Welcome back to The Hold Up, where we’ll take a look at some relief pitchers who are worth targeting in leagues that value Holds. While SV-only leagues are still the standard format, Holds leagues are a ton of fun and really open up the reliever player pool to some of the more underappreciated relievers in baseball.
If you think a name is missing, know that anyone whom I project to earn the bulk of the saves for their respective teams can be found in the Saves rankings article, as well as on the SV+HOLDS list. Also, anyone who is competing for a rotation spot or expected to open the season on the injury list was left off for the time being.
My personal strategy when it comes to holds, especially at draft time, is to put a priority on the high-upside relievers over the safer, floor types. In reality, “safe” and “reliever” are like oil and water anyway. I’ll take a chance on someone who has shown an ability to miss bats at a high rate early on in the season and adjust as the year goes on.
With that being said, let’s get to the player notes and rankings!
Notes
Tier 1
1. Bryan Abreu (HOU) – Abreu was one of the most dominant non-closer relievers this past season with a 1.75 ERA and a 39.8% Whiff rate while his Stuff+ graded out at 139, good for fourth highest amongst qualified relievers. He also reached double-digit holds for the first time with an impressive 24. The addition of Josh Hader shouldn’t hinder his value in holds leagues as that Astros bullpen has also lost Hector Neris, Phil Maton, Kendall Graveman, and Ryne Stanek.
2. Ryan Pressly (HOU) – Pressly saw his ERA and WHIP rise this season but still finished with 31 saves and 74 strikeouts. Is the 34-year-old’s stuff diminishing at all? Well, he finished with a 5.29 PLV and 156 Stuff+ which was the highest among all relievers, so I wouldn’t write him off anytime soon. The big change for Pressly this season will be the team’s addition of Josh Hader, moving Pressly into a setup role who should also be able to pitch in 5-10 saves.
3. Matt Brash (SEA) – Brash really put things together over the second half of his first full season as a reliever, establishing himself as one of the best setup men in baseball. Brash finished with an 86.02 speX, 2.73 pCRA, and 34.7% K rate, all Top 15 amongst all relievers. He should be locked into a set-up role behind closer Andrés Muñoz, but should also be good for some saves himself (5-10 perhaps) as Muñoz has a lengthy injury history and the Mariners have not been shy about sharing the closer role in the past.
4. A.J. Minter (ATL) – Minter regressed from his dominant 2022 campaign but still managed a mostly successful 2023 season finishing with a 31.5% K rate and 5.22 PLV. Even with all the additions (or more so, re-signings) to the Braves bullpen this offseason, Minter should remain in a setup role and could still be the first in line for saves if Raisel Iglesias were to miss time.
5. Josh Sborz (TEX) – The Sborz breakout was on full display in the first half of the 2023 season, before taking a turn for the worst in the second half as he battled injuries. He finished the year with a great 35.2% CSW and looked great in the postseason for the Rangers. With the team doing nothing to upgrade their bullpen this offseason, it’s fair to wonder if, maybe even when Sborz will take over the closer role from José Leclerc this season.
6. Julian Merryweather (CHC) – The long-awaited Merryweather breakout finally happened this season as the reliever was able to stay healthy for a career-high 72 innings. The walk rate became an issue later in the year, but his ability to miss bats (32.3% K and 16.6% SwStr rates) increases his upside in holds leagues. Barring a trade for Emmanuel Clase, the Cubs’ bullpen seems mostly set, with Adbert Alzolay closing out games to open the year and Merryweather as his top setup man.
7. Aroldis Chapman (PIT) – Chapman had a big bounce-back season, especially in the early part of the year with the Royals, and while the walk issues got worse in Texas, he was still mostly reliable for them. Chapman’s swing-and-miss stuff came back this year as well, finishing the season second in K% (41.4%) and CSW% (38%) but the command will be what keeps Chapman from being elite again (14.5% BB rate). Now with Pittsburgh, Chapman finds himself in a similar situation as last year with the Royals and could be on his fourth team in two years come August.
8. Trevor Megill (MIL) – Megill is one of my favorite sleeper picks for the upcoming season as the hard-throwing right-hander really took off down the stretch for the Brewers. His 2.84 pCRA, 27% K-BB rate, and 2.75 SIERA were all good for the Top 10 last year amongst all relievers. The fastball averaged 99.1 mph and he paired it with a curveball that held a 53% Whiff rate and .196 xwOBA. All the tools/skills are here, and the Brewers should use him in a setup role this year.
9. Andrew Nardi (MIA) – Nardi broke out this season, finishing the year as the Marlins top setup man. Nardi used a fastball/slider combo to limit hard contact and finished with an impressive .257 xwOBA and 5.28 PLV. Nardi’s slider was amongst the best in the game last year with a 1.94 PLA and he should continue to work in front of closer Tanner Scott this season.
10. Griffin Jax (MIN) – Jax may not have the best swing-and-miss stuff (although his 32.4% CSW ain’t too shabby), but Jax is elite at limiting hard contact and is a PLV darling (5.36). He also returns as the Twins’ top setup option as the team did not add any pitchers this offseason.
11. Jason Adam (TB) – Adam wasn’t able to finish the season on the active roster but should be healthy for next year and will return as Pete Fairbank’s top setup man. Adam had another impressive season, finishing with an ERA under 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.01 over 54.1 IP while also holding a 31.1% K rate and 5.19 PLV.
12. A.J. Puk (MIA) – Puk was having a fantastic season before July or so when he started to run into some bad luck (like really bad luck, with a .524 BABIP and 36.4% HR/FB in July). Puk still finished the year in the Top 10 amongst relievers in SIERA (2.66), K-BB% (27%), and CSW% (36.1%) and should return to a set-up role for the Marlins.
13. Jeff Hoffman (PHI) – Hoffman was the unsung hero of the Phillies bullpen in 2023, as he started throwing his slider more often (up over 24%). The change in pitch usage led to a 2.54 pCRA, 17.7% SwStr, and 33.2% K rates. He returns to a bullpen that lost Craig Kimbrel this offseason and didn’t make any significant additions, so Hoffman should at least be in the mix to be the team’s top setup option.
14. Kevin Ginkel (ARZ) – What a great story Ginkel was last year after he was mostly written off following an impressive debut season in 2019. Not a ton changed in his repertoire, it just looks like he’s been able to command his stuff better which led to better contact rates (2.18 dERA, 30.2% ICR). He should remain in a setup role for now, but Paul Sewald is coming off a rough postseason and is a free agent after the season.
15. Erik Swanson (TOR) – One of the most reliable setup men in baseball last year, Swanson finished the season with 29 holds (fourth most in MLB), continued to miss bats at a good clip (16.4% SwStr), and finished the year with an impressive .271 xwOBA. He’ll return to the Jays as the top setup option in front of closer Jordan Romano.
Tier 2
16. Joe Jiménez (ATL) – Jiménez had a quietly productive season for the Braves this past season (24.8% K-BB rate), and returns to the team where he should compete for hold chances. Even with the added competition in that bullpen, Jiménez should beat his hold total from last season (13).
17. Alex Vesia (LAD) – Vesia struggled mightily to begin the season but was awesome over the last two months and even finished the year with the best PLV (5.55) in all of baseball and a solid 29.5% K rate. His fastball is arguably one of the best in the sport (1.67 PLA was the best in all of baseball, also led the league in vertical rise) and he should get a chance to begin the year in a setup role.
18. Joe Kelly (LAD) – Despite the 6.08 ERA last year and 4.12 ERA this season, Kelly was still able to land an $8 million deal to stay with the Dodgers given his Statcast metrics and the fact he’s still averaging 99 mph on his fastball. If Kelly can finally get luck on his side (as he did in 2021), he should be a quality holds option.
19. Matt Strahm (PHI) – Strahm transitioned to the bullpen early on in the season and impressed the rest of the way. Strahm finished with a 5.34 PLV and 24.8% K-BB% and can be a real asset in holds leagues if he gets enough opportunities.
20. Brock Stewart (MIN) – One of the biggest breakout relievers of 2023 (despite the injury), Stewart upped his fastball velocity to over 97 mph while mixing in both a sweeper and cutter to keep hitters off balance. His 21.2% SwStr and 37.1% CSW rates were both third-best in baseball this year.
21. Gregory Soto (PHI) – Hoffman wasn’t the only reliever the Phils were able to unlock this past season as they also got the best out of Soto who also increased his slider usage. The change led to an increase in swing and miss (34.2% CSW rate) and better hard-hit metrics (.303 xwOBAcon, 28% ICR).
22. Danny Coulombe (BAL) – Another Orioles breakout reliever, Coulombe was the team’s top left-handed option for much of the year. The crafty lefty tops out around 92 mph but throws 6 different pitches and does a great job suppressing hard contact and limited walks (5.7% BB rate).
23. JoJo Romero (STL) – Romero was breaking out in a big way prior to missing the remainder of the season with a knee injury as the lefty finished Top 10 amongst relievers in pCRA (2.74), xFIP (2.68), xwOBA (.258), Whiff (36.3%), and CSW (36.3%) rates. His three-pitch mix makes him effective against righties as well as lefties and he should be on your radar in all holds formats.
24. Yimi García (TOR) – Despite the surface ratios (4.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) there were actually a lot of positives to take from Garcia’s 2023 season such as his xFIP (3.14) and K-BB rate (22.7%). His upped curveball usage led to a career-high 79 strikeouts.
25. Reynaldo López (ATL) – López was an exciting late-round closer target heading into last year and while that didn’t work out as he struggled early on, he was able to turn things around in the second half and put together a good season. His role with the Braves remains up in the air, but I’d expect him to settle into a setup or middle relief role.
26. Gregory Santos (SEA) – Despite some struggles in September, Santos had himself a nice 2023 season. He did a great job limiting hard contact last year, with a 4.6 DHH% (dynamic hard hit rate) and also posted an impressive 5.29 PLV for the season despite finishing with just a 22.8% K rate. Now in Seattle, saves may be out of the picture, but he should slot right into a setup role behind Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash.
27. Colin Poche (TB) – The Rays’ top left-handed reliever may not miss bats at an elite rate, but he was exceptional at inducing weak contact last year as shown by his .265 xwOBAcon, and 30% ICR. Poche trusted his slider more than ever before in his career last season, leading to the career year.
28. Chris Martin (BOS) – The veteran Martin just continues to be an effective late-inning reliever as his 2.86 pCRA and 2.90 xFIP were both good for Top 15 amongst all relievers last season.
29. Yennier Cano (BAL) – After exploding onto the scene in the first two months of the season, Cano really slowed down as the season went on, having a 3.69 SIERA, 1.35 WHIP, and just an 18.5% K rate over his last 51 innings. The Orioles brought in veteran Craig Kimbrel for the year so Cano, a sinkerball with limited swing-and-miss ability, should be confined to a set-up role.
30. Tommy Kahnle (NYY) – The changeup specialist got a late start to the year but was effective once he got settled into the Yankees bullpen as he managed to limit hard contact (.299 xwOBAcon, 27.8% ICR), while also missing bats at a good clip (33.7% CSW).
31. Scott Barlow (CLE) – Barlow got off to a hot start before struggling mightily for the middle portion of the season. He did get things back on track over the last month or so of the season and did have a solid 33.2% CSW and 6.2% DHH. He’ll begin the year in a set-up role although there have been trade rumors surrounding Emmanuel Clase lately.
32. Taylor Rogers (SF) – Rogers was terrible in the first month of the season last year but turned things around and put together a solid season with a nice 5.21 PLV, and a 34.2% CSW rate. He should return to a set-up role with his brother this year.
33. Phil Maton (TB) – Maton is kind of like Paul Sewald lite, and held an impressive 5.25 PLV this year along with a 16.4% SwStr rate. Unlike most of the names on this list, Maton has just two career saves and likely will be viewed as a set-up man only but is currently one of if not the best reliever left in free agency. UPDATE: Maton landed with the Rays this past weekend, which is certainly a boost for his value.
34. Aaron Bummer (ATL) – Looking beyond the gross 6.79 ERA, Bummer still showed some upside with a 29.2% K rate and a 60.1% GB rate in 2023. His sweeper was a plus pitch this past year with a 44.8% Whiff rate and .210 xWOBA and he actually finished third amongst all relievers over the second half with a 36.9% CSW rate.
35. Hector Neris (CHC) – Neris declined his $8.5 mil Player Option with the Astros and wound up getting a slight raise in his new one-year $9 mil deal with the Cubs. He is coming off a great season with a 1.75 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 15.4% SwStr rate, and 29.8% ICR although that does come with a career-high 4.45 xFIP and career-low .219 BABIP. I still lean towards Adbert Alzolay as the opening day closer here, but Neris certainly makes things interesting.
Tier 3
36. Abner Uribe (MIL) – Uribe has a sky-high ceiling with his elite fastball/slider combo, but his success will come down to improving his command (15.7% BB rate). His slider is already one of the best swing-and-miss pitches among all relievers.
37. José Soriano (LAA) – Soriano has a plus curveball and fastball that sits around 98 mph so there’s some big-time upside in his arm. He showed some of that potential last year finishing with 36.2% Whiff and 34.7% CSW rates and is a much better long-term bet than Carlos Estévez.
38. Orion Kerkering (PHI) – Despite having some issues in the postseason, Kerkering’s pure stuff is undeniably nasty with a near 3000 RPM Sweeper and a fastball/sinker that sits in the upper 90s. This bullpen is already super deep so it’s hard to tell what his role might be next year, but he has a chance to make a Matt Brash-type impact.
39. Keynan Middleton (STL) – Middleton put together a successful season for both the White Sox and Yankees, posting an impressive 18.6% SwStr rate over 50+ innings. Middleton landing a deal with the Cardinals this offseason, where he should be able to carve out a role where he can earn holds or wins.
40. Joel Payamps (MIL) – Payamps had some hiccups over the second half but should return in a setup role to begin next season. Payamps had a 3.02 pCRA and 78.16 speX placing himself in the Top 40 amongst all relievers in those categories.
41. Brooks Raley (NYM) – Raley on the other hand had his club option picked up by the Mets ($6.5 mil), and while his swing and miss ability has been on the decline he makes up for it by inducing weak contact (32.6% ICR%, .326 xwOBAcon).
42. Pierce Johnson (ATL) – Johnson struggled in his stint as the Rockies closer but turned things around in Atlanta working in a setup role. Johnson finished with impressive 32.5% K and 34.4% CSW rates and the Braves rewarded him with a new contract as a result.
43. Brusdar Graterol (LAD) – Graterol may not be able to miss bats but his ability to suppress hard contact is what makes him successful. His .312 xwOBAcon, 4.8% DHH, and 2.30 dERA are all near the top of the leaderboard and as long as he’s inducing weak ground balls, he should remain in a high-leverage role for the Dodgers.
44. Giovanny Gallegos (STL) – 2023 was certainly a down year for Gallegos as he finished with a 4.42 ERA and 25.8% K rate (low by his standards) but he should still return in a set-up role. His slider is still great and he did finish with an 18.8% SwStr rate while walking just 5.2% of hitters.
45. Yuki Matsui (SD) – Matsui was one of Japan’s best relievers last season and is expected to begin the season in a high-leverage role for the Padres. I haven’t seen a whole lot of him (there is some video here and there, he only threw one inning in last year’s WBC), so I don’t have much of a scouting report, but SIS did a pretty good job breaking down both Matsui and his new teammate Woo-suk Go.
46. Sam Hentges (CLE) – Hentges had some struggles early on in the season but turned things around and had a strong second half. He upped his curveball usage this season and finished with an impressive 3.00 xFIP and 59% GB rate.
47. Emilio Pagán (CIN) –Pagan had a great season for himself heading into free agency with a 2.99 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, but I feel like there are some buyer beware warning signs here (hard contact rate, swing and miss ability are questionable). The Reds were still comfortable enough to give him $8 mil a year, as they are banking on his fastball (2.17 PLA, second best amongst pitchers in 2023) to remain dominant.
48. Ben Joyce (LAA) – Joyce has a big-time fastball that sits at 100 mph but has had trouble staying healthy in his career and has also had issues with walks (18.8% in 10 IP last year). He is the definition of high risk/high reward.
49. Colin Holderman (PIT) – Despite the 27 holds this season, Holderman still finished with a 1.34 WHIP and 4.79 xFIP while posting a below-average 15.8% K-BB rate (and 26.5% CSW rate). That being said, he’s still likely to enter the season as the team’s top setup man.
50. Jonathan Loáisiga (NYY) – Loáisiga battled through injuries for much of the season, ending up with just 17.2 innings pitched. The good news is the velo is still there and he only walked 1.4% of batters, but he really struggled to miss bats last year (8.7% K, 23.3% CSW, and 8.5% SwStr rates). Just like with Graterol, the stuff is much better than the swing-and-miss numbers show.
51. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – Stephan had some struggles later on in the season but he had a strong first half. The swing and miss stuff is still above average with a 15.2% SwStr rate as his splitter was once again dominant (49.1% Whiff rate).
52. Lucas Sims (CIN) – A 3.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP for Sims last season came with a disappointing 5.53 xFIP and 12.8% K-BB rate. He’s better than this and it’s good to just see him finally healthy again. The skillset is still there for Sims to return to being a dominant reliever once again.
53. Jason Foley (DET) – Foley is a sinkerballer with a big arm that fails to generate Whiffs (17.9% Whiff rate) but also limits free passes (5.4% BB rate) and had a 5.24 PLV this season. The groundball specialist benefits from strong infield defense behind him, and should remain in a set-up role this upcoming season.
54. Tyler Rogers (SF) – The other Rogers brother is different in his approach as he doesn’t miss many bats from his arm angle, but is great at limiting hard contact (.282 xwOBAcon, 5.5% DHH) and while it’s hard to count on him to help across the board, he does have 75 holds over the past three seasons, which is second most in baseball behind only A.J. Minter.
55. Caleb Thielbar (MIN) – Thielbar remains one of the better left-handed relievers in the game when healthy (25% K-BB rate) but will be 37 entering next season. He should still see plenty of holds chances to begin the season.
Tier 4
56. Gabe Speier (SEA) – One of the more underrated relievers this season was perhaps Gabe Speier. He finished the year in the Top 10 amongst relievers in SIERA (2.62) and xFIP (2.71), while also posting an impressive 24.5% K-BB%. The lefty isn’t overpowering but improved his slider this year (45.7% Whiff rate).
57. Luke Jackson (SF) – Jackson looked pretty good for the most part returning from TJ surgery last season, as he finished with an ERA under 3.00 in 33.1 innings. He showed an ability to limit hard contact (29.8% ICR) as well as strike hitters out (30.1% K rate).
58. Trevor Richards (TOR) – Richards is often the forgotten man in this bullpen but he is coming off a season where he had a 33.3% K rate (thanks to a 17.6% SwStr rate). Richards racked up 105 strikeouts, due in large part to his changeup which is threw 19% more often this year and held a 47.8% Whiff rate.
59. James McArthur (KC) – McArthur finished the year as the Royals closer and in fashion as well, allowing just five hits (zero runs) over his last 16.1 IP while posting a stellar 19/0 K/BB rate. There’s a pair of interesting breaking balls here, although the fastball/sinker is nothing to get too excited for (not too dissimilar from former Royal closer Scott Barlow).
60. Ian Gibaut (CIN) – Gibaut had himself a career year with a 3.33 ERA with PLV also being a fan of his stuff (5.25). He appeared in a whopping 74 games and could be a nice high-volume reliever option in holds leagues.
61. Chad Green (TOR) – Returning from Tommy John last season, Green only managed 12 innings, but it was nice to see him miss bats at a high clip again (36.7% Whiff, 31% K) and his velo was all the way back to his pre-surgery form. His role in Toronto remains to be seen, but his track record suggests he could work his way into a set-up role in short order.
62. Garrett Cleavinger (TB) – Cleavinger only was able to toss 12 innings in 2023 before tearing his ACL but he is expected to be at full strength by Spring Training. The lefty was fantastic in 23 innings during the 2022 season (35% K rate, 2.72 xFIP, 0.91 WHIP), but with just 53.1 MLB innings to his name over a four-year stretch, there’s a wide range of potential outcomes here.
63. Ryan Brasier (LAD) – Brasier turned his 2023 season around with the Dodgers (of course) and wound up returning to the team on a two year deal after moving the next name on the list to New York…
64. Caleb Ferguson (NYY) – Ferguson had a bit of an up-and-down 2023, but finished with a very respectable 3.04 pCRA and I’d imagine that WHIP (1.44) will come down next year with some better luck on his side.
65. Shawn Armstrong (TB) – One of the more underrated relievers last year, Armstrong finished in the Top 10 amongst relievers in dERA (1.74) and xwOBA (.253). Procuring only six holds kept him under the radar, but perhaps his role will grow next year.
66. Steven Wilson (SD) – Wilson started off the season as the team’s top set-up option before fading down the stretch but still finished with a 3.91 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He did have an impressive 5.28 PLV and 28.8% ICR but neither of his two primary pitches are particularly intriguing at the moment (the sweeper has a chance though).
67. Rafael Montero (HOU) – Montero took a step back this season, but he did turn things around a little over the second half. There’s still some intriguing stuff here, as he did finish with a 5.15 PLV and the Astros’ bullpen has lost a lot this offseason.
68. Tim Mayza (TOR) – Mayza’s 1.52 ERA was fifth best amongst relievers last year, and while he was certainly lucky, his xFIP (3.01), and DHH (6.3%) are not too shabby. The sinker/slider lefty doesn’t get a lot of swings and misses but does produce plenty of weak groundballs (63.9% GB rate).
69. Justin Topa (MIN) – Topa won’t miss a lot of bats (9% SwStr rate) but he was excellent last year at limiting hard contact (27.9% ICR, .297 xwOBAcon) and also held a 58.5% groundball rate. Moving to Minnesota this offseason, expect Topa to work in a role not too different from what he was used to in Seattle.
70. Matt Moore (LAA) – The Angels decided to bring back Moore on a one-year deal as they have put their resources towards building up their bullpen this offseason. The veteran showed last year that he still has something left in the tank, but as far as the upside goes here, he does lag behind other options previously mentioned.
71. David Robertson (TEX) – Robertson will be 39 for most of the 2024 season and fading down the stretch for the Marlins, but his 38 saves over the past two seasons were able to get him a nice one-year, $11.5 mil deal. It’s a good landing spot as far as save/hold chances go, but I’d still have more faith in José Leclerc and Sborz long-term.
72. Hoby Milner (MIL) –Milner deserves some love as well as he’s coming off a career year with a 1.72 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He should return as the Brewers’ top left-handed reliever.
73. Fernando Cruz (CIN) – Cruz posted big-time strikeout numbers (35.1% K rate) thanks to his splitter, but was inconsistent for much of the season. There’s a chance he begins the season in the minors as other members of the bullpen are out of options, but Cruz has as much upside there as anyone outside of maybe just Alexis Díaz and Lucas Sims.
74. Dauri Moreta (PIT) – Moreta had a bit of a breakout campaign with the Pirates last season, with a 33.6% Whiff rate and 31.8% K rate) and should be a safe bet for an Opening Day roster spot in the Pirates bullpen.
75. Elvis Peguero (MIL) – Despite the gross 10% K-BB rate, Peguero remained highly effective most of the season as he did a great job limiting hard contact and inducing ground balls. There should be more K upside in there as well with his slider garnering a 41% Whiff rate.
Tier 5
76. Steven Okert (MIA) – Okert is the most volatile of the Marlins left-handed relievers, but he still held an impressive 29.6% K rate. He may need injuries ahead of him to get some consistent hold chances though.
77. Ryan Borucki (PIT) – The Pirates do have some sneaky good left-handed options in this bullpen, with one of them being Borucki who held a 2.34 dERA and 0.74 WHIP this past year and despite just a 21.7% K rate, he did post an impressive 2.6% BB and 33.5% CSW rate.
78. Will Vest (DET) – Vest is just kind of above average all around without standing out, but he should have a chance to finish 2024 with double-digit holds again.
79. Miguel Castro (ARZ) – It was mostly a disappointing season for Castro who had then quickly lost the chance to close out games around the midway point of the season. The good news is Torey Lovullo still went to him frequently in the playoffs and Castro did finish the year with a solid 33.9% ICR and 5.13 PLV.
80. Nick Sandlin (CLE) – 2023 was a solid season for Sandlin with a 1.03 WHIP, 27.6% K rate and 32.7% ICR. Should be in the mix for double-digit holds next season.
81. John Schreiber (BOS) – Schreiber took a step back last season after his 2022 breakout, but he also battled injuries. The walk rate needs to come back down (12.3% in 2023) for him to be trustworthy again next year.
82. Ian Hamilton (NYY) – Hamilton was a great find for the Yankees this past year, giving them 58 innings with an ERA of just 2.64. His ability to limit hard contact (6.5% DHH) and miss bats (34.4% Whiff rate) should give him a chance to see some high-leverage work this season.
83. Tyler Holton (DET) – Holton doesn’t rack up a ton of K’s from the left side, but he does a great job keeping hitters off balance and limiting hard contact with his six-pitch mix. Low upside, but high floor.
84. Adam Ottavino (NYM) – Ottavino had a player option ($6.75 mil) that he declined as he tried to get a multi-year deal elsewhere but unfortunately, he had to settle with returning to the Mets on a $4.5 mil deal this season. Although he wasn’t able to duplicate his 2022 season, Ottavino was still a solid reliever last year, doing a good job of limiting hard contact with his 28.4% ICR% and .317 xwOBAcon and should see hold opportunities in a bullpen light on talent.
85. Daniel Palencia (CHC) – Palencia has a big arm and some strikeout upside if he’s able to stick in this bullpen. The Cubs have yet to add any relief help this offseason, so Palencia should get holds chances relatively early on.
86. Nick Anderson (KC) – Anderson was pitching well before getting shut down with a shoulder injury (34% CSW, 1.10 WHIP). He’s had a hard time staying healthy recently, totalling just 57.2 IP over the past four seasons, but is worth the risk for a Royals bullpen with no clear-cut closer options.
87. Kody Funderburk (MIN) – Funderburk could be the Twins’ new high-leverage lefty in the near future as he impressed in his first 12 innings at the MLB level with a 40.4% K rate while allowing just one run. He doesn’t throw hard but his slider is a problem for hitters.
88. John McMillon (KC) – McMillon is an interesting pitching prospect with a plus slider (75% Whiff rate on 32 thrown) and fastball (97 mph) who made the jump from Double-A to the MLB bullpen in September. There is future closer upside here.
89. Tanner Rainey (WAS) – Rainey appeared in one game late in September last year as he worked his way back from TJ surgery and showed some impressive velocity (96-97 mph). He’ll be a wild card for sure as he hasn’t looked particularly great since 2020.
90. Garrett Crochet (CWS) – Crochet didn’t pitch well in just 12.2 innings of work this past year as his velo was down and he wasn’t able to find his plus slider from 2020-21. He’s still not someone to count out in 2024 just yet.
91. Woo Suk Go (SD) – Go has an upper 90’s fastball and curveball that can miss bats but I’m not sure we see him in a closer/set-up role anytime soon (as expected by the modest contract). See above with Matsui for more of a scouting report from SIS.
92. Prelander Berroa (CWS) – Berroa has a ton of upside, and oppurtinity now, but there are plenty of things he needs to clean up first before he becomes a trustworthy reliever (command being the biggest one). If he can keep a walk rate around or under 10%, he could fly up this list in no time.
93. Anthony Bender (MIA) – 13 months removed from Tommy John, Bender should be ready to go by Opening Day. In 2021 Bender was one of the better relievers in the game, and the Marlins sure could use the right-handed relief help.
94. Scott Effross (NYY) – Effross missed all of 2023 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but he should be ready to go by opening day. If healthy, Effross should give this bullpen another sinker/slider specialist at the back end of games.
95. James Karinchak (CLE) – Karinchak is still able to miss bats (30.4% K rate) and does a good job suppressing hard contact but his command will keep him from being a consistent high-leverage option.
96. Blake Treinen (LAD) – Treinen was unable to return to the Dodgers at the end of last season as he struggled at the Triple-A level making just two appearances before being shut down again. Treinen has a total of just five innings over the past two seasons and now at age 35, is truly a wildcard this season.
97. Seranthony Domínguez (PHI) – Seranthony really took a step back this past season as he struggled to command his fastball. The good news is he still throws hard and his slider can still be devasting (46.6% Whiff rate).
98. Jonathan Hernández (TEX) – Hernández still throws hard but he took a significant step back last year as he finished with a 5.40 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. He still has an intriguing pitch mix and I wouldn’t rule out a positive 2024 season from him.
99. Carlos Estévez (LAA) – Estévez was great over the first half (1.80 ERA) but was quite terrible over the second half (6.59 ERA, 1.76 WHIP) so buyer beware this upcoming draft season. He still showed some interesting stuff, (115 Stuff+, 27.8% K rate) but I would bet against him having 30+ SV+HOLDS next year.
100. Kirby Yates (TEX) – Yates was able to bring back the swing-and-miss stuff last season but it came with a 14.6% BB rate and 4.60 PLV which is the lowest on this list. The Rangers’ bullpen isn’t exactly deep though, so there should be chances for Yates who may find himself having better command now three years removed from Tommy John.
| Rank | Pitcher |
|---|---|
| 101 | Kyle Nelson |
| 102 | Shintaro Fujinami |
| 103 | Tom Cosgrove |
| 104 | Jake Diekman |
| 105 | Jacob Webb |
| 106 | Daniel Hudson |
| 107 | Eli Morgan |
| 108 | Bryan Baker |
| 109 | Luke Little |
| 110 | Chris Devenski |
| 111 | J.P. Feyereisen |
| 112 | Kevin Kelly |
| 113 | Chris Stratton |
| 114 | Keegan Akin |
| 115 | Mark Leiter Jr. |
| 116 | Trent Thornton |
| 117 | Ryne Stanek |
| 118 | Yency Almonte |
| 119 | Carlos Hernández |
| 120 | Drew Smith |
| 121 | Wandy Peralta |
| 122 | Tyler Alexander |
| 123 | Sam Moll |
| 124 | Robert Garcia |
| 125 | Andrew Kittredge |
| 126 | Kyle Finnegan |
| 127 | Josh Winckowski |
| 128 | Taylor Clarke |
| 129 | Shelby Miller |
| 130 | Scott McGough |
Where is Andres Munoz?
Where is Hunter Harvey?