Major League Baseball’s postseason is in full swing at the moment, and though watching multiple must-win games per day has been exhilarating, it unfortunately won’t go on for much longer. We’re just a few weeks away from the end of the season and the start of free agency, where several teams in need of upgrades will shop in hopes of either staying a playoff team in 2020 or perhaps becoming one.

As always, free agency will present starter-needy clubs the chance to address their rotations. In the case of the upcoming winter’s class of unsigned pitchers, it’s no secret Astros right-hander and AL Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole is hands down the No. 1 option. He has a realistic chance at a $200MM contract once his marvelous year ends. Beyond Cole, there are several No. 2/3 type of starters with possibly some diamonds in the rough thereafter.

Here’s a look at the upcoming group based on 2019 velocity as well as missing bats, limiting walks, keeping the ball on the ground and minimizing hard contact. All of those skills will weigh on front offices’ minds as they debate whether to dole out contracts to any of the available hurlers (special thanks to FanGraphs for providing the data and for giving the user the ability to create customized leaderboards)…

Hardest Throwers (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 92.7 mph



*This excludes bullpen work from Cashner, Jackson and Wacha.

Top Strikeout Arms (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 22.3%



*This excludes Smyly’s bullpen work.

Fewest Walks (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 7.7%



Best Groundball Rates (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 42.7%



Least Hard Contact (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 38.4%



This is a new version of a Steve Adams post that ran Sept. 25, 2017.

