Top-10 Dynasty Baseball Starting Pitchers for 2025: Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Roki Sasaki, Spencer Strider and More

After wrapping up my fantasy baseball series where I ranked my top-10 players at each position for 2025, it’s time to move on to top-10 rankings for those of you in dynasty leagues.

These rankings could be of assistance to those of you in dynasty start-up leagues, where you are drafting before the 2025 season kicks off. If you are in an ongoing dynasty league, this list could help you identify some possible trade candidates or targets.

We’ll kick things off with starting pitchers here. Like I did for the top-10 list of starting pitchers for 2025, I’m not going to use Shohei Ohtani in this list.

Here are the links to the top-10 rankings for 2025: third basemen, first basemen, closers, designated hitters, second basemen, shortstops, outfielders, catchers and starting pitchers.

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1. Paul Skenes

I have Skenes atop my list of top dynasty pitchers, barely ahead of the No. 2 guy.

Skenes is just 22 years old and flashed some big-time potential in his first MLB season in 2024. He went 11-3 with a 1.96 earned run average across 23 starts. Skenes struck out 170 batters over 133 innings.

He’s got a long and big future ahead, as long as he can avoid injuries. Expect the Pirates to keep monitoring his workload in an effort to keep him healthy - it might limit his fantasy ceiling a touch now, but if it means he pitches an additional couple seasons and can keep up stellar numbers, it will be well worth it.

2. Tarik Skubal

Skubal gave Skenes a run for the top spot, but with Skubal already being 28, I simply can’t take him first over Skenes in a dynasty. 

Skubal had been trending up over the 2022-23 seasons before posting a monster 2024 campaign. He went 18-4, with a 2.39 ERA over 192 innings and 31 starts. Skubal struck out 228 batters.

The only big thing I’m worried about with Skubal is his durability, as he’s only gone over 21 starts in two of the past four seasons. He’s the best fantasy pitcher in the game for 2025, and he could remain the top guy with the Pirates holding Skenes back a bit.

3. Cole Ragans

After Skenes and Skubal, things could go in a number of different directions. I prefer Ragans, who is 27 years old.

In 32 starts with the Royals last season, Ragans had a 3.14 ERA and 11-9 record. He covered 186 1/3 innings, striking out 223 batters along the way.

He has just one MLB season (in three tries) over 100 innings, so I’m a touch worried about his durability long term, but it’s hard to place him any lower after what he did in 2024, and with him being just 27 years old. He should have several elite fantasy seasons ahead of him, followed by a couple good/above-average years.

4. Logan Gilbert

Gilbert is my No. 4 guy as he is nearly 28 years old.

He was great in 2024, but his offense didn’t help him out much. In 33 starts and 208 2/3 innings, Gilbert had a 3.23 ERA, but just a 9-12 record. He struck out 220 batters.

Gilbert has proven to be durable, making at least 32 starts in three straight seasons, all while sporting a career 3.60 ERA. He’s got several big seasons ahead of him still, and I don’t think he’s peaked yet.

5. Garrett Crochet

Crochet is just 25 years old, but he lacks the experience some of the pitchers before him have.

In his first season as a starter in 2024, Crochet went 6-12, but with a 3.58 ERA and 209 strikeouts over just 146 innings. He made 32 starts after not having started a game coming into the season.

He got traded to the Red Sox this offseason, which is a plus for his fantasy outlook. I love what I saw from him last season, but struggle putting him any higher because we’ve only seen one big season from him. He could slide all the way up to No. 3 with another good showing in 2025.

6. Roki Sasaki

Sasaki is another guy who could vault way up the rankings, but because we haven’t seen him in the big leagues, or even know what team he’s on, I’m ranking him sixth.

In Japan, the now 23-year-old posted a 30-15 record and 2.02 ERA across 414 2/3 innings and 69 games. He struck out 524 batters (11.4 per nine innings) and is going to be a big addition to some team for the 2025 season.

Him only being 23 years old gives him a ton of fantasy potential, especially if he’s able to hit the ground running and put together a big 2025 season. I wouldn’t even be upset if you took him third, after Skenes and Skubal - Sasaki could be that good (and maybe even better than those two by the end of the season).

7. Corbin Burnes

I’m not as high on Burnes as others are. He’s already 30 years old as well.

In his lone season with Baltimore, Burnes went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA across 32 starts and 194 1/3 innings. He struck out 181 batters, which was his lowest mark over the past four seasons (by a good margin too).

Burnes is a good fantasy pitcher, don’t get me wrong, but I think he peaked a couple seasons ago. Landing in Arizona should help him as a fantasy player, but being 30 years old, I think dynasty value is quite a bit lower than most people think.

8. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yamamoto had a good first season in the MLB, but after being limited to 18 starts, some are wondering about his durability.

He went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA across his starts. Yamamoto struck out 105 batters over 90 innings.

The thing working in his favor is that he’s just 26 years old. If he can prove he can get through a season, and keep pitching as well as he did last season, then Yamamoto will shoot way up the dynasty rankings.

9. George Kirby

Kirby is my second Mariner to make the list and is nearly 27 years old.

He made his debut in 2022, getting in 25 starts. Kirby made 31 starts in 2023 and then 33 starts in 2024. He’s covered 190 2/3 and 191 innings over the past two seasons, with 172 and 179 strikeouts along the way.

Kirby is a consistent performer, and while his ceiling might not be much higher, I think he’s a great fantasy pitcher to build a rotation around. I’d be very happy if he was my first dynasty starting pitcher.

10. Spencer Strider

Strider was my top dynasty starting pitcher going into 2024, but an injury not only derailed his season, but put his long-term outlook into question.

Strider, who is 26 years old, has a career 3.47 ERA across four seasons and 329 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 495 batters, including a whopping 281 in a breakout 2023 season.

That was Strider’s lone season in which he made a full season of starts, and now with an injury to overcome, I’m worried about Strider in the long run. He’s not expected to miss much of the 2025 season, and with a return to his 2023 self, could vault to the top of my list again.

Honorable Mentions

There were a number of pitchers who I considered for my top-10 list.

Near the top of my list were: Dylan Cease, Grayson Rodriguez, Zack Wheeler, Framber Valdez, Shota Imanaga, Tyler Glasnow, Gerrit Cole and Blake Snell.

Also in contention were: Spencer Schwellenbach, Jared Jones, Bryce Miller, Eury Perez, Shane McClanahan, Hunter Greene and Hunter Brown