These eight pitchers have a chance to help fantasy managers in a big way with strikeouts in 2026.
It’s never too early to prepare for your draft, and some of us draft fiends are already setting our draft dates for 2026—or even drafting now.
For nearly a decade, I contributed a series of offseason features at Rotoworld breaking down category sleepers across each of the 5x5 roto categories. Over the next 10 weeks, I’ll be providing a list of sleepers for each 5x5 roto category (BA, HR, RBI, R, SB, W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV). Since the hot stove hasn’t heated up much yet, the early part of the series will focus on players in categories that are less dependent on opportunity and more driven by skill. Categories more reliant on opportunity, supporting cast, batting order spot (R, RBI, SB), or team context and managerial decisions (W, SV) will be covered later in the series.
Before reading any further, it’s important to define what a “sleeper” means here. In this case, it’s a player who is expected to exceed both draft-day ADP and projection totals in a particular category. Players are broken down into mixed-league sleepers and single-league sleepers.
Mixed League Players
Chase Burns, SP, Cincinnati Reds
Burns generated significant buzz when he was promoted to the majors in late June. The results were uneven, and he missed a month in August with a strained flexor tendon. While his 4.57 ERA and 1.32 WHIP were underwhelming, Burns struck out 67 batters in just 43.1 innings. That followed a 12.1 K/9 across 66 innings in the minors earlier in the year and a dominant 14.6 K/9 during his collegiate career at Tennessee and Wake Forest.
As expected from a former second overall pick, Burns’ stuff is electric. His fastball averaged nearly 99 mph, and his slider produced a 44% whiff rate. He also mixed in a changeup against left-handers that graded well. The underlying metrics are excellent, including a 6.85 K/BB ratio in the minors and a 4.19 K/BB ratio with Cincinnati, contributing to a strong 2.65 FIP. Like most young pitchers, workload is the main question after he threw 109.1 innings last season. With an ADP around 121, Burns doesn’t need a massive innings jump to return profit.
Zebby Matthews, SP, Minnesota Twins
Matthews appeared as a 5x5 sleeper last year, and his 2025 struggles shouldn’t completely derail interest. He posted a 5.56 ERA across 16 starts while again battling home run issues and shoulder trouble. Still, there were encouraging signs, including a nearly two-mph velocity increase and ERA indicators far better than his surface numbers, highlighted by a 3.79 FIP and 3.82 SIERA. Matthews also reached double-digit strikeouts per nine for the second straight season and owns a 10.4 K/9 for his minor league career.
At the time of writing, Minnesota hasn’t made major pitching additions, leaving a rotation led by Pablo López and Joe Ryan. If that holds, Matthews should compete for the fifth starter role, which helps explain why his ADP remains outside the top 350. Given his peripherals and track record, it’s hard to believe Matthews won’t get another extended opportunity, and the upside remains substantial if he can log more innings.
Payton Tolle, SP, Boston Red Sox
Tolle debuted late last season, but his arrival was overshadowed by the success of Connelly Early. While Early is an intriguing arm in his own right, the ADP gap of more than 300 picks makes Tolle the far more interesting value play.
Tolle struggled in his first exposure to the majors, posting an ERA north of 6.00 over 16.1 innings. However, he missed plenty of bats after an excellent minor league season, compiling a 3.04 ERA, 13.1 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9 across 91.2 innings at three levels. An uptick in velocity pushed the 2024 second-round pick into relevance, as his four-seam fastball averaged nearly 97 mph and was supported by four secondary offerings. While Early had more upper-minors experience, Tolle’s K/BB ratio was far superior (5.78 to 3.30), and the raw stuff is comparable. Opportunity is the main obstacle, as Boston added Sonny Gray and could see Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval return from injury. For now, Tolle is a speculative flier, but his stock could rise quickly as the offseason unfolds.
Jonah Tong, SP, New York Mets
Tong took a backseat to Nolan McLean among Mets pitching call-ups last season, but his upside may be just as high. The wiry right-hander features mechanics reminiscent of former Giants ace Tim Lincecum and has been utterly dominant over the past two seasons. After posting a 3.03 ERA and 12.7 K/9 across three levels in 2024, Tong followed it up with a 1.43 ERA and 14.2 K/9 in 2025, mostly at Double-A, relying on a mid-90s fastball, changeup, and curveball.
Through five MLB starts, the Mets saw flashes of brilliance mixed with some growing pains. That’s to be expected from a young pitcher without pristine control, but Tong’s minor league track record is hard to ignore. With no major offseason splash so far, Tong could factor into the team’s 2026 plans and remains a strong upside play with an ADP around 450.
Single League Players
Taj Bradley, SP, Minnesota Twins
If you’ve rostered Bradley before, frustration likely comes with the territory. Despite immense raw talent, he has posted ERAs of 5.59, 4.11, and 5.05 over three seasons. The Rays ultimately dealt him to the Twins for Griffin Jax at last year’s trade deadline after consecutive seasons of declining strikeout rates, including an 8.0 K/9 in 2025.
As a rookie, Bradley posted an elite 11.1 K/9, and his strikeout rate rebounded after the trade, once again eclipsing a batter per inning. While his fastball velocity held steady at 96 mph, the whiff rate on his splitter fell sharply. A declining strikeout profile for a pitcher still under 25 is concerning, but the talent remains evident. With an ADP outside mixed-league relevance, Bradley presents a buy-low opportunity in single-league formats.
Kyle Harrison, P, Boston Red Sox
Harrison was a top prospect not long ago before falling out of favor in San Francisco. He was dealt to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade but made just 11 major league appearances last season. Encouragingly, his fastball velocity rebounded to nearly 95 mph, and he incorporated a cutter after joining the Red Sox.
Results were inconsistent as Boston worked to refine his arsenal, but Harrison continued to miss bats, posting better than a strikeout per inning in both the minors and majors. For his career, he boasts a dominant 13.7 K/9 in the minors, though control remains a persistent issue. While there’s no clear path to a rotation spot right now, a strong spring could quickly alter his outlook.
Carlos Lagrange, SP, New York Yankees
Cam Schlittler emerged as a surprise contributor for the Yankees in 2025, and Lagrange could be next. He broke out with a 3.53 ERA and 12.6 K/9 across 120 innings between High-A and Double-A. At 6-foot-7, Lagrange looks the part of a power pitcher, featuring a triple-digit fastball and a sharp slider.
Without significant control improvements, Lagrange is unlikely to skip Triple-A. He posted a troubling 5.7 BB/9 at Double-A, and there’s still debate over whether he ultimately fits better in the bullpen. That said, if Lagrange shows improved command or develops a reliable third pitch in 2026, his strikeout upside could be enormous.
River Ryan, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have been relatively quiet in their pursuit of starting pitching this offseason, and the expected returns of Ryan and Gavin Stone may help explain why. Ryan debuted in 2024 but missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery. The impression he made before the injury was strong, as he posted a 1.33 ERA in four MLB starts after five dominant outings at Triple-A.
A former college second baseman, Ryan has consistently dominated minor league hitters, compiling a career 10.8 K/9 while generating plenty of ground balls. His fastball averaged 96 mph during his debut, and if healthy, he could enter Spring Training with a real shot to contribute. As a forgotten arm on a strong team, Ryan profiles as an intriguing NL-only strikeout sleeper.