Building a strong starting pitching staff early in fantasy baseball drafts is crucial for the 2026 season, as the position is prone to injuries. Expert rankings highlight top options like Tarik Skubal ($43), Paul Skenes ($41), and Garrett Crochet ($39), with Crochet noted as a potential value play if he slips in drafts.
The rankings, designed for salary cap and straight drafts, reflect talent clusters and drops off in a 5x5 scoring system. Unlike past strategies of waiting to address starting pitching, experts now consider it one of the most important aspects of fantasy season success.