The 12th best reliever in the 2016 Valley League season struck out all the batters.

Well, maybe not all, but Abraham Almonte, from Strasburg and Philadelphia University, was incredibly hard to hit.

Overall in 2016, Almonte went 2-0, 2.25, with 4 saves in 13 appearances out of the bullpen. He finished with a 1.250 WHIP, 5.6 BB/9, and 19.7 K/9. Take another look at that K/9- 19.7. Abraham recorded 48 outs in the regular season- 35 of them by strikeout. Wow. That K/9 is, by far, the highest of all relievers surveyed for this list.

Then he went on to pitch in 2 games in the playoffs, in which he allowed 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and struck out 5 in 3 1/3 innings. (5 K’s in 10 outs.) I don’t need to explain to you, Brilliant Reader, how valuable it is to have a reliever that can strike out batters like this, do I? Anyway, the 6-foot lefty was named the #19 prospect in the League by Perfect Game for his efforts.

In 2014 as a freshman at Philadelphia University, Abraham went 3-2, 3.81 in 26 innings- he struck out 30. In 2015, he appeared 4 times out of the bullpen and started 5 games. In one of those games, he threw a no hitter against Lincoln. Overall, he went 3-1, 1.21, with 15 hits, 7 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings. He underwent TJ surgery in May of 2015, and therefore did not pitch in the 2016 college season. The first batters he faced in 2016 were after he joined Strasburg.

Congratulations on your excellent summer, Abraham!