Ty Buttrey

Buttrey has 96th percentile fastball velocity that he is not afraid to use as he utilizes it nearly 60% of the time. His preferred secondary pitch is his slider, but it's his changeup that gets the swings and misses when he's looking to create those with non-fastballs He is rather split-neutral as a reliever in terms of R/L, but in-season, he struggled in the second half with a 5.93 ERA and 1.35 WHIP after the All-Star break. Buttrey has the stuff to close if he can get consistent command of his pitches though Hansel Robles took hold of the job and ran with it last season. Robles lacks the track record, but has a strong leg up as the incumbent. Should something happen to Robles, Buttrey should be next in line. With more consistency, he could be something close to an ace reliever.

The Angels may have acquired their closer for 2019 and beyond for the mere cost of Ian Kinsler. Buttrey had posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 44 innings for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox when Boston sent him west at the trade deadline. Buttrey worked his way into the ninth-inning mix before being shut down a week early with right knee bursitis, posting four saves in an 11-day period in September before blowing his last two opportunities while hurt. Buttrey throws a 96-mph four-seamer over half the time, supplementing it with a slider and changeup. His 14.3 SwStr% was driven by a 25% mark with his slider. Buttrey throws hard, exhibits decent control and induces a plethora of groundballs. Assuming he's healthy, the closer job should be his to lose, making him one of the better options for those choosing the inexpensive saves route.

Coming off a disappointing 2014 season, Buttrey breezed through the first few months of the 2015 season, earning a quick promotion from Low-A Greenville to High-A Salem. He showed the kind of promise that made the Red Sox give him a $1.3M signing bonus in 2012. The results all changed in the second half when he went 2-9 with a 5.45 ERA in 12 starts over 66 innings. His rough patch started once he hit the 70-inning mark. Buttrey's previous season-high was 62.2 innings. He's got a sturdy frame, suggesting he could be a workhorse, but struggles to maintain consistent mechanics, leading to command issues. He also battles his emotions becoming visibly upset when things don't go his way. He throws a fastball (91-93 mph, touching 95) / curveball (he changed from a knuckle-curve to a traditional one, so it is a work-in-progress) / changeup. He was exposed in the Rule 5 draft, but his level of readiness for the majors had teams shying away. He needs another full year of development before we start planning his MLB likelihood.

Buttrey spent the 2013 season with short-season Lowell and flashed potential, sporting a 2.21 ERA over 61 innings. After a miserable first start (four runs in one-third of an inning), he was a model of consistency in run prevention the rest of the way. But there's a sense the 6-foot-6 Buttrey should be better. His fastball reaches 93 mph, but he doesn't sustain that velocity, and he managed a mediocre 5.2 K/9. It remains to be seen if he can gain better command of the fastball, as his body matures and he gains experience. Still, he kept the ball in the yard (no homers allowed) and pitched in the zone for much of the season. Alas, he was far more effective against right-handed batters (.188) than those from the left side (.287). His curve is the better of his secondary offerings, but he's inconsistent with it, and the change is a work in progress. Buttrey projects to open the season at Low-A Greenville, which will be a good challenge for him, and provide a better indication of his ceiling.