Ernesto Frieri

The Angels began 2013 with the expectation that Ryan Madson would challenge Frieri for the closer's role upon his return from Tommy John surgery. Madson didn't make it back to the majors last season, leaving Frieri as the ninth-inning man for much of the year, and allowing him to pick up an impressive 37 saves in the process. Frieri's primary strength as a reliever is his astounding strikeout rate, which was actually down a tick last season at 12.8 K/9, but his walks also decreased slightly (3.9 BB/9). If there is a cause for concern for Frieri, it may be that his flyball rate last season spiked to 59.2 percent, after being at 52.6 percent in 2012. This led to the highest HR/9 rate of his career (1.4), and led him to share the closer's role with Dane De La Rosa for a brief period in August. Frieri was able to reclaim the role before the end of the season, but he may run into trouble in 2014 if he can't keep his homers down.

Frieri was fantastic as a setup man for two years before taking the next step in 2012, and he didn't allow a run in his first 26.1 innings with the Angels after coming over from San Diego in an early-season trade. He fell off a bit as the year went on despite walking fewer batters late in the season, and finished with 98 strikeouts and 30 walks in 66 innings. Much of his success was due to an increased reliance on his two-seam fastball, as the pitch helped Frieri make the leap from setup man to closer. He threw the two-seamer 13.6 percent of the time with an average velocity of 92.5 mph during the 2011 season, but upped those numbers to 31.9 percent and 94.3 mph last year. If he opens the season as back in the closer role, there is a ton of upside here given his whopping strikeout rate. Unfortunately for Frieri, he will need to fend off Ryan Madson to hold the ninth-inning role after facing minimal competition for saves upon arrival in Anaheim last season.

The Padres have been developing Frieri since 2006 and the work is certainly paying dividends. Last season he posted a solid 10.89 K/9IP with a 10.0 swinging-strike percentage, keeping hitters off balance with a 92 mph fastball and a rather off-putting curveball. He even began to incorporate a slider, although his command of it still needs a bit of work. He could stand to limit the walks (4.59 B/9IP), but he doesn't give up very many home runs and posted a solid 81.3 percent strand rate. He'll be an integral part of the bullpen this year and may be involved in consideration for save opportunities at some point now that Heath Bell is gone.

A starter in 2009, Frieri spent 2010 exclusively pitching out of the bullpen. In the first half of the season he was at Triple-A Portland, where he shined with a 1.43 ERA, 0.860 WHIP, 11.71 K/9IP and 17 saves. He continued his dominance in the second half with the Padres, posting a 1.71 ERA, 1.105 WHIP and 11.65 K/9IP. His walk rate in 2009 was pushing 4.0 BB/9IP and in 2010 it was well past that mark (4.83). For now, his elite strikeout rate allows him to get away with this, but that won't always be the case. He should pitch as a middle reliever again in 2011, thus limiting his fantasy value outside of leagues that count holds.

Despite being signed in 2001, Frieri had limited experience above A ball prior to last season, when he settled into San Antonio's rotation and pitched adequately. He's actually been very effective since moving back to starting in 2008, and has a bit more upside than the rest of the Padres' crop of B-grade starting prospects. It is extremely hard to tell which of them will get the next chance, but Frieri, still just 24 and without any record of failure, is one of the more draftable options, albeit for 2011 and beyond.

Signed in 2004 as a free agent out of Bolivar, Columbia, Frieri has a live arm suitable for starting or as a power reliever. He spent the bulk of 2008 at High-A Lake Elsinore, splitting time starting and relieving. However, a pair of late season starts with Double-A San Antonio and one with Triple-A Portland suggest Frieri could be on the fast track and could see time with the Padres this season. His minor league peripherals are promising so put him on your radar.