Cabrera, Brazobán Continue Push for Bullpen Spot
We know that guys like Edwin Díaz, Ryne Stanek and José Butto are locks for the Opening Day bullpen, but what about those fighting for a roster spot? Génesis Cabrera and Huascar Brazobán added to their cases Thursday afternoon against the Boston Red Sox.
Cabrera pitched one inning, facing four batters and retiring three of them. He threw 10 of his 15 pitches for strikes while his fastball sat around 95-96 mph, which is in line with his 96 mph average from last season. The left-hander also mixed in a steady dose of cutters along with a few sliders and curveballs.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
After Cabrera wrapped up his inning, Brazobán took the mound. Coming off a season where he posted a 5.14 ERA with the Mets, Brazobán worked 1 2/3 innings and allowed one unearned run. Some of last year’s control issues resurfaced, as he issued two walks. He also struggled to locate his off-speed pitches, frequently missing low. Despite the lack of control, he still managed to strike out four of the eight batters he faced. Two of Brazobán’s four strikeouts came on his changeup, while the other two were on his cutter.
Cabrera has given up four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings this spring, recording five strikeouts and issuing three walks. Brazobán has allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings, with ten strikeouts and three walks.
Both Cabrera and Brazobán are Dominican-born, and the two were signed to deals out of the D.R. in back-to-back years – Cabrera in 2013 and Brazobán in 2012. Cabrera, however, is seven years younger and made his debut three years earlier due to some speed bumps in Brazobán’s career.
Brazobán found success from 2018 to 2021 with the Lancaster Barnstormers in independent ball. The Marlins took a flyer on him in 2022, and by 2023, he became a high-leverage reliever. The Mets then acquired the right-hander at last year’s trade deadline in exchange for Wilfredo Lara.
Cabrera debuted in 2019 and has been a solid reliever since. He was above-average in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. He owns a career 3.89 ERA and 1.349 WHIP across 275 2/3 innings.
Now, the two need to pitch their way into a legitimate major league bullpen.
Brazobán has strong underlying metrics – limiting hard contact, generating ground balls and missing bats, but his command remains a major question mark. His cutter and changeup need to be consistently sharp, as those are his only “out” pitches. His cutter has some unusual movement, tailing slightly toward third base, which will add to its deception.
Cabrera doesn’t excel in any one area. He’s typically relied on his fastball-cutter combo to get outs. It seems his performance has been affected by the league-wide increase in velocity, as his 96 mph fastball, once an outlier, is now just solid. Moreover, his hard stuff was hammered last year, as batters hit .373 against his four-seamer and .382 against his sinker.
Unlike Brazobán, whose fast stuff gets hit hard every year, Cabrera has usually been able to make it work. This season, a key for him is proving that his velocity isn’t empty – his fastball and sinker can’t keep getting crushed.
Both pitchers have significant command issues, which is why Brazobán was left off New York’s playoff roster last year and why Cabrera is on a minor league deal. Their location problems stop them from being able to consistently succeed in high-leverage situations, making them more of a work-in-progress.
It’s entirely possible that either or both relievers could pitch in big leagues game during April. Injuries happen, and Cabrera could get a call, especially if A.J. Minter’s recovery is slower than expected. Brazobán, with his nasty stuff and ability to be optioned, could be up and down all year if he sees results with Triple-A Syracuse.
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