RADIO
Andres Munoz 2023 Player Outlook: Elite Arm on the Verge of Fantasy Dominance
2 years agoThe 24 year old Munoz might have only secured four saves in 2022, but he was by far the best reliever on the Mariners. Despite only having thrown 4.1 IP since his MLB debut in 2019 due to Tommy John Surgery, the right-hander rode his electric slider to an impressive breakout campaign. Prior to his surgery, Munoz threw his 100 mph fastball at a 66% clip. In 2022 he flipped the script and instead threw his slider 64% of his pitches. According to BaseballSavant, this filthy slider tied Spencer Strider's cheese for 11th lowest run value among all pitches in the league. At season's end Munoz finished in the top one percent in basically every Expected Statistic and K%. 32 year old Paul Sewald should still have the reigns to the Mariners 9th inning to start 2023, but no man can hold back Andres Munoz. Unfortunately the industry is ahead of the curve here, with an early ADP sitting ~160 compared to Sewald at ~182. The level of ratio and K% dominance Munoz will provide along with at least 10 saves still leaves plenty of value if your league mates sleep on him after the traditional cLoSeRs have been drafted.
