Chris Clegg's 2023 Pitching Prospect Obsessions

Chris looks at pitching prospects he wants to get everywhere before 2023.

Knowing the right time to buy and sell prospects in a dynasty league is critical. Very seldom is a prospect off limits for me in trade. Generally, my goal is to acquire prospects on the cheap, let them build value, then flip them for win-now pieces. That is easier said than done. But, I view prospects in dynasty as playing the stock market. Buy in early, buy low, and sell high. Those are winning strategies in dynasty leagues.

Today we will dive in on eight pitching prospects I want on all my teams in 2023.

Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, ARI

Brandon Pfaadt’s name being first on the list should surprise no one if you have followed my work for a while. I have been riding the Brandon Pfaadt hype train for some time now. By the way, his last name is pronounced: “fought.” I hear it said several different ways but he confirmed it is “fought."

Anyways, Pfaadt made a huge rise up rankings this offseason, and for good reasons. Between Double and Triple-A, he posted a 3.83 ERA and had the most strikeouts in the minors, with 218. Pfaadt is an innings eater who throws a ton of strikes.

If you want a deep dive into Brandon Pfaadt, check out my article here.

Bobby Miller, RHP, LAD

It feels like Bobby Miller is being a bit slept on in fantasy circles. I’m guilty of it myself. While his surface numbers haven’t popped, and you could say his 2022 was slightly disappointing, I’m all on Miller. It is important to remember he spent the season pitching in the Texas League(AA) and the Pacific Coast League(AAA). Those were the two most hitter-friendly environments in the Minors.

Bobby Miller is your guy if you like an elite fastball and slider combo. Standing at 6’5/220, he has a ton of physicality and explosiveness on the mound bringing the heat with a four-seam fastball that consistently sits around 98 mph but can touch 101. He has shown improved command at the top of the zone with it and easily blows it by hitters. Miller mixes in a 97 mph sinker that keeps hitters honest. The slider ranges anywhere from the upper 80s to 90 mph with excellent sweeping actions, but he does have a variation that is more of a cutter. Miller also features a plus changeup. His stuff is that of a top-of-the-rotation arm when you also factor in his physicality.

Jake Eder, LHP, MIA

I hope my buddy Drew Wheeler is reading this, sharing my love for Jake Eder. Eder was selected by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft and got an aggressive Double-A assignment when he debuted in 2021. He handled it well, posting a 1.77 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP across 71.1 innings. He also had a 34.5 percent strikeout rate. Unfortunately, Eder did go down with Tommy John Surgery.

Eder features a plus fastball and slider combo. His fastball gets a great ride at the top of the zone, and his slider plays exceptionally well off of it. Eder features a low-80s changeup which could end up being a solid pitch with more refinement. If he returns to form in 2023 following Tommy John, he could push his way into a really talented Marlins rotation.

Jackson Jobe, RHP, DET

Jackson Jobe went from all the craze in 2021, when he was selected third overall, to falling off radars after just one full season. In high school, Jobe was a two-way player but was primarily a shortstop until later in his high school career, when he began to focus more on pitching. Jobe emerged as one of the top arms in the 2021 class thanks to a big fastball and an elite spinning slider.

Jobe’s fastball sits close to 95 mph but tops out in the upper 90s with excellent ride at the top of the zone. His slider is a wipeout pitch with a ton of vertical movement. If he commands it better, it has the potential to be an elite swing-and-miss pitch. His changeup is more advanced than people think. It had a whiff rate above 40% last year with good fading action.

Jobe finished the season very strong last year. His overall 3.84 ERA won’t wow you, but after the All-Star break, Jobe posted a 2.45 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched. Buy all the Jackson Jobe this offseason.

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