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Rank These Pitchers.

I was just wondering what people thought about these pitchers, this is not a fantasy related question so please do not take there fantasy impact in consideration. Please rank these pitchers in order of who is going to have the best career. Below I have them ranked with a few comments. I am not an expert and I don't know nearly as much as MOST people. If you all don't mind I would like to get to know what other people think of these player. Thank you all for any comments and if anyone thinks this should not have been posted just let me know and I will delete it.

 

1) Madison Bumgarner, LHP, The loss in velocity is a little worrisome but I think he has the highest potential of any of these pitcher. It looks like he is going to start the season as the Giants #5 starter but I see him competing with Tim Lincecum as the #1 in a few years.


2) Chris Tillman, RHP, It looks like he will be starting the year in the O's rotation but I think he needs some more seasoning at AAA. I personally think he will be better than Matusz in time, but right now he is still very raw.


3) Aroldis Chapman, LHP, A ton of upside with him but I think he will end up in the pen. If he can learn a change up he could be an Ace and become one of the greatest pitchers of the decade.


4) Gerrit Cole, RHP, Him and Taillon are the only ones on the list I have never seem pitch so everything I am about to say is from research. Has a very heavy fastball and a very sharp slider. If he can turn his changeup into a serviceable pitch or learn some other funk pitch he can also become an ace.


5) Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, Some see him as an ace but I don't see it. He has good/great stuff but his stuff just doesn't look as dominant as the others. He is very fun to watch and will make Joba and Zambrano look like cool cats, for this reason you will want him on your favorite team otherwise you will hate this guy.


6) Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, I like him more than most and think he will be a very good #3 or maybe even a #2 pitcher. I think he was rushed last year and he showed it with all of the walks. He needs a whole season in AAA before he moves into the Colorado rotation.

7) Mike Leake, RHP, I think he is very underrated, I though he was the 5th best player in the draft after Strasburg, Ackley, Matzek and Turner. I think he can become a #2 but he is a sure fire #3 in my mind.


8) Jameson Taillon, RHP, Don't know much about him but since people think he has the best stuff in next years draft I thought I would include him. I actually have a friend that knows him personally and he says he is a good kid but does have some temper issues. Which may or may not be a bad thing. If everything goes his way he will be an ace(so i'm told) . Please give me some more info on him if anyone has seen him pitch.


9) Jake Arrieta, RHP, He had a good not great second half last year but I still love this kid. His fastball has hit 98 in the past but when I saw him he was sitting in the 91-93 ranging topping out at 95. If his change develops and if it was just an off day when I saw him he could be a good #2 but I see more of #3 pitcher.


10) Zach Stewart, RHP, I see him in the pen, he has great potential and could even become a low-end #1, but I don't think he is going to have the stamina. I have seen him pitch twice and by the 5th inning his stuff was not as sharp. His fastball still had good velocity but his other pitches just didn't look as great.

11) Daniel Duffy, LHP, Just a good pitching prospect. He will not become an Ace and there is a good chance he will not even be a #2, but he will become a guy that everyone would love to have on there team.

Poll
Who is #1

  160 votes | Results

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments  |  Add comment

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Comments

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I'll go

Cole
Tillman
Chapman
Taillon
Bumgarner
Chacin
Ranaudo
Arrieta
Duffy
Stewart

by kempsc on Jan 30, 2026 4:14 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

+1

Looks pretty close to where I would rank them. Cole was a 1st round pick out of HS, and has done nothing short of dominate at UCLA so far.

by guru4u on Jan 31, 2026 3:11 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I have not seen all of them pitch

but I believe that Taillon’s upside is higher than anyone else on this list. IF he stays healthy and has normal progression, he coud be one of the best pitchers of the decade.

by sdtribefan on Jan 30, 2026 4:53 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Same.

Haven’t seem them all but I think I will have to go with the hype and say Chapman’s upside is higher. As long as he can develop another pitch (yes I understand how difficult this is) he can certainly dominate opposing hitters.

by TarHeel921 on Jan 30, 2026 9:22 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs


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