Cole Sands

Sands, a 2018 fifth-round pick, was a bit of an afterthought as a swingman, but emerged as a solid contributor in a setup role last season. He saw a significant improvement in his velocity (to 95.5 mph average fastball from 93.6 mph in 2023) and improved control (1.5 BB/9). He increased the use of his cutter which went from a below average pitch (-2 run value per Baseball Savant) to a weapon (+7 run value). He may have been a little lucky with a 7.4 HR/FB%, but he could find a steady role as a setup man even if his skill set takes a slight step back. He could be a sneaky source of holds as a result. Read Past Outlooks