Failing as a starter jump-started Reynolds' career
One of the top relief prospects in the Angels' farm system, Danny Reynolds will start the season at Double-A Arkansas.
MORRY GASH, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEMPE, Ariz. – It is probably not a stretch to say that almost every reliever in the majors was a starter who just needed to fail enough to discover where he was meant to be.
If Danny Reynolds continues on the path he discovered last year, he will be able to look back and realize his demotion in Class-A was the blessing that changed his career.
Reynolds, now one of the top relief prospects in the Angels system, went from being an organizational roster filler to a holding coveted spot on the 40-man roster within a span of 15 months, all because he got squeezed out of the rotation.
Class-A Inland Empire was shortening its rotation for the playoffs in 2013. Reynolds, who was languishing with a 5.39 ERA after his fourth season in the organization, was the odd man out. The Angels stuck him in the bullpen.
“We saw a low-90s fastball jump to mid-90s, with what at times can be an electric breaking ball,” General Manager Jerry Dipoto said. “We thought, ‘We’ve tapped into something here.’”
A former sixth-round pick out of Durango High in Las Vegas, Reynolds returned to Inland Empire in 2014, but he wasn’t there long. He had a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings, with 19 strikeouts, and was bumped to Double-A Arkansas. At Arkansas, he posted a 3.60 ERA in 40 innings, with 41 strikeouts, which earned him a promotion to Triple-A.All told, Reynolds had a 2.90 ERA for the season, and he gave up just 54 hits in 62 innings, with 63 strikeouts. His fastball reached 101 mph.
Reynolds was the classic example of a starter whose stuff improves when he can let it all go for a short burst, rather than worrying about maneuvering through 100 pitches.
“A lot of times when you shorten a guy, you find their stuff takes a big jump,” Dipoto said.
Reynolds, a 6-feet, 170-pounder with a baby face that has caused teammates to kid about being the bat boy, also contorts his slender frame into an unorthodox delivery. Even if he had the stuff to start, his arm probably couldn’t have taken the strain, Dipoto said.
Having discovered his future path to the big leagues, Reynolds was considered close enough that the Angels placed him on the 40-man roster. He will start 2015 at Double-A only because the Angels have so many veteran relievers with big league experience at Triple-A.
Despite his assignment, he’s still just a phone call from the majors. The Angels recalled pitchers Michael Roth, Cam Bedrosian, Drew Rucinski and Jairo Diaz from Double-A to the majors in recent seasons.
“If you would have told me when we got here in 2012 that Danny Reynolds would make the progress that he has to this point and the work habits and maturity would come as far as they were, I’d say sign me up,” Dipoto said. “And he’s delivered.”
