2019 #7 Prospect: Michael Baumann - RHP

[Tony-OH]

https://www.orioleshangout.com/2019/11/08/orioles-7-prospect-michael-baumann-rhp/

[weams]

Beastie. 

[HowAboutThat]

Man I think I’m getting everything wrong. But I think I accurately chose Baumann at least.

[Frobby]

There are mixed opinions on whether he scrapped the slider for a cutter (he seemed to be throwing both early in the year) or whether it’s a tweaked version of slider. Regardless, later in the season it solidified into a 88-91mph pitch with more vertical drop than is common in a cutter. The pitch is excellent and is probably my favorite pitch in the system as it generates both whiffs and weak contact. I was really tempted to throw double plus on it, but the pitch was in such flux that I want to be sure the best version is here to stay.

 

Fascinating.    Sounds to me like his floor is Chris Ray and his ceiling is slightly above Tommy Hunter.

[weams]

Just now, Frobby said:

 

 

Fascinating.    Sounds to me like his floor is Chris Ray and his ceiling is slightly above Tommy Hunter.

Tommy Hunter made himself a good living. 

[LookinUp]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Fascinating.    Sounds to me like his floor is Chris Ray and his ceiling is slightly above Tommy Hunter.

Wow, really? His pitch grades look better than Hunter's, to me. Of course, I may be remembering a later version of Hunter. That said, Baumann actually gives up more fly balls, according to fangraphs. That was a surprise to me.

The hope with a kid like this is that he's still in the middle of his development curve. The arm and the frame are there. If he hits his 90th percentile, he could be special. I feel like Tony and Luke typically stay safely (and smartly) in the 75th-25th range of probabilities.

As with last year, I'm holding out hope that our new development programs will get more out of these kids than the O's historically have. They've already helped Baumann significantly.

[weams]

5 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Wow, really? His pitch grades look better than Hunter's, to me. Of course, I may be remembering a later version of Hunter. That said, Baumann actually gives up more fly balls, according to fangraphs. That was a surprise to me.

The hope with a kid like this is that he's still in the middle of his development curve. The arm and the frame are there. If he hits his 90th percentile, he could be special. I feel like Tony and Luke typically stay safely (and smartly) in the 75th-25th range of probabilities.

As with last year, I'm holding out hope that our new development programs will get more out of these kids than the O's historically have. They've already helped Baumann significantly.

Baumann rocketed out of nowhere though. 

[HowAboutThat]

28 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

 

Fascinating.    Sounds to me like his floor is Chris Ray and his ceiling is slightly above Tommy Hunter.

Tommy Hunter spent a lot of time crushing hopes and hearts. He’s a wonderful wonderful guy, But I really hope we have seen the last of his ilk.

[Aristotelian]

There are mixed opinions on whether he scrapped the slider for a cutter (he seemed to be throwing both early in the year) or whether it’s a tweaked version of slider.

Now that DD is gone, are the minor leaguers allowed to throw cutters again? When did that happen? I don't remember hearing anything about it.

[weams]

1 minute ago, Philip said:

Tommy Hunter spent a lot of time crushing hopes and hearts. He’s a wonderful wonderful guy, But I really hope we have seen the last of his ilk.

He had a great MLB career. There are 800 of these guys. And pitchers break hearts. 

[weams]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

There are mixed opinions on whether he scrapped the slider for a cutter (he seemed to be throwing both early in the year) or whether it’s a tweaked version of slider.

Now that DD is gone, are the minor leaguers allowed to throw cutters again? When did that happen? I don't remember hearing anything about it.

They always threw cutters. If they had good ones. 

[weams]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

There are mixed opinions on whether he scrapped the slider for a cutter (he seemed to be throwing both early in the year) or whether it’s a tweaked version of slider.

Now that DD is gone, are the minor leaguers allowed to throw cutters again? When did that happen? I don't remember hearing anything about it.

Peterson did not like cutters because they took away from the fastballs. The good pitchers in the MLB now all have good four seam fastballs. 

[Aristotelian]

2 minutes ago, weams said:

Peterson did not like cutters because they took away from the fastballs. The good pitchers in the MLB now all have good four seam fastballs. 

 

3 minutes ago, weams said:

They always threw cutters. If they had good ones. 

Regardless of whether it was banned or just discouraged, I am curious if the new regime has said anything about a change.

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, Philip said:

Tommy Hunter spent a lot of time crushing hopes and hearts. He’s a wonderful wonderful guy, But I really hope we have seen the last of his ilk.

Notice I said slightly better than Hunter.   But I thought of him because his fastball hit 98 at times, he had a four-pitch mix, he threw a cutter, and he vacillated between being a starter and a reliever during his career.    Also, he threw a lot of strikes but his command of pitches was never all that great, which seems to be a knock on Baumann.   My impression is that Baumann’s slider/cutter is better than Hunter’s, which was nothing special IMO.

I thought about using Bundy as a comp, but Bundy’s days of topping out at 98 are over.

[weams]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Notice I said slightly better than Hunter.   But I thought of him because his fastball hit 98 at times, he had a four-pitch mix, he threw a cutter, and he vacillated between being a starter and a reliever during his career.    Also, he threw a lot of strikes but his command of pitches was never all that great, which seems to be a knock on Baumann.   My impression is that Baumann’s slider/cutter is better than Hunter’s, which was nothing special IMO.

I thought about using Bundy as a comp, but Bundy’s days of topping out at 98 are over.

In high school maybe.