MLB The Show 19: Best Young Starting Pitchers (SP)

Starting pitching is one of the most important pieces of a successful ball club, but it is hard to come by. You need a 5-man starting rotation, which means to get through a season you need 7 or 8 pitchers who can get through innings at the start of a game. While the aces like Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, and Max Scherzer can shift the balance of a playoff series and will win most games they start, they are very hard to come by and expensive to bring on board.

How to choose the best young starting pitchers in MLB The Show 19's Franchise Mode

This article will look at the best young starting pitchers in MLB The Show 19's Franchise Mode. These players are all listed as starting pitchers and aged 25 or younger. We are looking for players that start Franchise Mode on the MLB roster as the Minor League rosters are not static in The Show 19 and the quality of Minor League players can vary wildly from save to save. So who are the best young starting pitchers in The Show 19?

*For a full list please see the table below

Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies (OVR 94)

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Age: 25

Potential: A

Throws/Bats: R/R

Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Curveball, Changeup, 2-Seam Fastball

Best Stats: Break (96), Stamina (91), Clutch (88), H/9 (81), K/9 (78), Control (76)

Aaron Nola was the seventh-overall pick for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014 and quickly found his way to the Majors, starting 13 games in 2015 with a 3.59 ERA and a 6-2 record. Nola made 20 starts in 2016 and by 2017 was an established piece of the Phillies rotation, starting 27 games with a 3.54 ERA and 184 strikeouts. Nola announced himself as a future ace in 2018 as he made 33 starts with a stunning 2.37 ERA, a 17-6 record, and 224 strikeouts. Nola finished third in the Cy Young voting last season.

In The Show 19 Aaron Nola is an excellent starting pitcher already. His stamina (91) is terrific meaning he can go deep into games and save your bullpen some innings. His break (96) is incredible and makes his curveball a deadly strikeout pitch. His velocity (69) isn't amazing and his 4-seam fastball only touches 93 mph, but with his A potential that could tick up in years to come.

Luis Severino, New York Yankees (OVR 91)

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Age: 25

Potential: A

Throws/Bats: R/R

Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Slider, Changeup, 2-Seam Fastball

Best Stats: Velocity (91), Break (79), K/9 (79), Stamina (78), Clutch (75)

Luis Severino signed as an international free agent in December 2011 with the New York Yankees. He got his MLB debut in 2015 with 11 strong starts. He started another 11 games in 2016 while also putting in some time in the bullpen. In 2017 Severino made the full move to the rotation and started 31 games with a 2.98 ERA, a stellar 10.7 K/9 and made his first All-Star game while finishing third in the Cy Young voting. He would make the 2018 All-Star game too, posting a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts.

In The Show 19 Luis Severino has star-level velocity (91) to crush hitters with that fastball-changeup combo. His break (79) isn't amazing but it is solid enough to make his slider effective. Severino has a good clutch rating (75) and decent stamina (78) too.

Lance McCullers Jr, Houston Astros (OVR 87)

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Age: 25

Potential: B

Throws/Bats: R/L

Pitches: Knuckle Curve, 2-Seam Fastball, Changeup, 4-Seam Fastball

Best Stats: Break (92), K/9 (82), Arm Strength (81), Velocity (80), Stamina (79), HR/9 (76)

Lance McCullers was a late first-round pick for the Houston Astros in 2012. He made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2015, getting 22 starts. He's never been a full-time fixture in the Astros rotation, with 22 starts in 2017 and 2018 as well as a few bullpen appearances, but with a career ERA of 3.67 and 10.1 K/9 McCullers has the quality to dominate on the mound.

In The Show 19 Lance McCullers has a good 4-pitch arsenal including the tough-to-hit knuckle curve. That pitch becomes even better with his strong break (92) and the fact that his 4-seam fastball can hit 95 mph thanks to his velocity (80). McCullers can rack up strikeouts (K/9 82) and walks (BB/9 51), making him a little boom & bust but his stamina (79) is good and his arm strength (81) allows him to field the position well.

Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies (OVR 86)

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Age: 25

Potential: A

Throws/Bats: L/L

Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Slider, Changeup, 2-Seam Fastball

Best Stats: Stamina (88), Clutch (88), Break (73), H/9 (72), HR/9 (70)

Kyle Freeland was the eighth-overall pick for the Colorado Rockies in 2014. He got his MLB debut in 2017, starting 28 games and making a handful of bullpen appearances with a 4.10 ERA and 107 strikeouts. Freeland had a breakout season in 2018, starting 33 games, pitching 202.1 innings with 173 strikeouts and a 2.85 ERA. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

In The Show 19 Kyle Freeland has good stamina (88) to go deep into games and the clutch (88) rating to thrive in tough situations. His break (73) and velocity (65) need work, but not as much as his control (56). Freeland needs careful use in the early stages as he can't just overpower hitters, but he has the tools and the potential to be come an ace.

Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers (OVR 84)

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Age: 24

Potential: A

Throws/Bats: R/R

Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, 2-Seam Fastball, Slider, Knuckle Curve, Cutter

Best Stats: Break (96), Velocity (92), Stamina (82), Control (79), H/9 (78), K/9 (79)

Walker Buehler was a first-round pick for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He got his MLB debut in 2017 as part of the bullpen, making just eight appearances and pitching 9.1 innings. In 2018 Buehler made 23 starts for the Dodgers and was immediately a star. He posted a 2.62 ERA with 151 strikeouts and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

In The Show 19 Walker Buehler is on the verge of being an ace. His combination of break (96) and velocity (92) is deadly to every hitter that steps up to the plate. He has the stamina (82) to go deep into games and the control (79) to locate his pitches well. Then there is the fact that he has a 5-pitch repertoire with that tough knuckle curve. With some development Buehler could be ready to replace Clayton Kershaw atop the Dodgers rotation.

All the best young starting pitchers