Written By: Jared Perkins

The third edition of Second Half Help is up and running! We are heading into the final stretch of the fantasy baseball season. This I’m highlighting one player who might be able to help you push through this final stretch. 

Glenn Otto, Starting Pitcher, Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers pulled off an absolute blockbuster of a trade at the deadline sending Joey Gallo and Joely Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for Glenn Otto, Ezequiel Duran, Trevor Hauver, and Josh Smith. All of the prospects were pretty great pickups for the Rangers, but Glenn Otto has the best chance to have an impact in the Major Leagues this year. Since coming to Texas, he has been in AAA throwing to the tune of a 3.60 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched in three games. 

Otto has flashed some eye-popping strikeout rates this year, but he doesn’t have an overpowering fastball. It sits around 90-93 mph and tops out at about 96 mph. He has reached up to 98 mph in the past, but don’t expect that to happen often. He has some really good secondary pitches. He developed and added a slider which makes hitters look foolish and he also possesses an over-the-top curveball that works better on lefties than righties. That is probably the pitch Otto seems to go to the most when he needs it. He caps off his repertoire with a changeup that is fairly new and he doesn’t tend to use it too often. If he can find a way to develop that pitch to even an above-average pitch, he could become a very good pitcher in the Major Leagues. 

With that development of a slider to be his third strong pitch, Otto has shut down some of the concerns that he would end up in the bullpen. He has really improved his command this year as well, having a 5.5% walk rate in AA, 6.1% walk rate in AAA for the Yankees, and a 6.7% in AAA with the Yankees. With the Rangers’ contention for a playoff spot, there is no reason they shouldn’t give Otto a chance to close out the season in the major leagues. With his extremely high whiff rates, he might have the ability to help your fantasy team in the September playoff push.