Every MLB player deserves their share of recognition. Here are Justin Krebs’ top 15 MLB relief pitchers in order at the start of the 2022 MLB season, part of The Best of the Best series. Enjoy!

Introduction: 

It took years and years of hard work. It was their drive, ambition, and belief in themselves. The Best of the Best. Continuing their level of success is just as difficult, if not more. Making any professional sports league is incredibly difficult, and few out of the cluster emerge to the highest level of professional baseball. For Major League Baseball players, nothing has come easy. Some have more connections or opportunities than others, but the system filters the great from the good. This piece is designed to identify the best traits in the MLB and will co-examine what separates the elite from the average MLB player through condensed statistical analysis and player evaluation.

Guidelines:

Filtering pitchers from hitters was the main component of this project. WAR (Wins above Replacement) and other analytical methods may compare players on the same scale, but it is best to separate and conquer. Players are comparable to those who do similar tasks. Pitching and hitting are complete opposites with ability and skill, so people should treat them differently. For those who intend on ranking pitchers to hitters, that is the purpose of the overall top ten list. When dissecting the great players, the tiniest criticism is their main criticism. None of their weaknesses mean they are not successful players- they comprise the best professional baseball league and amongst the best in the world- but used as a means of rank and separation from others. Relief pitchers were their own category since they operate in much smaller sample sizes, and it is not right to compare them to starting pitchers. 

Why some statistics were taken off: 

Appealing to fans of new and old was a challenge. Traditional and non-traditional statistics are included, with some omitted due to being included in the calculations of others. For example, pitchers’ innings totals are a statistic, but strikeouts are not necessary if K/9 is available, making strikeouts redundant. In some cases, statistics (2B, 3B, HR for position players) and (W/L, GS, CG, etc. for pitchers) help explain the story of a general statistic. Therefore, this project aims to allow statistics to speak for themselves, with added analysis to explain the reasoning between putting the players in their respective ranks. If a player sustained an injury in 2021, their last full season (most likely 2019), statistics were used.

Notable Omissions:

1. Andrew Chafin

Elite Skills: Chafin invokes his presence on left-handed batters. Now on a Detroit team on the rise, the southpaw has a chance to take more of a traditional late-inning role.

Omitted Reason: AC is a terrific pitcher but primarily faces left-handed batters. If he faces more right-handed batters and continues his fabulous performances, a tall task for a reliever, and Chafin could be on the fast track.

2. Garrett Whitlock

Elite Skills: Whitlock, a Rule 5 draft pick, was Boston’s best reliever in 2021. His disappearing changeup and acquired slider made it difficult for hitters against the righty.

Omitted Reason: Whitlock performed in the middle innings for most of 2021 and has a chance to be a starter in 2022. The Red Sox's use of Whitlock will determine his future as a starter or reliever, for the pitcher with undeniable talent.

3. Tyler Rogers

Elite Skills: One of the few submarine pitchers in 2021, Rogers had a breakout year on a contending Giants team. His delivery deception makes it difficult for right-handed hitters to pick the ball up.

Omitted Reason: Rogers had low strikeout numbers (6.1) per 9 IP, raising the belief that his success is not sustainable. A sinker-slider guy needs to maintain his mechanics, or it all falls apart.

4. Jonathan Loaisiga

Elite Skills: Loaisiga is filthy and statistically was the best Yankees relief pitcher in 2021. A multi-inning talent due to his past as a starter, Jonathan dominates out of the bullpen.

Omitted Reason: Loaisiga started to pitch in the later innings down the season used in the middle innings. Look for a more prominent and defined role from the Yankees righty in 2022.

5. Jake McGee

Elite Skills: McGee is an MLB relief veteran that impressed in 62 games for the Giants. A rare lefty who can pitch successfully against right-handed batters, McGee proved worthy of a spot in a playoff bullpen with San Francisco.

Omitted Reason: McGee allowed over a home run per inning and without overpowering stuff, but can control his way through innings.

15 through 11

15. Drew Steckendrider

Elite Skills: Steckenrider has a terrific slider in addition to a dropping sinker. One of the most underrated relievers in baseball, the Mariners reliever settled into a closing capacity in 2021.

Rank Reason: Drew does not have much closing experience and is a set-up reliever rather than a closer. He has filthy stuff but needs more longevity.

14. Scott Barlow

Elite Skills: Barlow emerged in MLB as a terrific reliever for one of the worst teams in the Royals. With prolific numbers and a high strikeout rate, the Royals reliever was a shoo-in for the back end of the list.

Omitted Reason: A high (11) SO/9 rate makes up for a walk abundance (3.4) per 9 IP.

13. Kendall Graveman

Elite Skills: Graveman is one of the most underrated relief pitchers in baseball, with a devastating sinker and dolloping changeup. Deserving of an eventual closing role, the new White Sox relief pitcher is at risk of being overshadowed in the best bullpen in MLB.

Rank Reason: Graveman has not been given a chance to close and is unlikely to see one soon, not due to his performance.

12. Devin Williams

Elite Skills: Bearer of the best changeup in MLB, Williams’ Airbender is an asset to his repertoire. Mid 90s fastball makes hitters on edge when facing the talented Brewers righty.

Rank Reason: Williams pitched fewer innings than any other relievers on this list due to punching a wall after having too many drinks and missing the last part of the 2021 season. His effectiveness throughout the season and safe health for 2022 puts him in at #12.

11. Andrew Kittredge

Elite Skills: Kittredge has one of the best sliders in baseball and can throw it any time. Hoisted with a moving sinker, Kittredge emerged as an elite reliever in 2021.

Rank Reason: 2021 is the only season of which Kittredge threw at a high level. Sustained success is necessary for Kittredge, but the man has terrific stuff.

10 through 6

10. Blake Treinen

Elite Skills: A nastier Kendall Graveman, the Dodgers utilize Treinen in a “stopper” role to relinquish rallies. Sinker/slider are both pitches no hitter wants to face.

Rank Reason: Walks (3.1) per IP are a concern, and Treinen can lose it on occasion. A lack of back-end relief outings put less talented relievers ahead of him.

9. Alex Reyes

Elite Skills: Velocity, velocity, velocity. Reyes throws a mean fastball and is one of the best in the big leagues. Reyes is an intimidating pitcher, and his erratic pitching style lends him to success amid the turmoil.

Rank Reason: With a big fastball comes a lack of command. Per 9 IP, Reyes walked 6.5 batters. You can live with the walks if he gets out of trouble with nasty pitches, which AR does often.

8. Raisel Iglesias

Elite Skills: An extreme sinker slider guy, Iglesias throws faster than most sinker-ballers and has electric movement on his pitches. He is the bonafide closer on the Angels.

Rank Reason: Raisel can be prone to the home run ball, giving approximately 1.4 home runs an inning up. For a sinker-throwing pitcher, Iglesias needs to keep the ball in play.

7. Ryan Pressly

Elite Skills: Pressly is Houston’s best reliever, called upon heavily throughout the 2021 postseason. Featuring a pitch mix that confuddles lefties and righties, Pressly can get any hitter out.

Rank Reason: The Astros flexed Pressly to high leverage situations in the playoffs. He took on a more traditional closer role during the regular season but gave up a lot of hits per each outing (6.9) for a closer.

6. Mark Melancon

Elite Skills: Melancon led the league in saves with 39 for a Padres team that failed to meet expectations. Melancon is not a strikeout pitcher but gets the job done when necessary.

Rank Reason: He gives up many hits per 9 IP but still finished with a 2.23 ERA in 2021. Melancon used to be a top-three reliever in baseball, and those days are gone, but he is still a productive closer on a postseason helper.

5 through 1

5. Kenley Jansen

Elite Skills: Kenley is a slightly better Melancon, with a mean cutter whose best days are most likely behind him. Jansen can still close on a contender, so it will be curious which teams snags him up.

Rank Reason: Kenley Janson is an effective reliever, but there are certainly better ones with lesser walk rates. There is a low-risk high reward for the popular closer.

4. Craig Kimbrel

Elite Skills: One of the most electric throwers in the game, Kimbrel had a horrid 2019 before rebounding in 2020 and 2021. A fastball consistently around 95 MPH and a killer breaking ball, Craig is a tremendous talent and potentially future Hall of Famer.

Rank Reason: Kimbrel may not even be the best closer on his team, with Liam Hendriks at the back end of the White Sox bullpen. Nevertheless, Dirty Craig is a beast in a set-up capacity.

3. Emmanuel Clase

Elite Skills: Clase throws as hard as Chapman and was more effective in 2021. 100+ MPH with two-seam action is laughable for a lefty closer.

Rank Reason: Clase needs more experience closing. With his velocity, he can easily overpower hitters.

2. Liam Hendriks

Elite Skills: Hendriks is nasty on the mound and throws as hard as anyone not named Clase and Chapman. His edge is the perfect demeanor for a closer.

Rank Reason: Hendriks pitched more innings than Clase and Kimbrel but was as effective. Closing for a contender is difficult, and Hendriks handles the challenge head-on.

1. Josh Hader

Elite Skills: Comparable to prime Andrew Miller, no-hitter can hit Hader’s fastball and slider combination. With the highest strikeout rate for a reliever, it is undoubted to question Hader’s talent level.

Rank Reason: Hader is the best relief pitcher, period. Other pitchers are just as talented, but none have capitalized on their potential like the Brewers relief ace.

Complete List

Reference Page

• Baseball Reference