I wrote 1000+ word on Jose Bautista, what are the odds I can get to 300 words on Joe Biagini?
The Blue Jays picked up Biagini in the Rule 5 draft. That means, if we are to keep him, he would have to stay on the Jays active roster for the full season (unless he ends up on the DL), or he has to be offered back to the Giants for $25,000. He turns 26 in May.
Last year, Biagini pitched for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He had a 2.42 ERA in 23 starts. In 130.1 innings, he allowed 112 hits, 34 walks with 84 strikeouts. He allowed just 5 home runs, which seems to suggest he can keep the ball down in the strike zone. He doesn't walk many and he doesn't give up home runs. That's good. But then he doesn't strike out many. I don't see him as much of a prospect but he could end up being an kind of an innings eater time of starter.
Richard Griffin had this quote:
"Biagini was near the top of our list," said Jays' GM Ross Atkins of the Jays who had the 21st pick in the Rule 5. "He has a three pitch mix, fastball, curveball, changeup. He's a guy that jumps a little bit more subjectively, than objectively, but still has a lot of interesting elements. We'll have the time to evaluate and make the decision on if he fits."
The question is:
Can he make the Jays roster and stay on the roster for the full season?
He throws a fastball that can hit mid-90s. I guess there could be the hope that, like Liam Hendriks, his fastball picks up a bit pitching out of the bullpen, but I very much doubt he makes the team out of spring training.
I think it is far more likely that the Jays try to make a deal with the Giants to let us keep him and have him start in Buffalo. Shapiro has mentioned that the Bisons rotation was 5 question marks. If they can work out a trade, Biagini could fill one of those spot.
I can't imagine a team that expects to contend would want a a pitcher who has never been above Double A to be taking up a roster spot and a spot in the bullpen for the season. If we weren't expecting to contend it might be a different story, it might be worth having him hang around to see if he could handle the longman role out of the pen. They could take the chance to see if he can be like Liam Hendriks, and miss more bats working working in short spurts out of the pen.