Rio Grande Valley Ocelots 2023 Preview – Part two – The Bullpen

February 9, 2016

Rio Grande Valley Ocelots 2023 Preview

Part Two – The Bullpen

Jorge Nunez – 29 – R – free agent signing 7-6-22

Nunez was signed as a free agent after the Mexican League season in 2022. He would appear in 33 games for the Ocelots down the stretch last season, eventually taking over the closer role. He finished the season with a 4-3 mark, a 2.95 ERA, and 18 saves. Generally pretty good over the course of his career at keeping the ball in the park, he had an odd final year in Mexico where he gave up 15 HR in 68 innings. In no other season had he given up more than 4 HR, and the sudden surge in deep flies might have scared some teams off. The Ocelots, in need of bullpen help at the time, took a chance, and at least over the first year of the contract it seems to have worked out well. His repertoire is a simple old fashioned fastball and curveball, but he throws at 98 with decent movement and very good control. He has a better than 4 to 1 k/w ratio in his career. He had a rough post season, and was a big reason why the Ocelots needed to win so many games late or in extra innings. In 11 appearances, he allowed 3 HR and had a 6.07 ERA. He also managed to vulture 5 post season wins, probably not a stat he will be terribly proud about considering the circumstances. Despite the rough post season, Nunez appears to be capable of being a solid closer over the course of the season. Projected Role: CLOSER.

Marcos Gonzalez – 32 – R – free agent signing 12-16-21

Gonzalez opened the 2022 season as the Ocelots closer, but some mid-season struggles had him give way to Nunez. Gonzalez regained his form as the Ocelots primary setup man, and finished the season 8-7 3.09, with 20 saves, over 77 appearances. Gonzalez was the polar opposite of Nunez in the post season, not allowing a single run in 9 appearances. He is very good at keeping the ball in the park, allowing just 5 HR in 81.2 innings last season, just about in line with his career average. Projected Role: PRIMARY RH SETUP MAN

Jon Miller – 31 – R – free agent signing 12-22-21

One of a plethora of cheap relievers signed by the Ocelots last off season in their quest to rebuild the bullpen, Miller did an excellent job as he posted a 1-3 2.91 mark with 1 save in 54 appearances. Miller doesn’t throw particularly hard, but his skill set of getting ground balls and letting the defense work behind him plays well in RGV, as the Ocelots led the IL in Def Eff. Miller is signed to a dirt cheap contract for two more years. Projected Role: MIDDLE RELIEF

EDITORS NOTE: Just prior to press time, the Ocelots announced that Miller will miss at least three weeks with a slightly torn meniscus in his left knee. This will keep him out at least through the first week of the regular season, and likely a bit longer when a projected rehab assignment is added to the equation. Expect Miller to return to the Ocelots in late April.

Attilio Gaivo – 26 – L – Rule V 12-1-20
We originally detailed Gaivo in part one of the series which detailed the rotation. But as the spring has progressed, the Ocelots are apparently looking to try Gaivo in the left handed setup role. While not the ideal candidate for the role, he is probably better suited to work in a swing man or middle relief role, he may be the Ocelots only available option for the left handed setup role to start the season.

Projected Role: LEFT HAND SETUP

Liu-chun Zhang – 28 – R – free agent signing 2-13-22

Another of the cheap relievers brought in last year during the bullpen rebuild, Zhang had struggled quite a bit in his last two years in NJ, leaving the Hitmen to non-tender him after the 2021 season. The Ocelots took the chance that maybe Zhang’s troubles had as much to do with the losing environment as anything else, and signed him to a one year deal. After really struggling with giving up the long ball in previous seasons, he allowed just 1 HR in 56 innings over the course of 65 appearances. He finished the season 5-2 3.51 with 1 save. He’ll reprise his role as a key arm in the middle innings for the Ocelots in 2023. Projected Role: MIDDLE RELIEF

Bill Carpenter – 31 – L – free agent signing 2-4-23

Carpenter was brought in on a one year deal for a specific role, to get out left handed hitters. When the decision was made to move on from the churlish Martin Cantin, the bullpen was in need of at least one more left handed pitcher. A true left handed setup man was not available, but Carpenter has some solid splits against left handed batters over his career. Last season with London he allowed just 1 Hr in 40.1 innings versus left handed batters while posting an 0.87 whip against lefty batters. Right handed hitters tend to treat him more poorly, however, so his role will be limited. Projected Role: LEFT HANDED SPECIALIST

Travis Hanson – 36 – R – free agent signing 2-1-23

Another veteran arm brought in cheap this off season to help in the bullpen, with the Ocelots seemingly following the same blueprint that saw them sign Miller, Gonzalez, Zhang and Cantin last off season. Hanson was 9-2 3.98 with 4 saves in 68 appearances for IL Champion Arlington last season. Most importantly, he allowed just 3 HR in 83.2 innings of work. Yes, he is getting up there in age, but his career numbers are solid and he is an extreme ground ball pitcher. Like Carpenter, he is signed to a one year deal to help the Ocelots bridge the gap until our young relievers such as Dan Field and Otis Pearson are ready. Projected role: MIDDLE RELIEF

Next man up:

Makoto Shimizu (AAA) – 24 – R – 2nd round draft pick, 2020 LRS draft

Shimizu has made quick progress towards the PEBA level since being drafted in 2020. He was 1-1 4.26 in 7 games, 5 of those starts, in 2022 for the Ocelots. He is 14-5, 3.91, in 175 innings at AAA the last two seasons, leaving little doubt that he is just about ready for the PEBA level. Shimizu hits 98 on the radar gun, and has excellent movement, but it doesn’t translate into high strikeout totals. His stamina is rather weak, and his future role is likely as a swing man. He will likely be the first pitcher called up if the Ocelots find themselves with a need this season, especially if that need arises in the bullpen.

On the Outside Looking In:

Carlos Rodriguez (AAA) – 25 – L – minor league free agent signing 8-8-20

There is no question Rodriguez can rack up some strikeouts, but his lack of control will also lead to a lot of walks and some high pitch counts, limiting his effectiveness. He can bring the fastball at 99, and splitting last year between AA and AAA he punched out 140 batters in 102 innings of work. Though he has 3 pitches and enough endurance to start, his skill set and borderline stamina make him a more likely best fit as a lefthanded specialist. Quite popular among the Ocelot fan demographic best identified as ‘morbidly obese’, Rodriguez is out of options and barring injuries will have a hard time cracking the Ocelots pitching staff this spring. That will likely leave his fate to the fickle tendencies of the waiver wire come early April. Should he somehow pass through waivers, which is at least a slight possibility considering he is signed to a major league contract, he will head back to AAA as insurance.

Projected Role: LEFT HANDED SPECIALIST

EDITORS NOTE: With Miller going on the DL, Rodriguez will likely the final bullpen spot and work as a left handed specialist until Miller’s return.

On the way:

Dan Field – 24 – L – trade with Yuma 6-28-21

A southpaw entering his 4^th year as a pro in 2023, Field has bounced between the bullpen and a starting role in his first three minor league season. He can touch 96 on the gun with a sinker and curveball repertoire, but really needs to find a third pitch if he ever hopes to start at the PEBA level. The Ocelots view him as a potential top shelf set up man, but have also had internal discussions about making him a starter down the line if he can learn that third pitch. He is an extreme ground ball pitcher who excels at keeping the ball in the park. He needs to make progress with his control, and will spend 2023 at AAA. He should be expected to debut with the Ocelots in 2024, no matter which role the Ocelots eventually settle on for the talented southpaw.

Otis Pearson – 22- R – trade with Yuma 4-18-22

Part of the return in the deal that sent highly regarded SS prospect Orlando Barron to Yuma, Pearson figures to be a key piece of the Ocelots bullpen for the latter half of this decade. A hard throwing fastball/slider pitcher who excels at keeping the ball down. He still has a ways to go with harnessing the control, but he figures to move into the setup role in RGV by next season.

Way off in the distance:

Elvis Carter – 22 – R – 6^th rd pick 2022

Carter is a ground ball pitcher who throws in the mid 90’s with a repertoire that is mostly mediocre once you get past his plus sinker. He fields his position well and holds runners well. He impressed with his work at A Nogales in his first professional season, going 6-5 3.30 in 13 starts. His endurance is a bit on the weak side, he won’t work deep into games in a starting role, which has the Ocelots projecting him for a middle relief or swing man role in RGV in 3 or 4 more seasons.

ANALYSIS:

The Ocelots in 2022 received a lot of good innings of relief work out of relievers who had been signed on the cheap after they had fallen out of favor elsewhere. The addition of Nunez at mid season solidified the relief corps.

Going into 2023, Nunez anchors the bullpen in the closer role, and he should be solid. Gonzalez is dependable as the right handed setup man. But beyond those two, the rest of the bullpen still carries a lot of question marks. Miller is already hurt and likely out until late April. Zhang will be hard pressed to repeat last years performance when he allowed just 1 HR on the season. Hanson is long in the tooth and there has to be at least some question about how much he has left in the tank. Gaivo is far from the ideal left handed setup man. The team may start the season carrying not just one, but two lefty specialists in the hopes that they can work the match ups to their advantage most days.

The bottom line is that if the Ocelots have an achilles, it is likely to be the middle innings and bridging the gap from the starters to the late innings. Coming up with a true left handed setup man would probably go a long ways towards solidifying the bullpen, as it would allow Gaivo to work in the middle innings to balance the right handers Miller, Zhang, and Hanson.