Braves Turn Page On Walker, Pfeifer: Context, Final Reports
It would seem rare for an organization to release or designate for assignment a player still considered by some to be a prospect. The Braves have done it twice in the span of a couple weeks.
They released Jeremy Walker on Feb. 12 as a 40-man corresponding move to claiming Travis Demeritte off waivers. The Giants signed Walker on Wednesday.
The Braves designated Phil Pfeifer for assignment Tuesday as a 40-man corresponding move to signing Jake Lamb.
I had Walker in the 40 overall tier as a potential middle reliever. His development turned a corner in 2019 when he moved to the bullpen full-time, allowing his two-pitch mix to play better in short bursts and taking advantage of excellent control for a reliever.
The fastball graded above-average potential, sitting 92-95 and touching 96 with solid-average command and above-average sink. The pitch flashed plus with plus heavy movement at the knees in the upper part of the velo band, but the pitch’s ceiling was limited because of a reliance on weak contact and location.
Walker’s breaking ball graded average potential with above-average depth and downward action. He showed enough feel to drop it into the zone for an early strike or induce weak contact off the plate. Similar to the fastball, the curveball lacked ceiling because of a reliance on contact, but it was a serviceable secondary in short bursts.
The 25-year-old is a big guy with big present strength and an excellent pitcher’s frame. He throws strikes at a very high rate for a reliever and has shown enough of a two-pitch mix to work in the majors.
My first thought after the release was that Walker’s health status may have been uncertain following a 2020 shoulder injury, or his stuff had not bounced back. But the Giants scooped him up within days. It could simply be a case of an organization wanting to move on from a 25-year-old reliever when there are tons of arms in the upper levels. The 2020 season proved unfortunate timing for Walker, who likely would have been given a decent chance in the bullpen if not for the shoulder strain that ended his season.
Pfeifer is probably considered past the age of eligibility for most prospect lists, but I don’t stick to an age cutoff. The 28-year-old still fit the bill of a prospect because of his developmental rise in 2019. He worked himself back into the picture by increasing the sharpness of his stuff, and it culminated in a 40-man roster spot in November of that year.
Like Walker, Pfeifer’s 2020 season was a case of unfortunate timing. He suffered a left elbow injury that derailed his season before it began. In fact, he went on the disabled list the same day in July as Walker.
I had Pfeifer in the 35+ tier as an up/down middle reliever. The fastball showed above-average potential when located in the upper part of a 91-94, t96 velo band, but the life of the pitch varied and was very hittable at 91 on the plate. Pfeifer’s standout pitch was an above-average-potential curveball that flashed plus with excellent downward tilt and plus depth. The spin was tight and produced solid bite. He also mixed in a sweeping slider and firm changeup that both graded below.
I didn’t see a consistent major league role for Pfeifer in Atlanta before 2021, and the significant number of arms in the upper levels right now meant opportunities were scarce. I’m glad the Braves rewarded his hard work with a 40-man spot. He’s been through a lot, and it was awesome to see him bounce back to become a legitimate prospect again. Now, it’s probably best for his career that he gets claimed and is given a chance elsewhere.
EDIT: The Braves outrighted Pfeifer on Friday, meaning he cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett. He will remain in the organization for now.
The Braves have made an array of waiver claims, non-guaranteed signings and minor league deals this offseason. The budget is apparently tight, so it makes sense to throw numbers at the bullpen and bench. The org has a history of success with this approach. Most of the new names will compete in spring training and will either earn one of the final roster spots, become minor league depth or leave the org after camp.
I expect Jake Lamb to make the roster, and I’m not sure what the plans are for Jason Kipnis. Beyond them, new guys like Demeritte, Phillip Ervin, Guillermo Heredia and Hendrik Clementina will end up at Triple-A, Double-A or out of the org after a while, along with new names I already detailed earlier this month. Some of those players are already out of the org or were recently DFA’d, for that matter.