After covering 6 hitters with interesting projection profiles a couple days ago, we're transitioning to pitchers here.

We're looking at Fantrax Ownership percentages 2% or lower and using PLIVE+ stat filters to find them. Once again we are building different projection profile groups from the filters. They are:

  • Going Deep Into Games with Decent Strikeouts
  • High Strikeouts Without Debilitating Walks
  • High GB With Strikeouts Getting Deeper Into Games

You can recreate these groups with filters in the PLIVE+ app. The filter criteria is listed with each group below. For those that don't know, PLIVE+ is our stats-only prospect ranking based off Jordan Rosenblum's OOPSY Peak Projections. You can get PLIVE+ along with prospect rankings, dynasty rankings and more under the 60 Tier subscription ($10/mo).

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Prospects LiveSmada

All leaderboards and Fantrax Ownership percentages were pulled on 5/9/25. Let's move on to the players!

Going Deep Into Games with Decent Strikeouts

Filter Criteria: 5 IP/G, 18%+ K

Jackson Kent, LHP WSN (High-A)

2% owned on Fantrax

Jackson Kent, the 4th rounder out of Arizona, has run a 26% K-BB over 6 starts before today's game. He's had instances of getting deep into games, including a 7 IP start in late April, and then two starts ago, throwing 7.2 IP where he also had 11 K. However it's worth noting in the prior outing he allowed 8 ER.

Kent clocked in as our 19th best Nationals prospect and Tyler Paddor wrote his scouting report this offseason. He mentioned that in college Kent worked low-90s but was able to ramp it up to 95 mph:

Kent is ultimately very similar to the 2023 draft breakout Quinn Mathews and may have gone under the radar for the same reason: limited power coming out of college. Kent routinely sits 91-92 but will consistently touch 95. In his pro debut, he needs to find a similar velocity tick-up to that of Mathews. Kent has a very repeatable and deceptive delivery allows his otherwise fringey fastball to play up closer to average. Kent backs his heater up with a trio of respectable secondaries, headlined by his average or better changeup.

As with many of the these guys, increased velo could end up being the key to unlocking the next level. Right now he's getting a ton of whiffs with the slider and changeup, backing up the grades he received in the report. Kent has a starters build and a full arsenal and could move quickly. He ended up 498th on our recent Top 600+ fantasy prospect rankings and 500+ is about the depth of league where I'd be looking to add him.

Griffin Herring, LHP NYY (Single-A)

2% owned on Fantrax

Another recent draftee, the lefty Griffin Herring was taken out of the 6th round out of LSU but received a late 3rd round slot bonus. In college Herring was used as a reliever, but he's had everything working as a starter thus far. He's logged a 1.04 ERA, 31.7% K and 51.3% GB over 6 starts, which earned April FSL pitcher of the month honors. The only thing slightly elevated is the 9.4% BB.

Herring works 90-92 mph primarily with a sinker but goes to the slider equally which has played as a lethal pitch garnering a 40%+ whiff rate. He also mixes in a high-whiff changeup that plays well against RHB.

He's got a good frame on him and is another pitcher I'd be a bit more interested in if he added a couple ticks of velo. Given he's a Yankees pitcher he's bound to have a bit more interest from the general public and maybe that's for good reason. They've become a minor league pitching factory supplying the back end of rotations throughout the major leagues.

High Strikeouts Without Debilitating Walks

Filter Criteria: 22%+ K, < 10% BB