BCB’s annual series of player profiles continues.
Daniel Jesus Palencia, the 26-year-old Venezuelan native, is the Cubs’ current closer. It’s his second year in the top spot, and so far he looks like he plans to stay there.
Palencia throws the ball hard and has evidenced decent control of his offerings. Last year, he had a losing record (1-6), but also logged a 2.91 ERA, with 22 saves and 61 strikeouts, in 52.2 innings in 54 games, good for 0.6 bWAR (1.0 fWAR). He have up 5 home runs and issued 16 bases on balls. That’s good stuff.
Projections generally have him throwing a few more innings but continuing in the same vein, which would be just fine with the Cubs, I would imagine. A 25 plus strikeout percentage, and a 10% or under BB% are other features that Palencia is predicted to gather.
Palencia threw three pitches in 2025, out of five he has on hand. His FB can reach triple digits and sits around 98 mph, his splitter travels around 88, and his slider is around the same. He abandoned his changeup in 2024 and his curve last year. He doesn’t seem to need them. He also throws a very occasional sinker, Baseball Savant says.
Palencia gets his power from his tree-trunk thighs and Cal Raleigh fundament. At 26, he should be able to keep those heaters coming for a while still.
Category: General Sports
