3 Takeaways from the Mariners signing RP Austin Voth to an MLB Contract

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The Mariners have been busy adding to their bullpen depth over the last week. It started off by adding some minor league arms with invites (non-roster invites, however you want to frame it) in Ty Buttrey and Joey Krehbiel. We will have more on them later, but it wasn't the end of the Mariners signings. They've added RP Austin Voth on a 1YR / $1.25M contract as the latest addition to their bullpen.

We have signed RHP Austin Voth, Washington native and @UW_Baseball alum, to a 1-year Major League contract.

🔗 https://t.co/SJOG4k91is pic.twitter.com/mL8ZnOyaWF
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) January 17, 2024

As you can see in the graphic, Voth is used to being in Washington. He was born in Covington, went to Kentwood, and then played college ball at the University of Washington. I do think it's a bit funny that he was then drafted by Washington (the Nationals), and after being in the Majors for six seasons, is now returning to the actual state of Washington.

It's not the splashiest of additions, obviously, but it is still and interesting and intriguing addition to the Mariners. The Mariners do have a history, at least a recent one, of grabbing guys off of the proverbial scrap heap, or to be nicer about it, those on cheaper/inexpensive deals, and turning them into a surplus and an asset to their bullpen.

Could Austin Voth be the latest? He has had some good seasons in his career, so you know that the talent is definitely there. He struggled last season with the Orioles, but had a really good 2022 in which he sported a 3.04 ERA across 83 IP with the Orioles. His short time in Washington that year was not good, so we will leave that be.

It does show that there is a large bit of variance in his play, and that the Mariners will be looking to see if the small tweaks they make can get him back to a High 3s ERA reliever. If so, it's a fantastic snag by the Front Office. If not, it's a small contract and no big worry.

I think it is more than just a small signing though. Here are some takeaways from the Mariners most recent deal.

Voth has some nasty stuff if he can harnass it

We start here by actually looking at what Voth can bring to the table for the Mariners. He brings four pitches to the table, and a decent usage on all of them. He's mainly a heater (44%), and then goes curve (29%), sweeper (16%), and cutter (11%).

He actually had bad luck on all of his pitches last year, with each of them sporting a higher BAA than the xBAA. The big one is the cutter, which had a .231 to .136 discrepancy.

His curveball stands out for the massive break that it has, sitting 6.1" above average and holding a dark red mark, showing it as one of the biggest breakers in baseball. It also boasts a massive RPM rate of 3,000+, also an elite mark. That isn't the only pitch with high RPMs, as his sweeper boasts the same thing. If the Mariners can work on his pitch selection and placement, the stuff will go from scary to straight-up nasty.

Back to the cutter, he had the expected BA against of .136, and an expected SLG of .224. It might be worth cutting massively back on the 4-seamer and leaning into the cutter. The stuff is there, and Voth is next up to see if the Mariners pitching lab can find success where others couldn't.

Success in baseball thrives on the long game and the quiet moves

A big part of the reason for the Mariners recent success that they have seen (8th-most regular season wins in the last three seasons) is their bullpen. They have grabbed guys through a combination of the draft, via trades, or small signings, and turned them into massive weapons.

Those are all relatively quiet things to do. No big splashes in the bullpen by spending big money on people, instead working with lesser knowns to mold them into the pitchers you want and getting their repertoire into what you deem most effective. Even snagging someone like Andres Munoz and then inking him to a long-term deal, while mildly risky, can pay off massively in the end.

There is also another aspect to this. If you are able to consistently do this, or at least more consistently than most teams, you are able to turn those players not just into good major leaguers in your bullpen, but into trade assets. Taking advantage of a strength of your system in order to improve other aspects that you struggle at developing or signing. They don't always work out, but it gives you a leg up on continued success.

Speaking of trades...

After a glut of reliever signings, could a trade be next?

The Mariners signed Voth along with the two mentioned earlier, Buttrey and Krehbiel, along with recent claimee Mauricio Llovera from the Red Sox. You now have four additions to compete for spots in the pen, along with a couple of minor leaguers (like Berroa) that could be pushing for a spot.

Once again, the Mariners have used that developmental strength and small signings to create a strength and surplus. We saw the Urias and Hernandez additions via trades. So, could another one be coming?

The Mariners are still looking for another bat, whether it's a small addition or a big one, it's going to need to be for a 2B/3B/possible outfielder. It does seem like their outfield is locked up now with Raley and Haniger in the fold, but a RP+another hitter could look to net someone bigger in one of those spots.

It doesn't seem like the Mariners are ever able to make just one move, and it's normally more of a domino effect. Move A and Move B lead to the possibility for move C. Is that going to be coming next? Is it Kepler in the outfield? Is it another utility guy? Is there a 3B or 2B option out there on a pitching-needy team that is willing to make the move?

They all have to be on Dipoto+Hollander's plate, and I have to imagine that it is something they are continually working on. With Austin Voth having signed, I can't see this being the last addition to the team. Whether it is or not, welcome to Seattle, Austin.

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