Randall Delgado is not supposed to be in the starting rotation to start the year, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get at least one April start. Delgado put up an impressive 2.83 ERA in seven major league starts last year, but he was awfully lucky, striking out just 18 in 35 innings while walking 14 and giving up five home runs: obviously, that isn’t sustainable. However, he looked really strong, and his minor league numbers were good. Given that he was just 21, the long-term outlook is promising.

Julio Teheran, in less work, had similar peripherals to Delgado (19 2/3 IP, 10 K, 8 BB, 4 HR) but was a lot less fortunate, allowing a 5.03 ERA. But in Gwinnett, he was 15-3 with a 2.55 ERA at the age of 20, and maintained his status as one of the best prospects in the game. It is not unusual for elite pitching prospects to struggle a bit in their first major league exposure; actually, I get a bit nervous when they do too well at first. The strikeout rate will go up, and the home run rate will go down, and the future is very bright.

Kris Medlen pitched in only two games, in relief, after returning from Tommy John surgery, giving up just one hit and no runs. It’s my opinion that he is more valuable as a starter than as a reliever, but he’s likely to wind up in the bullpen for this season anyway, out of a combination of team needs and being cautious… Arodys Vizcaino was used exclusively as a reliever in the major leagues, and it’s not clear right now if the Braves think he’s going to be a starter or not. If he stays healthy and conquers his control, he’ll be outstanding in some role… Todd Redmond is 27 years old and had a 2.92 ERA last season in Gwinnett. He is completely off the radar right now, but might be an emergency starter candidate… Zeke Spruill is a non-roster invitee and probably a year away from being thought of as a major league possibility, though the Braves have been aggressive in promoting pitching prospects in recent years. There just doesn’t seem any need to push him.