Graham Ashcraft should take notes from All-Star closer in transition to Reds bullpen

Graham Ashcraft is at a crossroads. Even if he were to prove himself healthy and capable as a starter in spring training, a move to the bullpen seems all but inevitable. Ashcraft could view this as a demotion or a lack of trust, but if he embraces this new role and takes some cues from one of the best relievers in the league, Ashcraft could emerge as a dominant force.

The biggest knock against Ashcraft as a starter is that he’s essentially a two-pitch pitcher. Sure, he has a sinker and changeup, but if you’re facing him, you can sit on the cutter or slider and probably find some success. Coming out of the bullpen, though, a two-pitch mix isn’t necessarily a detriment. Just look at reigning AL Reliever of the Year and Cy Young finalist Emmanuel Clase.

Graham Ashcraft's move to the Reds bullpen could allow him to remake himself in the mold of Guardians closer Emmanual Clase

While the likelihood of Ashcraft becoming Clase 2.0 is slim, he could absolutely make some changes based on the Cleveland Guardians’ closer. Like Ashcraft, Clase relies on a cutter-slider combo that makes opposing batters look foolish. Ashcraft’s slider is already Clase-esque. The Reds’ righty generates more glove-side break with the pitch than Clase and as a result induced whiffs more frequently.

Ashcraft’s cutter, though, could use some refinement. Clase uses his cutter effectively in all parts of the zone while Ashcraft tends to pepper it down and away (from a right-handed batter’s perspective). The key to Clase’s success is the unique movement of the pitch. His cutter doesn’t break vertically all that much; instead, it appears to rise as it zips through the zone.

This rising effect works in beautiful opposition to the slider, which dips dramatically. To emulate this, Ashcraft will need to increase his spin rate on his cutter. In 2024, his cutter averaged 2416 RPM while Clase sat at 2583 RPM. A move to the bullpen may help Ashcraft with this. He can focus on grip placement and high-intensity effort for a shorter period of time, which may boost his velocity and spin rate.

So far, Ashcraft has shown nothing but tenacity. In his short up-and-down career, he has proved himself to be bullish and resilient. If he tackles this new role with the same intensity (and maybe with some inspiration from the current relief stars), Ashcraft could be the new big thing in the Reds’ bullpen.

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