There were some big seasons with players moving up the prospect charts and others dealt with injury problems as young pitchers often do, but on the overall, "the Ducks" pitching prospects are looking fairly bright for a team that chose only two pitchers in the 2019 minor league draft.
We'll start with those two draftees, who both soared up the prospect ratings and both pitchers did their work at levels that were usually above players of their age.
Luis Patino RHP San Diego
High A Lake Elsinore: 87 IP 6-8 2.69 ERA 113 SO 34 BB
AA Amarillo: 7.2 IP 0-0 1.17 ERA 10 SO 4 BB
In almost any organization in the game, Luis Patino would be considered their top pitching prospect, but San Diego has another top pitcher in Mackenzie Gore, so Patino has to settle for the top righthanded thrower for the Padres.
Still, Patino pitched the entire 2019 season at 19 years of age, cruised through the High A California League which is a noted hitters league and finished the season with an over three strikeouts to one walk ratio.
Patino held opponents to an average under .200 and according to the Padres added a strong changeup to a top-notch fastball and curve.
Patino will again be challenged at the age of 20 with an assignment to AA Amarillo and it's possible with a repeat season, Patino could be in San Diego late in the 2020 season.
Deivi Garcia RHP New York Yankees
High A Tampa: 17.2 IP 0-2 3.06 ERA 33 SO 8 BB
AA Trenton: 53.2 IP 4-4 3.86 ERA 87 SO 26 BB
AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre: 40 IP 1-3 5.40 ERA 45 SO 20 BB
Garcia turned 20 in May, so he was pushed far ahead of his level for his age.
At High A, 33 strikeouts in under 18 innings? That's just short of two an inning and it's no wonder that Garcia was moved quickly to AA Trenton.
The whiffs didn't slack off there and despite the average ERA, Garcia only allowed opposing hitters to bat .213 against him at AA.
Garcia didn't fare as well at AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre, but that was a big step for a 20-year-old and he still averaged over a strikeout an inning.
Garcia has been compared by some to Pedro Martinez and the pitches are there to be dominant, but he's listed at 5'9 and seeing him in person I thought 5'9 was being very generous.
The small size does bring up questions for long-term durability, but Garcia's arm is the real deal.
Garcia should start the season at AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre and could see New York by season's end.
Jesus Luzardo LHP Oakland
High A Stockton: 10 IP 1-0 0.90 ERA 18 SO 0 BB
AAA Las Vegas: 31 IP 1-1 3.19 ERA 34 SO 8 BB
Oakland : 12 IP 0-0 1.50 ERA 16 SO 3 BB
Luzardo missed part of the 2019 season with a shoulder strain, but it wasn't serious and he pitched well at AAA Las Vegas after a few rehab innings in High A.
Luzardo was called up late in the season to Oakland, where he pitched very well out of the bullpen for the Athletics, but his three plus pitches and excellent control gives the 22-year-old Luzardo an excellent chance to be part of the Oakland rotation to start the season.
Luzardo could start at AAA Las Vegas if the Athletics want to hedge their bets against arbitration down the road, but at worst will be in Oakland by midseason.
Justus Sheffield LHP Seattle
AA Arkansas: 78 IP 5-3 2.19 ERA 85 SO 18 BB
AAA Tacoma: 55 IP 2-6 6.87 ERA 48 SO 41 BB
Seattle: 36 IP 0-1 5.50 ERA 37 SO 18 BB
Sheffield, the top pick of Cleveland in 2014 and was sent to the Yankees in a deadline deal before moving to the Mariners last winter, started 2019 at AAA Tacoma.
After 55 innings that saw Sheffield walk almost as many as he struck out (41 BB to 48 SO) and an ERA that only missed an extra point to be considered a touchdown ERA, the desperate Mariners dropped Sheffield to AA Arkansas to try to salvage Sheffield's confidence.
Sheffield was able to recover at AA but was hit hard in seven starts with the big league club late in the season.
Sheffield is expected to be either the 4th or 5th starter for the Mariners entering training camp.
Adrian Morejon LHP San Diego
AA Amarillo 36 IP 0-4 4.25 ERA 44 SO 15 BB
San Diego 8 IP 0-0 10.13 ERA 9 SO 3 BB
An April injury made the Padres very cautious with the 20 year old Cuban and after Morejon missed three weeks, the Padres continued to start Morejon, but he usually pitched only one or two innings, only throwing three innings on one occasion.
It was the limited use that caused the bad win-loss record, but the K-BB ratio was almost three to one and hitters hit only .215 in the Texas League against him.
A late July call-up didn't go well from the bullpen and Morejon was shut down in August with a shoulder injury.
The shoulder injury wasn't serious and Morejon pitched in the Arizona Fall League.
Morejon could contend for a rotation spot, but I think he'll start in the Padres AAA affiliate in San Antonio's rotation.
Triston McKenzie RHP Cleveland
Did Not Pitch
A nagging back injury cost McKenzie his 2019 season and for all McKenzie's impressive numbers for his career, he has yet to complete a full season.
McKenzie is reported to be ready to go for spring training and the Indians could assign him to AAA Columbus to start, but he might spend April with AA Akron after the year away.
Corbin Martin RHP Arizona
AAA Round Rock 37.1 IP 2-1 3.13 ERA 45 SO 18 BB
Houston 19.1 IP 1-1 5.59 ERA 19 SO 12 BB
Martin seemed to be on the fast track to the majors after an impressive start at AAA Round Rock and a May call to Houston.
Martin had one solid start, but was rocked in his other four and was returned to AAA.
Martin would make three June starts and he underwent Tommy John surgery.
Martin is now the property of the Diamondbacks as even with the injury, Martin was included in the trade that saw Zack Greinke move to the Astros.
Logan Allen RHP Cleveland
AAA El Paso 57.2 IP 4-3 5.15 ERA 63 SO 22 BB
AAA Columbus 22.1 IP 1-1 7.66 ERA 18 SO 12 BB
San Diego 25.1 IP 2-3 6.75 ERA 14 SO 13 BB
Cleveland 2.1 IP 0-0 0.00 ERA 3 SO 1 BB
Allen seemed to struggle at AAA El Paso and for some reason, the Padres called him up for 8 appearances with four of those starts.
San Diego sent Allen to Cleveland with Franmil Reyes as part of the three-team deal with the Reds and after being assigned to AAA Columbus, Allen struggled in his first four starts before a good final outing of the season.
Allen made a late-season cameo from the Indians bullpen.
I'm not sure what to expect from Allen, but his ceiling isn't as high as others on this list.
Corbin Martin and Logan Allen weren't drafted by me, but since I added them off waivers in their big league time, I am allowed to send them down to my minors when they were returned to AAA.
I'm going to protect Patino, Luzardo, Garcia, McKenzie, Morejon.
I'm leaning towards protecting Sheffield.
I will be releasing Martin and Allen.
No comments:
Post a Comment