Fantasy baseball sleepers: Players to target at starting pitcher for 2023 MLB season

It’s never too early to begin scouting for your 2023 fantasy baseball squad. Even better, this year’s MLB season comes on the heels of the World Baseball Classic, which gives us an earlier competitive look.

Whether playing Roto or head-to-head, your fantasy baseball team will need to be bolstered by a solid starting pitching rotation if your championship hopes are authentic. Naturally, superstar hurlers like Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer would be top picks for any fantasy manager; Having undercover aces the on the mound can go a long way through the marathon-like 162-game regular season.

From us to you, here are four “sleeper” MLB starting pitchers to consider for your fantasy teams:

Fantasy baseball sleepers: Starting pitchers

RHP Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

ADP: 97

Ace of the staff for the Boys from the Bay, Logan Webb is a dominant right-handed arm who has continued to improve through each of his four seasons in the Big Leagues (15-9 record in 2022). Utilizing a filthy cutter, just about everything Webb throws has movement on it. Even better, Webb plays his home games at Oracle Park (at sea level, on the banks of McCovey Cove), which is one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in MLB. Additionally, Webb notched a new career-high in strikeouts last season (163, tied with Zack Wheeler and Nestor Cortes); Expect Webb to build off this in 2023.

LHP Framber Valdez, Houston Astros

ADP: 69

Fresh off winning his first World Series ring, southpaw-Framber Valdez enters 2023 with hopes of obtaining another. Valdez, who already has more than four full MLB seasons under his belt, is also coming off a few career highs: Wins (17), innings pitched (201.1) and strikeouts (194). With a litany of talent behind him on the field and in the Houston lineup, Valdez will take the mound with confidence every time out.

RHP Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres

ADP: No. 91

Similar to Logan Webb, Joe Musgrove is a very effective RHP that gets the benefits of playing his home games at a ballpark that’s extremely tough to hit in. Petco Park, on the shores of San Diego Bay, boasts large field dimensions and thick sea-level air, which always boasts well for a player who pitches to contact. Musgrove, who went 10-7 in 2022 with a 2.93 ERA (career-best). He also does well in the strikeout department, punching out over 385 hitters over the past two years combined. With San Diego adding more offensive and defensive talent in the offseason, Musgrove should be a favorable fantasy selection.

RHP Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves

ADP: 32

Spencer Strider may not be a “sleeper” pick for everyone, as he did very well for his first full season in the Bigs (2022). For the Braves, Strider collected an 11-5 record last year while holding a stingy ERA of 2.69 over 20 starts on the bump. On top of that, Strider showed proficiency in strikeout situations, notching 202 Ks in only 131.2 innings pitched. Still, Strider is a new face among a position that sees players dominate into their 40s. On the off-chance that your league is mostly unaware of Strider, you could do well by taking him anytime after the 50th overall pick.