Who Am I?
Ashur Tolliver
LHP
Age: 29
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight: 170 (Theory: this is meant to make him harder to hit by the fact that he disappears when he turns sideways to the hitter.)
Throws left, bats left
How Did I Get Here?
Tolliver was a 5th round pick by Baltimore in 2009. He was claimed by the Angels off waivers in September 2016, following 5 appearances with the big league club in 2016. He was then claimed by the Astros off waivers in December 2016.
Contract Status: Tolliver has two option years remaining and will not be eligible for arbitration until at least 2020.
Why Am I Here?
With the release of Kevin Chapman, Tolliver becomes the only left-handed relief option in the bullpen should Sipp falter or suffer an injury.
What are my strengths?
Tolliver features a live fastball that can touch 95 on occasion. He throws this fastball with his left hand. Such pitchers are not common. He also does not appear to be especially wild, based on his relatively low walk rates in the minors.
What are my weaknesses?
Tolliver does not appear to have developed much of a repertoire beyond that fastball. He occasionally flashed a slider and change. But honestly, if a lefty who throws 95 with a relative idea of where he was throwing it had even one other quality pitch, he wouldn’t have been waived twice before running out of option years.
What is my future with the Astros?
Absent getting an opportunity to shine in Sipp’s absence, and somehow outperforming all expectations, Tolliver’s time with the Astros will come to a close as soon as the 40-man roster spot is needed.
What is my projected 2017 performance?
| W | L | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | ERA | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 (MLB) | 1 | 0 | 4.2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5.79 | 1.71 |
| 2016 (minors) | 1 | 1 | 44.1 | 39 | 4 | 16 | 50 | 2.23 | 1.24 |
| PECOTA | 1 | 1 | 26.1 | 28 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 4.75 | 1.51 |
| ZIPS | 46.2 | 46 | 7 | 22 | 46 | 4.82 | 1.46 | ||
| MMWAG | 0 | 0 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 5.21 | 1.67 |
Who else would I remind you of?
I just still can’t get over his build.
