Addison Reed

Reed served as Mets' closer during Jeurys Familia's suspension but later was traded to Boston and subsequently served as part of the bridge to elite stopper Craig Kimbrel. Reed, who boasts 125 career saves, has rejuvenated his strikeout punch and sparkling walk rate in the last two seasons (combined 2.40 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 across 153.2 innings). In that window, the 29-year-old ranks third among relievers with a 68.9 first-pitch-strike percentage, which helps his efficiency. The right-hander slipped with big flies last year, though, posting his highest flyball (41.3 percent) and HR/FB (12.5) rates since his ugly 2014. The move to Minnesota in the offseason should help mask that flaw, and he may only be a few poor Fernando Rodney appearances away from taking over the closer role.

Pop quiz: In 2016, who led the majors in holds with 40, 10 more than his closest competitor? Of course, we wouldn't be asking if it wasn't Reed. Acquired by the Mets from the Diamondbacks at the 2015 trade deadline, Reed picked up where he left off the previous year, turning into one of the best setup relievers in the league. Central to his success was the return of a double-digit strikeout rate in tandem with the lowest walk rate of his career. His velocity has been remarkably consistent the last four seasons, but his control improved markedly after altering his mechanics while with Arizona. Reed features a deceptive four-seam fastball, mixing in a slider a quarter of the time to induce grounders. Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who led the majors in saves last year, was suspended 15 games for his offseason domestic assault charges that were eventually dropped. Reed will see save chances while Familia is away, and even when he returns to setup work, Reed's strikeouts and ratios should prove useful in many deep leagues that don't count holds.

The Mets acquired Reed from the D-backs in late August just prior to the waiver deadline as a way to fortify their bullpen depth on the verge of their postseason run. Prior to the trade, his strikeout rate (18.8%) was the lowest of his career, and opponents were hitting him at a .281 clip, but the turnaround in Reed's 2015 campaign began in the middle of May. After being removed from the closer's role May 13, the D-backs worked with Reed on mechanical adjustments, and moved him to the first-base side of the pitching rubber. From May 15 on, Reed posted 41:15 K:BB over 46 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .244/.304/.369 line and just two home runs. After being tendered a contract by the Mets during the offseason, Reed will likely reprise his role in the bridge to closer Jeurys Familia again in 2016 with the hope of sustaining the gains he made as last season unfolded.

Reed showed real promise in his first year as a closer back in 2013, so expectations were even higher after he moved to Arizona. Improved strikeout and walk rates should have yielded a better season, but his home-run rate more than doubled, which added nearly a half run to his ERA. Four of his six blown saves involved home runs and only 36 percent of his 62 appearances were clean (no hits, no runs, and no walks), which was one of the worst rates among relievers. Despite the barrel of Pepto Bismol needed to watch him pitch last year, there is still a lot to like with Reed, especially since the Diamondbacks remained committed to him in the closer role. He did still log 32 saves while fanning over a quarter of the batters he faced in a down year, so ironing out the issues could vault him into the upper tier of closers with 35-plus saves and 85-plus strikeouts.

The perk of closing for the worst offense in the American League is that there are generally abundant save opportunities. Such was the case for Reed in 2013. He received 48 save opportunities for a 63-win team, and he successfully closed out 40 of them. Reed's average fastball velocity of 92.7 mph is a few ticks slower than other upper-crust closers, but opposing batters only hit .180 off his four-seamer. He exhibited some fatigue in the season's final month with a 7.88 ERA and a 9:8 K:BB in his nine September appearances. The White Sox traded Reed to Arizona in December, where he will take over as the closer in the D-Backs' rebuilt bullpen while continuing to pitch half of his games in a hitter-friendly home park.

Reed did not start the 2012 season as the White Sox's closer, but he quickly took over the role when Hector Santiago flopped. Reed's ERA remained on the wrong side of 4.00 after May 13 for all but a couple of days, and he will need to improve upon his secondary pitches to become more effective against MLB hitters. Reed's fastball sits in the mid-90s, and he has excelled throughout his professional career at throwing strikes and limiting walks. Manager Robin Ventura may give him a cursory competition in spring training, but look for Reed to start the season as the White Sox's unquestioned closer.

Reed will open 2012 as the club's top pitching prospect now that Chris Sale has graduated to "regular" status, and he stands a real chance of opening the season as the White Sox's closer. He vaulted from the Sally League to the Major Leagues in his first full season as a pro, experiencing very little resistance along the way. He struck out 111 to only 14 walks in the minors and then went on to strike out 12 in six major league appearances. His fastball and slider are good enough for the majors now, and he may ultimately win the opportunity to replace the departed Sergio Santos with a strong spring.