9 Bold Fantasy Baseball Predictions for 2019
Tyler Glasnow Will Be in the Top-5 of the AL Cy Young
NFBC ADP: 167.50
Position Rank: 45
| Projections | IP | Wins | SO | K% | BB% | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Season | 110.7 | 2 | 136 | 29.1 | 11.3 | 4.27 | 1.27 |
| THE BAT | 135.0 | 9 | 161 | -- | -- | 3.59 | 1.34 |
| Steamer | 135.0 | 9 | 158 | 27.4 | 11.8 | 3.92 | 1.34 |
| numberFire | 127.7 | 5 | 147 | -- | -- | 4.08 | 1.36 |
This seems like a stretch. A pitcher like Tyler Glasnow, a guy who won a whopping two games last year with a 4.27 ERA, is going to finish at the top of the fantasy heap?
Let me explain.
After becoming a member of the Tampa Bay Rays last year, the right-handed starter absolutely took off down the stretch, and his numbers could look even better if not for one blow-up start against the Toronto Blue Jays.
| Split | IP | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With Tampa Bay | 55.7 | 4.20 | 1.10 | 28.4% | 8.4% |
| With Tampa Minus TOR Start | 55.0 | 3.11 | 0.98 | 28.8% | 7.9% |
Looks a bit like last year's jump from teammate Blake Snell, no?
As a member of the Rays, Glasnow posted an elite 12.0% swinging-strike rate and limited fly-balls to a rate of 34.5%. For some context, over a full season, Glasnow's swinging-strike rate would have placed him 16th among all starters, and both his curveball and slider were nasty offerings that generated a lot of whiffs.
Off the board at the end of the 14th round, Glasnow is shaping up as a great mid-round selection, and if he's able to keep nibbling away at his walk rate -- his big bugaboo thus far in his career -- he has the potential to turn in a breakout season.
