DOWN UNDER: WHICH MINORS PITCHERS ARE HOT - : AUG. 20 EDITION

WHO'S HOT - MINORS PITCHERS: AUG. 20 EDITION - Tom Brennan

Last week, hitters were my focus.  This week, the gunslingers, the high 90’s crowd.

I list 26 hot pitchers, a nice sized list after trading away several top guns.

Las Vegas – two guys to highlight:

Dario Alvarez continues his superlative relief pitching, having allowed only one run and 6 hits, while striking out 37 in 23 innings since June in AA and AAA.

Tim Stauffer has allowed just 4 earned runs in 3 starts covering 21 innings, with 20 Ks, since joining the 51s.

(As a side note, Alex Torres has had 3 post-demotion outings, and not walked a batter.)

Binghamton has 4 pitchers of note:

Rob Gsellman has allowed just 3 earned runs in his last 6 starts!  His Ks are on the low side, but he has been the Mets minors organizations' best untraded starter this year (12-6).

Paul Sewald is a great relief pitcher, period, with 20 saves. In his 4 seasons, all are under a 2.00 ERA. Amazing!

Josh Smoker - the 29 year old lefty oddly scuttled in Savanna early, but has since dazzled in St Lucie and, most recently, in AA.  In 29 outings at those 2 higher levels, an ERA of 1.45.

Akeel Morris - in his last 13 outings, just 2 earned runs in 17 IP, with 17 Ks.  He was awesome earlier in St Lucie.  After a blip, he is back.

 

St. Lucie has 3 strong bullpen pitchers of late:

Mike Hepple: 3-2, 2.27 in relief.

Kyle Regnault: 3-4, 2.01 in relief in 33 games.

Kelly Secrest: 6-3, 2.31 in 34 games of relief.

 

Savannah has 7 hot pitchers- you don't win 21 of the last 22 without it:

Al Baldonado - last 3 months, 28 innings, 34 Ks, 3 earned runs.

Corey Oswalt- he is 7-1, 2.21 in last 10.

Ricky Knapp - he is 7-2, 2.43 as a Gnat.

Chris Flexen - last 3 starts, one earned run, so he is a post-TJS success.

Paul Paez - 1.65 ERA in 16 Gnats outings.

Josh Prevost - 19 innings, 3 earned since returning from injury.

Martires Arias - 1.57 ERA in his last 10 starts.

 

Brooklyn has 4 strong relievers to offset dreadful hitting:

P.J. Conlon - 12 games, 12 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 15 K.

Alex Palsha- 18 games, 21 IP, 10 H, 5 BB, 1 R, 25 K, 11 SVs.

Corey Taylor - 16 games, 16 IP 11 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 12 K.

Carlos Valdez - 19 games, 22.2 IP, 13 H, 10 BB, 2 ER, 21 K

 

Kingsport relies on offense, with 2 fine pitching performers:

Nabil Crismatt - 6-1, 2.29, 51 IP, 37 H, 10 BB, 49 K

Tom McIlraith - 3-1, 2.43 In 9 outings (6 starts)

 

GCL Mets has 4 notable mound performers:

Merandy Gonzalez - 2-1, 2.05, 22 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 25 K

Jose Medina - 0-1, 1.80, 20 IP, 24 H, ZERO BB, 14 K

Alejandro Castro - 1-0, 1.06, 14 relief outings, 5 SVs

Anthony Chavez - 0-2, 0.73, 11 games, 12 IP, 1 ER, 11 K

 

Nice group overall. And of course, adding in guys not on the list, like Marcos Molina, tell us there is still pitching depth in the minors, even though future elite starters are hard to identify, if they exist at all.

What think ye?  Reply privily if thou must.