Big Velo, Mental Changes, and a Different Look for Taj Bradley

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

When the Minnesota Twins acquired Taj Bradley from the Tampa Bay Rays at last year’s trade deadline, they weren’t just buying a struggling arm. They were betting on a version of Bradley that once looked like one of the most electric young starters in baseball. That version showed up (at least in flashes) on Saturday.

In a win over the Baltimore Orioles, Bradley allowed one earned run on three hits and three walks while striking out nine across 4 1/3 innings. It wasn't a perfectly clean outing, as he needed 92 pitches to get just 13 outs, but the raw ingredients were impossible to miss. The swing-and-miss that once made him a top prospect was back. The confidence looked different. And perhaps most importantly, the process is evolving.

After posting a 6.61 ERA in six starts following the trade last season, Bradley entered 2026 needing to show tangible growth. Through his first outing (and dating back to a strong finish against Texas in 2025 and a sharp spring training), there are signs that something has clicked.

For Bradley, the biggest difference might not be mechanical or statistical. It might be mental.

“It’s just me being hardheaded in the past,” Bradley said. “I stuck to what I was good at and stuck to what I knew, you know. If it’s different, it gets scary, so you don’t even want to walk down that path.

“What I’ve done in the past is what I felt I solidified on. Going into the offseason, I figured I’d take different routines, different practices, and bring it into this year.”

That openness is already showing up in how he attacks hitters.

Velocity Increase
The most encouraging development came from Bradley’s fastball, which showed a noticeable jump in velocity compared to previous seasons. Throughout his big-league career, his four-seam fastball has typically sat a little above 96 mph. In his first start of 2026, that number climbed to 97.4 mph, and he even reached back for 99.6 mph at one point. Bradley used the pitch effectively, generating three strikeouts and holding the Orioles to a .167 batting average against it.

If that velocity holds, it could have a ripple effect across his entire arsenal. A firmer fastball makes his splitter more deceptive, especially when it falls off the same plane. It can also help his cutter play up, giving hitters less time to differentiate between pitches that already feature similar initial trajectories.

Of course, we'll also have to wait and see whether that velocity jump holds. Early-season adrenaline can sometimes lead to elevated velocity readings, but maintaining an average near 97 mph deep into the year would represent a meaningful step forward for Bradley. It's encouraging, at least, that we saw him throw harder late last year, too. If he can pair that added power with his evolving pitch mix, it raises the ceiling on what he can become in this rotation.

Breaking Pitch Changes
One of the more notable changes came from his cutter. In 2025, the pitch had an average of 5.6 inches of induced vertical break. In his first start this season, that number dropped to 1.1 inches. That's a notable difference in the depth of its movement, which is consistent with what we saw in spring training.

Interestingly, it is also coming in slower, with velocity down by roughly 2.5 miles per hour. That tradeoff appears intentional, sacrificing velocity for more movement. It's become a true slider. If Bradley can consistently locate it, the pitch could become more of a bat-misser, rather than just a weak contact generator.

The biggest shift in Bradley’s arsenal was his willingness to trust the splitter. Last season, he used it just over 15% of the time. Against Baltimore, that number jumped to nearly 30%. He threw it 27 times, primarily to left-handed hitters, and the results were dominant: no hits allowed, two strikeouts, and a 63.6% whiff rate.

That kind of effectiveness is hard to ignore. Whether it was matchup-driven or a sign of things to come, the splitter gives Bradley a legitimate weapon to neutralize hitters on both sides of the plate.

A Lingering Concern With Contact Quality
For all the positives, there is still a red flag that followed Bradley from his time in Tampa Bay. When hitters do make contact, they can elevate and pull the ball with authority. In his 2026 debut, O's batters posted a 28.6% pull air rate against him. That's a significant jump from his previous seasons, where he hovered below 19% as a rookie and under 17% more recently. That number must come down.

Early-season conditions can mask mistakes. Cold weather tends to suppress carry, turning potential home runs into warning track outs. As temperatures rise, those same swings can do much more damage. If Bradley continues to allow pulled fly balls at that rate, it could quickly become a problem. Of course, with nine strikeouts and in such a short outing, the sample is far too small to say whether that vulnerability to pulled air balls will be a real issue.

Encouraging Signs With Work Still Ahead
It's easy to see why the Twins believed in Bradley when they made the deal for him. The strikeout ability is real. The raw stuff has ticked up. Now, there are early indications that the approach is starting to evolve, as well.

It's also fair to acknowledge what still needs refinement. Efficiency remains an issue. Contact quality is something to monitor. And one strong start doesn't erase the inconsistency that defined his 2025 season. Still, this looked like a different pitcher.

The Twins are going to need that version of Bradley. With questions throughout the rotation, they can't afford to wait long for answers. Starters need to take the ball and begin carrying more of the load.

It's early, and the weather will change. The league will adjust. Bradley will have to adjust back. For now, though, there is something worth watching here.

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What stands out from Bradley's first start? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Whitey333]

Yes Bradley looked very good in spots.  Just as he looked not nearly as good in other spots against Baltimore.  We definitely need to see more consistency and further development and progress.  But yes its definitely a positive sign.

[Coach Wheels]

2 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Yes Bradley looked very good in spots.  Just as he looked not nearly as good in other spots against Baltimore.  We definitely need to see more consistency and further development and progress.  But yes its definitely a positive sign.

I watched his start Saturday and came away encouraged. I was surprised he came out for the 5th but velocity was still very good for 80+ pitches and it being March. 

Talk me in late June and see how i feel then, but Taj was good Saturday

[terrydactyls]

I'm confused.  In the breaking ball section, you say that in 2025, Bradley's cutter had 5.6 inches of break. And in his first start, the movement dropped to 1.1 inches.  In the following paragraph, you state that he is throwing it 2.5MPH slower.  And your summary is that he sacrificed velocity for more movement and the pitch has become a true slider.

My questions are:  1) How is Bradley getting more movement if the break went from 5.6 inches to 1.1 inches?, and 2) Does Bradley no longer have a cutter replacing it with a slider?

As an aside, I have no clue what the difference is between a cutter and a slider.  When I played, pitchers threw fastballs and curves, with an occasional change up thrown in.

[Linus]

I don’t think anything has changed. His stuff is tantalizingly. The question is can he locate it effectively which has always been the question. At first I wasn’t sure about this deal because there is definite risk they he never figures out his control but if he does, the upside is huge. 

[Cris E]

I think the trade forced him to re-examine a lot of stuff, as Tampa has a history of letting coaches and catcher do most of the game prep and pitch calling,  Last August he admitted he was reading pre-game scouting for the first time in his career.   I could easily see his post-trade ERA being over six as offering an opportunity to listen to even more advice. Plus he's getting into his mid-20s and his body might just be getting stronger.  He's not that much younger than SWR, who saw a big velo jump last year, or older than Marek Houston who we keep hearing will be growing into his power soon. 

[HerbieFan]

The "beauty" of 2026 is that we'll have a full season to get answers.  If he doesn't show growth as a starter, he certainly profiles as a late-inning bullpen arm.

[Doctor Wu]

20 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

As an aside, I have no clue what the difference is between a cutter and a slider.  When I played, pitchers threw fastballs and curves, with an occasional change up thrown in.

That's my take on these pitches too. But I like to read about these "new-fangled" pitches and hope to understand more about how they work, or why they are effective ... or not.