Louie Varland
26-Year-Old
2024 Stats
W-L
0-0
ERA
0.00
WHIP
0.00
K
0
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Varland's improved velocity turned him into a late-season weapon out of the bullpen and has put him in contention for a prominent role in 2024 - but it's not clear whether that will be in the rotation or bullpen. Varland's improved velocity (up to 95.3 mph average fastball from 93.9 mph in the majors the previous season) resulted in a strong year at Triple-A with a 9.8 K/9 and 3.97 ERA and 3.32 FIP. He was called up early in the season as a starter and had initial success with a 3.51 ERA in seven starts, but then gave up 17 runs in 15 innings in his next three starts and was sent to the minors in June. He was called up to the bullpen in September and was a dominant reliever with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings with a 17:1 K:BB ratio with a fastball that touched triple digits. Varland has said he'd like to remain a starter, but it will be hard for the Twins to keep him out of the bullpen given his success. Still, he's in the mix for the fifth starter role this spring. Read Past Outlooks
Looks on track for rotation
Varland is expected to open the season in the Minnesota rotation after president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Monday that Anthony DeSclafani (forearm) will open the season on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
Varland has been a standout performer this spring with no runs allowed and 11 strikeouts against one walk through 11 innings in the Grapefruit League, but the fact that he has two minor-league options remaining was seemingly working against him in his competition with DeSclafani and Chris Paddack for the final two spots in the Opening Day rotation. However, with DeSclafani having been diagnosed with a forearm strain following a minor-league spring start over the weekend, Varland looks like he could have an extended runway in the Minnesota rotation. Expect Varland's average draft position to surge in the wake of the DeSclafani injury, given that the young right-hander had previously fared well in his initial starting opportunities in the big leagues last season with a 3.51 ERA through his first seven outings with Minnesota in 2023. He faded soon after and was eventually optioned to the minors, but he pitched well down the stretch upon rejoining Minnesota in a bullpen role last September. With Varland having now carried that late-season momentum into spring training, he may be in better position to enjoy sustained success as a starter in the big leagues over a longer period of time in 2024.
Varland has been a standout performer this spring with no runs allowed and 11 strikeouts against one walk through 11 innings in the Grapefruit League, but the fact that he has two minor-league options remaining was seemingly working against him in his competition with DeSclafani and Chris Paddack for the final two spots in the Opening Day rotation. However, with DeSclafani having been diagnosed with a forearm strain following a minor-league spring start over the weekend, Varland looks like he could have an extended runway in the Minnesota rotation. Expect Varland's average draft position to surge in the wake of the DeSclafani injury, given that the young right-hander had previously fared well in his initial starting opportunities in the big leagues last season with a 3.51 ERA through his first seven outings with Minnesota in 2023. He faded soon after and was eventually optioned to the minors, but he pitched well down the stretch upon rejoining Minnesota in a bullpen role last September. With Varland having now carried that late-season momentum into spring training, he may be in better position to enjoy sustained success as a starter in the big leagues over a longer period of time in 2024.
Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
Minor League Game Log
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Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
-17%
BAA vs LHP
2024
No Stats
BAA | K | BB | H | HR | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2022vs Left | .226 | 37 | 9 | 30 | 6 | |||
Since 2022vs Right | .272 | 55 | 14 | 62 | 14 | |||
2024vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
2024vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
2023vs Left | .209 | 28 | 7 | 19 | 5 | |||
2023vs Right | .275 | 43 | 10 | 47 | 11 | |||
2022vs Left | .262 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 1 | |||
2022vs Right | .263 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 3 | |||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
-2%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
ERA | WHIP | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2022Home | 4.46 | 1.17 | 40.1 | 8.3 | 1.8 | ||||
Since 2022Away | 4.36 | 1.27 | 53.2 | 9.2 | 2.5 | ||||
2024Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
2024Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
2023Home | 4.55 | 1.15 | 29.2 | 9.4 | 1.5 | ||||
2023Away | 4.70 | 1.28 | 38.1 | 9.4 | 2.8 | ||||
2022Home | 4.22 | 1.22 | 10.2 | 5.1 | 2.5 | ||||
2022Away | 3.52 | 1.24 | 15.1 | 8.8 | 1.8 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Stat Review
How does Louie Varland compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
K/BB
4.18K/9
9.4BB/9
2.3HR/9
2.1Fastball
95.3 mphERA
4.63WHIP
1.22BABIP
.293GB/FB
1.30Left On Base
79.2%Exit Velocity
81.4 mphBarrels/BBE
5.1%Spin Rate
2231 rpmBalls Hit 95+ MPH
22.1%Swinging Strike
12.8%Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Candidate for Opening Day rotation
Varland will be a candidate for the Twins' Opening Day rotation in 2024, Dan Hayes of the Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
Varland finished out the 2023 season in a bullpen role, but he has primarily worked as a starter throughout his professional career and will have a chance to lock down a permanent rotation spot next spring. The 25-year-old right-hander makes sense as an internal replacement for Sonny Gray, who is expected to depart as a free agent this winter. Varland carries a respectable 4.40 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 92:23 K:BB through his first 94 major-league innings. He posted a 71:17 K:BB over 68 innings this year.
Varland finished out the 2023 season in a bullpen role, but he has primarily worked as a starter throughout his professional career and will have a chance to lock down a permanent rotation spot next spring. The 25-year-old right-hander makes sense as an internal replacement for Sonny Gray, who is expected to depart as a free agent this winter. Varland carries a respectable 4.40 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 92:23 K:BB through his first 94 major-league innings. He posted a 71:17 K:BB over 68 innings this year.
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Varland was an unheralded 2019 15th-round draft pick out of local Division II Concordia in Minnesota, but made a big leap in 2021 thanks to a large uptick in velocity (to a mid-90s fastball). That bought him a ticket to Double-A to begin 2022 where he impressed with a 3.34 ERA, 119:39 K:BB and 1.34 WHIP in 105 innings over 20 appearances (19 starts). He soon was in the majors for five starts late in the season where he held his own (3.81 ERA and 4.30 FIP). While he had just a 7.2 K/9 in the majors, he had a 10.2 K/9 or higher at every level of the minors. Varland has good control (2.1 BB/9 in the majors and 3.1 BB/9 at Double-A) and keeps hitters off balance with solid change-up and slider off-speed pitches. He'll compete for a rotation spot this spring but may need more time at Triple-A. He could surprise given how he's overachieved at every level so far in his career.
More Fantasy News
Strong spring as starter
Varland threw three scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League loss to Pittsburgh. He threw 34 pitches and another 11 in the bullpen as he prepares to be a starter, MLB.com reports. He's thrown seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and one walk this spring.
ANALYSIS
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Preparing as starting pitcher
The Twins plan to have Varland stretch out as a starting pitcher this spring, although moving him to the bullpen remains an option, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He's been working on an improved two-seam fastball and slider in the offseason to help him win a spot in the rotation.
ANALYSIS
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Recall made official
Varland was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on Monday.
ANALYSIS
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Promotion imminent
Varland is expected to be recalled from Triple-A St. Paul prior to Monday's game against the Guardians, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
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Moves to bullpen at Triple-A
Varland has moved to the bullpen at Triple-A St. Paul as the Twins may consider him for a relief role in the majors in September, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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