Top 100 Pitching Prospects To Target For Dynasty In 2024

For dynasty managers building a solid minor league system is key for long-term success. It’s a little different for each manager on how they intend to use the prospects they research and stash in the minor leagues. When it comes to pitching prospects they can be very volatile from the standpoint that it can change in only a couple of starts paired with the ever-present injury risk or worse a lost season to Tommy John surgery. In this article and rankings, you can gauge 100 of the minor league top pitching prospects right now and start building your dynasty powerhouse for seasons to come.

Top 10 Pitching Prospects

Paul Skenes, RHP PIT

(5 GS, 6.2 IP, 10 K, 13 K/9, 1.050 WHIP, 5.40 ERA)

Paul Skenes was a generational arm coming out of LSU and helped lead the Tigers to the College World Series alongside teammate Dylan Crews. During his final season with the Tigers, Skenes started 19 games, striking out 209 batters in 122.2 innings pitched (15.3 K/9), finishing with a 1.69 ERA. The LSU Tigers did not hold back using Skenes this season so it’s not surprising to me that he seemed gassed once he was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023.

⛽️🔥RHP Paul Skenes has been fun to watch this season as he has proven to be every bit the “once in a decade” talent. 152 Ks in 79.2 IP with a 1.69 ERA and 0.753 WHIP in 13 starts. I wonder if the Pirates will pass on Skenes.. 🤔 @LSUbaseball @Paul_Skenes @Fantrax https://t.co/4gKY3XpYTT

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 19, 2023

Skenes features a high 90s fastball that dominated college bats in 2023 and was played up by the plus slider-inducing swing and miss. The change-up lags behind the fastball and slider but can flash above average at times. Although the results were not the best after the draft, Skenes profiles as a front of the rotation arm in Dynasty and should move quickly as he could start the season in Double-A Altoona.

Andrew Painter, RHP PHI

(22 GS, 103.2 IP, 155 K, 13.5 K/9, 0.887 WHIP, 1.56 ERA in 2022)

The Phillies seem to have a gem in Andrew Painter who took a step forward in his first professional season in 2022. At 6’7” and 215 pounds, Painter is an intimidating presence on the mound and showed his dominance across three levels. Combining Painter’s time in Low-A Clearwater, High-A Jersey Shore, and Double-A Reading the right-hander had a 13.5 K/9 while only walking 25 batters in 103.2 innings pitched. Painter’s high-velocity fastball touches 100 mph while sitting around 96 mph deep into starts, while the plus slider and change-up are devastating out pitches. Along with these offerings Painter will pepper in a 78 MPH curveball that has solid movement but lacks consistency.

🤮 Straight filth from PHL RHP Andrew Painter! This is what we have to look forward to hopefully here soon! Painter is starting to throw this week waiting on further word! 🤞#RingTheBell @Phillies @Fantrax https://t.co/q4rrJJT5iC

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 11, 2023

In spring training last season, it seemed possible for Painter to join the Phillies’ fifth rotation spot that is until he sprained the UCL in his right elbow. Both Painter and the Phillies opted to try to rest and ended up missing the entire season. Andrew Painter was my number-one pitching prospect in minor league baseball but until he comes back from this “Sprained UCL” and stays healthy he will be on the heels of Skenes.

Ricky Tiedemann, LHP TOR

(15 GS, 44 IP, 82 K, 16.8 K/9, 1.227 WHIP, 3.68 ERA)

The most intriguing arm in the Toronto Blue Jays system right now is Ricky Tiedemann, a hard-throwing 20-year-old who has skyrocketed up pitching prospect rankings over the last two seasons. The high strikeout potential of Tiedemann is apparent as he had a 16.31 K/9 across 32 innings at Double-A New Hampshire in 2023. Tiedemann posted 5.06 ERA in 11 starts but was not helped by the defense behind as evidenced by a 2.12 FIP.

The plus fastball and slider stand out when you watch footage but the advancements in Tiedemann’s change-up have been impressive as another potential plus offering. What will make or break Tiedemann will be the command and control long term. If everything clicks this is a high-end SP2 pitcher with SP1 potential.

Jacob Misiorowski, RHP MIL

(20 GS, 71.1 IP, 110 K, 13.9 K/9, 1.178 WHIP, 3.41 ERA)

One of the most exciting pitching prospects in the minor leagues last year had to be Jacob Misiorowski. Across 20 starts, Misiorowski ascended to Double-A Biloxi, putting up massive strikeouts per nines along his way. Starting in Low-A Carolina Misiorowski struck out 46 batters in 26.2 innings, good for a 15.53 K/9 while keeping batters to a .115 average, and finishing with a 3.04 ERA in nine starts. The Brewers then moved Misiorowski up to High-A where he struck out 28 batters in 23.2 innings with a .172 average against and a 1.90 ERA across six starts.

⛽️ 🔥 MIL RHP Jacob Misiorowski throws straight gas! So far in A- he has 19Ks in 10.2 IP keeping batters to a .114 AVG and a 2.53 ERA in 5 starts. That fastball and slider combo is filthy. #ThisIsMyCrew @CarolinaMudcats @Jmisiorowski9 @Brewers https://t.co/cDImWUp04k

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 11, 2023

What has been a concern for Misiorowski so far has been the high walks per nine at every level so far in his minor league career. In his last stop of the year, Misiorowski had 6.86 BB/9 and was hit for a .213 average against. The upside is massive with Misiorowski as he could be a front-of-the-rotation type of arm but the walks will need to come down if that will come to fruition.

Tink Hence, RHP STL

(23 GS, 96 IP, 99 K, 9.3 K/9, 1.333 WHIP 4.31 ERA)

Drafted in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft as a two-way player, the Cardinals had Tink Hence focus solely on pitching. Hence ascended two levels in 2023, starting the season in High-A where he struck out 46 batters in 41.2 innings across 11 starts with the Peoria Chiefs. Hence struggled when the 20-year-old was promoted to Double-A Springfield. Across 12 starts Hence pitched 54.1 innings, striking out 53 batters with a .279 average against, and finished the year with a 5.47 ERA. The strikeout rate dropped once Hence was promoted to Double-A and the walks went up to 3.64.

Hence still has the potential to be a front-line starter. For this to happen he needs to get more efficient and get back to the high strikeout potential we saw from him in 2022. Going into his age-21 season, Hence could be starting the season in Triple-A Memphis drawing him closer to a major league debut in 2024.

Brock Porter, RHP TEX

(21 G, 69.1 IP, 95 K, 12.3 K/9, 1.168 WHIP, 2.47 ERA)

The fourth-round selection by the Texas Rangers back in 2022 made waves in his first professional season. Brock Porter played the entire 2023 season in Low-A with the Down East Wood Ducks, striking out 95 batters in 69.1 innings (12.33 K/9) with a solid .160 average against and finishing with a 2.47 ERA. Porter has a solid three-pitch mix that has already proven to be a dominant offering in the fastball, slider plus a change-up.

⛽️⚾️ Excited to try and catch a Brock Porter start here soon. The 19 year old has 19 Ks in 12 IP holding batters to a .128 AVG and a 2.25 ERA in 4 starts in A- Down East. #StraightUpTX @GoWoodDucks @Rangers @TEXPlayerDev @BrockPorter10 https://t.co/ykOpQJ9slM

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 29, 2023

The command and control will be the name of the game for Brock Porter as he ascends the Rangers organization. If he can keep the walks down, you are looking at a potential SP2 here for dynasty managers. Look for Brock Porter to start the season in High-A Hickory and continue his upward trend.

Kyle Harrison, LHP SFG

(7 GS, 34.2 IP, 35 K, 9.1 K/9, 1.154 WHIP, 4.15 ERA – MLB)

Kyle Harrison has moved quickly up San Francisco’s minor league system. Across 20 starts in Triple-A Sacramento, Harrison struck out 105 batters in 65.2 innings pitched (14.39 K/9) while having a .215 average against and finishing with a 4.66 ERA. What has been and continues to be a concern for me are the high walk rates for Harrison; a 6.58 BB/9 in 2023, and a 4.18 BB/9 across 84 innings and seven starts in 2022. In addition, Kyle Harrison will not go deep into games. To put that into perspective, Kyle Harrison averaged just 3.2 innings per start in 2023.

👀📝SFG LHP Kyle Harrison has been a strikeout machine! 61 Ks in 34.1 IP (15.99 K/9 😱) with a .151 AVG and a 3.67 ERA in the PCL.. no small feat. Harrison cut the walks in half in May and has looked sharp! #SFGiants @RiverCats @SFGiants @Fantrax https://t.co/vEFR2n9r5K

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 31, 2023

Harrison made his MLB debut in 2023, starting seven games for the Giants with 35 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched (9.09 K/9) with a .220 average against and finished with a 4.15 ERA. Long term I still believe Kyle Harrison is a reliever albeit a high-leverage one but the lack of control with the walks and the inability to go deep into games in the minor leagues concerns me. The silver lining in Harrison’s seven starts he averaged close to five innings a start with a 2.86 BB/9 so I’ll be watching Harrison’s starts in 2024.

Cade Horton, RHP CHC

(21 GS, 88.1 IP, 117 K, 11.9 K/9, 0.996 WHIP, 3.26 ERA)

Cade Horton put together a strong season across three levels in 2023, starting in Low-A Myrtle Beach and finishing in Double-A with the Smokies. The majority of Horton’s time was spent in High-A South Bend where the 21-year-old struck out 65 batters in 47 IP (12.45 K/9) with a .203 average against and finished with a 3.83 ERA. Throughout the minor league season, Cade Horton remained steady as he made his stops ultimately finishing with a 10.33 K/9 and a 1.33 ERA across 27 innings pitched in Double-A.

Horton features a four-pitch mix with the fastball and slider profiling as true plus offerings. The curveball has the potential to be an above-average pitch and the change-up is still a work in progress as it wasn’t one he threw mutch while at Oklahoma. Long-term Cade Horton profiles as a high-end SP 3 or a low-end SP 2 for dynasty making him one of the most intriguing pitching prospects this off-season.

Hurston Waldrep, RHP ATL

(8 GS, 29.1 IP, 41 K, 12.6 K/9, 1.193 WHIP, 1.53 ERA)

Besides Paul Skenes, college baseball had some amazing pitchers make their way into the first round. Hurston Waldrep put together a solid season at the University of Florida, striking out 156 batters in 101.2 innings across 19 starts. It was the landing spot with the Atlanta Braves that started to shoot Hurston Waldrep higher and higher up the first-year player draft rankings. The Braves seemed bound and determined to push Waldrep through the system as he pitched at four levels before ultimately finishing in Triple-A. Across Waldrep’s combined eight starts he struck out 41 batters in 29.1 innings pitched (12.6 K/9) with a solid 1.53 ERA.

The Braves started this off-season with some question marks at the fifth rotation spot and there was word that Waldrep would be competing for the spot in spring training. Recently that might be put on hold for at least a time as the Braves traded for Chris Sale and extended him following the trade. For dynasty purposes, Waldrep has the upside to be in front of the rotation arm and looks poised to start the season in Triple-A honing his craft while he waits for an opportunity to secure a rotation spot at some point in 2024.

Drew Thorpe, RHP SDP

(23 GS, 139.1 IP, 182 K, 11.8 K/9, 0.983 WHIP, 2.52 ERA)

One of the headlining prospects coming over from the Yankees in the Juan Soto trade this off-season was Drew Thorpe. In his first professional season, Drew Thorpe was fantastic. Starting in High-A Hudson Valley, Thorpe struck out 138 batters in 109 innings (11.39 K/9) with a .214 average against and a solid 2.81 ERA in 18 starts with the Renegades. Thorpe was soon promoted to Double-A Somerset where in five starts he struck out 44 batters in 30.1 innings (13.05 K/9) with a .143 average against and finished with a stellar 1.48 ERA with the Patriots.

📈📝NYY RHP Drew Thorpe is the real deal guys! Currently at A+ Hudson Valley the Yankees 2nd round pick in 22’ has..

124 Ks in 99.1 IP with a .198 AVG and a 2.08 ERA across 16 starts.

Grab him while you can his stock will continue to rise! ⬆️ #RepBX @drewthorpe2 @CalPolyBSB https://t.co/5c8ygRL8D7

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) July 24, 2023

Drew Thorpe features a three-pitch mix with the change-up being the plus offering, Thorpe mixes in a slider that has solid movement and flashes plus at times, the fastball lags behind both of the secondary pitch offerings sitting in the low 90s but Thorpe locates it well and allows the change-up and slider to thrive. For dynasty purposes Thorpe’s ceiling profiles as an SP 2 with a floor of an SP 4 regardless this is a true starter profile and in the massive outfield of Petco Park Thorpe should be a target for you this off-season.

2024 Top 100 Pitching Prospect Rankings

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