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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Luis Patino is a 2021 fantasy baseball draft value. His ADP is undervalued, making him a potential draft bargain and late-round sleeper to target.
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 410
CURRENT ADP: ~431 overall
ANALYSIS: The Rays pulled off a shocking trade this offseason, sending former AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to San Diego. As part of the return, the Rays landed Luis Patiño, an intriguing arm that could fit perfectly in Tampa Bay’s tactical oeuvre. Patiño, still just 21 years old, earned a big league debut with San Diego in the shortened 2020 season. He appeared in 11 games, making one start and posting a 5.19 ERA. His downfall last year was his control. Patiño posted a cringy 16.5% walk-rate in his MLB debut. However, during his minor league career, Patiño showcased much better control, with walk-rates in the single digits at most stops.
His stuff can be electric. It starts with an athletic delivery that maximizes his 6’1”, 192-pound frame. His four-seam fastball, changeup, and slider are all capable of gathering whiffs. In particular, his slider generated a whiff rate near 50%. This makes the slider a likely candidate for increased usage going forward. The Padres employed Patiño in a middle relief/bulk innings type of role last year.
I think Tampa Bay will likely use him in a similar fashion. RotoBaller’s Premium Cutter projections having him working 93 innings this season with a 4.60 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, while striking out more than a batter per inning. I might take the under on the ERA and WHIP, as I believe his control will come back into line with his minor league numbers.
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