The Atlanta Braves made a significant move right before Christmas by signing Enyel De Los Santos, a reliever who has generated considerable interest due to his potential, albeit with an enigmatic career trajectory.
De Los Santos, 28, has had an intriguing journey through Major League Baseball, showing flashes of brilliance but also facing inconsistency. This move reflects the Braves’ continued focus on bolstering their bullpen as they look to contend for a championship in 2024.
Background and Career of Enyel De Los Santos
Enyel De Los Santos was originally signed by the San Diego Padres as an international free agent in 2012 and later became part of the Philadelphia Phillies organization, where he made his MLB debut in 2018. Standing at 6’3” and weighing around 210 pounds, De Los Santos is known for his impressive fastball and slider combination, offering a lot of upside for a relief pitcher. However, he has struggled to find consistent success at the major league level.
In his time with the Phillies, De Los Santos showed glimpses of his potential but often battled with control issues and inconsistency. He made a few starts and pitched primarily out of the bullpen, and while his strikeout rate was solid, his walk rate and ERA were higher than desired for a player hoping to stick in a major league bullpen. His time with the Phillies ultimately led to a journey through various organizations, including stints with the Cleveland Indians (now the Cleveland Guardians) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Each time, De Los Santos flashed his electric stuff, but he couldn’t consistently keep it together to earn a permanent role.
De Los Santos has proven to be a player capable of missing bats, which is why teams have kept an eye on him. His career ERA in the big leagues, however, has fluctuated significantly, leaving many wondering whether he could be harnessed in the right environment. His career has seen him bounce between the majors and minor leagues, but the Braves, known for their effective development and bullpen management, see the potential in his skill set.
The Braves’ Bullpen Strategy
The Braves’ bullpen has been one of the team’s strengths in recent years, but with the highly competitive nature of the National League, the team continues to look for ways to improve and reinforce their pitching depth. Atlanta has been known for maximizing the potential of their pitchers, with several relievers having breakout years under their system. Given De Los Santos’ history of striking out batters, the Braves’ pitching coaches will likely look to refine his control and leverage his ability to get outs with his fastball-slider combination.
In signing De Los Santos, the Braves are taking a calculated risk—offering him a fresh start in a stable organization that has a track record of success with pitchers who have had inconsistent pasts. With the Braves in need of depth in their bullpen, especially in a year when key pitchers could face workloads or injury concerns, De Los Santos provides the team with another high-upside arm. If he can fix his control issues, he could be a key contributor, potentially in a setup role or even as a late-inning reliever.
What the Braves See in De Los Santos
The Braves likely believe that De Los Santos still has significant untapped potential. The combination of his fastball, which can reach the mid-90s, and his slider, which generates whiffs, are the kinds of tools that teams like the Braves seek in pitchers who can contribute in high-leverage situations. While his control has been erratic in the past, the Braves might view this as something that can be improved with the right mechanics and coaching.
Another factor that may have attracted the Braves is De Los Santos’ flexibility. He has been used both as a starter and a reliever in the past, which gives the Braves some versatility in how they can use him. While his future with the team is most likely as a reliever, his ability to stretch out into a starting role, should the need arise, gives the team another layer of depth to their pitching staff.
What’s Next for De Los Santos?
For De Los Santos, this signing represents an opportunity to prove that he can be more than just a flash-in-the-pan reliever. If he can refine his control and maintain his ability to miss bats, there is a good chance that he can carve out a role in the Braves’ bullpen. He’ll need to show that he can handle the pressure of high-leverage innings, something that has been a bit of a challenge for him in the past, but the Braves will be providing him with a solid platform to succeed.
As the Braves head into the 2024 season, this signing could pay off in significant ways if De Los Santos can find consistency. If his stuff continues to play and his control improves, he could become an essential part of the Braves’ bullpen mix, making them even more formidable as they chase another championship.
The Braves, always on the lookout for opportunities to improve their roster, are known for picking up players who may have been overlooked by other teams, only to turn them into valuable contributors. For De Los Santos, the opportunity is there to prove he has what it takes to stick in a successful major league bullpen. The team’s decision to sign him before Christmas suggests they see something in him that could fit well with their winning culture moving forward. If he can harness his stuff and improve his consistency, 2024 might be a breakout year for Enyel De Los Santos.
