Brandon Maurer

Despite a significant increase in his ERA (4.52), Maurer maintained many of his peripherals while pushing his strikeout rate to a career-best 9.3 K/9 (24.0 strikeout rate). Once Fernando Rodney was traded to Miami, the Padres had a vacancy in the ninth inning, and Maurer stepped in to take over as the team's closer during the second half. From July 1 on, Maurer went 13-for-15 in save chances, while posting a 3.09 ERA and 25:5 K:BB in 32 innings and holding opposing hitters to a .232/.260/.312 line. Throughout his career, Maurer has carried a low LOB% (65.8 percent), and his 2016 rate was right in line with that norm (66.1). Ultimately, he will need to become more effective in those situations in order to become a steady mid-tier closer, but he will likely begin 2017 handling the ninth inning in San Diego if Carter Capps has any setbacks in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Before shoulder issues began to surface for Maurer toward the middle of the season, he was starting to reach must-own status in holds leagues, pitching to a 1.86 ERA and earning seven holds and five wins over the first three months of the campaign. However, a massive workload -- he had made a whopping 42 appearances by the All-Star break -- finally caught up to Maurer, and he was shut down with shoulder inflammation in mid-August, never to return. Maurer was converted to the bullpen full-time in his final season with the Mariners before the trade to San Diego in December of 2014, and that is likely where he will stay moving forward. There's a strong possibility that he will return to a high-leverage role in 2016, that is if the shoulder is healthy after a full offseason of rest. Perhaps he could eventually push for the closer role in a Padres bullpen that is without a clear replacement for Craig Kimbrel.

After posting a 7.52 ERA in seven starts, Maurer was sent to Triple-A Tacoma in May to transition to a reliever. When he returned in June, he found success in the bullpen that eluded him in the rotation. In 31 relief appearances, Maurer posted a 2.17 ERA with 38 strikeouts and three unintentional walks in 37.1 innings. His FIP dropped from 5.39 as a starter to 1.85 as a reliever. Pitching in relief allowed Maurer to increase his low-90s fastball to the mid-90s, which in turn made his changeup more effective. Maurer used his changeup to neutralize lefties to the tune of a .167 BAA with one extra-base hit in 60 at-bats. In 58 at-bats against lefties as a starter, Maurer allowed a .310 BAA and five extra-base hits, including three homers. Whether he sticks in the bullpen this season is uncertain after he was traded to San Diego in December.

An outstanding spring training won Maurer a job in the rotation last year, but it didn't take long to prove he was overmatched at the big-league level and not ready for the majors. With a 6.93 ERA by late May, the Mariners finally took pity on him and sent him to Triple-A. He wasn't much better in eight relief appearances (6.64 ERA) upon returning, but in his last three September starts, he allowed two runs or less in each and had 17 strikeouts to four walks in 17.1 innings. Much of Maurer's trouble stemmed from his lack of an effective out-pitch against left-handers, against whom he had a 1.94 K/BB and .908 OPS allowed. He has decent strikeout ability and control, but he was forced to tinker with his release point to improve his command (11.4 H/9 for the season). Maurer could compete in spring for a spot on the staff, but he's probably ticketed for Triple-A for more refinement.

Maurer stole the spotlight from the "Big Three" at Double-A Jackson last year en route to Southern League pitcher of the year honors. While high-profile prospects Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker grabbed the headlines, Maurer used four pitches, including a mid-90s fastball, to prove he is a legit prospect after some early-career arm troubles. The 6-foot-6 Maurer has good command and, perhaps most important, stayed healthy all year, throwing 137.2 innings. Whether Maurer is destined for mid-rotation status or a bullpen role largely depends on his ability to avoid the elbow and shoulder problems that plagued him in 2010 and 2011.