Mailbag: Bullpen Arms, Langeliers, Weigel, Ball, Backstrom, Anderson

Thanks to everyone who participated in the latest edition of the Braves Prospects Mailbag. Included are thoughts on future bullpen stalwarts, more praise on Shea Langeliers and Patrick Weigel, comparing Bryce Ball and Mahki Backstrom, and projections for Ian Anderson.

Q: Of all of the Braves starting pitching depth who could you see becoming a lights out bullpen piece if they were moved. Please answer without using the word Touki

A: Toussaint?

But seriously, Touki Toussaint is probably my first choice. If you want to go beyond Toussaint, there are a couple possibilities: Kyle Muller and Jasseel De La Cruz.

Muller is still working to develop his secondaries and improve his control and command to remain a starter, but he’s tracking similarly to Sean Newcomb. If he does make the move to relief, he can air out a mid-to-upper-90s fastball and a deep, downward-breaking curveball from an imposing frame and aggressive delivery. The total package seems ideal for late-innings relief, especially considering shorter stints would help mask his control issues.

De La Cruz is destined for relief as a fireballer with a long, violent arm action. He hits upper-90s in short bursts and pairs it with a short but late-breaking, hard-biting slider with plus-plus velo. He has late-innings potential if he throws enough strikes.

Other possibilities include Bryse Wilson, Patrick Weigel and Tucker Davidson, and eventually Victor Vodnik and Daysbel Hernandez. However, there are reasons why they aren’t mentioned higher. Wilson and Weigel seem better suited for middle relief, a multi-inning role or a seventh-inning type. Davidson has late-innings potential with his increased velo and sharper secondaries, but he’s showing starter traits these days. Vodnik and Hernandez are potential middle-relief types in the future.

Q: What are your early thoughts on Langliers?

A: I’ve no doubt written more on Shea Langeliers than any Braves prospect over the past month or so. Here are my spring observations on him and my official scouting report.

Q: Was playing RTTS.  I’m in Triple A for the Braves in August 2020.  I see Scott Kingery as the SS on my team. I see how he was acquired.  My jaw dropped. The front office traded Soroka for Hoskins and Kingery.  Explain this mess and why would they do this?!?!?!

A: That’s almost as bad as only throwing Mike Soroka once in a playoff series.

Q: Completely rational to crown Patrick Weigel as the next coming of Greg Maddux, right?

A: I mean, it’s a free country. You can say it if you want.

Continued props to Weigel for bouncing back from surgery so well. He looked like he belonged in big league camp this spring. Big dude oozing confidence on a major league mound with multiple average or better pitches and throwing strikes. A lost year in 2020 would especially be a bummer for him. He joined the 40-man roster and had momentum this spring as perhaps the first bullpen call-up. He deserves a shot in a major league pen right now.

Q: What are your thoughts on Mahki Backstrom vs Bryce Ball (obviously closer than Backstrom) and the future of 1B after Freddie?

A: As you said, Ball is closer and the gap between the two is not particularly close at the moment. Ball is already getting scout-comp’d to the best first base prospects in the game and could be among that group already. The Braves are super high on him, evident by the non-roster invite in his first spring camp, and he could move quickly if his bat handles advanced pitching, which his feel to hit would indicate yes. Backstrom has a quick bat and big power from a great frame. The Braves did well to draft and sign him, and it’ll be interesting to see how he develops in his first full pro season. But he’s a raw prep product that could go in a number of directions in the next couple years.

If Ball develops properly, he’ll be ready long before Freddie Freeman leaves Atlanta, assuming Freeman signs an extension. The designated hitter is probably Ball’s only chance in Atlanta. But we’re getting way ahead of ourselves with all of this.

Q: I see a lot of Ian Anderson isn’t a frontline starter on (Twitter). Do you believe that and why or why not

A: I don’t think he’s a frontline starter, but that has more to do with the fact that there are very few frontline starters among prospects. I don’t think the current batch of Braves prospects includes a frontline starter. Kyle Wright has the highest ceiling, to me, and I think he settles in as a solid 3. I think Anderson settles as a low 3 or high 4.

Anderson doesn’t have a knockout pitch that projects for a lot of whiffs at the highest level. His fastball, curveball and changeup all grade out average or above with a similar grade for command. That’s a low 3 or high 4.

That sort of role is much more valuable than people realize. Being able to rely on a starter for 180 innings with an average or better ERA has a lot of value to an organization. Some see more in Anderson’s future and that’s fine. Either would be a win for the Braves, especially with Soroka and Max Fried solidifying themselves as rotation leaders.

Q: When do you think Ian Anderson is going to get his chance to make the big club?

A: Anderson isn’t on the 40-man roster yet and probably isn’t first in line among call-ups from Gwinnett’s rotation (assuming some mix of Wright, Wilson and even Davidson is performing well enough to earn a call). Anderson turns 22 in May and doesn’t have a ton of innings at the two highest levels, although he performed well at Mississippi last season. He’s best suited to spend the majority of the season at Gwinnett and get a late-season call with the goal of earning a rotation spot the following spring. Things change quickly, though, and he could get a bigger and earlier role in the majors if things shake out differently.