Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 65 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55
Toussaint was a raw and athletic high schooler just shy of his 18th birthday when the D-backs took him in the middle of the first round of the 2014 Draft. A year after he signed he was sent to the Braves, who have helped him develop, perhaps a bit slowly, into the pitcher who began the year in Double-A and ended it on the Braves' playoff roster.
One of the biggest steps forward Toussaint made in 2018 was in his ability to harness his exciting raw stuff. His fastball that touches the upper 90s at times can be electric. He'll throw both a four-seamer and a two-seamer he can run in on right-handed hitters. He might have one of the best curveballs in all of baseball, a hammer that is a true out pitch and approaches a 70 scouting grade, especially when he is commanding it well. His changeup has improved tremendously over the past 18 months or so and has become a solid third pitch for the right-hander. He upped his strikeout rate for a third straight season in 2018 (10.6 K/9) while lowering his walk rate.
Because his stuff is so good, Toussaint never has to have pinpoint control. If he can continue to approach average command, something he displayed often in 2018, he has every chance to fulfill his potential as a frontline starter. Statcast - Pitching Season Pitches Batted Balls Barrels Barrel % Exit Velocity Launch Angle XBA XSLG WOBA XWOBA XWOBACON Hard Hit % K % BB % 2018 476 68 3 4.4 84.9 5.1 .218 .329 .288 .317 .345 31.3 26.0 17.1 2019 777 120 10 8.3 87.1 13.0 .224 .375 .352 .320 .343 32.5 22.7 13.1 ALL 1253 188 13 6.9 86.3 10.1 .222 .358 .327 .319 .344 32.1 24.0 14.6 MLB 40553 6.3 87.5 11.2 .251 .412 .317 .318 .371 34.5 21.7 8.3 Rankings Hit By Pitch Year HBP Rank 2019 7 21st in NL Transactions Team Date Transaction 10/10/2019 Atlanta Braves activated RHP Touki Toussaint. 10/03/2019 Atlanta Braves reassigned RHP Touki Toussaint to the minor leagues. 09/13/2019 Atlanta Braves recalled RHP Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 07/19/2019 Atlanta Braves optioned RHP Touki Toussaint to Gwinnett Stripers. 05/15/2019 Atlanta Braves recalled Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 05/04/2019 Atlanta Braves optioned RHP Touki Toussaint to Gwinnett Stripers. 05/03/2019 Atlanta Braves recalled Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 04/21/2019 Atlanta Braves optioned RHP Touki Toussaint to Gwinnett Stripers. 04/13/2019 Atlanta Braves recalled Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 03/24/2019 Atlanta Braves optioned RHP Touki Toussaint to Gwinnett Stripers. 09/01/2018 Atlanta Braves recalled Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 08/14/2018 RHP Touki Toussaint returned to Gwinnett Stripers from Atlanta Braves. 08/13/2018 Atlanta Braves selected the contract of Touki Toussaint from Gwinnett Stripers. 07/04/2018 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Gwinnett Stripers from Mississippi Braves. 02/28/2018 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Atlanta Braves. 07/31/2017 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Mississippi Braves from Florida Fire Frogs. 04/04/2017 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Florida Fire Frogs from Rome Braves. 09/28/2015 Rome Braves activated RHP Touki Toussaint from the 7-day disabled list. 08/21/2015 Rome Braves placed RHP Touki Toussaint on the 7-day disabled list. 06/21/2015 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Rome Braves. 06/20/2015 Arizona Diamondbacks traded RHP Bronson Arroyo and RHP Touki Toussaint to Atlanta Braves for 3B Phil Gosselin. 05/17/2015 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Kane County Cougars from Missoula Osprey. 08/04/2014 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to Missoula Osprey from AZL D-backs. 06/22/2014 RHP Touki Toussaint assigned to AZL D-backs. 06/20/2014 Arizona Diamondbacks signed Touki Toussaint.
