Bryan Hudson's Spring Training Debut Was a Step in the Right Direction

Yes, Bryan Hudson struck out two of the four batters he faced in his first preseason outing, but that's unimportant. Results are usually meaningless in spring training games, and the Brewers already know how effective Hudson can be, after he posted a 1.73 ERA in 62 1/3 innings last year.

Most of that production came in the first half, though, before Hudson's physical freshness waned. That's why he entered camp with something to prove, and why the form he showed on Tuesday was a notable first step toward reclaiming his status as a key part of the team's bullpen.

The Brewers raised eyebrows when they optioned their towering southpaw to Triple-A last September. We've covered in detail why they did it and why he never returned to the active roster. The Cliffs Notes version is that Hudson's velocity tapered throughout the season, altering how his fastball and sweeper played and forcing him to lean increasingly on his mediocre cutter. He no longer projected as the excellent reliever he was for most of the year. The club initially painted the demotion as temporary until Hudson looked rejuvenated, but the lost velocity never returned.

Fast-forward several months, and Hudson is much closer to his best self. His first fastball of the year clocked in at 93.9 mph—the firmest heater he's thrown in a game since last June—and his sweeper touched 84.2 mph.

He also debuted a new toy. Hudson had never thrown a changeup in a big-league game, but he mixed one in against the right-handed-hitting Juan Brito.

The off-centered camera angle and Hudson missing away make it harder to see the shape, but this pitch had -2 inches of induced vertical break and 16 inches of arm-side movement. He's never thrown a pitch with more than 13 inches of run in a regular-season game. Most of Hudson's stuff cuts, sweeps, or stays straight. While he doesn't truly need a changeup, it adds the fade away from righties that was once the missing link in his arsenal.

Because he has an option remaining, Hudson is not a lock to crack the Opening dDay bullpen. That said, if he sustains his velocity and carries a new pitch into the regular season, he'll reclaim a significant post in the bullpen sooner, rather than later.