As we gear up for the 2022 season, the Nastiest Pitches team will be highlighting some of the filthiest pitches we see during Spring Training. If you see something you think should be included here be sure to tweet @PitcherList to let us know. Or, if you’re a PL+ Member and part of our Discord, shout it out in the #nasty-pitches channel, where we host giveaways during the season. If you’re not already a PL+ member, you’re missing out!
Dylan Cease’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/deadlyharmlessbobolink
Cease rarely uses his changeup (7% usage in 2021), but fooled Corey Seager with it as his first pitch here and brought one of the Rangers’ big off-season acquisitions to his knees.
Drew Smith’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/directalarmedhairstreak
Smith isn’t a lock to make the Mets’ opening-day roster yet. If he keeps throwing pitches like this, he certainly will be when spring training wraps up.
Freddy Peralta’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/bestcalmhawk
Squaring up against former Yankee Luke Voit, Peralta got ahead in the count with a fastball and then sent him stumbling with this disappearing slider. Peralta was 14th in the league in whiff rate last year. If he’s hitting his spots with his fastball and throwing breakers like this, he may be even better in 2022.
Dylan Cease’s Slurve
https://gfycat.com/heavenlybigblesbok
Cease wasn’t troubled by Texas’s other big off-season acquisition during his four-inning, two-hit outing. Marcus Semien went 0-3 with a strikeout on the day.
Nick Martínez’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/bountifullegalamphiuma
Martínez, a former prospect in the Rangers’ system, spent the last three years in the NPB before returning stateside and signing a contract with the Padres. He retooled his approach while abroad, and he’s impressed so far this spring with a 1.29 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Adam Ottavino’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/absoluteflatbrahmanbull
Ottavino will play an important role out of the bullpen for the Mets this year. They’ll hope for a lot more outings like the one he had on Wednesday when he got through a clean inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)