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Caleb Cotham Should Be Cincinnati Reds’ 2016 Closer If No Free Agent Is Signed

Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Caleb Cotham

Adam Hunger – USA Today Sports

The Cincinnati Reds have placed themselves in quite a pickle. They have repeatedly come out in the media and said that they are 100 percent in favor a of a youth movement. Meanwhile, they don’t have anyone with major league closing experience on their roster. J.J. Hoover is the presumed closer, but he has had issues in the past when he has been over exposed in high leverage situations.

In fact, after Hoover, the Reds don’t have any legitimate holdovers from the 2015 roster. Tony Cingrani and Jumbo Diaz have been mentioned, but both had to be sent down to the minors in 2015 to fix control issues. Carlos Contreras is the only other likely holdover and he has yet to stick with the big league team.

Looking at the trades of Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman, there are some more options who have just arrived. Some Reds fans want to see Brandon Finnegan get a chance. He has the stuff, but, like current Red Michael Lorenzen, he is scheduled to be fighting for a starting rotation spot despite his relief experience. Among the return for Chapman is Caleb Cotham.

Cotham was a rather pedestrian pitching prospect as a starter for the New York Yankees before the 2015 season. Then they moved him full-time into a middle relief position. He flourished in that role, striking out more than a batter per inning and lowering his WHIP to a career best 1.02. He only has two saves, but the closer role in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was shared most of the season by Jose Ramirez and Andrew Bailey.

Meanwhile, Cotham picked up two holds and 12 games finished. He pitched 31 innings over 20 games. He has the stuff to close and has begun to collect the experience to be elite. His career minor league strikeout rate was 2.6, but now as a reliever it is 4.7. During his brief call-up to the Yankees it was 11. These are the numbers you usually see from a starter successfully transitioning to relief.

With the rest of the staff too young or ill-equipped to be a closer, the Reds need Cotham to step up. Placing him at the back end of the bullpen allows the starting staff and other relievers to continue to develop without worrying about pressure that would stunt their growth. Cotham can spend a few years closing for the Reds before they trade him off just like Chapman. By that time Zack Weiss should be ready to come up from the minors.

Nick Vorholt is a writer for www.RantSports.com covering the Cincinnati Reds.

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