Should Arodys Vizcaino or A.J. Minter be the Atlanta Braves closer in 2018?
By John Le
Should the closer for the Atlanta Braves be Vizcaino or new-comer Minter next season?
2018 should be an exciting season for the Atlanta Braves as the franchise start a new chapter lead by a new GM. More prospects will hit the scene and others joining the squad. So the team will begin to look quite different. Among the changes is a different bullpen, and that leaves the question: who should have the closer spot?
Last season, we got a taste of what could be a strong bullpen with showcases from Sam Freeman, Akeel Morris, Jose Ramirez, Dan Winkler and a few others. Adding to that was the debut of AJ Minter, someone who Braves Country had been eagerly anticipating to see.
To many fans, Minter is the rightful heir to a throne that hasn’t really been filled since Craig Kimbrel. Since the trade of Kimbrel, the closer role has been filled by Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson, Mauricio Cabrera and another candidate for “Closer of the Future”, Arodys Vizcaino.
The ‘Viz’
Vizcaino returned to the Braves in 2014, a year before Minter was drafted. However, it was a rough start as Vizcaino was suspended for 80 games for PEDs. Shortly after his suspension ended, he was brought up to help a bullpen that had lost Grilli to injury and Johnson via trade.
He got his first save that August and that started his path to be the closer of the future. He did a great job too, ending the season with 9 saves and an ERA of 1.60 in 36 appearances.
In 2016, Vizcaino opened the season where he left off, pitching to a 1.52 ERA through June before it just went down hill. Vizcaino began to struggle heavily, before being placed on the DL…not once but twice! One in July and the other in August, effectively losing the closer role.
Johnson -who had return to the Braves- was promoted from being the set-up man to closer.
For the 2017 season, Vizcaino came back stronger. In 62 games, he had 14 saves with an ERA of 2.83. The role was mostly filled by Johnson, even when he was struggling. Now that Johnson is gone, Vizcaino can slide back into the role…or will he?
Minter Is Coming Here
Vizcaino can go back to being the closer for the Braves, a role that he has absolutely earned and has proven so.
However, so has A.J. Minter, sort of. The lefty made his highly anticipated debut last season on August 23, and has since pitched 16 games in the major. With that came 3 games finished, an ERA of 3.00 and 26 TOTAL STRIKEOUTS!
16 games in the majors is only a sample and Minter wasn’t even put in save situations. However, those numbers say he could be something special. In 2016 in the minors, Minter had a 1.30 ERA pitching 31 games over 3 levels. Then a 3.33 ERA over 4 levels for 2017.
Minter was handled with caution during his time in the majors after landing on the DL back in April. It’s likely the Braves will do the same for next season, depending on how he does in spring training.
The 24-year-old is ranked as #20 on MLB Pipeline’s version of Atlanta’s top prospect list but I expect him to move up.
What Could Happen
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If I had to pick now for Opening Day, I would say Arodys Vizcaino gets the closer role, and keep it as long as he’s completing saves. Minter would have the set-up man/late innings role.
He’ll also jump in to avoid having Vizcaino close consecutive games. He’ll most likely share it with Jose Ramirez. This avoids packing pressure on Minter and staying cautious for what should be his first full season in the majors.
The last time the Braves -and Braves Country- loaded pressure on a prospect that’s expected to factor into a major part of the future, it didn’t go so well.
Beyond 2018, I have no clue because anything can happen, but by the end of 2018, Minter could become the closer. There has been talks since the end of the 2015 season of Vizcaino being a trade chip. With his value still quite high, he should get the Braves a strong return. He is also still only 27 years old which only adds to his value.
Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos could decide that with what they have in the bullpen, they only need one of two potential young elite closer. If they chose to ship one of, most likely it would be Vizcaino since he’s proven. This offseason, the Braves added a few arms to join the ‘pen along with other young arm already in the system.
The other path, which I prefer, is keep both and along with 2017 set-up man Ramirez, create another dangerous bullpen trio. The Braves once had a 3-headed monster in the form of Kimbrel, Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty, and could make another.
Final Statement
My final statement is that for the 2018 season, Arodys Vizcaino should be the closer due to his veteran experience in that role while protecting A.J. Minter.
If Minter continues to improve and stay healthy, he could and should eventually take over. For now though, go with ‘The Viz’.
Next: Is There A Lesson To Be Learned?
Barring a trade or an injury between now and Opening Day, Vizcaino will be the one to close those wins for the Atlanta Braves.