Predicting the 10 most impactful NL Central pitchers in 2025

As spring training is upon us, Opening Day is now less than a month away. With many major shake-ups in the 2024-25 offseason, the National League Central seems to be up for grabs. While the Chicago Cubs have certainly made the most high-profile moves, it will be hard to predict the progression or regression of young teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. Although the Milwaukee Brewers have suffered some serious subtractions to their roster, they will still hope to retain their division title from the last two years. With many teams hopeful of overachieving, this article will predict the top ten National League Central pitchers in the 2025 MLB season.

Honorable Mentions: (In no particular order)

JoJo Romero - STL

Ryan Fernandez - STL

Ryan Brasier - CHC

Matthew Boyd - CHC

Mitch Keller - PIT

Going from bottom to top on this list, the honorable mentions begin with two Cardinals, two Cubs, and one Pirate. When it comes to impact, it is hard to rank setup men so highly. They don’t pitch nearly as many innings as a starter and often face fewer high-leverage situations than closers. Stellar 2024 seasons from Romero and Fernandez see them on this list as honorable mentions, while Ryan Brasier’s move to the NL Central could see him in an increased role among the Cubs bullpen.

Matthew Boyd pitched very well for the Cleveland Guardians last season after returning from Tommy John surgery in August and dazzled in the postseason, giving up just one run in 11.2 innings. Mitch Keller finds himself on the outside looking in after posting two consecutive seasons with an earned run average ranging in the 4.20s. With that being said, two consecutive double-digit win seasons while pitching at least 175 innings screams impact, and an All-Star appearance in 2023 to go along with 210 strikeouts makes Keller worthy of an honorable mention.