The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves right- hander Toussaint works on boosting consistency
Braves right-hander Touki Toussaint, just 24 years old, has appeared in 38 games with the Braves, posting a 5.97 ERA. He’s flashed the talent that made him
a first-round draft pick in 2014, but he hasn’t done so consistently. After spending the offseason working on correcting some mechanical inconsistencies, “I have a chance to be someone I want to be,” Toussaint said.
It’s easy to forget Braves right- hander Touki Toussaint is just 24 years old, but that fact isn’t lost on the player or his employer.
Toussaint has appeared in 38 games ( 11 starts), posting a 5.97 ERA. He’s struck out 107 and issued 63 walks in 95 innings. He’s flashed the talent that made him a first- round draft pick in 2014, but he hasn’t done so consistently.
That’s led to a lot of time sitting in traffic on I- 285, traveling between Truist Park and Triple- A Gwinnett.
“It does ( get frustrating), but that’s human nature,” Toussaint said. “You want to be great. You don’t want to struggle or fail. ... I’m glad I’m only 24 and I have a chance to be someone I want to be.”
Finding oneself i n baseball i sn’t an easy task. Look at Max Fried, for instance. Fried is now viewed as a frontline starter after he had a 2.25 ERA in his 11 starts last season. He didn’t find that success immediately. The southpaw appeared i n only nine games across his first two seasons, bouncing between the majors and minors. He had a 4.02 ERA over 33 appearances ( 30 starts) in 2019, setting up his breakout campaign.
That doesn’t mean Toussaint will achieve the same heights. Like Fried, Toussaint has an impressive repertoire led by a wipe- out curveball. There are been moments, it’s just been a matter of finding consistent command.
“I l ook at Touki, with his abilit y to spin the ball and pure stuff — it seems like he’s been around forever, but he’s still a young guy trying to figure things out,” manager Brian Snitker said. “And he keeps working and studying. He has a durable arm, too.
... He’s a versatile guy, he can be a starter or reliever. I don’t know what his niche is going to be down the road. I guess it will depend on the team he’s on and where the needs are. But the stuff is too good.”
Toussaint worked in the offseason to correct mechanical inconsistencies, and early returns are promising. Toussaint has had a solid camp, most recently impressing on March 12 when he allowed one hit over three scoreless innings against the Twins.
As always, Toussaint needs to show his improvement over a larger sample size, but it’s a start.
“It was a mechanical issue for me and I worked really hard this offseason to get that issue fixed,” Toussaint said. “Just being able to repeat my delivery. My glove side was low, I got more linear to the plate. Got my glove side up. I told myself to be more athletic instead of becoming a pitcher. Just be athletic and throw the baseball over the plate.”
Toussaint has also adjusted mentally, emphasizing the day- by- day mantra.
“I took it upon myself to slow things down and be happy with what I’m doing,” he said. “Take that and build on that, and not try to outdo who I am.”
It’s possible, though not likely at this juncture, that Toussaint makes the opening- day roster. He’s not concerned about that detail. He knows he’ll have opportunities to help the Braves over the 162- game season.
Toussaint can’t be “young depth” forever. Entering 2021, he remains one of the Braves’ enigmas. Maybe this is the season that finally provides more clarity.
“There’s just so much upside with a kid like that,” Snitker said. “Eventually, he’s going to figure it out and he’s going to be very successful.”