Alex Reyes Finds That Change Is Good

SAN DIEGO—When Alex Reyes was working into shape this spring in extended spring training after finishing off a 50-game suspension, he found ways to make his job fun.

When you’re blessed with a 95-100 mph fastball and a hard-breaking curveball, facing young, eager hitters in extended spring can make a pitcher feel pretty good.

“It was a confidence booster. I was striking out a ton of guys and not walking many,” said Reyes who was suspended after testing positive for using marijuana.

What pitching in extended spring training doesn’t do is prepare you to pitch to Triple-A batters.

When Reyes was ready to return to an active roster, he found himself having to make a massive adjustment in his first taste of Triple-A with Memphis.

“The biggest jump was this year,” Reyes said. “Pitching in extended they swung at everything. Then to go to Memphis, it was like—Oh, you’re not going to swing at that? It was going from the biggest zone in the minors to the smallest in the minors.”

It wasn’t an easy move for Reyes. His curveball isn’t as enticing to Triple-A hitters. It’s still often impossible to hit, but because they recognize that, Triple-A hitters will take unless in a two-strike situation. And Reyes doesn’t locate his curveball well enough to always take advantage of those takes.

“It’s a little tough to locate sometimes. I throw a really good 0-2 (curve) under the zone. But guys don’t swing at it, so if I’m not throwing strikes it’s not like guys are swinging at it,” Reyes said.

But that has led Reyes to make an adjustment. Now he is emphasizing his changeup more, allowing his curveball to become a third option at times.

“I feel like that (the changeup is) more of a swing-and-miss pitch for me now because hitters have to be geared up for the fastball,” Reyes said.

Reyes is 2-1, 4.35 in nine starts with Memphis. He’s still missing lots of bats—his 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings would rank among the best in the minors for starters if he had enough innings. But his walk rate (4.35 BB/9) shows he still has work to do before he’s fully big league-ready.