Top 2026 Fantasy Baseball Pitching Prospects Including Rhett Lowder & JR Ritchie

Keep an eye on rising arms like Rhett Lowder, JR Ritchie, and Joe Boyle as potential impact call-ups and stash candidates for the 2026 fantasy baseball season.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder (81) delivers against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Most home fantasy baseball leagues are 10- or 12-team formats, suggesting a drafter needs to know between 100 and 120 starting pitchers to have success in the draft. Here’s my top five starting pitchers with minor league profiles to follow early in the season:

1 – Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds

In the early draft season, I didn’t target Lowder due to chasing him around as an upside prospect in 2024 and 2025. The Reds selected him seventh overall in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft after a stellar final season at Wake Forest (15-0 with a 1.87 ERA, 0.947 WHIP, and 143 strikeouts over 120.1 innings).

Lowder made 22 starts in 2024 between High A, AA, and AAA, with reasonable stats (6-4 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.150 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts over 108.2 innings). His success led to Cincinnati giving him six starts in the majors (2-2, 1.17 ERA, 1.272 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts over 30.2 innings). Unfortunately, he struggled with his command (4.1 walks per nine) with the Reds while striking out fewer batters (6.5 per nine).

Last year, Lowder battled a right elbow/forearm issue before the season, leading to him pitching in only five games (11 runs, 18 baserunners, and two home runs over 9.1 innings with 13 strikeouts). He also missed time in August with an oblique injury.

With Hunter Greene out for three to four months, Lowder should be the next man up. Over his first three spring training games, he allowed four runs and 11 baserunners over 8.2 innings with 11 strikeouts. His ceiling is high, but Lowder will have a learning curve this year while bringing some injury risk due to his previous elbow issue. I view him as a must-follow earlier in the year, as his arm could come faster than the fantasy market believes.

2 – Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson is drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the third pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The starting-pitching-rich Mariners invested their third overall pick in Anderson in the 2025 MLB June Amateur Draft. His arm moved to elite status in his second season at LSU (12-1 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.059 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts over 119.0 innings. He had never pitched in a minor league game.

This spring, Anderson allowed two runs, four hits, and one walk over his first four innings with five strikeouts. With Bryce Miller batting with an oblique injury, he would be an excellent replacement once Anderson proves his worth in the minors. This stud lefty brings a mid-90s fastball with a swing-and-miss slider and a developing changeup.

3 – Thomas White, Miami Marlins

The high-stakes fantasy market had high hopes for White this year based on his early ADP. Unfortunately, he suffered an oblique injury in early March, putting him on the sidelines to open the 2026 season. Miami drafted White out of high school with the 35th overall pick in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Over three seasons in the minors, he went 10-8 with a 2.65 ERA, 1.268 WHIP, and 272 strikeouts over 190.0 innings. White dominated AA in 2025 over 10 starts (1.59 ERA, 1.191 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts over 45.1 innings), but lost his way over two appearances at AAA (four runs, three hits, and 10 walks over 9.1 innings with 17 strikeouts). His fastball has triple-digit upside, supported by two winning pitches (slider and changeup).

At age 21, White should start this season at AAA until he gets his pitch count up and his command in line. His high early pitch counts will lead to low wins out of the gate. I expect him to be with Miami by June.

4 – JR Ritchie, Atlanta Braves

Bainbridge's JR Ritchie takes the mound against North Kitsap at Bainbridge High on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. | MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN / USA TODAY NETWORK

After missing most of 2024 with TJ surgery, Ritchie climbed through three levels of the minors last year (8-6 with a 2.64 ERA, 1.007 WHIP, and 140 strikeouts over 140.0 innings). He already has 11 games of experience at AAA (3.02 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts over 59.2 innings), putting him in a great position to pitch for Atlanta early in 2026.

Ritchie has made three appearances this spring, leading to three runs, two hits, one home run, and five walks over eight innings with eight strikeouts. His command (four walks) was off in his last outing (four innings).

The Braves should start him off at AAA, but injuries to Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenback create a quicker window to the majors for Ritchie in 2026. If Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder trip up or have an injury, he should be the first starter called up from the minors.

5 – Joe Boyle, Tampa Bay Rays

Boyle was a fantasy tease in 2025. His arsenal is challenging to hit, but finding home plate remains an issue. He showed a progression in command last year at AAA (4.3 walks per nine – 6.6 in his career in the minors), leading to an 8-4 record over 18 games with a 1.88 ERA, 1.012 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts over 86.0 innings.

Tampa gave him two spot starts in May and July (no runs, two hits, and three walks over 10.0 innings with 14 strikeouts), but Boyle ended up being a liability over his final 11 games (27 runs, 41 hits, six home runs, and 25 walks over 42.0 innings with 44 strikeouts). He walked 5.4 batters per nine over this span.

Over three appearances in spring training, Boyle allowed two runs, six hits, and four walks over 6.2 innings with 10 strikeouts. His arm has a higher ceiling once his command comes along for the ride. I have him in my risk/reward category while keeping close tabs on his progress over the next few months.