Fans who really follow the Arizona Diamondbacks know all about their young crop of pitchers. Archie Bradley, Aaron Blair and Braden Shipley are the three names we have heard the most about in anticipation of their Major League debuts. Bradley indeed saw time for the D-backs but it was another rookie that made the biggest impact for the team in 2015. Left-hander Andrew Chafin was a wild card and did not really have a set role when Spring Training broke. He pitched as a starter for most of his Minor League career and made three starts for the team in 2014. However, by the time the 2015 campaign was over, he was an integral part of the Snakes’ bullpen.
The Good
Chafin threw 75 innings over the course of 66 games, both team highs for the bullpen. He compiled a 5-1 record and a 2.76 ERA with two saves. The 25-year old Chafin struck out 58 hitters and in a stretch from mid-July through mid-August did not allow a run, a span covering 19 appearances. After allowing runs in back-to-back games in September, there could have been questions as to whether or not Chafin had hit the dreaded rookie wall. Instead he finished the year with scoreless outings in eight of his final nine contests.
The Bad
When you make that many appearances, there is bound to be a clunker or two. His worst outing came early in the year, on April 22nd when he allowed four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning against the Texas Rangers. Incidentally, Arizona was victorious by a score of 8-5. Chafin also had a tendency to be wild, allowing 30 walks in 75 innings. However, opposing batters only hit .207 off him.
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Final Analysis
Although he was a first round pick in 2011, Chafin never seemed to be mentioned as a high-end prospect. The club obviously did not know what to expect from him as his early appearances could be characterized as non-pressure situations. However, he became the most important arm in Chip Hale‘s bullpen after Brad Ziegler. His emergence means that Arizona doesn’t necessarily need to be in the market for a closer given how Ziegler performed in that role and the combination of Chafin and Daniel Hudson in the setup spots. There were many standout rookies for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015 and the one who had the best performance from start to finish was Andrew Chafin.