When Alexis Díaz entered spring training, he was considered a longshot to make the big-league roster out of camp.
He had a stellar 2021 season in Double-A, but he was a relative unknown. He didn’t show up at the top of the Cincinnati Reds’ prospect rankings. If anything, he was most known as Edwin Díaz’s younger brother.
In six months, Díaz went from the last pitcher to make the Opening Day roster to a guy projected to be the closer of the future. All he did was become the most reliable reliever in the bullpen, leading the Reds in wins (seven) and saves (10).