Alec Asher

Asher missed a significant amount of playing time due to injury and suspension last season. He suffered a shin fracture in late May at Triple-A Lehigh Valley which cost him a month of action and then was suspended 80 games for using a testosterone-related performance enhancing drug. He returned from suspension in time to be a September callup and went 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA in five starts for the Phillies. Asher credited his success to development of a two-seam fastball, which he used for the first time last season. He used the pitch frequently, throwing it more than twice as often as his cutter while holding batters to a .191 average on the pitch. Asher isn't going to generate a lot of strikeouts as a sinkerball pitcher, but if he can continue to command that pitch, he could carve out a successful career as a back-end starter in the majors. The Phillies will give him a shot to earn a rotation spot this spring.