Misiorowski Leads a Reshuffled Starting Pitcher Class as Former Aces Slip Heading Into 2027

The 2026 Fantasy baseball season was unusually unkind to the most expensive starting pitchers, according to a CBS Sports review published on October 28. Three starters went in the first round of most drafts, and all three fell at least somewhat short of expectations. The best of them got there despite having elbow surgery in the middle of the season. Among the top 24 starters by draft position, only eight finished the year inside the top 24.

The totals show the gap. From 2021 through 2025, the top 24 starters by average draft position combined for at least $259.1 in value, according to the FanGraphs Player Rater. In 2026 that figure was just $227. Pitching as a whole was not weak, though. Starters ranked 25th through 36th returned $155.6, not far from the best mark of the previous five years, the $172.1 that group produced in 2024.

Broken into tiers, the top 12 starters earned $158.94 in 2026, the 13th through 24th earned $67.83, and the 25th through 36th earned $155.60. That third group nearly out-earned the first. It also finished ahead of the second group in every season from 2022 through 2026, which fits the so-called SP Dead Zone the analyst has written about before.

Several pitchers drove the surge: Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlittler, Chase Burns, Sonny Gray and Zack Wheeler. There were busts in the range too, including Spencer Strider, Emmett Sheehan and Nick Lodolo, while Tyler Glasnow, Brandon Woodruff and Blake Snell did not pitch enough to justify the pick. The 2026 pool was also unusual because it held many highly talented but unproven arms, among them Nolan McLean, Eury Perez, Trey Yesavage and Bubba Chandler.

The review cautions that this year's class does not look the same. Kade Anderson made little impact in a brief debut, and uncertain roles for Didier Fuentes and Grant Taylor should keep their prices reasonable. Andrew Painter, Jackson Jobe, Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will draw hype but are likely to go around the 200th pick. The best options may be Jared Jones and Walbert Ureña, who are young and interesting but have longer track records than last year's group.

Misiorowski was the breakout of the year. The Brewers right-hander posted a 1.80 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP and 252 strikeouts in 174.1 innings, a year after a 4.36 ERA as a rookie. His WHIP and his 37.9% strikeout rate were each the second best in MLB history, not counting 2020. The review calls him the best pitcher in baseball and sees no case for taking anyone ahead of him in 2027 drafts. Schlittler of the Yankees earned honorable mention with a 1.95 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and 239 strikeouts, and is almost certain to win the AL Cy Young award. The analyst would take him behind Misiorowski and Tarik Skubal, but not far behind.

The biggest bust was Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox, whose season came apart after six starts. The review argues that his early-round ranking was still defensible given his upside. Paul Skenes of the Pirates drew an honorable mention for the wrong reasons. His 3.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 200 strikeouts were respectable, but he posted a 4.56 ERA over the final four and a half months, and his strikeout rate fell to 22% in August and September.

Among the biggest risers for 2027 are Drew Rasmussen of the Rays, who handled a career-high workload, and Jesús Luzardo of the Phillies, whose 2025 expected numbers hinted at his 2026 success. Wheeler is also up after returning from thoracic outlet surgery and closing the season with a 1.67 ERA over his final six starts. Skenes and Crochet lead the decliners, joined by Snell, Kyle Bradish and George Kirby. Bradish had a 4.12 ERA before a hernia ended his season early.