Arodys Vizcaino

Heading into the 2018 draft season, there were red flags and questions about Vizcaino's ability to last as a closer. His ERA and FIP were nearly a full run apart, and as a heavy flyball pitcher, he struggled with the long ball. He did nothing in 2018 to alleviate those concerns, and in fact exacerbated some of them. His ERA and FIP were 1.5 runs apart as he somehow stranded an absurd 92% of his baserunners despite a drop in strikeouts and a spike in his walks. He is much tougher on righties than he is lefties thanks to his arm angle and repertoire, as he struggles with his control when lefties are up at the plate. Vizcaino's arm angle and stuff are best suited for a righty specialist role as his overall numbers against lefties have been terrible the past few seasons. Atlanta is now a contender and can ill-afford this risky skill set as their full-time closer for 2019.

Vizcaino began the season helping to get the ball to Jim Johnson and he ended up taking the job from him after Johnson underperformed. He could have had the job coming out of camp, but Vizcaino could not throw strikes in 2016 and the team did not trust him with the job full-time. He cut his walk rate nearly in half last season (to 3.3 BB/9) and got back to getting ahead in the count so he could expand the strike zone. He's a flyball risk in a (so far) hitter-friendly park (43.5 flyball percentage), but the strikeout rate (10.1 K/9), swinging-strike rate (14.7 percent) and walk rate are all closer worthy. He does have a bit of a splits issue, but that is only because he is so much tougher on righties whereas lefties have a better chance to square him up. He enters 2018 as a relatively low-cost closer option who could end up equaling his 33 career saves during the upcoming season.

Vizcaino was awarded the Braves' closer role over Jim Johnson and Jason Grilli to begin the 2016 season. The hard-throwing righty got off to a solid start and put together a productive first half of the season before ultimately struggling in the second half, largely due to multiple nagging injuries that landed him on the disabled list. He finished the season with a 4.42 ERA, but much of that can be attributed to his brief, disastrous return from the DL in mid-August. Prior to his first DL stint on July 16, the 26-year-old posted a 3.00 ERA with 10 saves and a 47:22 K:BB over 36 innings. Walks have always been an issue for Vizcaino and he will need to improve his command in order to become a truly reliable reliever. The Braves will likely enter 2017 with Jim Johnson as their closer, leaving Vizcaino to battle it out with Mauricio Cabrera for the team's top setup role.

An 80-game suspension for PED use kept Vizcaino out to start the year, but he hit the ground running and never looked back after his arrival to Atlanta in early July, allowing just one earned run in his first 22 appearances and six runs in total. It was a far cry from his previous stops in the majors in 2011 and 2014, as the Tommy John survivor brought added velocity to the table - he averaged nearly 98 mph on his fastball, up from the mid-90s - as well as improved control. His success earned him an audition in the closer role after Jim Johnson was traded at the deadline, and Vizcaino thrived, converting 9-of-10 save opportunities. Vizcaino caught some breaks - he had an 85.5% strand rate and 3.1% HR/FB rate - but he will nonetheless enter 2016 as one of three options in the ninth inning, along with Johnson, who was brought back on a one-year deal, and Jason Grilli, as manager Fredi Gonzalez said he will mix and match to start the season.

After missing all of 2012 and 2013 due to Tommy John surgery, Vizcaino finally made his long-awaited comeback last year, making 45 appearances across four levels (including five with the Cubs). Results were mixed; he struck out 46 in 46 innings, but also walked 21. The Cubs were patient with him, but still decided to trade him back to the Braves for Tommy La Stella in November. Vizcaino is still just 24, so there's still time for him to live up to expectations, but he needs to work on his control and stay healthy.

Vizcaino has missed the last two seasons due to his 2012 Tommy John surgery and a (supposedly) unrelated setback with his surgically-repaired elbow. When we last saw him, Vizcaino was zooming through the Braves' system in 2011, striking out a batter per inning while advancing all the way to the big leagues despite starting the campaign at High-A Lynchburg. He could be that guy again, and he's only 23, but he will likely be a bit rusty. Be ready to pounce if it looks like he's back.

A hard-throwing right-hander who had Tommy John surgery last March, Vizcaino came over in the Paul Mahlom trade. Before he got hurt, his average fastball was 96 mph, and he consistently missed bats at High-A and Double-A with pretty good command. Assuming he's close to 100 percent for spring training - a possibility at press time - Vizcaino should have a shot at one of the team's two vacant rotation spots. Instant success for a 22-year-old coming off major surgery is a lot to ask, but there's certainly upside here should he prove healthy and win a job.

Vizcaino is one of Atlanta's top pitching prospects and could contend for a job in the major league bullpen or rotation this spring. He began last season at High-A Lynchburg and jumped all the way to the Atlanta bullpen by August. He had a 3.22 ERA and 92:28 K:BB ratio in 90 innings combined between High-A and Double-A. He then was called up to Triple-A Gwinnett but moved to the bullpen to reduce his workload. He then was a surprise addition to the Atlanta bullpen for the final six weeks where he held his own as a 20 year old in the majors with a 4.67 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. He did walk 4.6 BB/9IP in the majors, but otherwise has had great control in his minor league career. With a 95 mph fastball and a very good curveball, it's just a matter of when he'll be an impact pitcher with the Braves. He'll likely begin the season at Triple-A, but it may only be a few months before he's in the Atlanta rotation to stay.

Vizcaino was traded to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal and quickly climbed to become one of Atlanta's top prospects. After going 9-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 68:9 K:BB ratio in 14 starts with Low-A Rome, it looked like he was on the fast track to the majors. However, he was shut down in June after just three starts at High-A with a partial tear in a ligament in his right elbow. He returned in late August to make two appearances and isn't expected to need offseason surgery. Vizcaino has a 90-95 mph fastball and a very good curveball. If he shows his elbow is healthy and has a strong start at High-A, he could be with the Braves in September.

Signed out of the Dominican in 2007, Vizcaino has a 90-95 MPH fastball and a very good curve. His command within the strike zone needs some work, and there are concerns about his durability, but his ceiling is very high. He was traded to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal and could quickly become one of Atlanta's top prospects.