Nick Vincent

Vincent put together another quality season in relief, but he was outrighted at the end of the 2018 campaign, presumably just because the Mariners didn't want to have to pay Vincent in his final year of arbitration. While the right-hander's 3.99 ERA was a career high, Vincent boosted his strikeout rate back up to 23.4% and maintained a better-than-average 6.3% walk rate. His 37.2 O-Swing% ranked 11th among qualified relievers, per FanGraphs. His fastball clocks in at under 90 mph on average, but Vincent somehow gets it by hitters and induces a lot of weak flyballs with his four-seamer/cutter combination. He finished fourth on the team in holds last season with 15 after finishing second in all of the majors in 2017 with 29. Look for Vincent to secure a big-league contract and operate in a middle-relief role.

Vincent, an 18th-round pick in 2008, has established himself as a fortifying presence at the back end of the bullpen since joining Seattle. He finished second in the majors in holds last season with 29, giving him a total of 46 holds since the start of 2016. The right-hander averages under 90 mph with his fastball, but the pitch has somehow been among the elite fastballs in the game in terms of generating whiffs. His swinging-strike rate fell more than three percentage points overall last season (to 10.1 percent), going hand-in-hand with a major dip in strikeout percentage, but Vincent made up for it with fewer walks (1.8 BB/9) and homers allowed (0.42 HR/9). Vincent's heavy flyball skew (47.9 percent in each of the last two seasons) dings him in terms of future closer potential, but Vincent should be entrusted with important innings again in 2018.

Vincent may have the quietest 2.94 career ERA in recent memory, proving that sometimes it can be OK to have two first names. Despite falling off in 2016, the right-hander saved three games and sustained excellent command peripherals (9.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9). The soft-tosser can get away with his high flyball percentages for home games at Safeco Field, but probably will feel the pain in other locales. Either way, his deception (13.3 percent swinging-strike rate last year) and aggressiveness (69.2 percent first-strike percentage) will keep him in high-leverage relief roles. He'll see the occasional save opportunity, though it's hard to envision him overtaking a healthy Edwin Diaz on a regular basis. He just doesn't have the overpowering stuff to favor as a permanent closer in a fully healthy bullpen. Also, Seattle will prefer to deploy him in a pinch, whenever that may be, to put fires out before the closer comes in.

Vincent was able to limit the damage that typically comes with a high walk rate, posting a 2.35 ERA in 2015 despite a 3.9 BB/9. The right-hander was able to maintain a respectable K/9 mark, but the strikeouts were down from his previous three seasons, and his penchant for putting players on base resulted in him riding the shuttle between Triple-A and the majors for most of the year. Although he does not have overpowering stuff by any means, Vincent is still able to miss bats at a high enough clip to where he could be in the conversation for a higher-leverage bullpen role in 2016, but he will need to show improvement with his control in spring training to have a realistic chance at a back-end job. His flyball tendencies could factor into his role as well, because while they aren't much of an issue at Petco, they limit his effectiveness on the road.

At first glance, it may appear as though 2014 was a tale of two halves for Vincent, as he struggled to the tune of a 5.67 ERA in 30 appearances prior to the All-Star break but went on to post a 1.61 ERA and 30:5 K:BB in 33 appearances after the intermission. However, the first-half ERA was bloated by a trio of disastrous three-run outings, which can likely be attributed in large part to the shoulder issues that forced him onto the DL shortly thereafter. The right-hander's strikeout and walk rates were largely similar in both halves (29.9%, 5.6% to 27.8%, 4.6%), and his 56.5% strand rate and 3.21 xFIP from the first three-and-a-half months further suggest he was more consistent than the surface numbers would indicate. An 18th-round pick in 2008, he led the Padres in holds in 2014 with an even 20, and while Joaquin Benoit and Kevin Quackenbush figure to hold down the back-end of the bullpen this season, Vincent should still see plenty of high-leverage opportunities against opposing right-handers. His exposure to lefties may be a bit more limited, after southpaws hit a combined .274/.346/.479 against him last season.

Vincent reported to spring training with a sore right wrist, resulting in a two-month stint at Triple-A Tucson to begin the season. After working out the kinks, he joined the Padres for good on June 11 and went to work mirroring his 27-game stint from 2012. In two major league seasons, Vincent has recorded a 77:18 K:BB ratio, while surrendering a mere three home runs in 72.2 innings. Such stellar control doesn't go unnoticed, and with the departure of Luke Gregerson, Vincent may get a chance to pitch in higher-leverage situations in 2014.

Vincent made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Padres, but it didn't last that long as he traveled between there and Triple-A Tucson for much of the season. When he was with the Padres he showed great command of his pitches as he produced a 1.71 ERA over 26.1 innings. Only five of his 27 appearances were in the ninth inning or later, so it appears he still has some work to do to gain the trust of the managerial staff. In 2013, he's likely to continue to work in middle relief, this limiting his value to fantasy owners.