Sleeper(ish) NL Pitcher of the Year Candidates

You know the drill, RLB bloggers. Going to be talking about some of those under the radar pitchers that could take a leap forward into the Pitcher of the Year discussion. If you came here expecting to hear about that guy in Cincinnati that gets so much hype on the board, this isn’t for you. Only pitchers that did not receive a vote for Pitcher of the Year last season are included. Happy reading!

Jeff Dunn

The Reds will once again have one of, if not the best pitching staffs in RLB this season. Outside of that other guy, Dunn may well be the best of the bunch. Dunn is coming off a year where he posted a 5.7 WAR, and at 23, he only has room for improvement. If his HR rate can be lowered, Dunn will easily join the elite category. (Has allowed the sixth most HR’s in the NL the last two seasons.) Wins may be an over-rated stat for starting pitchers, but Dunn collects them in bunches, earning 44 over the course of his two full seasons. Will personal hardware also be won in his future? Only time will well.

Kevin Rodriguez

If Kevin Rodriguez was used as a standard starting pitcher, he would no doubt be near the top of the NL every season. It feels like ages ago, but don’t forget that he won two straight ERA titles in 1971-72, the last two years that he pitched in that “typical” role. The Cardinals success with their pitching staff cannot be questioned however, winning 97 and 99 games in most recent years. GM David Lucero summed it up well when reaching out for a quote: "Kevin knows that these awards are b*******, he should have two Cy Young’s already so like everyone else here he only cares about the team."

Matt Myer

Yes, there is another star pitcher outside of George Johnson. Matt Myer turns 35 midway through the season, yet this veteran shows no signs of slowing down. Pencil him in for at least 15 Wins, a sub 3.50 ERA, and over 30 starts. This former #1 overall pick is building his case for the Hall of Fame; adding one more Pitcher of the Year award to go along with his two already would go a long way to solidifying his status. Myer may not have as high of a ceiling as some of the younger pitchers throughout the league, but he may have the best guarantee of being in the conversation come the end of the year.

Natanael Gonzalez

Gonzalez may not be a household name, but you can’t argue with recent results. Since 1978, Gonzalez is Top 10 in the NL in multiple categories: ERA, Quality Starts, Strikeouts, Strikeout percentage, and K-BB ratio. Playing in pitcher-friendly Jack Murphy Stadium will help any pitcher, and Gonzalez has taken full advantage since joining the Padres. Even if he does fall short of personal glory, he will surely play a big part in helping other promising young pitchers (see: John Allen) develop in his leadership role in the clubhouse. He may be a longshot, but don’t overlook this valuable pitcher out of San Diego.

Aaron Crawley

While still green, Crawley turned plenty of heads in Philadelphia in his rookie campaign. He is just one piece of a talented young core of starting pitchers for the Phillies, and arguably the most talented. Crawley turned in a 3.21 ERA, good for 7th best in the NL to go along with the 4th best strikeout rate and 21 Quality Starts. It may be too soon to throw his name in along with the elite pitchers in the NL, but as Crawley matures and is given more leash don’t be surprised to see him join those ranks sooner rather than later.