Cincinnati Reds hope that Austin Brice can develop into closer with patience

The Cincinnati Reds traded for Austin Brice in the hopes that he can someday be the closer for the big league team.

The Cincinnati Reds traded the best starting pitcher from their 2016 team in Dan Straily to get Austin Brice in the hopes that he might be an MLB closer someday.  Brice wasn’t a reliever prior to the 2016 season.  Based on spring training results this year and regular season results last year, it is hoped that he can become a closer for the Reds eventually.

Brice started in Double-A last season before getting the call up to Triple-A and then the majors.  As a reliever in the minors, Brice had an ERA below 3.00.  When he got to the majors, his ERA erupted to over 7.00.

Brice entered 2016 at Double-A for the second season in a row.  That is not usually a good sign.  Entering 2016 it appeared that Brice was returning to Double-A in order to go deeper into games.

As a minor league starter Brice averaged less than five innings per start his first three years in the minors.  In 2015 he finally averaged right at five innings per start.  In 2016 he was fine until the Marlins moved him from the rotation to the bullpen in Double-A.

There is reason for the Cincinnati Reds to hope that Austin Brice can make the transition to closer.

More from Reds News

• Reds vs. White Sox: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin adds another twist to offseason roster construction
• Reds: Signing Tyler Mahle to a contract extension should be a top priority
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin should get first major league start vs Pirates
• Reds should unquestionably bring Wade Miley back in 2022

In three stops as a reliever last year Double-A was the only place where his WHIP was over 1.00.  That is the primary stat that predicts success as an MLB closer.  Once Brice left the rotation, his control got better and better.

As a starter, Brice has had trouble with walks.  As a reliever, he has not.  The more that Brice works in the bullpen, the more it looks like he will succeed.

This is what the Reds need for two reasons.  The first is that Raisel Igelsias is eligible for arbitration after this season and will quickly become unaffordable.  The other is that there is still hope that Michael Lorenzen may end up the starting ace for the Reds.

In order to get Lorenzen back into the rotation the Reds must find a long term solution at the backend of the bullpen.  Brice joins Barrett Astin and the Reds’ latest Cuban signing, Vladimir Gutierrez, as pitchers that the Reds are looking at.  If one of them looks like the answer this season, then Lorenzen could be fighting for a spot in the rotation in 2018.

Next: Tyler Mahle is next in line to make his debut

Even if Brice cannot make it all the way to closer’s role, the Reds want to see him succeed.  He can be another multi-inning reliever, if the Reds keep trying to make things go that way.  With the Reds set-up as they are now, Brice can afford to learn his craft in Louisville.