2022 Pitcher Power Rankings: End of April

You saw the name of this article. You know why we’re here. Let’s rank some pitchers.

Some clarifying information first: these rankings are based only on 2022 stats to date. The rankings are the result of a formula – I don’t put my thumb on the scale. Results of the formula are then converted to a scale of -100 to 100, which is by what the players are ranked. These are also not meant to be predictive, but instead a measure of which pitchers have been the best so far. Also, starters, relievers, and swing pitchers are all ranked against each other on the same scale.

Let’s talk about that formula. A magician never reveals their tricks, nor will I be divulging the formula. I will, however, talk about what goes into the formula. To start with, pitchers who produce volume are more valuable, thus innings pitched are a major component of the formula. A pitcher’s job is to prevent runs, so ERA is in here as well, though I park adjust it using ERA-. I also use FIP- and xFIP-, which focus on results but have less noise than ERA. These stats do not reflect the ability to induce weak contact, a valuable skill, so to rectify that I use xERA too. Finally, going under the hood on pitch-by-pitch data, I incorporate CSW%. I will not say how I use any of these numbers, or how any of them are weighted within the formula. But for transparency, the stats I use are now listed. All housekeeping out of the way, here are 2022’s top 30 pitchers as of the end of play on April 30th.

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