Diamondbacks 2022 Season Player Reviews: Taylor Widener

2022 Season Review

Taylor Widener was drafted by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2016 draft. The University of South Carolina alumni is part of a long line of players to have reached the major leagues from that school. 

Widener pitched well in his first two seasons in the Yankees organization, advancing to High-A and posting a 3.39 ERA in 27 starts. Targeted by the Diamondbacks, he was acquired in a complicated three way trade with the Rays and Yankees that also brought Steven Souza Jr. to the desert in February of 2018.

That year Widener posted a 2.75 ERA in 26 starts for Double-A Jackson of the Southern league, winning the D-backs organization's minor league pitcher of the year award. However the next year in Triple-A Reno's high octane offensive environment he had a nightmare season, posting an 8.81 ERA and giving up 23 homers in just 100 innings. 

Nonetheless he made his major league debut in 2020, pitching 12 games in relief, and posting a 4.50 ERA. The next year was spent mostly in the majors, pitching in 23 games, including 13 starts. In 70 innings he had a 4.35 ERA, but his 5.56 FIP due to poor peripherals stood out, as he allowed 14 home runs and 37 walks.

At this point the Diamondbacks made the decision to convert Widener to a reliever full time. Starting 2022 in Reno, he was called up in late April, getting into three games, giving up five hits, a walk and a homer in three innings. Charged with just two runs of his own, he allowed three of five inherited runners to score. Sent back down to Reno after his outing on May 1st, he was recalled again in early June, pitching poorly in a mop up role, giving up 4 hits and three runs while recording just four outs. 

Widener spent the next three months in Reno without distinguishing himself in any way outwardly, going by results. In 23 innings he posted 5.48 ERA. But the team must have seen something they liked, as they recalled him on September 10th. 

From that date to the end of the season, Widener pitched very well. Appearing in 10 more games, and throwing 12.1 innings, he allowed just two earned runs and one inherited runner to score. He walked three, struck out 11, and gave up one homer. 

Widener saw a slight uptick in velocity during September by about 0.5 MPH on both his four seam fastball (94.1) and slider (85). His spin rates were up about 100 RPM as well. It was an encouraging end to the season for the seemingly forgotten man.   

2023 Outlook

Widener is entering his final pre arbitration season. He still has minor league options, which may be a factor in his remaining on the 40 man roster. If he can build off his September success he may yet be able to carve out a role for himself as middle inning, long reliever. Widener had a strange reverse split in 2022 however. Left handed batters went just 2/23, .087 with one homer against him. But right hand batters went 20/51, .392 including four doubles and a homer. His slider was hit hard, which may just be a fluke. 

2023 will probably be the last chance Widener has to establish himself in the major leagues with the Diamondbacks organization. He will be arbitration eligible in 2024 and begins to get expensive at that point.