2012 Fantasy Baseball: Starting Pitcher (SP) Deep Sleepers

2012 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher (SP) Deep Sleepers are based on a standard single season redraft mixed AL/NL fantasy baseball league for the 2012 season. Scoring settings include: wins, losses, saves, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP - (W, L, SV, K, ERA, WHIP). ( ) = players age

Starting Pitcher (SP) Deep Sleepers are based on players who are flying under the radar to begin the 2012 season. Starting Pitcher (SP) Deep Sleepers are players to consider drafting with one of your final picks in your fantasy baseball draft to begin the 2012 season, or simply keep an eye on to begin the season and consider picking up off the waiver wire if needed.

2012 Deep Sleepers: C -- 1B -- 2B -- 3B -- SS -- OF -- SP -- RP -- Printable Cheat Sheet

2012 Sleepers: C -- 1B -- 2B -- 3B -- SS -- OF -- SP -- RP

2012 Starting Pitcher (SP) Deep Sleepers

Mike Minor - Atl - SP (24)

Opening the 2011 season as the Atlanta Braves #5 starting pitcher, Minor struggled mightily as a rookie to begin the year, and he eventually was sent back down to the minors and played there for half of the 2011 season. However after an August call up back to the majors, Minor reclaimed a spot in the Braves starting rotation and finished the season posting a very solid 3.83 ERA to go along with 51 strikeouts over 49 innings pitched. With the #5 starting spot available in the Atlanta Braves rotation to begin the 2012 season, Minor should be considered the favorite to win the job.

2011 Minor League Triple A Stats: 100 IP, 4 W, 5 L, 99 K, 3.22 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

2011 Major League Stats: 82 IP, 5 W, 3 L, 77 K, 4.14 ERA, 1.49 WHIP

2012 Stat Projections: 180 IP, 12 W, 8 L, 180 K, 3.90 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

Jarrod Parker - Oak - SP (23)

After missing the entire 2010 season because of Tommy John surgery, Parker rebounded very well in 2011 as he was able to toss 130 innings at Double A, and he was even able to make his major league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks to finish out the 2011 season. Now entering the 2012 season having been traded to the Oakland Athletics, Parker is a prime candidate to claim a starting spot in the Athletics rotation in 2012.

2011 Minor League Double A Stats: 130 IP, 11 W, 8 L, 112 K, 3.79 ERA, 1.28 WHIP

2011 Major League Stats: 5 IP, 0 W, 0 L, 1 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.88 WHIP

2012 Stat Projections: 160 IP, 10 W, 8 L, 145 K, 3.80 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

Jacob Turner - Det - SP (20)

The Detroit Tigers top ranked pitching prospect entering the 2011 season, Turner who was the #9 overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, zipped through the minor leagues and made his major league debut with the Tigers on July 31 at just age 20. Possessing ace potential as a starting pitcher, Turner will likely be given every opportunity to claim the Tigers #5 starting spot to begin the 2012 season. If all goes as well as it could for Turner as a rookie in 2012, he could possibly become the Detroit Tigers second best starting pitcher behind Justin Verlander this season.

2011 Minor League Double A Stats: 113 IP, 3 W, 5 L, 90 K, 3.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP

2011 Minor League Triple A Stats: 17 IP, 1 W, 0 L, 20 K, 3.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

2011 Major League Stats: 12 IP, 0 W, 1 L, 8 K, 8.53 ERA, 1.66 WHIP

2012 Stat Projections: 170 IP, 14 W, 8 L, 150 K, 3.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

Others to Keep an Eye on

Henderson Alvarez - Tor - SP (21)

Brad Peacock - Oak - SP (24)

Jordan Lyles - Hou - SP

Nathan Eovaldi - LAD - SP

Julio Teheran - Atl - SP (21)

Danny Hultzen - Sea - SP

Zach Britton - Bal - SP (24)

Danny Duffy - KC - SP

Juan Nicasio - Col - SP

Trevor Bauer - Ari - SP

Kyle Drabek - Tor - SP

Tyler Chatwood - Col - SP

Dylan Axelrod - CWS - SP

.