Washington Nationals 2017 Fantasy Outlook: Hidden Gems

Blake Treinen

This is the first player on this list that already has a guaranteed role on the 2017 Washington Nationals, but he could be so much more than his role.

When you hear about the Washington Nationals closer battle you hear the names Treinen, Koda Glover, and Kelley. According to most people, it is Kelley’s job to lose and Kelley’s ADP (average draft position) backs that up. He is the only one of the three being drafted, which in a few short months will look like crazy talk.

Treinen has the stuff to be the next big thing in the closer market. According to Brooks Baseball, he has a fastball that averages 97 mph and a sinker averaging 96 mph, the best closer in baseball last year had a very similar repertoire.

Yes, I’m talking about Zach Britton and the similarities are too much to overlook. Their pitch types are almost identical with slight variations in their secondary pitches. Treinen has one huge flaw and that is his walk rate of 4.16 per nine innings.

That numbers is just too high if he wants to be a closer. However, he could easily bring that down in 2017 and he has yet to let up a walk this spring. Although Treinen’s ground ball rate of 65% (Fangraphs) is not quite as high as Britton’s (80%). He still is above league average and if given a defined closer role, he could bring that up as well.

Treinen has all the tools to be a closer and his health will likely be what puts him in a final grouping of Glover and himself for the closing job. Kelley is someone you should likely stay away from in draft and you should give a closer look to Treinen. If he is the closer come opening day, he could be a waiver wire stud in your fantasy leagues.