Kevin Jepsen

Kevin Jepsen

40-Year-Old PitcherP
 Free Agent  
2025 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Kevin Jepsen in 2025. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers in December of 2017. Released by the Rangers in May of 2018.
Let go Friday
PFree Agent  
May 25, 2018
Jepsen was released Friday after refusing a minor-league assignment, John Blake of the Texas Rangers reports.
ANALYSIS
Jepsen was designated for assignment Monday, and he'll look to catch on elsewhere after being cut. He accrued a 5.94 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with eight strikeouts across 16.2 innings with the Rangers this season.
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2018
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Kevin Jepsen See More
Collette Calls: The Three Most Intriguing New Pitches of 2020
June 8, 2020
Jason Collette has been tracking new pitches every spring since 2014. How often are those new pitches successfully incorporated? And which new pitches should we be watching closely in 2020?
AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
April 22, 2018
Erik Siegrist dives into the free-agent pool in the American League and expects big things from new Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.
MLB Barometer: The First Month Is the Hardest
April 3, 2018
Derek VanRiper offers advice on navigating the first month of the season, which is the most difficult for fantasy owners to manage. Plus, this week's Risers and Fallers, including the A's Marcus Semien.
AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
April 1, 2018
Erik Siegrist checks out the waiver-wire talent in the American League and expects the injury-challenged Yankees to give top prospect Miguel Andujar a long look.
The Z Files: Closing Arguments
January 11, 2017
Todd Zola examines different approaches for handling saves, and wonders if most fantasy owners are properly pricing the production of elite closers like Kenley Jansen.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2003
Jepsen was shipped to the Rays by the Twins at the trade deadline with the hopes that a change of scenery would help him right the ship on a disastrous first half. The results were only slightly better in Tampa, where he still was touched up for a 5.68 ERA and .360 wOBA over 19 frames. The veteran experienced regression across the board in 2016, including with his K/9 rate (6.3), BB/9 (3.8) and HR/9 (2.2) rates, as well as batting average against (.305). Meanwhile, his hard contact rate allowed (37.5 percent) was the highest of his nine major league seasons despite his fastball still regularly clocking in the low-90s, and hitters of both handedness hit over .300 against him. Jepsen became a free agent in early November, and given what is now a multi-season slide, offers limited fantasy upside even after joining a Diamondbacks organization with relatively few proven options in the bullpen.
Jepsen will be a key setup man for the Twins after coming over in a trade from Tampa Bay at the deadline last season. He was having another solid season as a setup man with the Rays, although he walked a few too many batters (4.3 BB/9). Shortly after his trade to Minnesota, he took over as the team's closer while Glen Perkins was injured. Jepsen converted 10-of-11 save chances and helped keep the Twins in the playoff hunt. He didn't repeat his career-high 10.0 K/9 from 2014, but he still struck out batters at a decent 7.6 K/9 clip. He also allowed just a .653 OPS against lefties after struggling with them in recent seasons. He'll serve as Minnesota's primary setup man to begin the season and he could see save chances again given Perkins' health problems the past two seasons.
Jepsen came into spring training in 2014 having changed to a three-quarters delivery in order to lower his walk rate, and also began featuring a changeup in place of his cutter in an attempt to have a better success rate against left-handed batters. While his walks actually increased slightly from 2013 (8.5 to 8.9% BB%) the 30-year-old saw a real difference when facing southpaws, as he tallied a .628 OPS against them after allowing an OPS of .865 in 2013. This, combined with the highest strikeout rate of his career (28.9%) allowed Jepsen to pitch to a career-best 2.63 ERA in 65 innings. Jepsen has a fastball that averaged 95.5 mph, but he relied heavily on his newly-cultivated changeup and curveball last season, throwing the No. 1 just 62 percent of the time. Acquired by the Rays during the offseason, Jepsen may be called upon to close out games to begin the season while Jake McGee recovers from elbow surgery.
Jepsen was thought to be one of the top contenders for a setup role last season coming off a strong campaign in 2012, but the hard-throwing right-hander had an injury-plagued campaign, missing more than a month in April with a strained lat muscle before being shut down for good in August due to an emergency appendectomy. Jepsen threw the ball well in 2013, as evidenced by his 9.0 K/9 and 0.8 HR/9 numbers, but was victimized by both a high BABIP (.345) and a strand rate of just 67.6%, leading to a 4.50 ERA. With very few roles in the Angels' bullpen solidly spoken for, Jepsen could conceivably be used in a number of different capacities in 2014, as he is a reliever with an effective skill set who can touch 96 mph with his fastball.
Jepsen had a terrible April last year and spent May and June in the minors, but after getting called back up in July he was able to assert his place in the Angels' bullpen, posting a 1.69 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 37.2 innings. His strong numbers over that period were backed by solid peripherals, namely a 34:10 K:BB and 0.5 HR/9. Jepsen figures to open the season working as part of the improving bridge to the Angels' closer, although he's now further down the list of options in the ninth inning with the addition of Ryan Madson during the offseason.
After appearing in 122 games out of the Angels bullpen between 2009 and 2010, Jepsen struggled through a rough 2011 season. A 7.62 ERA and dreadful 6:9 K:BB ratio through 16 appearances earned Jepsen a ticket to Triple-A in mid-June, and a knee injury suffered shortly thereafter ended his season in mid-July. Despite last season’s struggles, Jepsen’s history will give him a shot at earning a spot in the bullpen during spring training.
Jepsen pitched a bit better last season than he did in 2009, but his impressive 61:29 K:BB ratio in 59 innings was offset by a 1.407 WHIP. Jepsen, who reaches the upper-90s with his fastball, is a potential closer of the future in Anaheim; but he is also a valuable trade chip that could net the Angels another starter or position player. The Angels have yet to name an official closer, but expect Jepsen to be one of the top setup options in front of the pitcher that wins the job, likely Fernando Rodney.
Jepsen pitched much better than his 4.94 ERA indicated, with a nearly 3.0 K/BB ratio and a great groundball rate. He simply had a lot of hits get through. Jepsen has been a reliever since 2007, but has the skills and size of a starter. There's not much chance that he'll close, but his ERA will come down by a run, making him useful as a staff filler.
Jepsen split last season between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Salt Lake but pitched effectively enough in a short major league stint late in the season to be included on the Angels’ opening round playoff roster. Jepsen is a hard-throwing right-hander who struck out 56 batters over 54.2 minor league innings last season while holding opposing batters to a miniscule .204 batting average. Jepsen will turn 25 in the middle of next season, and will either begin 2009 with Salt Lake or in the majors, depending on what happens in spring training. If Jepsen starts the season with Salt Lake, expect him to be among the first guys called up if the Angels need to tweak their bullpen.
More Fantasy News
Dropped by Texas
PTexas Rangers  
May 21, 2018
Jepsen was designated for assignment Monday.
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Picks up second hold
PTexas Rangers  
April 23, 2018
Jepsen retired the side in order, striking out one, to register his second hold of the season in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Mariners.
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Next in line for saves
PTexas Rangers  
March 29, 2018
Jepsen will be behind Keone Kela for save chances to begin the season, Levi Weaver of The Athletic Dallas reports.
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Mentioned as closer option
PTexas Rangers  
March 27, 2018
Manager Jeff Banister included Jepsen when talking about his options to close games, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. "We have a couple of guys we are comfortable closing out a game for us," the manager said. "[Keone] Kela, [Kevin] Jepsen, [Jake] Diekman ... these guys have shown the ability to close games for us. We have some options available to us."
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Set to make Opening Day roster
PTexas Rangers  
March 27, 2018
Jepsen will make the Rangers' Opening Day roster, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
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