James Hoyt

Hoyt was a relatively overlooked piece in the Houston bullpen last season, as he quietly made 43 appearances while posting a strong 12.0 K/9 with an improved walk rate (2.6 BB/9) from his 22-inning debut with Houston in 2016. His ERA should have checked in close to the low-to-mid 3.00 range, as his primary skill flaw was a slightly elevated home-run rate (1.28 HR/9). Hoyt has shown more of a groundball tilt at previous stops -- including his time at Triple-A in 2017 -- so it's possible that he'll be able to whittle away at the long balls in 2018. Hoyt leaned heavily on his fastball, which averaged 93.4 mph last season, and his slider, which he's used 51.2 percent of the time over his two seasons with Houston. With a deep group of relievers ahead of him in the pecking order for saves, Hoyt will be more valuable to the Astros than he will be to fantasy owners in 2018.

Hoyt began 2016 with Triple-A Fresno and absolutely mowed down minor league hitters. He struck out a remarkable 93 batters in 55 innings while putting up a 1.64 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. He got promoted by the Astros in early August, but didn't pitch as well at the big league level (4.50 ERA over 22 innings). Hoyt's peripherals were actually quite good, with a 1.14 WHIP and 11.5 K/9. He gave up 2.1 HR/9, due in large part to his 33 percent HR/FB, which ranked second-highest in the majors among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched. In all, Hoyt's numbers suggest some bad luck and give reason for optimism in 2017. A 30-year-old rookie who began his professional career undrafted in independent ball, Hoyt is an unorthodox pitcher who threw more than 50 percent sliders in 2016 despite standing 6-foot-6 and possessing a decent fastball. He has posted high strikeout numbers throughout his career, and could have value in very deep leagues as a high-strikeout reliever for the Astros in 2017.

Acquired by the Astros as part of the Evan Gattis trade, Hoyt posted a remarkable 1.29 ERA and 40:4 K:BB ratio out of the bullpen for Triple-A Fresno over the final two months of 2015. With two plus-pitches in his fastball that sits 94-96 mph and a slider, the 6-foot-6 right-hander nearly broke camp with Houston this spring, but he narrowly missed the cut and was sent back to Fresno to open 2016. If Hoyt continues making improvements with his control, he'll contribute in the Astros bullpen this season and eventually could become a late-inning weapon.