The bullpen competition this spring for the Atlanta Braves will be a fierce one. This afternoon, another name was added to the mix of relievers hoping to break camp with the big league club. According to MLB Trade Rumors, official X (formerly known as Twitter) page, the Braves signed RHP Jake Walsh to a minor league deal.
Walsh was among the eight pitchers given a non-roster invite to Spring Training, along with top prospect Hurtson Waldrep and former shut down closer Ken Giles. While Walsh may not possess the name recognition of the other guys, his minor league numbers showcase he has a chance to make an impact if he impresses this spring.
Who is Jake Walsh?
Walsh was a late round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017, but worked his way to the majors in 2022 thanks to some high strikeout numbers in the minors. However, his taste of big league baseball was short-lived, as he appeared in just three games and pitched just 2.2 innings.
Walsh features a sinker, curveball, and changeup, all of which helped him post a K/9 north of 12 in each level reached from 2021-2022. However, he never found his footing for Memphis is Triple-A during the 2023 season, as his ERA ballooned to 5.28, and his K/9 sat just at 10. This poor performance led to the Cardinals releasing him last July.
Walsh will now try and bounce back and prove he can generate the same amount of swing and miss he once did a couple years ago. Should he get back to some of that this spring, he may pitch himself into a role with the Braves. After all, no one had Michael Tonkin as a name to watch last spring, and he ended up pitching 80 innings for the Braves last season.