Cleveland Indians’ Left-Handed Pitcher Kyle Crockett Can Rebound in 2016

Has Kyle Crockett Earned a Bullpen Spot Next Season?

Cleveland Indians reliever Kyle Crockett was far better in his rookie season than he was in his 2015 campaign. After posting a 1.80 ERA over 30 innings in 43 games following his debut, Crockett seemed like a lock to become the Tribe’s go-to lefty in the bullpen.

But 2015 was far more tumultuous. Crockett posted a 4.09 ERA over 31 games, pitching just 17.2 innings amid trips to Triple-A Columbus. His strikeout rate dropped from 23 percent to just 20.3 percent, and most notably, his walk rate jumped from 6.6 percent to 9.5 percent. Crockett seemed to have lost some of his ability to control the ball and fool hitters, with a slight decrease in the amount of swinging strikes and a nearly five percent increase in the amount of contact hitters make against him.

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That doesn’t mean Crockett is in any way a disappointment. After all, the Indians only drafted him in 2013. He hadn’t even completed a full year in the minors before being summoned to the major league club, where he’s gotten his feet wet but has yet to claim a full-time roll. At just 23 years old, Crockett has plenty of time to grow and become a much more reliable pitcher.

There are some positive signs in Crocket’s numbers. For instance, in 2014, his FIP was 3.23, and his 2015 FIP was 3.53. Since FIP is a better indicator of a pitcher’s true performance than ERA, this number is a more accurate reflection of what Crocket did in both seasons.

When calculating what to expect for next season, it seems that a low- to mid- 3.00 ERA is a good projection, but first, Crockett will have to fix the areas in which he struggled in 2015 – walks and strikeouts. In the meantime, the Indians should consider adding another left-handed reliever to the mix, either from within the organization or via free agent signings. There are plenty of talented players on the market who could help the Tribe, and Ryan Merritt is another plausible option from within. While Crockett is talented enough to rebound, there’s also no reason not to have a backup plan if he doesn’t.

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Crockett has followed the same career path as right-hander Cody Allen did as a young reliever, and pitchers rarely fly through the system that quickly if the team doesn’t see something special in them. That means Crockett will have plenty of chances to straight things out and become a key member of the bullpen next season.