Stockpiling Repaired Pitchers: A New Strategy?

There’s an interesting trend that I’ve noticed in the pitching acquisitions made by Atlanta this off-season.  Many of them are coming off of a recent major surgical procedure.  Here’s the list:

• ARODYS VIZCAINO – former top Atlanta prospect traded to the Cubs just after his surgery.  Finally back into pitching shape again, and brought back in the Tommy La Stella trade.  We do appreciate Chicago having lent us Reed Johnson and Paul Maholm while he got healthy again.
• TYRELL JENKINS – Jenkins had surgery in August 2013 to repair the latissimus muscle in his throwing (right) shoulder.  Amazingly, he was able to throw 74 innings for the Cardinals High-A affiliate in 2014, and then was even better over 24 innings in the Arizona Fall League.
• MICHAEL  KOHN – April 2012, Kohn has the Tommy John procedure.  In his case, it was a long time in coming, but was certainly inevitable.  But he was back to pitching in 2013 and 2014, bouncing between AAA and the majors.
• DANIEL WINKLER – Rule 5 Draftee last week at the Winter Meetings.  Was throwing better than anyone in the Rockies organization at the time of his injury.  Colorado tried to sneak him through a roster shuffle, but the Braves pulled the trigger.  He will have plenty of time to work himself back into pitching condition without having to rush.
• AARON KURCZ – just acquired in the trade of Anthony Varvaro to the Red Sox.  Yep – him too:  Missed all of 2013 with a Tommy John procedure.

Next: Braves Need to Make a Statement!

In case you’re curious, recently signed reliever Jim Johnson has not had a Tommy John procedure.  He may have been close in early 2010, when the Orioles shut him down for what was termed “elbow inflammation”.  By late August that year, he was reinstated and was throwing well again – with increased velocity, even (he  dropped back to 2008 levels by 2013-14).  Starter Shelby Miller hasn’t yet seen the disabled list at all – near as I can tell.

But other than Johnson and Miller, all of the experienced pitchers picked up this Fall have been on the operating table within the past couple of years.

Surgery as a Strategy

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It actually makes good sense – financially at least – for teams to take a flyer on pitchers on the rehab trail.

is a prime example.

A former first round draft pick, Jenkins was ranked right beside Shelby Miller on some Cardinals prospect charts in 2011/2012.  By 2013, he dropped to 7th, but the top six all made the majors.  That 2013 year was poor for him, but by the Summer, it became evident exactly why.  His surgery followed in August of that year.

The Braves probably did very well in getting Jenkins as the “extra” player to help balance out the trade of Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden to St. Louis.  It’s a bit of a risk, but he has been able to demonstrate a return to full health – and the promise that made him that top-ten prospect – with a projection to the middle of the rotation someday.

With some of the other players, John Hart pounced on these as perhaps a little to risky to keep on the roster (Kohn, as a minor league free agent), those caught in a team’s roster bind with a lengthy rehab ahead of him (Winkler) or possibly a good bounce-back candidate (Vizcaino).  Relievers seldom make lists of top prospects; but in Kurcz, while he is a bit older (24), he pitched well in both 2014 and in the Arizona Fall League.  Walks are a bit high, but could be another Varvaro-type of pitcher in the next year or two.

In most cases, these pitchers have fairly high upsides – Winkler was not touted as such, but he’s earned that now – with low risk on the part of Atlanta.

Oh, the Irony

Interestingly enough, a couple of the roster spots that these players are now occupying formerly belonged to four other Braves’ hurlers that Atlanta opted to pass on:  Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy, Jonny Venters, and Cory Gearrin.  Each of these players, of course, have had their own Tommy John experiences since Spring… and for reasons associated both with finances and their own risks, they are no longer with us.

The cycle of pitching life continues to revolve.