The 2024 STS MiLB Players of the Year: Starting Pitchers

Analysis: Owen Hurd
Intro: RFF

Hey, how you doing today?

You reached out to us about fantasy baseball analysis with huge upside potential with very little downside risk. Does that ring a bell? Okay, great.

Well, the reason I’m writing this is because something just came across my desk. It’s perhaps the best thing I’ve seen in the last year. If you have sixty seconds I’d like to share this idea with you. You got a minute? Great.

The name of this analysis is “The POY Awards.” It is a rundown of cutting-edge analysis out of Scout the Statline, awaiting imminent fantasy manager approval for a new generation of ranking MiLB prospects and MLB players that have both redraft and dynasty applications now… right now, for free. But the proprietary model that goes by the name of Peak Projections that helped put this all together, trades for only $5.00 a month. And by the way, all of their content should go for a heck of a lot higher.

This $5.00 investment will only take you upwards in the standings to league champion. Did I just say, you will finally win your league and stop losing year after year? Exactly, you can finally stop losing and missing out on the next elite hitting or pitching prospect.

The one thing we can promise you even in this evolving fantasy baseball market is that we never ask our followers to judge us only on our winners. We ask them to judge us on our losers because we have so few.

Here at Scout the Statline, we often joke that pitching stocks serves as the perfect metaphor for what we do. Think about it: we share the same lingo — hot, cold, bust, risers, fallers, and helium. They use a five-star system to assess a company, we utilize a five-tool system to evaluate a prospect. Not convinced? Here’s the clincher: both of us are tasked with predicting whether someone’s stock will go up or down.

All jokes aside, since 2021, Scout the Statline has had one clear objective: to help you, our followers gain a strategic advantage in the ever-changing world of fantasy baseball. We achieve this through our advanced predictive data model, which analyzes players and prospects of various ages and levels using extensive research known as Peak Projections. This model incorporates MLB equivalencies and aging curves in its calculations, allowing us to project future statistical outcomes for thousands of players based on their current performances on a daily basis.

With that said, we invite you to join us on our victory lap for the 2024 season as we celebrate our success in identifying the top MiLB prospects in the game today. Our talented writers will recap the winners of the Player of the Year award at each position, determined by our User poll (via Twitter/X), the Scout the Statline Staff, and our Peak Projections model.

Owen is now here to fill you in on the winners of the Starting Pitchers for the 2024 season.

Thank you for your vote of confidence and welcome to winning!

STAFF & USER CHOICE

LHP QUINN MATTHEWS – ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Age: 24 | Draft: 2023 4th Round (#122 overall)

Although the Cardinals aren’t an organization fondly known for their prospect development, Matthews looks like a diamond in the rough. He became just the second MiLB pitcher since 2012 to record 200 strikeouts in a single season (12.7 K/9, 35.1 K%, 2.76 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 5.7 H/9 across 143 IP and 26 starts at four levels).

After dominating Low-A through Double-A (ERAs of 1.47 → 2.68 → 2.41), he struggled in a brief four-start AAA cameo (6.48 ERA), but the overall season was electric. Matthews has legitimate frontline-starter upside and could be in the Cardinals’ 2025 Opening Day rotation — at the very latest, expect him in St. Louis by May.

PEAK PROJECTIONS MODEL CHOICE

RHP KUMAR ROCKER – TEXAS RANGERS

Age: 24 | Draft: 2022 1st Round (#3 overall)

Returning in July after a 14-month Tommy John recovery, Rocker was filthy: 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 55/5 K/BB in 36.1 IP across Rookie ball, Double-A, and Triple-A. His slider posted a ridiculous 47.4 K% and he gained velocity post-surgery. He even made three big-league starts in September (3.86 ERA).

Health is the only question mark. When right, Rocker has the arsenal (and now extra velo) to be a frontline starter. The Rangers will likely be cautious with innings in 2025, but significant minor-league time feels unlikely.

That’s a wrap on the 2024 StS MiLB Starting Pitcher of the Year honors!

Quinn Matthews swept the staff and user votes with one of the most dominant minor-league pitching seasons in recent memory.

Kumar Rocker reminded everyone why he went #3 overall — the stuff is still nasty, and the model loves the blend of MLB experience + elite underlying metrics.