Matt Waldron

After tossing 41.1 innings in his first major-league cup of coffee in 2023, Waldron got a much longer look in 2024 with 146.2 frames covering 27 appearances (26 starts). The right-hander struggled out the gate but then turned things around with a 1.95 ERA over nine outings from mid-May to late June. That span turned out to be a mirage, however, as Waldron struggled in the latter part of summer to the point that he spent most of September in the minors. Waldron went to his knuckleball 38.2% of the time last season, and his metrics mostly fits what you'd expect from a pitcher who specializes in that offering, including a low strikeout rate (21.3%) and a hard-hit rate that ranked in 79th percentile leaguewide. He does issue fewer free passes (6.5% career walk rate) than most knuckleballers, which could be critical in helping him maintain a role in the majors, but it's hard to envision Waldron as more than a back-end starter with an unappealing fantasy profile.