Filthy & Forgotten: 5 Future Closers Ready to Take Over MLB Bullpens
SportsGrid Contributor Just Baseball
Host · Writer
Luis Mey – The Reds’ Wildcard with Nasty Stuff
Luis Mey’s 14.1 big-league innings in 2025 come with a 4.40 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, but let the numbers settle. The 23-year-old fireballer has already cracked triple digits and racks up whiffs with a 98.7 mph sinker and a devastating 134 Stuff+ slider.
Mey’s command remains a work in progress—his 16.1% walk rate is cause for pause—but his ability to miss bats is undeniable. After tearing through the minors in just over a year, he’s now sharpening his command in Triple-A Louisville. Should the Cincinnati Reds’ late-inning plans unravel, Mey could seize the role with a few refined outings.
For all your MLB deep dives, check out our friends at Just Baseball.
Abner Uribe – Brewing Dominance in Milwaukee
Back from injury and better than ever, Abner Uribe has returned to form in 2025, boasting a 1.98 ERA over 36.1 innings. His 99.9 mph sinker devastates, while his best pitch—a filthy slider grading at 129 Stuff+—has become his go-to weapon (48% usage).
Uribe has tightened his command from last year’s implosion (6.91 ERA, 18.2% BB) and is now limiting barrels at an elite clip (2.4%). While Trevor Megill is closing games, Uribe’s raw stuff and improved walk rate put him firmly in the mix to reclaim high-leverage duties.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen may be loaded, but Uribe has the arsenal and attitude to rise to the top.
Thanks to Just Baseball for the stats, analysis and insights for this slideshow article.
Randy Rodríguez – Giants’ Silent Superstar
Randy Rodríguez has quietly become one of the most effective relievers in baseball. With a microscopic 0.79 ERA and a minuscule 0.74 WHIP over 34 innings, the 25-year-old righty has exploded in his second full season.
Rodríguez brings elite command (4.8% walk rate) and strikeout stuff (38.9% K rate), with his 97.3 mph fastball (121 Stuff+) and sweepy slider (116 Stuff+) baffling hitters. He’s ditched his sinker and cutter, simplifying his arsenal to deadly results.
Camilo Doval currently holds the ninth for the San Francisco Giants, but Rodríguez could leap into the closer’s role with one misstep. Whether or not he earns saves, Rodríguez is pitching like an All-Star.
Swing for the Fences with SportsGrid’s free daily MLB Game Picks and MLB Prop Picks.
Daniel Palencia – Unexpected Fireman for the Cubs
Don’t look now, but Daniel Palencia might be the closer of the future at Wrigley. After logging just 14.2 shaky innings last year (6.10 ERA, 17.4% BB rate), the 25-year-old has rebounded in 2025 with a dazzling 1.93 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 28 innings.
Armed with a 99.3 mph fastball and four pitches above league average by Stuff+, Palencia has trimmed his walks and ramped up his dominance (27.5% K rate). With Ryan Pressly struggling and Porter Hodge on the IL, Palencia has emerged as a steady hand for the Chicago Cubs and has already recorded seven saves this season.
If he keeps this up, don’t be surprised to see him in All-Star conversations soon.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
Jeremiah Estrada – Padres’ Hidden Weapon
Once overlooked in the Cubs’ system, Jeremiah Estrada has blossomed into a premier setup man in San Diego. The 26-year-old righty is sitting on a 97.9 mph heater and striking out nearly a third of the batters he faces. With a 3.74 ERA over 33.2 innings in 2025, Estrada’s 31.5% K rate and 3.41 xFIP back up the belief that he’s legit. His 118 Stuff+ fastball is electric, while a sharp splitter and usable slider have helped him post a top-20 Pitching+ score (119) among all relievers with at least 20 IP.
Despite his success, the San Diego Padres have leaned on veteran Robert Suarez in the ninth, but Estrada—under team control through 2029—feels like a ticking time bomb ready to explode into the closer’s chair.
Luis Mey – The Reds’ Wildcard with Nasty Stuff
Luis Mey’s 14.1 big-league innings in 2025 come with a 4.40 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, but let the numbers settle. The 23-year-old fireballer has already cracked triple digits and racks up whiffs with a 98.7 mph sinker and a devastating 134 Stuff+ slider.
Mey’s command remains a work in progress—his 16.1% walk rate is cause for pause—but his ability to miss bats is undeniable. After tearing through the minors in just over a year, he’s now sharpening his command in Triple-A Louisville. Should the Cincinnati Reds’ late-inning plans unravel, Mey could seize the role with a few refined outings.
For all your MLB deep dives, check out our friends at Just Baseball.
Abner Uribe – Brewing Dominance in Milwaukee
Back from injury and better than ever, Abner Uribe has returned to form in 2025, boasting a 1.98 ERA over 36.1 innings. His 99.9 mph sinker devastates, while his best pitch—a filthy slider grading at 129 Stuff+—has become his go-to weapon (48% usage).
Uribe has tightened his command from last year’s implosion (6.91 ERA, 18.2% BB) and is now limiting barrels at an elite clip (2.4%). While Trevor Megill is closing games, Uribe’s raw stuff and improved walk rate put him firmly in the mix to reclaim high-leverage duties.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen may be loaded, but Uribe has the arsenal and attitude to rise to the top.
Thanks to Just Baseball for the stats, analysis and insights for this slideshow article.
