Post-hype prospect to watch: Matt Wisler, P, Cincinnati Reds

[Lark11]

www.minorleagueball.com/2018/11/24/18109615/post-hype-prospect-to-watch-matt-wisler-p-cincinnati-reds

Post-hype prospect to watch: Matt Wisler, P, Cincinnati Reds
Third team’s the charm?
By AsherFeltman Nov 24, 2018, 9:01am EST



In 2016, Matt Wisler’s second career MLB season, he started 26 games and pitched 156.2 innings for the Atlanta Braves. That followed 109 innings in his rookie season.

Over both 2017 and 2018, he threw just 72.1 innings. In that time, he moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen for Atlanta’s Triple-A Gwinnett and was traded for the second time to his home state of Ohio, joining the Cincinnati Reds.

A seventh-round pick in 2011, he was first traded from the San Diego Padres to the Braves in 2015, headlining the package for closer Craig Kimbrel.

All but MLB ready, his Major League debut came two months after the trade in June. He was decent at best in his first two seasons as a Brave and has never found his groove at the big league level. His career numbers are a tad unsightly, to say the least.

His career ERA is over 5.00 and he’s never translated his emerging prospect status prior to the first trade into productive MLB play. He pitches to contact without a power, modern-day fastball and has become quite hittable at the top level.

Until the second trade last season. After going from the Braves to the Reds, he performed well in Cincy’s bullpen after being part of a trade deadline package for Adam Duvall.

Prior to the trade, his struggles in Atlanta continued to the tune of a 5.40 ERA in 26.2 MLB innings. His woes bled a bit into his Gwinnett numbers, as well, with an ERA of 4.37 there in 13 starts. Not bad by most measures, but a step down from a 2017 3.56 ERA and not preferred numbers from a pitcher vying for a return to the grandes ligas.

After the trade to Cincinnati, the Reds made eight of his 10 outings at Triple-A Louisville relief appearances. He performed well and was promoted to his third MLB roster. There, he had a 2.03 ERA in 11 showings out of the bullpen in 13.1 innings.

Heading into 2019, the Reds have a lot of young arms to sort out. Hopefully the 26-year old Wisler has found his niche in the bullpen.

[cbassxu]

It's not a franchise changing deal by any stretch, but trading a non-tender candidate for two lottery tickets/change of scenery candidates in Wisler and Sims was a really nice move even if both of them never make an impact in a Reds uniform.

[dukecrunchybagel]

I think the Wisler ship has sailed and crashed into the rocks.

If the Braves couldn't get him to be a consistent starter, I have zero faith in the Reds having any chance to do it.

[crashdavissports]

Nov 26, 2018 13:28:13 GMT -5 dukecrunchybagel said:

I think the Wisler ship has sailed and crashed into the rocks.

If the Braves couldn't get him to be a consistent starter, I have zero faith in the Reds having any chance to do it.

What about with the new pitching coach?

[dukecrunchybagel]

Well, Wisler is certainly the type of reclamation project he seemed to do well with in Milwaukee.

I like the Johnson hiring, but the Reds have busted at developing pitching since the Cueto/Bailey/Lecure/Wood class came up. I'll be more optomistic if Johnson shows some success, especially with young guns (not just reclamation projects).

[Lark11]

I'm excited to see what Johnson can do with Cody Reed. Reed's problems are arm-slot related and I feel like Johnson might be able to help him with that.

[DocDirk]

Nov 27, 2018 13:10:13 GMT -5 Lark11 said:

I'm excited to see what Johnson can do with Cody Reed. Reed's problems are arm-slot related and I feel like Johnson might be able to help him with that.

That would be incredible to get some more of Reed's potential realized.  I still really like him, but I know not many have faith.

[Lark11]

Dec 11, 2018 18:57:45 GMT -5 DocDirk said:

Nov 27, 2018 13:10:13 GMT -5 Lark11 said:

I'm excited to see what Johnson can do with Cody Reed. Reed's problems are arm-slot related and I feel like Johnson might be able to help him with that.

That would be incredible to get some more of Reed's potential realized.  I still really like him, but I know not many have faith.

Agreed. I'm still bullish on Reed. I think he should be penciled into an MLB rotation slot for 2019. I don't think he's that far off from being something resembling an impact starter.

If you can fix the arm slot, then that fix will improve all of Reed's offerings.

[mikes21]

I am as excited over Derek Johnson as a pitching coach as any one. But I was just as excited over having Bryan Price as a pitching coach. And before that, I was pleasantly surprised how that Don Gullet seemed to be able to get blood out of a turnip with his pitchers.

My tendency is to fall into the trap of thinking that Johnson is going to come in and be able to "fix" every pitcher in the organization. While it is nice to dream, perhaps we all need to take a collective step back, take a breath, and realize that while we may see minor adjustments here and there, to not expect miracles.

Without a doubt this is a better pitching staff than we have seen the last 3-4 seasons. But we need to be realistic as to Johnson's abilities to work miracles.

[The Duke]

Odds are Johnson is going to have a positive impact on 1-2 guys that makes us go, "Whoa, look at what he did with xxxxxxx!" But most of the guys are going to be who they are.