Voth has looked pretty good so far. Photo mlb.com official
We’re now a couple turns through the four full season minor league rotations and I thought i’d take a quick gander at what the “rotations” looked like, with some short sample size judgements as to who has come out of the gate hot or not from a stats perspective. I have not seen any of these games, just looking at milb.com’s stat page. So feel free to add in any personal opinions 🙂
AAA/Fresno 2019
The rotation is looking like: McGowin, Copeland, Voth, Espino, Alvarez, with Dragmire as a spot-starter and Joe Ross having been yanked up to MLB bullpen duty (replaced by Alvarez). Espino returns to the fold, having signed elsewhere as a MLFA a couple years back.
The Bullpen is looking like: AAdams, Rainey, Hoover, Nuno, Self, Cordero and Bacus (recently promoted to replace Austen Williams, himself promoted to cover for MLB injuries).
Who’s hot: Voth and McGowin have started well out of the rotation, Voth sporting a 16/1 K/BB ratio and McGowin 12/2. I’m liking the first start from off-season signing Copeland too. In the bullpen, Adams has 5 innings, 1 hit and 11 punch outs while Hoover has yet to give up a hit (though.. he’s walked 7 guys in 6 innings).
Who’s not? Dragmire. In three appearances so far, he’s pitched 9 2/3rds innings, given up 21 hits and only struck out 3 guys. Ouch. In the bullpen, both Rainey and Hoover have more walks than Ks so far.
Who’s next guy to get the call? Honestly, it might be time to give Adams another shot. His numbers merited the promotion moreso than Williams (who has the highest ERA in Fresno). Next time there’s a spot start you have to think Voth is putting his name first in line.
Who’s getting the Axe? Dragmire seems to be in trouble; he’s a MLFA re-signing so I can’t imagine the team has much invested in him, especially now that Alvarez and Espino are in the AAA rotation.
AA/Harrisburg 2019
Rotation: Crowe, Fedde, Sharp, Mapes, Braymer*, with swingman/spot starts by Baez and MSanchez (who we get back after having flipped him for Jimmy Cordero on the AAA squad).
Bullpen: Bourque, Brinley, Condra-Bogan, JMills*, RPena, Guilbeau*, ABarrett (Bacus already promoted). Great to see Barrett back here and hope he can re-contribute at the MLB level.
Who’s hot: Crowe and Fedde in the rotation: Crowe’s given up just 6 baserunners in his first two starts, Fedde just 7. Mapes has an 11/1 K/BB ratio in his two starts. In the bullpen, Barrett and Condra-Bogan have been solid.
Who’s not? Sterling Sharp has a 6.30 ERA through 2 starts. Bourque and Gilbeau have elevated whips but they’ve only thrown a handful of innings.
Who’s next guy to get the call? I think Crowe may merit a promotion to AAA if he keeps this up for the rest of the month, perhaps to cover for injury or if one of our veteran guys exercises an opt-out. We know Fedde is staying put to serve as the Nats 6th starter.
Who’s next to get the Axe? Nobody really; Sharp has the highest ERA but he’s a solid prospect who is in AA at age 23. We may have to keep an eye on Guilbeau; 2019 is his make-or-break season after two successive full seasons in high-A.
High-A/Potomac 2019
Rotation: Johnston, Borne*, Tetreault, Raquet*, MPena, LReyes with swingman/spot starts by Howard*, ALee,
bullpen: Acevedo, Bogucki, Fuentes, McKinney, Bartow,
Who’s hot: Tetreault and perhaps Malvin Pena in the rotation, McKinney & Fuentes in the bullpen.
Who’s not? Reyes’ first start was not good. Bourne’s sporting a 2.31 whip so far. And Howard has given up 12 hits in 6 IP.
Who’s next guy to get the call? Nobody really screaming for a promotion so far; if you had to pick one of each i’d go with Tetrault and Fuentes (who is just 21 but has started great).
Who’s next to get the Axe? Reyes struggled last year in AA; if he can’t get guys out this year in High-A he’s not long for the league. Borne missed all of 2018 but is repeating a level and is now 25; its put up or shut up time.
Low-A/Hagerstown 2019
Rotation: Alastre/Day, Adon, Cate*/Tapani, Irvin/Teel*, FPeguero/AGuillen, Strom/Stoeckinger*
bullpen: German, Fletcher*
Lots of “tandem” starting going on, though the roles seem to have settled into the “starter” going 4-5 and the tandem guy typically going 2-3. So its likely at some point the tandem guys either move into starters or purely bullpen roles.
Who’s hot: Peguero and Cate. Peguero has 10/1 K/BB in 10 IP while Cate has struck out 12 in 9. Both the “relievers” in Hagerstown have been solid: German sporting 8 Ks and a 0.75 whip in 4 games, and Fletcher an even better 0.53 whip in 3 outings.
Who’s not? Alastre; the opening day starter has 11 walks and 12 hits given up in his 12 IP of work. Adon’s first start was a struggle; he’ll get another crack at it tonight before passing too much judgement.
Who’s next guy to get the call? I’d promote Peguero and Fletcher first from each group.
Who’s next to get the Axe? Alastre is only 20, but is repeating low-A with similar results to last year.
XST names of interest
- Where is Istler? He was solid in AA and even had some AAA time last year
- Where’s Jhon Romero?
- Pantoja? I wonder if he’s been released as a 25yr old and we just havn’t seen it updated on milb.com yet.