Tampa Bay Rays Colin Poche has a chance to make Opening Day roster

Intriguing Tampa Bay Rays prospect Colin Poche is heading to the major league portion of Spring Training. With the Rays possibly needing bullpen help, he has a chance to stick.

Colin Poche came over to the Tampa Bay Rays as a player to be named later in the trade that sent Steven Souza to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitcher Anthony Banda was considered to be the centerpiece of the four player haul, a potential top of the rotation starter for Tampa Bay. However, that future will need to wait, as Banda is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and will miss most, if not all, of the 2019 season.

If a pitcher is going to contribute to the Rays in 2019, it may well prove to be Poche. Originally a 14th round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft by Arizona, he became an intriguing bullpen prospect the following year. Between his time in A-ball and High-A, Poche put together an impressive 1.25 ERA and a 0.974 WHiP, striking out 81 batters against 19 walks in 50.1 innings. Those numbers, even in A-ball, were certain to attract attention.

Amazingly, he was even better last year. Between his time in AA and AAA in 2018, Poche put together the type of season seen in a video game. Over his 66 innings, he posted a 0.82 ERA and a 0.788 WHiP, allowing just 33 hits and 19 walks while striking out 110 batters. Poche, in just three seasons of minor league ball, has proven that he is ready to take that next step.

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His ascension to the majors could take place as soon as this season. Poche is one of the non roster invitees that were invited to the major league portion of Spring Training by the Rays, an intriguing blend of prospects and veterans looking to earn a job. Yet, of that group, Poche may be in the best position to break camp on the major league roster.

Based on his velocity, Poche does not seem like the type of pitcher who would put up such gaudy strikeout numbers. The lefty has a fastball that sits in the low 90s, paired with an above average slider. But there is far more to Poche than the radar gun would indicate.

As proven by the Astros, spin rate can make a tremendous difference in a pitcher. That is one area where he excels, with his fastball possessing an elite spin rate. He also has a deceptive delivery and excellent extension, making the fastball seem even faster than the velocity would indicate. Paired with the late action on his slider, and Poche has all the makings of being a weapon out of the bullpen.

In the minors, he worked in the role made famous by the likes of Andrew Miller and Josh Hader – a multiple inning fireman who could dominate the late innings. The Rays have a couple of openings in the bullpen, particularly in the late innings. If Poche can dominate in Spring Training, as he had in the minors, he could earn that multi inning role with the Rays, adding another element to an already intriguing pitching staff.

Colin Poche may not get a lot of attention amongst the prospects heading to Spring Training, but he could end up being the surprise player from Port Charlotte. Given his dominance, it would not be that much of a surprise to see Poche on the Opening Day roster.