MLB pitchers likely to improve in 2017

The Indians were excited about the uptick in velocity that Anderson showed in spring training, but he was never able to harness it. He struggled between starting and relief, with an ERA well above 6.00, but the peripherals still show a strong pitcher if he can keep the ball in the park. Anderson had eight strikeouts per nine innings and a strikeout-to-walk ratio above 4.00.

Archer nearly became the first pitcher since Mike Maroth to reach 20 losses, a shocking development after he was in the running for AL Cy Young in 2015. Tampa Bay's ace still reached 200 innings and had a strikeout rate that nearly equaled his breakout season. His ERA skyrocketed with his inability to keep the ball in the park, though his home run rate is an outlier relative to his early career.

For the most part, Betances did a fine job as the New York closer after Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller were traded. A few poor outings really hurt his ERA, which ended above 3.00. Despite the ERA, Betances is clearly one of the most dominant pitches in baseball with more than 15 strikeouts per nine innings and ERA indicators that showed a sub-2.00 ERA this season.

Feliz served in a variety of relief roles this season, but the Astros haven't ruled out using him as a starter in the future. The hard-throwing right-hander had more than 13 strikeouts per nine innings but struggled to keep the ball in the park, resulting in a 4.43 ERA. If he can keep the ball down, Feliz has the potential to dominate in any role.

The oft-injured Garcia managed to stay healthy in 2016, but it didn't help his performance on the mound. He was briefly removed from the rotation late in the year and struggled to keep the ball in the park for the first time in his career. The home run issues were especially odd for a lefty who provoked a ground ball rate of greater than 56 percent, among the best in baseball. If he gets back to his career average home run rate, Garcia is a great bet to bring his ERA back below 4.00.

Giles was acquired by Houston to serve as the closer but wasn't right at the beginning of the year. Patience eventually paid off for the Astros, as Giles finished with 14 strikeouts per nine innings and was particularly dominant in the second half. He should enter next season as the closer, and Houston expects Giles to post the sub-2.00 ERA that he did in Philly.

Gray showed ace-like ability at times, but pitching at Coors Field isn't easy. While the right-hander had more than one strikeout per inning, a few rough outings hurt his ERA over the final two months. His ERA indicators, in particular his FIP, show an ERA more than one run below his 4.61 ERA for the year.

The expectations were almost impossible for Greinke to meet after signing a lucrative deal in Arizona, but he certainly failed. Between a home hitter's park and injuries, Greinke had one of his worst seasons with an ERA above 4.00 for the first time since 2010. It's concerning that Greinke's strikeout rate declined, and he had an ERA above 6.00 in the second half. Still, Greinke's velocity and control remain intact for the most part, so it's much too soon to write him off.

Keuchel was a terrible disappointment after winning the AL Cy Young in 2015, finishing with a 4.55 ERA and a losing record. The good news is that Keuchel remained an extreme ground ball pitcher and showed strong peripherals with 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a strikeout-to-walk ratio at 3.00. If his shoulder is healthy going into 2017, Keuchel has a great shot to rebound.

The Cardinals signed Leake last offseason, figuring they'd receive a durable and reliable starter. He was certainly durable, but like the rest of the St. Louis rotation, he was mostly inconsistent. Leake's ERA neared 5.00 for the year, but it's clear that he ran into some bad luck with a .318 BABIP. His walk rate of 1.5 per nine innings was among the elite pitchers in baseball, showing that a rebound is likely.

Pittsburgh revitalized Liriano's career when he joined the team in 2013, but he wasn't the same this year. He couldn't keep the ball in the park or avoid walks until he was traded back to the AL and hitter-friendly Toronto. The change of scenery led him to a sub-3.00 ERA in 49.1 innings, with only 2.9 walks per nine innings. He's looked every bit like the pitcher he was before this season.

McHugh regressed significantly after two strong seasons, posting a 4.43 ERA, and struggled to keep the ball in the park. He was more dominant on the mound, with nearly one strikeout per inning, but McHugh was smashed on the road and allowed nine homers in August. If his home run rate regresses to the mean, McHugh should get back to being a sub-4.00 ERA pitcher.

A former first-round pick, Nola showed pinpoint control early in the year and looked like a superstar. His minimal margin for error eventually caught up to him, and the Phillies shut him down early with an elbow issue. The peripherals still show a potential ace, with 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings, a 4.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio and improvement keeping the ball in the park. If Nola is healthy entering spring training, he will be a popular breakout candidate.

The Pirates and pitching coach Ray Searage have rehabbed their share of pitchers, and Nova looks like the newest one. He had a 4.90 ERA with the Yankees prior to getting traded in late July and a 3.06 ERA in 11 starts after joining Pittsburgh. Incredibly, Nova walked only three batters in 64.2 innings for Pittsburgh. If he sticks around rather than chasing money in free agency this offseason, Nova will be an elite breakout candidate.

Paxton worked with Seattle's new coaches earlier in the year on his mechanics, and the work paid off. The hard-throwing lefty had a 3.79 ERA in 20 starts, with an ace-like 8.7 strikeout per nine innings and only 1.8 walks per nine innings. Greater velocity makes him a scary arm to go alongside Felix Hernandez.

Pineda has been one of the most frustrating pitches in the game annually, showing dominant ability but failing to keep the ball in the park. That was certainly the case this season, leading the AL in strikeouts per nine innings among qualified starters but allowing 27 homers in 175.2 innings. Pineda had an improved 4.15 ERA after the break but shows so much more potential.

Price was a disappointment after signing a huge seven-year deal with Boston in the offseason. While he remained durable, Price finished the year with a 3.99 ERA and struggled to keep the ball in the park. The good news is that his command numbers remained strong, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio near 5.00 and nearly one strikeout per inning. Price did show progress after the break, with a 3.58 ERA.

Ray finished among the NL strikeout leaders with 218 strikeouts in only 174.1 innings. Despite that total, he had 15 losses and an ERA near 5.00. While Ray did have trouble keeping the ball in the park, his ERA indicators show an ERA below 4.00. There were streaks during the season that Ray was nearly untouchable, and his stuff shows that potential over the long haul.

Traded to Pittsburgh in the Mark Melancon trade, Rivero showed significant improvement late in the season. The lefty had an ERA near 3.00 with Pittsburgh and was nearly untouchable when he wasn't walking batters. The Pirates have validated their high hopes for Rivero as a setup man.

A nasty knee injury sabotaged much of Rodriguez's season after posting a 3.85 ERA in 21 starts during his rookie campaign. He still showed strong command with a strikeout-to-walk ratio well above 2.00 and really came around during the second half with a 3.24 ERA in his last 14 starts.

Rosenthal had no idea where he was throwing the ball when he was healthy, and arm issues sidelined him for much of the second half. The former closer still showed elite velocity and looked great in four appearances during September and one in October after he returned. It remains to be seen if he will reclaim the closer role, but Rosenthal should rebound if his arm is healthy.

Smyly's numbers from 2015 pointed to a breakout season, but much like Robbie Ray, it wasn't to be. The lefty couldn't keep the ball in the park despite great control, with only 2.5 walks per nine innings and a strikeout-to-walk ratio well above 3.00. The flashes that Smyly has shown when he's at his best are still difficult to overlook, as is his 4.08 ERA during the second half.

Many figured Stroman would be Toronto's ace after the departure of David Price. He showed too much inconsistency in his first full season, finishing with an ERA well above 4.00. He did show a strong ground ball rate and strikeout-to-walk ratio above 3.00, both indicating that his ERA should have finished much lower. The improvement showed after the break, with a 3.68 ERA in 14 starts.

Wacha was completely unreliable for the Cardinals, with an ERA above 5.00 and a recurring shoulder injury late in the year. The good news is that the former All-Star posted peripherals nearly identical to the previous two seasons, so it's hardly a stretch to expect an ERA below 4.00 again next season.

Weaver showed much good and bad during his nine MLB appearances with the Cardinals. He was dominant at times, with 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, but he also allowed seven home runs in only 36.1 innings. The former first-round pick was pushed after making only one start at Triple-A but still earned his promotion with a 1.30 ERA in 13 starts in the minors. His elite command shows potential for a pitcher comparable to a young Dan Haren.