We are less than a week away from 2022 Opening Day, and fantasy baseball drafts are in full-swing. Your player pool research has been abundant, draft strategies have been tested and you have, hopefully, made all the necessary adjustments to your player rankings based on the latest news and injury reports.
Nevertheless, before you step into your war room, you need to solidify your list of late-round upside picks. Most people look for hitting depth and potential closers, but you can really hit it big with some late-round starting pitching.
Drafting high-end starters continues to be a priority for many, but with recent news of Jacob deGrom’s shoulder and other injuries to the likes of Chris Sale and Luis Castillo, there is a general uneasiness regarding the needed investment to acquire one. That is why your late-round choices become so important. Just ask the person in your league who landed Robbie Ray or Carlos Rodon last year. Your late picks need high upside for strikeouts but also the potential of earning wins and posting strong ratios.
Padres starter Mike Clevinger should be more than just on your radar. Yes, he is 31 years old. Yes, he missed all of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. But this was a former Cy Young candidate who still has tremendous strikeout upside and now has a brand-new arm. On top of that, to help guide him through this season, the Padres went out and hired Ruben Niebla, Clevinger’s old pitching coach from Cleveland. There will be some spring and early season rust, but by mid-May, he’s going to look like an ace again.
Looking further down your draft board, pay attention to Hunter Greene of the Reds. The rookie already has won the fourth-starter’s job and routinely hits triple-digits on the gun with his fastball. He also has shown excellent command of his secondary offerings. As a rookie throwing in Great American Ballpark, there is some risk involved, but when he pounds the strike zone, very few can keep up.
Late-round draft picks should never be dismissed as just “rounding out” your roster. Your selections must have purpose and building a strong fantasy rotation is more than just about your top choices. Drafting Clevinger and Greene could give you high-end aces for the same price someone else pays for Paul Blackburn. Who? Exactly.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.
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