The Braves and right-hander Jake Walsh are in agreement on a minor league deal, according to the transactions section of the righty’s MLB.com player page. The deal includes an invite to big league Spring Training.
Walsh, 28, was a 16th-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2017 draft and began his professional career as a starter before moving to the bullpen full time back in 2021. Between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, Walsh impressed at both the Double- and Triple-A levels with a combined 2.17 ERA and a whopping 37% strikeout, though he was limited to just 40 frames during that time by a pair of lengthy trips to the injured list. 2 2/3 of those 40 frames came in the big leagues as Walsh got his first taste of major league action with a 3-game cup of coffee in May of 2022, though he allowed four runs on three hits and two walks across that trio of appearances.
Uninspiring big league debut aside, Walsh’s dominance since converting to the bullpen seemed to leave him poised for big things headed into the 2023 campaign. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way as Walsh struggled to a 5.28 ERA in 30 2/3 innings of work this past year. His strikeout rate plummeted to just 23.9% while his walk rate ballooned from an elevated but manageable 11.1% in 2022 to a ghastly 16.2% figure. Those pronounced struggles led the Cardinals to place Walsh on the injured list shortly before granting him his unconditional release back in July in order to open up a spot on the club’s 40-man roster.
Walsh did not catch on with another club for the remainder of the 2023 campaign, but now joins the Braves with a chance to compete for a job on the big league staff this spring. The Atlanta bullpen appears to be mostly set in stone for the time being with Raisel Iglesias, A.J. Minter, and Reynaldo Lopez as the club’s top high-leverage arms with the likes of Tyler Matzek, Joe Jimenez, Aaron Bummer, and Pierce Johnson on tap to cover the middle innings.
With that being said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Walsh make himself into the club’s top depth option behind the current group given the considerable talent the right-hander flashed after first converting to full-time relief work, particularly if he manages to put whatever injury he suffered last summer behind him. Walsh will have plenty of competition among fellow non-roster invitees such as Ken Giles, Ben Bowden, and Grant Holmes when Spring Training begins later this month, not to mention the presence of arms like Daysbel Hernandez and Ray Kerr who are currently slated to act as optionable relief depth on the 40-man roster.
Given what they paid to acquire Ray Kerr, I expect Kerr to have a more prominent role than Jake from State Farm.
I assume they see something they really like and think they have a key to make him better (tho he was already fairly solid in minors) so he could be in AAA for awhile working on stuff. That said 4 mil or so is a backup outfielder basically so they really didn’t pay much considering the years they could keep him
Did it ever o-Kerr to you that you could walsh behind your ears?
Outstanding dad joke. I award you four [socks emoji].
I enjoy Jake Walsh’s solo work; i.e., ‘The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get’. He was also quite good with the Eagles.
You’re attempts at humor are really garbage. Get a life.
Oh Jack, you rascal! Having a bad day, buddy?
Is this Bill Shatner?
What was the giveaway?
@Jack. What’s your problem, you bell end? You can dislike his joke without being a little Karen about it.
@SCM,
Nice use of ‘bell end’. Well done, sir.
I have a thing for British humor. =)
Don’t get me started regarding the plonkers visiting this site today.
“This is America’s real official baseball stadium and Americas real official sports sports team and America’s real official baseball city”
(The quote is referencing the Braves/Atlanta
Eagles singer name was Joe Walsh
Joe was best known as the lead guitarist for The Eagles, not as a singer. Your point is still valid though, his name is definitely not Jake.
He’s known for that now, but back in the seventies he was a solo star.
Pretty well known for his time in The James Gang too.
Jesse Chavez. That is all.
Why should I pay for membership when 95% of the articles on here are about some randoms that no one knows about?
Also, the constantly see the writers on here getting into it with other commenters arguing
Yeah, no thanks on paying for this site. Pass
You could just leave.
Yeah this site is 90% garbage. The commenters are mostly goof ball baseball stat geeks with no life that jump in the comments in 2 seconds to try to make jokes about the guys name or the team now winning it all from a minor league signing. Bunch of pathetic losers.
Like I said, …
Come on, @Cute! Don’t give up on us!
Do you have to pay them to get the gold medal on your profile picture lol
@Cute,
It’s a participation medal. We can get you one for $29.99. Whadaya say, sport?
Its the mlbtr version of the x blue check mark. For the people to feel more important.
I like this website, but it doesn’t cost nothing to produce. If people don’t pay, it could go away. People like me pay so that people like you can be a-holes. You’re welcome.
The articles are about baseball transactions. Many transactions are of a minor variety so that is what the articles are about. As bhambrave said, you could just leave. We won’t miss you when you are gone.
He’s missed so much playing time, I’m surprised his scout isn’t JOHN Walsh.
John walsh? What does that even mean? Don’t think your joke landed there bud.
You’re right. You don’t think.