R.J. Alvarez

Sun Belt Conference schools like Florida Atlantic don't get power arms capable of throwing 95-97 mph very often, so when the Owls got R.J. Alvarez to campus, they naturally put him in the rotation. The quick-armed 6-foot-1, 180-pounder made 26 starts and went 9-7, 5.17 in his first two seasons. In two summers pitching for Bourne in the Cape Cod League, however, Alvarez thrived in short relief roles, at times touching 97 mph with his fastball. Florida Atlantic moved him to that role this spring and he had similar success, going 5-0, 0.53 with 45 strikeouts and nine walks in 34 innings. The Owls use him for more than an inning or two, at times bringing him in during the middle innings and extending him, and he has shown consistent fastball velocity in the 92-97 mph range this spring with a hard slider in the 82-84 mph range with late bite. At times Alvarez gets around his slider, and like most high-effort relievers he has more control than command. He has a chance to move quickly as a pro.