Touki Toussaint was a late entry into the Futures game last month. He had made only one start in Triple-A, but word had already spread among evaluators and competitors that he wouldn’t be in the minors for long.
His rise is nearly complete, as the 22-year-old is set to start for the Braves on Monday, per manager Brian Snitker. The Braves host Miami for a doubleheader, with Mike Foltynewicz starting the other game.
Lauded for his nasty curveball, Toussaint has climbed the rankings of the Braves’ system since they acquired him in 2015. The Diamondbacks selected Toussaint at No. 16 overall in 2014, but shipped him out in a salary dump.
The Braves’ reward for absorbing sunk money was Toussaint, whose maturation over the past year has accelerated him into the majors sooner than most would’ve believed.
“Just from a maturing standpoint, I’ve matured a lot in this organization,” Toussaint said last month. “When I first got here, I was like a deer in the headlights, didn’t know what was going on, who I had to impress. And they took me under their wing and said, ‘Hey man, just be yourself.’ When you start doing that, you’ll see results. I thank them for believing in me the way they have. It’s been fun.”
He began 2017 in high Single-A Florida, where he produced a 5.04 ERA across 19 starts (though his 3.39 FIP indicates luck wasn’t in his favor). Toussaint’s command was inconsistent, but the flashes were there. He actually performed better after his late-season promotion to Double-A Mississippi.
Toussaint owned a 2.93 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 16 starts (84 innings) with Mississippi this season, prompting a promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s made five starts with the Stripers, posting a 2.01 ERA with a 32:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while limiting opponents to a .205 average in 31-1/3 innings.
“He’s doing good,” Snitker said. “He’s been really effective and come a long way. He’s starting to get it and reports are really good. The guys who’ve been around him ever since he’s been here until now really like him.”
Toussaint will join the growing list of youngsters to make their debuts for the Braves this season. Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard, just 20 years old, preceded him. Lefties Sean Newcomb, Max Fried and Luiz Gohara broke in a season ago.
The Braves have only three off-days remaining. They’ll continue their season-long shuffling of arms, which will give Toussaint innings out of the bullpen and, as the situation permits, the rotation.
After a last-minute spot opened on the World Team, Toussaint flew to Washington to pitch an inning in the Futures game July 15. He allowed a triple to Reds outfield prospect Taylor Trammell, but impressed with the following three easy outs.
“Touki Toussaint, I have nothing but respect for that guy,” Trammell said after the game. “I hear guys up in Double-A in Pensacola talk about the way he pitches to them. You have to hit the fastball, because he has nasty stuff. And his fastball, the thing moves so much. I was very impressed with him today. He’s a very good guy.”
Soon, Toussaint will have the opportunity to win the respect of major leaguers. His first chance likely comes Monday.
