Prospect Profile: #17 Los Angeles Angels Ryan Chaffee

If Ryan Chafee’s name appears familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve seen him on our top-50 Prospect lists before. It’s just been a while since he’s been listed. 

Originally taken in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft, Chaffee was a promising starting pitcher. He quickly rose and then hit the wall in the Cal League. After struggling mightily there, the Angels decided a change was in order. They converted him from a starter to a reliever, fixed some mechanical issues, and got him to focus on getting outs in short bursts. And then things clicked. He quickly got out of the Cal League and into the Texas League, 

Chaffee attacks hitters with a low-90s fastball, a plus 12-6 curve that he uses effectively against lefties, a frisbee slider, and a changeup. He approaches hitters from several arm angles. Chaffee still to cut down on the free passes, especially as a reliever. But, he has been very effective generating a decent GO/FO rate (1.18 in 2013). He employs a lot of deception in his delivery which has helped him achieve a 10.7 K/9IP rate in 2013.

With the Angels needs for relievers this year, Chaffee has a good shot of making the team in Anaheim at some point in the season, especially if he can continue to build upon his second half from last year. Look for him to start the year in Salt Lake’s bullpen, working towards a shot in Anaheim.