The transactions section of right-hander Jake Walsh’s MLB.com profile page indicates that the Braves and Walsh have reached an agreement on a minor league contract. An invitation to major league Spring Training is part of the package.
The 28-year-old Walsh started his professional career as a starter before switching to the bullpen full-time in 2021. The Cardinals selected him in the 16th round of the 2017 draft. Walsh had a 2.17 ERA and a ridiculous 37% strikeout rate between the 2021 and 2022 seasons at both the Double- and Triple-A levels, despite only playing in 40 games over that span due to two extended absences due to injury. Two and a third of those forty frames were played in the main leagues. In May 2022, Walsh made his major league debut in three games, giving up four runs on three hits and two walks in those three outings.
Despite his lacklustre big league debut, Walsh appeared ready for great things going into the 2023 season based on his domination since switching to the bullpen. Sadly, Walsh battled to a 5.28 ERA in 30 2/3 innings of work this past season, so things didn’t turn out that way. While his walk percentage skyrocketed from an elevated but tolerable 11.1% in 2022 to a horrifying 16.2%, his strikeout rate fell to just 23.9%. Due to his severe troubles, Walsh was placed on the injured list by the Cardinals just before they released him unconditionally in July to make room for him on the 40-man roster.
That being said, given the considerable talent the right-hander displayed after switching to full-time relief work, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Walsh establish himself as the team’s top depth option behind the current group, especially if he is able to overcome whatever injury he sustained last summer. When Spring Training gets underway later this month, Walsh will have plenty of competition from fellow non-roster invitees like Ken Giles, Ben Bowden, and Grant Holmes, in addition to arms like Daysbel Hernandez and Ray Kerr who are currently projected to serve as optionable relief depth on the 40-man roster.
