RADIO
Emmanuel Clase 2022 Player Outlook: Top Four Reliever With Closer Role Locked Up
3 years agoCleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase spent a chunk of 2021 splitting save situations with James Karinchak but was the lone closer in August after the latter started to struggle. He compiled 24 saves with a 1.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 26.5 K% across 69.2 innings. He'll go into next season as the closer once again and will look to keep his momentum going after posting a 0.82 second-half ERA. He uses a cutter that averages 100 MPH and a hard slider with good movement that induces whiffs 40.5% of the time. Clase increased his slider usage throughout the year, reaching 40.9% in September. His K-rate is a bit shocking, seeing that he placed in the 89th percentile for Whiff% and 99th percentile for chase rate. It won't be hard for the right-hander to raise it to around 30%. His excellent run prevention seems sustainable, given that he was the best in the league at limiting barrels, has gotten ground balls 65.9% of the time during his career, and had a walk rate of 5.7% in 2021, leading to a 2.18 xERA. There's nothing concerning with the 23-year-old, and now that he's solidified himself at the back end of the pen, he'll hit the 30 saves plateau. Taking him at his ADP of 64 would be a good pick.
