Vidal Nuno

Vidal has been in the majors three years and is already on his third organization. His one big problem -- the home-run ball -- has followed him stop to stop, from the Yankees to the Diamondbacks to the Mariners. After landing in Seattle in a midseason trade last year, Nuno gave up 12 home runs in 10 starts. He has a healthy strikeout rate and good control, but when his command is off, it's not hard for major-league hitters to take his 89-mph fastball deep. His 1.7 HR/9 in 74.2 innings with the Mariners was second only to Jeremy Guthrie's 1.8 rate in the AL (min. 70 IP) last season. Nuno is better in relief, giving up three homers in 37.1 innings last year for a 1.19 ERA, and that's where he's probably headed this season. He'll likely get the opportunity to compete for a rotation spot in spring training, but if everyone stays healthy, his best shot at making the roster might be as the long man in bullpen.

Pounding the zone with modest command is a recipe for disaster in the Bronx, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when Nuno pitched to a 5.42 ERA thanks in large part to his 1.7 HR/9 rate. A trade to Arizona for Brandon McCarthy didn’t brighten his outlook too much given how Chase Field plays, but Nuno tightened the command and showed big improvements in his 14 starts despite going 0-7 with his new club. An increased strikeout rate, a lowered walk rate, and a vastly-improved home run rate resulted in a 3.76 ERA and 1.09 WHIP for the 27-year-old lefty. While the homers dipped to 1.1 per nine, he still allows too many to bet on a usable ERA and the Diamondbacks seem to agree, as he isn’t currently slotted into the 2015 rotation. He will be among the first up to fill any holes, but Nuno is just a streaming option in that case, particularly against clubs with a lefty-heavy lineup or in more pitcher-friendly venues.

Nuno played his way into the Yankees' plans with a big spring training, and he looked pretty good in five appearances (three starts) for the team early in the season before being shut down with a groin injury in June. Nuno doesn't have any true plus offerings, but he mixes his pitches well, and if the 26-year-old can't find a spot with the Yankees, he could catch on a back-end starter elsewhere.