16.Durbin Feltman (Closer)
At this time last year, Durbin Feltman was easily one fo the best prospects in the Red Sox system. He was drafted with the expectations that he’d be their closer sooner rather than later. He proved them right in year one, looking absolutely dominant.
If you would’ve asked me last year where I thought Feltman would be on the prospect list this year, I would’ve had two guesses. First, he wouldn’t be on the list as he’d be in the Majors. If not though, he would be top three easily.
2019 was not kind to him though.
In 2018, Feltman made 22 appearances. He was 4-for-4 in save opportunities that year. His ERA was a low 1.93 and his WHIP was 0.99. 36 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings also showed just how overpowering he was.
2019 saw Feltman throw 51 1/3 innings. During that time, he was 5-for-11 on save opportunities. That should give you a good guess as to how the rest of the stats went. The right-handed pitcher had a 5.26 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. He did manage 54 strikeouts in that time, but also walked 31 people (had just seven the year prior). He also gave up eight home runs after allowing none in 2018.
There’s no reason to get too down on him though. Feltman is still just 22 and that was his first full year in the minors. Oh, and he was pitching in Double-A all year after splitting time between Short-A, Full-A and Advanced-A in 2018.
Feltman still has overpowering stuff, he just had some issues with command. That led to more walks and more mistake pitches.
Feltman consistently hits in the mid-90s on the radar gun with his fastball and it is an extremely overpowering pitch. That’s the one that will make him his money. Seriously, if this pitch reaches its full potential it will be considered one of the best fastballs in baseball.
What’s scary for opposing hitters is that the slider isn’t all that far behind. It sits in the mid-80s and has an absolutely nasty break to it. He can drop it in the zone to buckle a hitters knees and freeze them, or throw it in the dirt for a bad swinging strike. This is another potentially elite offering.
Outside of that, he supposedly has a changeup and a curveball but he really just sticks to the two pitches. I’ve got to be honest with you, I haven’t seen him throw the other two often.
That’s perfectly fine though because as a closer, Feltman only really needs two pitches.
Personally, I’d have him higher if it wasn’t for Dedgar Jimenez. He emerged as a legitimate closer candidate for the future. I don’t know if the Red Sox see him the same way I do (which is a shame) but if they do that changes Feltman’s trajectory a little bit.
It is a little telling that Feltman and Jimenez were on the same Double-A team and it was Jimenez getting the save opportunities late in the year in 2019.
Either way though, Feltman has elite stuff and will be a great bullpen pitcher for the Red Sox in the future. No need to panic.