Jimmy Cordero

Cordero was once a highly-touted prospect in the Toronto system; a guy with a big fastball and big upside. He still has the big velocity, but he is now on his fifth organization since 2015. Cordero has a fastball velocity in the 95th percentile, but it's as a sinker rather than something up in the zone. His goal is to generate groundballs when batters do make contact, and he does that rather well. His preferred secondary pitch is his changeup, and it is an above-average offering that is effective when he is up in the count. He does not have discernible splits in his overall numbers, but lefties have a tougher time against him due to the changeup which fades away from them. Alex Colome could be traded, in which case the closer role would be up for grabs. The White Sox would probably have to either trade for someone or open up an in-house audition for his replacement. Cordero is in the hunt.

Cordero came into spring training last season with some hype as a potential future closer thanks to a high-90s fastball and effective slider. Unfortunately, injuries derailed most of his season and we never got to see how his stuff translates to the majors. A biceps injury kept him sidelined for most of the spring and then he suffered a shoulder injury in April which lingered into July. Cordero pitched for about a month after coming off the disabled list, but then went back on the DL in early September with a right shoulder strain, ending his season. Health permitting, he should get a shot to compete for a bullpen role with the Nationals this spring after coming over from Philadelphia in a November trade. The Nats have some openings at the back end, making Cordero a pitcher to keep an eye on.