Jesse Hahn

The Royals non-tendered Hahn after the 2019 season but brought him back on a one-year, major-league contract. It was rather surprising that he got a major-league deal seeing as he once again missed most of the season, throwing a total of 8.1 innings across three levels. Most of his time was spent rehabbing and building back up following UCL repair surgery in August of 2018. He struggled upon his return to Kansas City in September, but the right-hander was throwing his fastball harder than ever (95.1 mph average) and his breaking ball checked in at 2,772 rpm (a top-50 slider spin rate in baseball, min. 50 pitches thrown). Clearly the Royals saw something and still have some hope for Hahn as a reliever. Hahn, now 30, will get at least one more chance to show he can stay on the field and help a major-league team.

A poor spring punched Hahn's ticket to Triple-A Nashville to open the 2017 campaign, but he was recalled the first week of the season. His first appearance was relieving Raul Alcantara after a poor start, which lead to Hahn replacing Alcantara in the Athletics' rotation. The 28-year-old righty was sporting a respectable 3.56 ERA and 1.32 WHIP before running into the Astros in back-to-back efforts, allowing 15 earned runs in just four combined innings, prompting another trip to Nashville. Hahn struggled with the Sounds before heading to the 7-day disabled list. He returned the last day of the minor-league season to throw an inning, ending with a 4.32 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in Music City. Hahn has shown glimpses of back-end starter potential, but injuries and inconsistent control have held him back. He was traded to the Royals in January, and Kansas City has holes in its rotation, so Hahn will likely get another shot. At best, he's an endgame flier in AL-only.

Hahn's first start of 2016 seemed to predict a rebound year (6.2 shutout innings on April 30). It was anything but: He allowed four-plus runs in five of his remaining eight contests, which stretched out over several months due to injuries and a reserved seat on the Triple-A shuttle. Earning a spot in Oakland's wide-open rotation could help him revisit the combined 3.23 ERA in 30 appearances (28 starts) over 2014 and 2015, the latter with his current team. His ability to induce groundballs at an above-average rate offers a solid foundation, and A's starters always earn consideration because of that pitcher-friendly home cooking. Of course, Hahn's iffy health and unstable peripherals (career 6.5 K/9, 3.2 BB/9) likely will continue making him too dependent on batted balls and favorable matchups, whether it be lineups and/or stadium of play. Still, note the two-mph increase in average fastball velocity last year, and scrapping the slider last season may have been the first step toward longevity. Keep an eye on him during the spring.

Hahn was acquired in an offseason trade with the Padres and was immediately slotted into the A's rotation to begin the season. He was effective in his 16 starts for Oakland, compiling a 3.35 ERA along the way, but his strikeout rate dropped significantly with the league switch. He offset the drop in strikeouts with an improved walk rate, going from 3.9 BB/9 to 2.3 BB/9 last season. A forearm strain ended Hahn's season after his appearance on July 1, and there were initially fears that he may need another Tommy John surgery. Fortunately, he was reportedly playing catch without pain in late September. The A's will exercise caution with Hahn's workload in 2016 as he's never topped 100 innings at the major league level, but his career 3.19 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through 28 big league starts suggest that he may be a nice value if he can stay healthy.

Hahn entered the Padres’ organization via trade with the Rays last offseason, but his professional career had yet to progress beyond the High-A level. After 8.2 scoreless innings across five Cactus League appearances, though, he had laid the groundwork for a promotion to the big club, beginning the season at Double-A San Antonio. At the affiliate, his first 10 appearances translated to a 2.20 ERA and 28:11 K:BB in 32.2 innings, which generated his major league debut on June 3 after injury struck San Diego’s starters. Thereafter, he oscillated between the majors and minors when his services were required, and while he failed to complete six frames in each of his last four outings with the Padres, he notched a 3.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 70:32 K:BB in 73.1 major league innings. Traded to the A's in December, Hahn secured a place in the Oakland rotation during spring training.

Hahn made significant strides in 2013 at High-A Charlotte, emerging as a solid major league prospect. In 19 starts, he went 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA and a 63:18 K:BB ratio over 67.0 innings. A 6-foot-5 right-hander who had Tommy John surgery following his draft selection, Hahn features a mid-90s fastball with three developing secondary pitches. The Rays traded Hahn to San Diego in January as part of a seven-player swap, which might accelerate his path to the big leagues given the Padres' more immediate needs in the rotation.