Odrisamer Despaigne

Despaigne's full transition to the bullpen in 2016 didn't do much to improve his awful numbers, as he finished the season with a 5.93 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He was designated for assignment by the Orioles in September and picked up by the Marlins, for whom he allowed three runs in three innings. He has abandoned multiple pitches since his encouraging rookie year in 2014 when he had seven different offerings, scrapping his slider before the 2015 season and his slow curveball in 2016, leaving him with a low-90s four-seamer, cutter, sinker, changeup, and curveball. That concentration hasn't helped him with his terrible peripherals -- 5.0 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 to go along the way to a 4.99 FIP in 2016. He remains in the Marlins' system, but the time for him to stop getting big league chances is likely to come soon if it isn't here already.

Despaigne got off to a relatively strong start in 2015, serving as a long reliever and a rotational stopgap after injuries to Ian Kennedy and Brandon Morrow. He posted a 2.95 ERA over the first month of the season (21.1 innings) and had a tremendous 0.84 WHIP in that span. Things began to unravel for Despaigne as the season progressed, however, as he posted an 8.26 ERA and 1.71 WHIP across 40.1 innings in the second half (five starts, 11 relief appearances). Alternating between spot starter and long-reliever didn't exactly help Despaigne find any sort of discernible rhythm, but the fact of the matter is that he allowed too many baserunners and paid for it by allowing 17 long balls. The Padres are still looking for answers in the rotation, but he is more likely to bounce between roles than to keep a starting job all season.

Despaigne started his journey to the majors upon defecting from the Cuban national team in the summer of 2013, and after brandishing a 95-mph fastball during a February workout, he inked a minor league contract with the Padres on May 2. In seven subsequent starts between Double-A and Triple-A, he overtly struggled to the tune of a 6.03 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, and 41:18 K:BB in 31.1 innings, but with the campaign all but lost by midseason, San Diego brass rolled the dice on their investment and accommodated his first career big league nod on June 23. He remained in the rotation for the rest of the season, establishing Jekyll-and-Hyde home-road splits. In particular, he accrued a 1.83 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 39:16 K:BB in 54 frames (eight starts) at Petco Park, versus a 5.31 ERA and 1.77 WHIP on the road. Once spring training arrives, Despaigne will contend for the final spot in the Padres' rotation.