We will examine Evan Reifert, and take a look at what kind of impact he can make
The Nationals are going to count on Rule 5 pick Evan Reifert to be a piece of their bullpen. He has the stuff to be a quality reliever, but has lacked consistency in the minor leagues. However, he was excellent in 2024, and the Nats hope he can build on that Double-A success at the big league level.
Simply put, Evan Reifert was way too good for Double-A, and his numbers showed that. He put up a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings, piling up 65 strikeouts, and holding hitters to a .155 batting average. The only reason he was there in the first place was due to the glut of arms in the Rays organization.
2024 was a big bounce back for Reifert, who totally lost the strike zone in 2023. He put up a Trevor Rosenthal-esque 15 walks in 7.2 innings. However, he got his control under control in 2024, walking 16 in 41.1 innings. He is never going to have elite control, but all he needs to do is throw enough strikes to let his stuff shine.
His arsenal is headlined by a 70 grade slider, which hitters managed a .117 average against. It is his primary pitch, throwing it 52% of the time last season. The slider had a ludicrous 70% whiff rate at double-A last year. The pitch has the potential to be one of the better sliders in all of baseball. It is the type of pitch you can spam over and over, while still fooling hitters. Both the eye test and pitch models absolutely adore his slider.
His fastball is solid, but it is closer to an average pitch. It has mid-90’s velocity, like most relievers at this point, but does not have special characteristics. In 2024, he showed a sinker with some promise.
The key to Reifert’s success revolves around that slider, and getting into advantageous counts to use that elite slider. It is a true money pitch, and it is a meal ticket for big league success.
As long as Reifert’s command doesn’t implode again, he should be a slider heavy middle reliever for years to come. Picking up a solid reliever for free in the Rule 5 draft is good work by Mike Rizzo. He should be ready for medium leverage work this season. If he is the guy he was last year, Reifert is not the type of Rule 5 pick you have to hide on the roster like a Thaddeus Ward or a Nasim Nunez. He has the ability to be a contributor, even if he is not a closer. The 25 year old was a shrewd pickup that will be a good big league arm if his command is even close to average.