TOP NL UTR PITCHING PERFORMANCE LHP Ranger Suarez (LoA Lakewood – Philadelphia) 21 years old 7.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, Win Season Stats: 3-1, 2.01 ERA, 44.2 IP, 33 H, 10 ER, 13 BB, 56 K in 8 starts
- It’s been since Opening Day where a pitcher and the reliever from the same team share the top honor of the day. Suarez makes his second NL Top Pitcher of the Day mention (April 20th) and so does Will Hibbs (below) in teaming-up to shutout Greensboro (Miami) last night. The Venezuelan southpaw is no doubt, my favorite under the radar prospect, but hasn’t received the touting (IMO) he deserves. He hit my radar during his third season in the VSL, where he went 5-4 with a 1.56 ERA over 80.2 innings and a ridiculous 78:1 K:BB ratio. The then 18 year-old narrowly missed being the #1 UTR Organizational All-Star in 2014, and I firmly stamped him “too intriguing to dismiss”. I strongly felt an assignment to short-season Williamsport (NYPL) would fall on Suarez to begin the 2015 season and disappointment followed. He was sent to extended Spring training and then off to the Gulf Coast League where things slowed down, but not his performance. He arrived in the New York-Penn League in 2016 and continued to post very good numbers; and again remained on the down-low by not cracking any of the Phillies prospect rankings. Everybody is watching how he would perform in his first full season and the report card thus far displays an A minus. Last night the Top UTR Pitcher for April matched his career-high with 10 strikeouts over 7.2 innings, his longest outing since arriving in the U.S.
- It’s been over a month since Humphreys got the top nod, but he continues to be the hottest UTR pitcher in 2017. The high school draft pick from 2015 remains ranked across most top peripheral stats, including the LoA best with a 1.97 FIP. Of his 8 starts, the Top UTR Pitcher for April has gone at least 6 innings, except in his LoA debut (April 8th) where he went 5.2 innings, but struck out nine.
- 2017 “One to Watch”
- Phillies #27 ranked prospect
- The #11 ranked Mets prospect enjoyed the longest outing of his career last night with his second consecutive scoreless start. Santillan was the Top NL Pitcher of the Day on May 8th when he struck out 10 over 6 innings.
- Dodgers #12 prospect
- Another appearance by Hibbs, another 4 batters unable to generate a run against the 6’7″- 245 lb. right-hander. The scoreless streak now stands at 24 innings. This is Hibbs second mention as the Top Reliever – May 16th
TOP AL UTR PITCHING PERFORMANCE RHP Mike Shawaryn (LoA Greenville – Boston) 22 years old 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K Season Stats: 3-2, 3.61 ERA, 47.1 IP, 40 H, 19 ER, 10 BB, 69 K in 9 starts
- Shawaryn sits outside the Red Sox prospect Top Ten at #12 and makes his third mention as the AL Pitcher of the Day – April 24th, May 6th. Ever since giving up 9 earn runs in two innings on April 8th, the right-hander hasn’t allowed more than 2 earned runs in any of his last 8 starts, trimming his ERA (3.61). He supplanted Scott Moss (Reds) as the current strikeout leader (69) amongst all LoA pitchers.
- The 2nd round pick from 2016 throws an outing without posting a crooked number in the earned run column.
- The Blue Jays #11 ranked prospect strikes out a career-high 12 batters last night.
- If Jordan Humphreys has been hot in the SAL, Duplantier should be arrested for arson, as he has been lighting the Midwest League on fire. He’s only allowed three earned runs (all allowed in one start on May 3rd) in 48.1 innings, leading all LoA pitchers with a 0.56 ERA. The 3rd round pick in 2016 was the D-Backs Top Prospect Pitcher for April and Top NL Pitcher of the Day on May 13th.
- Eregua also has a scoreless streak going. Since a three inning start on April 28th, the righty hasn’t allowed a earned run in 14 innings.
Under The Radar Minors 