1 month agoCincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher
Graham Ashcraft will open the 2025 campaign in the bullpen. Ashcraft was being stretched out as a starter during camp but fell short of making the opening-day rotation. Last season, Ashcraft made all of his appearances in the rotation and logged 77 1/3 innings with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He tallied just 57 punchouts and held a modest 7.7 percent walk rate. In addition, Ashcraft generated a high 5.18 xERA with a .278 xBA, which placed him in the seventh and sixth percentile, respectively. However, he did generate an elite 49.2 percent ground-ball rate, which was well above the average mark. Fantasy managers should expect the 27-year-old to likely operate as a long-relief option, limiting his fantasy upside.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Gordon Wittenmyer
2 months agoCincinnati Reds right-hander
Graham Ashcraft (elbow) was seen throwing a live batting practice session at spring training on Thursday. A right-elbow strain prevented Ashcraft from pitching in the second half of the 2024 season for the Reds, but he appears to be recovered from that injury and a full-go in camp. The 27-year-old is going to have to pitch much better than he has the last three seasons in Cincinnati if he wants to earn a rotation spot on Opening Day, especially after the Reds acquired
Brady Singer from the Royals this offseason. Ashcraft started the year with a 5.05 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in his first 12 starts, so the Reds sent him to the minors. He's produced an unattractive 4.91 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with a well below-average 16.6% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate in his three seasons in Cincy with no evidence of a turnaround coming.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Gordon Wittenmyer
3 months agoAccording to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, the Cincinnati Reds may opt to deploy right-handed pitcher
Graham Ashcraft out of the bullpen. Rosecrans noted that the team has always viewed Ashcraft as a reliever since he was drafted in the 2019 MLB Draft. However, throughout his three-year MLB career, the right-hander has only seen opportunities in the starting rotation. If Ashcraft struggles during spring training and is viewed as the No. 6 option in the rotation, the team could then transition him to a relief role. The 26-year-old had the worst season of his career last summer, posting a 5.24 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. In 2023, the Alabama - Birmingham product posted a 4.76 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP across 145 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the Cincinnati rotation during spring training as if they are all healthy, Ashcraft would likely shift to the bullpen.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: C. Trent Rosecrans
8 months agoCincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that right-hander
Graham Ashcraft (elbow) will throw off the mound on Sept. 17 and also has a live batting practice session scheduled for early October. Ashcraft resumed throwing in late August but is not going to return from the 60-day injured list before the end of the 2024 regular season after missing more than two months with a strained right elbow. The 26-year-old will have plenty of time to recover during the offseason, though, and should be fully ready for the start of spring training next February. The hard-throwing right-hander wasn't really impressing anyone this year before his elbow injury, going 5-5 with a 5.24 ERA (4.84 FIP), a 1.50 WHIP and a 57:27 K:BB in 77 1/3 innings over his 15 starts. For how hard Ashcraft throws, it remains disappointing that he has a 16.6% strikeout rate in his three major-league seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Charlie Goldsmith
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