First Round Faceoff

When you watch a lot of minor league games,they can become a bit blurry as they match players that you never heard of and more often than not prove to be less than memorable.

However,every once in a while,you get to the ballpark and get an interesting matchup of pitching prospects to scout and keep a close eye on.
The Lexington Legends are in town for a four games series that saw game one rained out (boy, we could use the rain!) and made up the following day,so on a Saturday bobblehead night,we had a surprisingly sparse crowd for a battle of two 2014 first round selections on the mound for a great chance to scout two highly thought of arms.

Erick Fedde (18th overall Washington) and Foster Griffin (28th overall Kansas City) each pitched well with the Legends and Griffin getting the win,although Fedde got a no-decision in the Hagerstown loss.
Griffin's numbers entering the game looked to represent an unpolished pitcher signed from the high school ranks with an ERA over six in eighteen starts (it would drop under six after the win) and his strikeout tallies were less than one would expect from a reported power arm with 55 in 79 innings before the start.
The 6'5 lefty showed an excellent curveball and threw in the low 90's consistently with what I wager is occasionally touching 95.(I really need a radar gun)..
Griffin struck out seven and walked two in his six innings of work and allowed two runs on just four hits-all of those singles.
I can tell that Griffin is going to need some work with his coaching staff as he might have some issues with repeating his delivery as many tall pitchers do.
Often times with the taller pitchers,mechanics can become an issue as there are so many issues with the trunk and legs that need to be smoothed out,but Griffin certainly has the potential to turn around what has been a disappointing season.

Meanwhile,Erick Fedde continues his return from Tommy John surgery prior to the 2014 draft in his first season of professional baseball.
Fedde's numbers in three Hagerstown (Low A) starts look less than great until you realize the inflated numbers were in one start with the other two being solid.
Fedde allowed two runs in five innings against Lexington giving up five hits,walking two and striking out three.
Returning from Tommy John is a challenge in year one as command often comes back slowly,but Fedde has walked just five batters in 14 innings,so that is a positive.
Fedde throws a bit harder than Griffin at this stage,I think and he has a strong slider in the making.
Fedde is clearly more polished than Griffin,but he should be (22 to 19) as a college standout compared to a high schooler.

It will quite interesting following these two as they progress through their minor league career....