Wisler Next in Braves Pitching Parade

Much as with the hometown Phillies, the Atlanta Braves, in town for a long 4-day weekend series, are in the midst of a rebuild as they attempt to return to relevance in the National League. Also much like the Phillies, the Braves are looking to acquire assets in the form of young talent that will be a part of their team into the future.

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In the first seven starts of his career, Braves pitcher Matt Wisler looks like one of those assets that the Braves will be able to build around in their starting rotation for years to come.

The 22-year-old Wisler was acquired from the San Diego Padres in a blockbuster trade that occurred just a day before the Braves first game of the 2015 season. In the trade, the Braves sent lights-out closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to the Padres for Wisler, Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, outfield prospect Jordan Paroubeck and the 41st pick in the June 2015 draft (who would be high-school third baseman Austin Riley).

While shedding Upton’s salary was part of the motivation for the Braves to move Kimbrel, the real reward for the Braves may have been getting Wisler, a former seventh round pick (233rd overall) by San Diego in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft.

Wisler was a highly touted pitching prospect before being dealt to the Braves. In his time with the Padres organization, he steadily worked his way up to being named the number one prospect in their system by Baseball America after the 2014 season.

Wisler’s first full minor league season came in 2012, when he started 23 games for the Fort Wayne Tincaps of the A-level Midwest League. That season, Wisler went 5-4 with a 2.53 ERA — the third lowest ERA in the league. In 114 innings pitched, Wisler racked up 113 strikeouts, an impressive mark for a pitcher in his first year of professional ball. After the 2012 season, Wisler moved into the top ten of Baseball America’s Padres’ prospect rankings, coming in at number six.

Wisler followed that strong season up with yet another one in 2013. Splitting time between the Padres’ high-A and AA affiliates, Wisler went 10-6 in 26 starts, posting a 2.78 ERA. Opposing hitters batted a mere .217 off Wisler.

Before being promoted to AA, however, Wisler was one of the most dominant pitchers in the California league. In six starts before his AA call-up, Wisler allowed only seven runs. After the season, he climbed up the prospect rankings once again, earning the number two spot in the organization and the 44th best in all of baseball.

Wisler started his 2014 season in AA to get more seasoning, and was quickly able to show he was ready for the next step. Pitching to a 2.10 ERA in six starts, he made the jump to AAA El Paso, but would find the level to be challenging. Though he had a winning 9-5 record, Wisler had a 5.01 ERA in 22 starts.

“He has a mound presence to him, he has a composure that when stuff happens he doesn’t give in.” ~ Braves manager Gonzalez on Wisler

Prior to moving to AAA, Wisler never owned a WHIP greater than 1.08. But in his 22 AAA starts, his WHIP ballooned to 1.43, and opponents hit .279 off of the righthander. Still, Wisler was named that Padres number one prospect after the 2014 season.

Though Wisler’s potential was undeniable, the Padres and their new general manager, A.J Preller, were looking to revamp their team and return to the postseason for the first time since 2006. After a flurry of other offseason moves, the Padres made the aforementioned trade with the Braves for Kimbrel. And just like that, the Braves landed one of the best young arms in the minor leagues.

Wisler headed to AAA Gwinnett upon being received by the Bravos, and showed off the stuff that made him the centerpiece of the Braves return. In 12 starts with the G-Braves, Wisler was twice named Pitcher of the Week in the International League. And though his overall numbers (3-4 W-L, 4.29 ERA) may not have looked all that great, the Braves decided to give him the call to the big to make his MLB debut on June 18.

The 6’3’’ right-hander from Bryan, Ohio dazzled in his first career start, which would come against the New York Mets. Wisler hurled eight strong innings, outdueling Mets star pitcher Jacob de Grom by allowing a single run and giving up six hits for his first major-league victory.

Though Wisler’s next start against the Washington Nationals wasn’t as effective (4 IP, 9 H, 4 ER), he bounced back to beat the same Nats team six days later by tossing 5.1 scoreless innings, striking out six. Overall, Wisler is 5-1 this season with a 3.43 ERA. He has gone at least five innings in six of his seven starts, and given up three runs or fewer in five of them.

In Wisler’s last start, he beat the team with the best record in baseball — the St. Louis Cardinals, by allowing just two runs on seven hits over seven innings in a 3-2 Braves win. It was his longest outing since his MLB debut.

He recently talked to Matthew Bain of The Atlanta Journal Constitution about trying to improve from one day to the next and not worrying about things he can’t control.

“The main thing I’m worried about is getting better every day and hopefully making my next start up here,” Wisler said. “Keep giving these guys the best chance to win. I feel like as long as I keep going out there and performing the way I know I can, I think I’ll stay up here.”

His manager, Fredi Gonzalez, has had nothing but high praise for the rookie righthander who seems to pitch beyond his years.

“He gives you the impression that he’s got more maturity in him than — he’s a rookie, really less than a rookie,” Gonzalez said. He has a mound presence to him, he has a composure that when stuff happens he doesn’t give in.”

Besides his fastball, which typically is in the low-90s, Wisler throws a slider more than any of his off-speed pitches. The slider — still a work in progress, has become paramount to his ability to get hitters out. Batters are hitting a putrid .205 off the slider, according to FanGraphs.

Along with 24-year-old Shelby Miller, whom the Braves obtained last offseason in a trade with the Cardinals, Wisler looks like he is a viable major league pitcher that can be an integral part of the Braves future. And their collection of youthful pitching assets doesn’t stop there.

Righthanders Touki Toussaint and Tyrell Jenkins, and lefties Manny Banuelos and Max Fried were all acquired in various trades over the past year by the Braves. All are age 24 or younger, and all are top prospects. Banuelos has already debuted this season, and had a 2.49 ERA in four starts before recently landing on the DL. Jenkins has a 2.16 ERA in AAA, and could come up when the MLB rosters expand in September.

Wisler has given Braves fans something to look forward to in a rebuilding year. He is scheduled to take the mound against Phillies rookie sensation Aaron Nola on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. Nola will be making his third career start, while Wisler will be facing the Phillies for the first time in his career.