Had things gone according to plan, Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Archie Bradley would have excelled last spring, flummoxing hitters, earning a spot in his team's early season rotation. He would now be entering his second year in the majors, an obvious breakout candidate.
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But things only rarely go according to plan with young pitchers. Bradley had a shaky spring in 2014 — perfectly allowable, given that he was only 21 — then he struggled at Triple-A Reno to open the year. He landed on the DL in late April, sidelined by a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, and ultimately finished his season with a not-so-appealing stat line: 4.45 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, 5.3 BB/9.
Bradley had some nice moments in the Arizona Fall League, however, introducing a slider, rediscovering his mid-90s velocity. He entered spring training in 2015 still ranked among (though not atop) the game's best pitching prospects. Bradley has been excellent in six Cactus League appearances this time around, posting a 1.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.
On Wednesday, Archie one-hit the Reds over six innings.
On Thursday, Arizona dealt Trevor Cahill to Atlanta, opening a spot in the big league rotation.
Bradley is far from a can't-miss prospect (if such a thing exists), and walks have been an issue at every stop. No one should expect immediate dominance, or instant fantasy relevance. He'll be pitching in a hitter's park, backed by a sketchy lineup.
Still, this is the same guy who delivered a brilliant 2013 season across two levels (14-5, 1.84 ERA, 9.6 K/9), and he's enhanced the pitching arsenal. In fantasy leagues of unusual depth, Bradley is worth a speculative add — particularly if you can afford to take a bench-and-watch approach in April. This is a talented young pitcher coming off a tremendous spring. If you were interested last year, there's no reason you shouldn't invest today.
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