), and CSW (33.5%) last season. He also had the second-highest rate among all pitchers in getting to two-strike counts.
Walker’s exceptional slider effectively neutralizes left-handed hitters and had the most horizontal break in baseball last year. His performance is further enhanced by pitching in Oracle Park, known as one of baseball’s premier pitcher’s parks. Emmanuel Clase, with a Yahoo ADP of 37.7, recorded 66 strikeouts last year. Comparatively, Walker, with a 105.1 ADP and playing for a team projected to win more games than the Guardians this season, amassed 99 strikeouts.
Given his impressive stats and situation, Walker should not be drafted behind Robert Suárez in fantasy leagues.
One pitcher being drafted too high
Max Fried, SP, New York Yankees (SP21 ADP vs. my SP31)
Fried is a reliable pitcher being drafted as if he were an elite one, despite moving to Yankee Stadium. While the overall Park Factors seem neutral between Atlanta and New York, specific differences could impact Fried; Yankee Stadium has seen a 19% increase in home runs over the last three seasons. Additionally, Yankee Stadium has led to a 10% rise in walks, the highest in MLB, whereas Atlanta’s park boosted strikeouts by 9%, the third most in MLB.
Fried’s 15.3 K-BB% ranked 32nd among 58 qualified starters last season, placing him between MacKenzie Gore and Brady Singer. His CSW was comparable to Charlie Morton and Kutter Crawford. Fried recorded as many strikeouts as Mitch Keller and fewer than Tyler Glasnow, who pitched significantly fewer innings.
Despite signing a lucrative contract with New York, the 31-year-old Fried is being drafted as a top 20 starter in fantasy leagues.