Deep Sleeper: SP Josh Collmenter
By Bill Pivetz
Sep 28, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Josh Collmenter (55) pitches in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
With Opening Day a little over a week away, teams are now beginning to name their first starters. Drafting pitchers that make the first start give you a nice boost to start the season. It all ends up evening out anyway, but going up 4-1 in the pitching stats is a good way to start. One of those Opening Day pitchers is Arizona Diamondbacks starter Josh Collmenter. He had a decent 2014 and enters 2015 as a deep sleeper.
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Collmenter was in the Diamondbacks rotation in 2011. He went 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.069 WHIP and 100 strikeouts in 24 starts. He then spent the next two seasons in the bullpen before getting the call for the rotation in 2014. He went 11-9 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.126 WHIP and 115 strikeouts in 28 starts.
Collmenter isn’t a pitcher you draft for his strikeouts. He will have a hard time reaching 150 even if he does get 32 starts. He will help your WHIP while not hurting your ERA too much. The Diamondbacks play in a tough division, facing good-hitting teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants multiple times throughout the season.
In 15 appearances against the Dodgers, he has a 4-7 record, 5.66 ERA and 1.439 WHIP. In 18 games against the Giants, he had a 5-2 record with a 3.17 ERA and 1.140 WHIP. If he can keep his numbers around the 3.50/1.20 when playing these teams, he could rebound against the other teams he faces.
In a standard 10-team league, Collmenter will be an end-of-draft pick. His ADP according to NFBC is 370.01. In a league that only drafted 250 players, Collmenter will likely begin the season on the waiver wire, but he is good enough to be drafted as a nice sleeper pick. If you play in a deep or NL-only league, Collmenter will be a nice addition to your team as an SP4.
If you are looking for starting pitching help late in your draft, Collmenter should not be a player you pass on.