Dynasty Fantasy Baseball: 10 Players to Buy Before Opening Day

Mike Clevinger, SP, Cleveland Indians

Mike Clevinger's getting plenty of buzz this spring thanks to his cushy spot in the Cleveland Indians' stacked rotation. That's all justified, though, with the strikeout upside in his right arm.

Clevinger tossed 114 innings as a starter last year, and he was an absolute beast. He boasted a 27.1% strikeout rate, which helps make up for his meaty 11.6% walk rate. His batted-ball stats weren't ideal, either, with a 33.5% hard-hit rate and 36.8% fly-ball rate, but strikeouts don't come this cheap often. If he can simply correct one of his two issues, he'd become a stud in a hurry.

The good news is that those walks have been kept in check this spring. He has a 34.7% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate in 19 innings. It's not a big enough sample to be conclusive, but it certainly paints him in a positive light. This guy could be on the verge of some silliness.

We do have to keep in mind that this will be Clevinger's age-27 season, so he's not as youthful as his lack of experience would indicate. As long as you invest with this in mind, Clevinger's a worthwhile buy.