Christian Garcia

Cut loose by the Yankees in 2010 after his second Tommy John surgery, the Nationals took a chance on Garcia and their gamble seems to have paid off. After a conversion to relief to try and save his arm, he tore through the high minors before making his major league debut in September and continuing his dominance, finishing 2012 with an aggregate 11.2 K/9 rate across three levels. His arsenal is almost Strasburg-esque, as he combines a nasty fastball that tops out at 97 mph with a mid-80s changeup and vicious slow curve, and while the Nats have plenty of established closer candidates already, it is hard to watch Garcia pitch and not see a ninth-inning role in his future, health permitting. Perhaps there will be some temptation for Washington to move him back into a rotation role, but given his injury history they are probably better served keeping him in the bullpen.