Yoervis Medina

For the second consecutive season, Medina defied his peripheral stats and lack of control to get impressive results in the Seattle bullpen. From late April through August, Medina posted a 1.62 ERA and .196 BAA in 46 outings. He wore down in September when he allowed six earned runs in 9.2 innings. He actually lowered his season ERA from 2013, though his FIP was again nearly a run higher. Medina compensates for his deficiencies with a sinking fastball that induces groundballs and weak contract (2.44 GB/FB ratio). The Mariners mostly used him in a setup role last season, but he's probably better suited for middle relief. In high-leverage situations, he was tagged for a .727 OPS and posted a 1.80 K:BB ratio. Even if Medina, who led the team with 21 holds, has his role adjusted in 2015, he likely will still log 60-plus appearances for a third consecutive season.

Medina was not on the radar in spring training last year but ended up pitching a team-high 68 relief innings in 2013. While he posted a solid strikeout rate, Medina's 2.91 ERA was probably something of a fluke. He stranded nearly 80 percent of his runners and had a .267 BABIP – neither of which is likely to be repeated – and his FIP was 4.01. Medina's good luck also covered for his poor control. Even accounting for his seven intentional walks, he still walked 33 batters for a 4.4 BB/9. A groundball pitcher with a mid-90s fastball who is equally tough on both sides of the plate, it's easy to see why the Mariners increasingly used Medina in a higher-leverage situations last year. If he doesn't conquer his control, walks likely will bite him this season if his luck changes.