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Ray and I have been providing you with our fantasy prospect rankings for 2012, and you can find the previous positions here:
Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Third Base
Shortstop
Outfielder
Starting Pitching
Relief pitching may be one of the hardest positions to rank in terms of prospects, as relievers tend to be failed starting pitchers more than groomed specifically for relief. That said, there are a few prospects expected to play a major role in bullpens across the majors. The criteria for my relief pitcher prospects are this:
- Less than 50 IP across the last two seasons
- Less than 40 IP in 2011
Relief Pitching Top Prospects for 2012
2. Fautino de los Santos (OAK)
My thoughts about some of these prospects after the jump....
- Reed seems like he has a very good chance to end up as the closer in Chicago. Realistically, Matt Thornton may be the only other pitcher in that bullpen that keeps him from being the closer.
- Fautino de los Santos seems to me like he has an outside shot at being the closer in Oakland, but his control numbers still seem likely to cause more pain than he might be worth to your fantasy team.
- I don't see Vizcaino being moved back into the rotation simply because there are at least 6 and maybe 7 options for the 5 rotation spots as it stands now.
- The options kind of get ugly fast when you start looking at relievers, as there really have been very few who were groomed specifically for relief from the minors. Pitchers like Huston Street and Jordan Walden come to mind, but even Walden was only converted in 2010. Realistically, I look for a high strikeout rate, and hopefully a scouting report of some kind that will tell you that the pitcher has two solid pitches.
Top Relief Pitching Prospects for Dynasty Leagues
1. Addison Reed (CHW)
2. Arodys Vizcaino (ATL)
3. Fautino de los Santos (OAK)
4. Eduardo Sanchez (STL)
6. Heath Hembree (SFG)
7. Cory Burns (CLE)
8. Chance Ruffin (SEA)
9. Shawn Tolleson (LAD)
10. Justin de Fratus (PHI)
- Overall, I tried to look at relievers who are relatively young, were closing in the minors last season, and had high strikeout rates.
- Tolleson seems like a sleeper to me here, as he had 105 strikeouts across 3 levels in just 69 innings pitched. He could be another flame-throwing arm for the Dodgers' bullpen behind Javy Guerra and Kenley Jansen by the end of 2012.
- Hembree is another high strikeout pitcher (78 in 53 innings pitched), and closed out 38 games between High-A and AA. He could be the heir apparent to Brian Wilson in another year or two in San Francisco.
No Rex Brothers?
Lesean25 - January 5, 2012
Just passed the 40 IP number I was using
But he’d probably be right behind Addison Reed – I would be a bit surprised if Rafael Betancourt was closing there at the end of the season.
Jason Hunt - January 5, 2012
+1
Ray Guilfoyle - January 5, 2012
Betancourt
You really want a closer, like Brothers, with a BB/9 in the mid 4’s. Betancourt post AS break was arguably the best RP in baseball. Check the numbers they don’t lie.(28IP 42 K’s 1 BB 1ER allowed) If the Rockies are in the pennant race, I just don’t see them having the where with all to have a rookie closing.
smokeymcpots - January 5, 2012
Do you think Betances has any chance at being in the rotation?
I wonder if they try to make him a full-time reliever, if they will do so with the hopes that he can be their closer of the future. Of course, he would need to improve his control, but maybe the transition could ease that.
That being said, the back end of the rotation looks shaky and I wouldn’t be surprised if they needed two starters from the farm unless they make some more moves.
The Congo Hammer - January 5, 2012
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