Javi Rivera Starting To Settle In
6 months agoCincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Javi Rivera has shown some struggles on the mound this season, allowing 85 percent of his earned runs over just 50 percent of his outings. He has a very average repertoire consisting of a fastball, slider, and changeup. None of these pitches are overpowering, but they can get the job done from time to time. He's flashed impressive control, too, maintaining a high K/9 and low BB/9. His biggest flaw is allowing loud contact, as evidenced by his low ground ball rate. He needs to cut down on allowing explosive hits and big innings before he can be trusted at the next level. With all that said, Rivera has shown tremendous progress over his last two outings. He hasn't allowed a run over his last 11 innings, which includes a terrific outing last Thursday in which he struck out 11 batters over six shutout frames. He held his opponent to just one hit and zero walks, securing his second consecutive win. Perhaps this is a sign that Rivera is trending in the right direction.
Source: FanGraphs
Source: FanGraphs