MuchO GustO turns to the short season A ball Aberdeen Ironbirds. The iBirds had a really tough season, going 24-51, finishing 22 games behind the Staten Island Yankees. The strange thing is that, despite being so awful, there seem to a bunch of interesting guys.
The good:
Parker Bridwell: 2011 was the right handed pitcher's age 19 season, being a 9th rounder of out a Texas High School in the 2010 draft (Machado). In 12 games in Aberdeen, Bridwell threw 53.2 innings, striking out 57, walking 22 posting a 4.53 ERA (3.17 FIP). Using a cutoff of 50 innings, the following pitchers had more K/9: Dayan Diaz (age 22), Nicholas Tropeano (age 20) and Eduardo Aldama (age 21). Bridwell was the 10th ranked prospect in the NY Penn League according to Baseball America. His GB/FB of 1.09 needs to improve. He made 5 starts in Delmarva, posting a FIP of 4.27 in 21.2 innings, with a 13/13 K/BB ratio. He is one worth watching in Delmarva next year.
Glynn Davis: 2011 was the 19 year old Baltimore native's first season for the Orioles. He went undrafted in 2010, but was thought to be a decent prospect in the 2011 draft, so the Orioles paid him $300K to sign last August. The CF posted the following line in 286 plate appearances: 271/337/337/674. He walked 25 times, and stole 23 out of 32 bases. Ranked as the 15th best NY Penn League prospect, Davis reportedly has impressive speed and walked a fair amount of time given his age. Will the power come? He had a BABIP of 338 in Aberdeen. He is obviously worth watching in Delmarva, and will be pared up with Johnny Reutigger in Salisbury.
Trent Howard was the 7th rounder in 2011, and had a nice debut in Aberdeen. The 21 year old lefthander posted the following line in Aberdeen: 3.48 ERA in 41.1 innings (2.64 FIP), 45/14 K/BB, 1.33 GB/FB ratio. He posted a really nice K/9, didn't walk too many guys and an nice FIP. He definitely should be another interesting guy in the Shorebirds rotation.
Mike Wright: a 21 year old 3rd round pick from East Carolina, he posted an impressive 29/6 K/BB in 30 innings in Aberdeen, with a GB/FB of 2.33 (!). He got lit up in Delmarva, but we'll see how he does in their rotation next year.
More below the jump!
The bad:
The Hobgoblin: 10.46 ERA in 26.2 innings, striking out 13, walking 23. I only wish those numbers were reversed. His FIP was "only" 6.79. I know he was rehabbing an injury, but double drat nonetheless.
The meh:
Mychal Givens: the 21 year old was demoted to the iBirds and posted a 279/361/337/698 slash line in 318 plate appearances, walking 30 times and striking out 40 times. Originally I put him in the bad category due to his horrific Delmarva numbers, which may have been driven by a 234 BABIP, as opposed to a 323 BABIP in Aberdeen. But he rebounded some in Aberdeen, and he is apparently toolsy and draws some walks. Hopefully that is a good combo.
Wynston Sawyer: The 19 year old RH catcher hit 231/308/310/617 in 287 plate appearances, striking out 61 times versus 25 walks with a 292 BABIP.
Connor Narron: The 19 year old switch hitting 3B hit 211/359/254/316. So obviously he can draw a walk, leading the NY Penn League with 49 in 282 plate appearances. Kind of ridiculous actually. His BABIP was 265, so maybe he was a shade unlucky? The former 5th rounder (2010, Machado) has the bloodlines obviously. It'll be interesting to see if he can add more to his game other than drawing walks.
Jake Cowan: the 23 year old righthander stuck out 48 and walked 21 in 48.1 innings, posting an ERA of 3.54 (3.33 FIP). He was coming back from labrum surgery, so it was nice to see an impressive K/9 ratio and is worth following in 2012.
Joe Velleggia was a touch old for the NY Penn League in his age 22 season, but did post the following line: 257/351/433/785, walking 26 times in 243 plate appearances. He's 6'7" 246 and he's from Monkton. But 2012 will be his age 23 season, so he's going to have to really hit in Salisbury to get noticed.
Tyler Wilson was a 10th rounder in the 2011 draft out of some school called the University of Virginia. The 21 year old right hander had six starts covering 30 innings, he struck out 24, walked 4 and posted a sparkling ERA of 2.10 but a FIP of 4.05.
Looking ahead to the Shorebirds rotation, there will be several guys who would benefit from starting:Dylan Bundy, Parker Bridwell, Trent Howard, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Jake Cowan, Jarret Martin and Matt Bywater nevermind a guy like David Baker who I assume will go to Frederick. There is at least a fair amount of talent there...