The Player
Touki Toussaint, RHP
Age: 22
OFR Prospect Rank: 5
2018 Level: AAA Gwinnett
The Results
2018: 2.68 ERA | 3.26 FIP | 21 G, 21 GS | 117.1 IP | 10.66 K/9 | 3.76 BB/9
Minor League Career: 4.21 ERA | 4.16 FIP | 103 G, 98 GS | 511 IP | 9.39 K/9 | 4.40 BB/9
The History
Dany Gilbert Kiti “Touki” Toussaint was a 1st-round pick (16th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014. Toussaint was part of an unusual trade on June 20, 2015 when the Diamondbacks sent Toussaint and veteran pitcher Bronson Arroyo to Atlanta for utility infielder Phil Gosselin. Arroyo was injured and not expected to play at all in 2015, so essentially the trade was the equivalent of the Braves paying Arizona the $10.1 million remaining on Arroyo’s contract for the rights to Toussaint.
Toussaint went to work in Rome after the trade, and he admitted that he was pressing to impress his new organization while also working on refining his delivery, with the results (5.73 ERA in 48.2 innings) to bear that out. Toussaint was assigned back to Rome for 2016, and slowly the refinements started bearing fruit. Toussaint was at his best down the stretch, with a 2.34 ERA in August and September, saving his best start of the season for the South Atlantic League championship series: 8 innings of 4 hit, 1 run, 6 strikeout ball in which he didn’t walk a single batter.
The following season Toussaint started the year in advanded-A Florida. Toussaint had a disconnect between his peripheral stats, which showed strong improvement over the previous season in strikeouts, walks, and ground ball rate, and his results which had his ERA at 5.04. The Braves believed the peripherals and promoted Toussaint to AA Mississippi in late July. The move proved to be a good one as Toussaint finished out his season with a 3.18 ERA/3.69 FIP in 7 starts, with a .207/.320/.317 batting line against him.
This year has been Toussaint’s most consistent and successful season to date. Re-united with his Fire Frogs pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn, Toussaint started to work less on mechanics and more on sequencing and playing against hitters strengths. The results were a .208/.300/.318 batting line against in Mississippi, with 107 strikeouts in 86 innings. After holding Pensacola to two hits and no runs in 7 innings while striking out a season-high 11 batters, Toussaint was promoted to AAA Gwinnett at the beginning of July, where in 5 starts he has put up even better results. Toussaint participated in the 2018 Futures Game during the All-Star week, pitching the final inning for the World team and striking out Nationals prospect Carter Keiboom.
The Report
Toussaint is 6′-3″, 185 pounds, and very athletic. He has four pitches and any can be devastating on any given day, though his trademark has been a 12-6 power curveball that is his primary swing-and-miss offering and one of the most unhittable pitches in the minor leagues. His four-seam fastball typically sits 93-95, but Toussaint can touch 97 when he starts, or even 99 in his few relief appearances. Toussaint’s most improved pitch over the last two seasons has been his change-up, which he uses mostly against left-handers; this season he’s held lefties to a .208/.282/.271 batting line against him. His fourth pitching is a two-seam fastball that can cut and sink depending on how he spins it and he uses primarily against right-handers.
Toussaint does have times where his control can get away from him, which can lead to walks and inflated pitch counts, but like other aspects of his game, this area has shown much improvement over the years. Toussaint also is a strong fielder and has shown he can hold his own at the plate as well; in 32 plate appearances with Mississippi this season, Toussaint hit .310/.333/.414 with 3 doubles. Toussaint is well-liked and respected by teammates and coaches, often getting high praise for his work ethic and leadership.
Toussaint curveball.
What’s Next
Toussaint is a true power pitcher, and a lot of his success will depend on if he has good control on a given day. If he can put the ball where he wants it, it will be a tough day for batters. While today is likely just a spot start, look for Toussaint to have more opportunities, possibly including pitching out of the bullpen in September. In the long term, Toussaint has several avenues to major league success, but I believe the arm and the make-up is there to be a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher.
Even though his start came against the depleted Marlins, Touki looked like the real deal — three solid pitches, reasonably good control, poise, and even excellent fielding. This should not be a spot start — Touki should stay in the rotation. We’re less than three weeks from September 1st active roster expansion.