Forecasting the 2015 Buffalo Bisons Bullpen

Feb 26, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher

(52) throws during spring training workouts at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Bound?

Ryan Tepera RHP

The Texan has a very good chance to start the season with the Blue Jays. He was converted to the bullpen part way through the 2013 season and has seen his stock begin to rise. He killed it in Buffalo last year and at 27 should make his major league début in 2015. His Sinker/Fastball are both thrown in the mid-90’s and his Slider/Change are both thrown in the high-80’s. Tepera put up his best FIP (3.25), BB% (3.38), K% (9.42), and WHIP (1.41) since moving to the upper minors.

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Greg Burke RHP

The Jays signed Burke in November. Burke has some major league innings under his belt. He pitched 48IP in 2009 as a member of the San Diego Padres bullpen, where he finished with a 3-3 record, 4.14ERA, 23BB, 33K, and 4.37FIP. It wouldn’t see the major leagues for another 4 years when he made 32 appearances for the New York Mets. The 32 year-old will give the Bisons a veteran arm and offer the Jays with a decent arm they can call upon.

Wilton Lopez RHP

Lopez signed as a minor league free-agent in December and could make the Blue Jays roster out of Spring Training. He’s pitched in almost 300 major league games, amassing 305IP, 57BB and 221K. In his three seasons with the Houston Astros, Wilton K’d around 6-7 batters/9. This changed as a member of the Colorado Rockies, where he saw hit K/9 plummet to 5.73 and 5.68. Lopez  owns a decent career FIP of 3.40 and WHIP of 1.29, which leads me to believe he’ll be an important set-up man for the Bisons or the Blue Jays.

Preston Guilmet RHP

Preston is a Splitter/Four-Seam fastball pitcher who throws the occasional Sinker. The Jays claimed the RHP off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in December of last year. Made his MLB début in 2013 with the Cleveland Indians making 4 appearances. He appeared in 10 games with the Baltimore Orioles in 2014, finishing the year with a 0-1 record, 5.23ERA, 0.97WHIP, 2BB, 12K, and 3.91FIP. Zips seems to think that he’ll stick with the Blue Jays and have forecasted some decent numbers (take a look)