Huascar Ynoa

Chances are, we will not see Ynoa pitch at any level in 2023 after he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in September. His 2022 season started in ominous fashion as he was rocked for five earned runs over three innings against Washington. After a second poor start, Atlanta optioned Ynoa to Triple-A Gwinnett. The numbers with Gwinnett suggest he was never healthy (5.68 ERA, 1.39 WHIP over 77.2 innings), and with that in mind, it's tough to glean too much from his campaign. The right-hander showed a lot of promise as a 23-year-old rookie in 2021 when he turned in a 20.2 K-BB% over 91 innings. He also showed his immaturity when he punched a bench in frustration and fractured his hand, necessitating a trip to the 60-day injured list. Ynoa is a heavy-slider pitcher and may need to dial back its usage to protect his arm long term.

The Durham Bulls were once a minor-league franchise in the Atlanta organization, and Crash Davis could have come in handy in 2021 to converse with Ynoa and remind him you never punch with your pitching hand. Ynoa came into the season on fire, winning four of his first seven starts with a 2.23 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while holding hitters to a .186 average. The underlying numbers provided warning signs it could not last, and indeed it came crashing down in his eighth outing when Milwaukee lit him up and chased him in the fifth inning. Ynoa punched the bench out of frustration and broke his pitching hand, leading him to miss the next three months. He pitched to an 0-4 record with a 5.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and .227 opponents' average over nine starts following his return. His postseason was then cut short with shoulder issues, which bears watching in the spring. Given his two-pitch makeup and durability issues, Ynoa may end up in the bullpen.

Ynoa appeared in his second season of big-league action in 2020, though the young right-hander struggled mightily in limited appearances. He started five of his nine appearances, finishing with a 5.82 ERA and 1.66 WHIP to go along with a 17:13 K:BB over 21.2 innings. He also posted an unappealing 4.90 FIP and a walk percentage of 13. It's clear the 22-year-old is still trying to find consistency as far as his command is concerned, though he does have impressive stuff. Ynoa's fastball sits in the upper 90's, and he also features a slider as his No. 2 pitch to go along with a changeup that he doesn't throw nearly as often. He'll be in the conversation to battle for a rotation spot with Atlanta heading into the 2021 campaign, but the Braves have an abundance of young talented arms. Ynoa could find himself in a relief role, at least in the early going.

Signed as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic for $800,000, Ynoa sparkled in the Gulf Coast rookie league. Ynoa, the younger brother of Michael Ynoa, had a 3.18 ERA and 9.0 K/9 with good control (2.1 BB/9). He has a low-90s fastball that should improve as he grows and is seen as having strong secondary pitches. He's a prospect who could improve rapidly in 2017.