Top 10 Starting Pitchers for 2025
Who will be the top ace in all of baseball next season?
Note: I am factoring in all factors such as age, pedigree, current situation, and past performance for these rankings!
HM) Garrett Crochet - Boston Red Sox {25}
All-Star (2024)
This does not mean I do not consider Crochet a top-10 talent for 2025. He doesn’t have the depth in track record compared to the arms in front of him on this list. He has the least amount of innings pitched to his name. I am trying not to hold that too much against him as he was a reliever before becoming an elite starting pitcher and he is also the youngest on this list! Truth be told I expect Crochet to have a massive 2025 season.
Crochet is expected to take over as the No.1 starter in the Boston rotation in 2025 following an impressive 2024 season. He has always been an elite strikeout pitcher and will be surrounded by the best clubhouse that he has been a part of as a major leaguer and it is not even close.
2024 - 32 GS | 3.58 ERA | 146 IP | 209 K | 12.9 SO9 | 1.07 WHIP | 4.1 WAR
Career - 32 GS | 3.29 ERA | 219 IP | 294 K | 12.1 SO9 | 1.16 WHIP | 5.9 WAR
10) Michael King - San Diego Padres {Age 29}
CYA-7 2024
The Yankees may have made a big mistake moving King for the one year of Juan Soto. King has been electric since 2021. The Yankees need an arm in their rotation and have now lost Juan Soto to the likes of the New York Mets while King is carving into lineups for the Padres.
I expect King to continue his reign of terror as he is pitching for a contract as he will be an unrestricted free agent come next offseason. Coming off a top-10 Cy Young finish, he is poised for another big year and will most likely be one of the next big pitching contracts we see.
2024 - 30 GS | 2.95 ERA | 173.2 IP | 201 K | 10.4 SO9 | 1.19 WHIP | 4.2 WAR
Career - 49 GS | 3.20 ERA | 421.1 IP | 483 K | 10.3 SO9 | 1.19 WHIP | 9.8 WAR
9) Cole Ragans - Kansas City Royals {Age 27}
All-Star 2024
CYA-4 2024
Ragans has emerged as not only one of the best pitchers in the American League but in all of baseball. The Royals struck gold by trading with the Texas Rangers to acquire Ragans back in June of 2023.
Pitching to a 3.14 ERA across 186 innings is extremely impressive. Especially when you rack up 223 strikeouts in those innings. If Bobby Witt Jr. is going to ever win some team-oriented hardware, he is going to need the Kansas City pitching to continue to flex their muscles. Ragans is definitely in contention to win a Cy Young in the American League this year and I cannot wait to watch him shove against opposing lineups.
2024 - 32 GS | 3.14 ERA | 186.1 IP | 223 K | 10.8 SO9 | 1.14 WHIP | 4.9 WAR
Career - 53 GS | 3.46 ERA | 322.1 IP | 363 K | 10.1 SO9 | 1.19 WHIP | 7.2 WAR
8) Logan Gilbert - Seattle Mariners {27}
All-Star (2024)
CYA-6 (2024)
He is the best pitcher on one of the best rotations in baseball. Gilbert is grossly underrated, and that shouldn’t be the case. He is simply too good not to be respected as one of the elites.
Not to mention, he is a workhorse. He has tossed north of 185 IP every year since 2022. Availability is one of the most desired assets for an ace, and Gilbert sure does make himself available.
2024 - 33 GS | 3.23 ERA | 208.2 IP | 220 K | 9.5 SO9 | 0.89 WHIP | 2.8 WAR
Career - 121 GS | 3.60 ERA | 704.1 IP | 711 K | 9.1 SO9 | 1.06 WHIP | 9.8 WAR
7) Dylan Cease - San Diego Padres {29}
CYA-2 (2022), CYA-4 (2024)
MVP-22 (2022 & 2024)
Cease has been one of the best arms in baseball for a few years now. Still, on the better side of 30, he is primed for another big season with San Diego. Like Gilbert, Cease throws a ton of innings. In fact, Cease has thrown north of 165 innings every season since 2021.
The 29-year-old gets a ton of strikeouts and has had two top-5 Cy Young finishes in his career already. I think he is more than capable of competing for his first-ever Cy Young Award in 2025.
2024 - 33 GS | 3.47 ERA | 189.1 IP | 224 K | 10.6 SO9 |1.07 WHIP | 4.2 WAR
Career - 156 GS | 3.75 ERA | 847.1 IP | 1016 K | 10.8 SO9 | 1.252 WHIP | 15.9 WAR
6) Corbin Burnes - Arizona Diamondbacks {30}
All-Star (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
CYA-6 (2020), CYA-7 (2022), CYA-8 (2023), CYA-5 (2024)
Cy Young (2021)
Burnes is a stud and has found himself a new home with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not sure how I feel about the move even though there is a lot to like about the transition from Baltimore.
Arizona is in a gauntlet of a division in the National League West, but they have built a quality roster. Burnes will now be the No. 1 in this rotation ahead of Zac Gallen and should have another solid season. Burnes has generated 3.4 WAR or more each season since 2021 and has been named an All-Star in each of those seasons. There is nothing besides the classic “part of a new team” excuse that I don’t like about Burnes for 2025.
2024 - 32 GS | 2.92 ERA | 194.1 IP | 181 K | 8.4 SO9 | 1.10 WHIP | 3.4 WAR
Career - 138 GS | 3.19 ERA | 903.2 IP | 1051 K | 10.5 SO9 | 1.063 WHIP | 17.1 WAR
5) Blake Snell - Los Angeles Dodgers {32}
All-Star (2018)
ERA Title (2018 & 2023)
Cy Young (2018 & 2023)
Maybe the most disrespected pitcher in all of baseball. He has won Cy Young Awards in both the American and National leagues and has one All-Star appearance to his name. Snell signed a new 5-year deal with the Dodgers and finds himself in a loaded stable of arms in Los Angeles where the pressure should come off even more than after claiming his 2nd Cy Young Award.
People don’t like Snell because he gives up too many walks. Doesn’t seem to matter much as he owns a career 3.19 ERA across 1096 career innings. That is disgusting and Snell is one of the top pitchers in the game.
2024 - 20 GS | 3.12 ERA | 104 IP | 145 K | 12.5 SO9 | 1.048 WHIP | 2.1 WAR
Career - 211 GS | 3.19 ERA | 1096.2 IP | 1368 K | 11.2 SO9 (All-Time Career Record) | 1.217 WHIP | 23.4 WAR
4) Gerrit Cole - New York Yankees {34}
All-Star (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
CYA-4 (2015), CYA-5 (2018), CYA-2 (2019), CYA-4 (2020), CYA-2 (2021), 2022 (CYA-9),
Cy Young (2023)
Gerrit Cole has nothing to prove to anyone. This man has been a top-10 Cy Young Award finalist six times in his career and owns a Cy Young trophy from his dominant 2023 season.
Cole was banged up last season, but come playoff time, he was an absolute monster on the mound. Yes, his last playoff start did not go the way it should have, given how well he was pitching, but that is not entirely his fault. Cole was paid $324,000,000 because he is an animal on the mound. I expect him to continue his dominance in 2025 and finish as a Cy Young finalist once again.
2024 - 17 GS | 3.41 ERA | 95 IP | 99 K | 9.4 SO9 | 1.13 WHIP | 2.0 WAR
Career - 317 GS | 3.18 ERA | 1954 IP | 2251 K | 10.4 SO9 | 1.08 WHIP | 43.3 WAR
3) Zach Wheeler - Philadelphia Phillies {34}
All Star (2021 & 2024)
CYA-12 (2020), CYA-2 (2021), CYA-6 (2023), CYA-2 (2024)
People sleep on how good Zach Wheeler is. I am not saying he is underrated, but he never seems to get the kudos he deserves. Owning a 3.34 ERA across 1578 career earnings is wild! He for sure will join the 2K career strikeout club at some point in his career, which is another very impressive accomplishment.
Philadelphia is loaded and they are looking to compete for another National League East title in 2025. Wheeler showed no signs of regression at age 34 and I expect to see more of the same in 2025.
2024 - 32 GS | 2.57 ERA | 200 IP | 224 K | 10.1 SO9 | 0.96 WHIP | 6.1 WAR
Career - 259 GS | 3.34 ERA | 1578.2 IP | 1625 K | 9.3 SO9 | 1.16 WHIP | 34.6 WAR
2) Chris Sale - Atlanta Braves {35}
All-Star (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2024)
CYA-6 (2012), CYA-5 (2013), CYA-3 (2014), CYA-4 (2015), CYA-5 (2016), CYA-2 (2017), CYA-4 (2018)
Cy Young (2024)
The future Hall of Famer was incredible once again in 2024. Did the Red Sox make a huge mistake moving Sale? Yes. Were they totally to blame? No. Sale had dealt with several injuries between 2020-2023 and there was just cause to make a move.
Sale was finally healthy for a full season again and gave the baseball world pure entertainment. If the body holds up he will likely cross the 3K career strikeouts threshold almost guaranteeing him a spot in Cooperstown.
2024 - 29 GS | 2.38 ERA | 177.2 IP | 225 K | 11.4 SO9 | 1.01 WHIP | 6.2 WAR
Career - 292 GS | 3.04 ERA | 1958.1 IP | 2414 K | 11.1 SO9 | 1.04 WHIP | 53.4 WAR
1) Tarik Skubal - Detroit Tigers {28}
All-Star (2024)
ERA Title (2024)
Triple Crown (2024)
Cy Young (2024)
Skubal was the best pitcher in baseball last season, and he is only 28 years old. He was untouchable last season and won the Pitching Triple Crown (18 W, 2.39 ERA, 228 K). Joining the pitching triple-crown club is joining elite company. Skubal is now amongst the greats for his single-season performance.
Entering the season with two more years until he hits 30 years of age, we are seeing Skubal truly blossom in his prime. I just hope Detroit gets him some relief in the rotation this year so he does not have to throw his arm out from so many playoff innings!
2024 - 31 GS | 2.39 ERA | 192.0 IP | 228 K | 10.7 SO9 | 0.92 WHIP | 6.3 WAR
Career - 103 GS | 3.37 ERA | 192 IP | 228 K | 10.2 SO9 | 1.07 WHIP | 11.4 WAR
NL Rookie of the Year is missing.