Sammy Solis

Solis missed extended time with nerve inflammation in his elbow and the results when he was on the field were ugly, but the peripherals say he deserved much better than a 5.88 ERA. His walk rate was still too high (4.5 BB/9) and Solis struggled with the long ball (1.38 HR/9), but he averaged better than a strikeout per inning and had an exceedingly-low 61.2 percent left-on-base rate. The lefty was much better in the second half with a 2.41 ERA and .190 wOBA against in his final 18.2 innings. Now 29, Solis may never again post the kind of stellar ratios he did in 2016 -- realistically, he's probably in the middle of his 2016 and 2017 numbers in terms of true talent. With improved health, which is far from a given considering his injury history, Solis could challenge Enny Romero for top left-handed setup duties for the Nationals in spring training.

Solis enjoyed a breakout season in the Nationals' bullpen, logging a 2.41 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 41 innings, but he also continued to run into injury issues, a major theme throughout the 27-year-old's career. He missed September and half of August due to shoulder inflammation and had to sit out most of July with knee soreness. Outside of that time missed, he was brilliant thanks to an arsenal built around a mid-90s fastball and a hard curveball that he frequently deployed with two strikes. An increase in curveball usage gave Solis the best strikeout numbers of his career despite spending most of his time in the majors. It also helped make him effective against hitters on both sides of the plate, with a .556 OPS against left-handers and a .639 mark against righties. That platoon neutrality should give him a leg up heading into 2017 as the bullpen's top southpaw.

Solis once again battled through arm issues, this time a bout of shoulder soreness that cost him a couple of weeks in June, but when he was healthy he demonstrated that he could be an asset out of the bullpen for the Nationals. The 27-year-old left-hander posted excellent numbers for Triple-A Syracuse and didn't look out of place in 18 appearances with Washington, complementing a mid-90s fastball with a solid curve and changeup. Surprisingly, he pitched better against right-handed batters (.255/.300/.418, with 14 strikeouts in 55 at-bats) than he did against lefties (.355/.364/.355, with just three K's in 31 at-bats), so he may need to sharpen one of his offspeed offerings in order to find an out pitch against same-side hitters. He's still adjusting to a relief role, though, and given his draft pedigree (second round pick in 2010) and arsenal, Solis could emerge as a valuable arm in an unsettled Nats bullpen this season.

The left-hander seemed on the road to recovery from his Tommy John surgery with a good showing in the 2013 Arizona Fall League, but more elbow soreness limited Solis to just 18.1 minor league innings last year and put his career in doubt. Before he got hurt, he flashed a mid-90s fastball and darting breaking ball. As a former second-round pick, Solis still retains a little prospect cache, but his inability to develop a useful third pitch likely has him ticketed for the bullpen in the majors. His window to prove he can stay healthy and be effective is closing rapidly, and 2015 could be his last chance to prove he has a place in the Nationals' future plans.

After missing all of 2012 following Tommy John surgery, Solis was touching 95 mph with his fastball in the AFL and showed more than enough to warrant a spot on the 40-man roster. He may get a look in spring training as a possible bullpen option, given the current lack of left-handed relievers on the depth chart, but long term his future still appears to be in the rotation. If he does break into the majors as a LOOGY, keeper league owners should give serious thought to saving an endgame dollar for him.

Solis made impressive strides in his pro debut two years ago, including an uptick in velocity from his NCAA days, but after losing all of 2012 to Tommy John surgery he will need to prove himself all over again. Given his strong secondary offerings if his fastball regresses back to the 88-92 mph range he showed in college, his control and command should be enough for him to have some success as a classic finesse lefty, but if he can keep popping it at 91-94, Solis has mid-rotation upside. The Nationals will treat him with kid gloves this season, but he could be pushing hard for a major league audition in 2014.

Solis spent all of 2011 at Low-A and High-A where he posted above-average peripherals (8.65 K/9IP and 2.14 BB/9IP) along with a 3.26 ERA. The left-hander throws from a three-quarter angle featuring a 91-93 mph fastball with a good curveball and strong change-up. His command is major league ready, but he needs to show that he can get more swings and misses. Solis experienced elbow pain in spring training and it was determined that he needed Tommy John surgery. He'll miss the entire 2012 season, as a result.

The Nationals accumulated an awesome amount of long-term potential in last year's draft in the form of Bryce Harper and AJ Cole, but Solis is likely to be the first member of the class to reach the majors. An extremely polished college lefty, his large frame doesn't generate huge velocity but he touches 93 mph with his fastball and can put it exactly where he wants it. Add in a very good changeup and Solis just needs to refine his breaking pitches a little more before he'll be knocking on the door of the big league rotation. He won't be an ace, but he should be able to munch innings with the best of them.