Louis VarlandTOR · RP

2026 review

Louis Varland worked as a strikeout-heavy closer this year, going 71 games with a 1.27 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 78.0 IP, striking out 97 against 23 BB over 307 BF, with 35 SV, 5 HLD and 2 BS. His 31.6 K% over 307 BF was the 22nd highest of 517 pitchers with 100+ BF, and his 4-seam fastball climbed from 98.5 mph Mar-Jun (303 pitches) to 99.3 mph Jul-Sep (206 pitches). Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 1094, he finished 46th of 1472 overall in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 1048 spots above, and 3rd of 575 relievers. His 1.27 ERA ran 1.10 below his 2.37 xERA over 307 BF. The TDK LABS card had him locked in as the strong closer choice by early May off a hot start, and by late Sep it still had him as the clean save-role option with an elite strikeout rate, though by then it was also flagging the underlying contact numbers as a concern.