Nationals: Is Koda Glover Turning into a Must Draft for 2017?

By Brad Kelly | Mar 23, 2017

Feb 28, 2017; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Koda Glover (30) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

There is a lot of buzz around the Nationals’ camp that Koda Glover could be a favorite for the closer job. Does that make the unproven youngster a must draft option in 2017?

Spring training is always an interesting time for storylines and players to emerge. In Nationals’ camp, it seemed that the power display that Bryce Harper was putting on was going to be the main storyline. But, enter in 23-year-old young fireballer, Koda Glover.

Glover was an eighth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State in 2015. He was a converted outfielder that became the Cowboys’ closer and made the transition rather seamlessly. Glover skyrocketed through the minor leagues, getting to AAA in 2016 after posting a 2.09 ERA and 104 K over 86 innings of work.

He was promoted to the big league club in July, but never really got his feet under him posting a 5.09 ERA over 19 innings of work. It is hard to attribute all his struggles to it, but he would tear the labrum in his hip in September, and he did admit that he pitched through it during the season.

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After going under the knife in the offseason, he entered spring training in what is still an open competition for the Nats’ closing job. It seemed that either Shawn Kelley or Blake Treinen would assume the role, but Glover looks to be putting immense pressure on the two.

Glover’s arsenal is exactly what any team would look for out of their closer. His average fastball velocity sits at 97 mph and he pairs that with a hard breaking 91 mph slider. It already seems that he will eventually be the team’s closer in the future, but he could win the gig this season based on what he is doing in spring training.

Chasing spring training stats are futile, but to see him healthy and notching a 1.13 ERA, while striking out 11 batters over eight innings is a good sign. Plus, he has routinely come into these games in the ninth inning, a sort of dress rehearsal if you will.

Both Kelley and Treinen had solid years for the Nationals in 2016. Neither has entered a season as a team’s closer. Both could be serviceable candidates, Treinen is the only other reliever that can match Glover in terms of pure stuff, but there has to be something said about Glover being primed for this role since he was drafted.

For fantasy owners, the Nationals bullpen has to be monitored as the team appears to be one of the better teams in baseball. It seemed that Kelley and Treinen would be the most logical options that would get drafted, but Glover’s performance has catapulted him into that group.

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All three should be drafted this spring, with astute owners realizing that Glover could be a solid producer of HLD and now even SV this season.

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