Fantasy Baseball: 4 Starting Pitchers to Target for Strikeout Gains in 2017

Jeremy Hellickson, Philadelphia Phillies

Swinging-Strike Rate (Rank): 10.8% (21st)

Strikeout Rate (Rank): 20.0% (47th)

Jeremy Hellickson enjoyed a strong 2016 campaign, and he enjoyed the scenery with the Philadelphia Phillies so much that he accepted a qualifying offer to return in 2017.

Hellickson's numbers may seem surprising, but he made some real gains in 2016, even if they didn't translate to him being among the league's top-30 strikeout leaders.

While he did post a six-year high in strikeout rate that only ranked 47th among qualified starters, he also showcased a five-year low in HR/9 (1.13), which is even more impressive in a home park that ranked seventh in home runs last season.

That drop in homers allowed shouldn't be surprising since he raised his soft-contact rate to 20.8% (15.9% in '15) while dropping his hard-hit rate down to 25.9% (34.3% in '15).

If Hellickson continues these gains into 2017, that strikeout rate may make some serious strides upward and climb him further up the leaderboard.