Last week, I offered up eight hitters I'm bullish about for 2016, with the reasons I'm so optimistic about them. Now it's time to highlight the pitchers.

Below are seven starting pitchers -- four righties, three southpaws -- I believe will perform at much higher levels in 2016 than they have in the past, in either true breakout performances or big steps forward. Take note, fantasy owners!

Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP

Boston Red Sox

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 210

Age: 22 | 2015 WAR: 2.5

Repertoire: Fastball (93-97 mph), cutter (91-92), slider (85-87), changeup (86-87)

Rodriguez has ace potential, and he couldn't have a better mentor than the newly acquired David Price, who has a long history of helping to develop and mentor young pitchers, especially in his years in Tampa Bay. Rodriguez has fantastic raw stuff -- overpowering fastball, above-average changeup, decent slider and improving cutter -- and the intelligence to get the most of his repertoire. When his command and control become more precise, watch out.

In Price, Rodriguez -- who prefers to be called "E-Rod," according to my ESPN colleague Marly Rivera -- has a great player to emulate, and with the way I expect him to pitch this year, E-Rod will become a household name in short order. In fact, I can't wait to watch E-Rod face the Yankees' A-Rod, preferably while settling in for a little ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.