MiL Pitcher of the Year Candidates

[Frobby]

With only 1-3 weeks of minor league baseball left (depending on the level), it's time to start looking at the possible canidates for MiL pitcher of the year.  There is no obvious choice.   Here are the candidates I see, going in order of innings pitched.  I'm not really looking at anyone under 80 IP, so Grayson Rodriguez does not make the list.

Justin Armbruester (23, 2021 12th rounder) leads the organization in IP with 108.0, and has a solid 3.92 ERA to show for it.  He has a 1.06 WHIP, 10.9 K/9, 4.2 K/BB.  He split his season between Aberdeen and Bowie and was about equally effective at both levels.

Ryan Watson (24, picked up in 2021 as a MiL free agent) has thrown 101.0 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 and 4.2 K/BB.  He was at Bowie most of the year and has pitched a little in Norfolk as a reliever.

Drew Rom (22, 2018 3rd rounder) has thrown 97.0 innings with a 4.08 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 11.2 K/9 and a 3.5 K/BB.   He spent much of the year at Bowie but has made 3 starts at Norfolk and has been effective there.

Connor Gillispie (24, 2019 9th rounder) has thrown 93.1 IP at Aberdeen, where he also pitched in 2021.  He has a 3.76 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 10.2 K/9, 2.2 K/BB.

Ignacio Feliz (22) has thrown 88.2 innings at Aberdeen, split between starting and relieving.  He has a 4.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 13.0 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB.  He has the second most strikeouts in the organization, trailing only DL Hall.

Jean Pinto (21) has thrown 87.2 innings at Aberdeen, mostly starting but with a few relief appearances thrown in.   He has a 3.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10.3 K/9, 2.4 K/BB.

Peter Van Loon (23, 2021 16th rounder) has thrown 84.2 IP at Aberdeen, with a 3.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 2.8 K/BB.   

DL Hall (23, 2017 1st rounder) has thrown 84.1 IP, mostly at Norfolk after a few rehab outings.  He has a 4.48 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 14.6 K/9, 2.7 K/BB in the minors.   

Like I said, there is no obvious choice.  Right now, I would go with Armbruester, just for logging the most innings with pretty good ratios across the board, and weathering his promotion to Bowie without a hiccup.  He has the lowest WHIP and best K/BB ratio of all the pitchers I listed.   But if you asked me who were the best prospects on this list, he'd be below Hall, Rom and Pinto at least.  

 

 

[CharmCityHokie]

When you look at the stats, they're not particularly inspiring. I guess I'd go with Armbruester or Rom, but oof. I'll take Grayson's 50ish IP as a default win. 

[emmett16]

18 hours ago, Frobby said:

With only 1-3 weeks of minor league baseball left (depending on the level), it's time to start looking at the possible canidates for MiL pitcher of the year.  There is no obvious choice.   Here are the candidates I see, going in order of innings pitched.  I'm not really looking at anyone under 80 IP, so Grayson Rodriguez does not make the list.

Justin Armbruester (23, 2021 12th rounder) leads the organization in IP with 108.0, and has a solid 3.92 ERA to show for it.  He has a 1.06 WHIP, 10.9 K/9, 4.2 K/BB.  He split his season between Aberdeen and Bowie and was about equally effective at both levels.

Ryan Watson (24, picked up in 2021 as a MiL free agent) has thrown 101.0 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 and 4.2 K/BB.  He was at Bowie most of the year and has pitched a little in Norfolk as a reliever.

Drew Rom (22, 2018 3rd rounder) has thrown 97.0 innings with a 4.08 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 11.2 K/9 and a 3.5 K/BB.   He spent much of the year at Bowie but has made 3 starts at Norfolk and has been effective there.

Connor Gillispie (24, 2019 9th rounder) has thrown 93.1 IP at Aberdeen, where he also pitched in 2021.  He has a 3.76 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 10.2 K/9, 2.2 K/BB.

Ignacio Feliz (22) has thrown 88.2 innings at Aberdeen, split between starting and relieving.  He has a 4.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 13.0 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB.  He has the second most strikeouts in the organization, trailing only DL Hall.

Jean Pinto (21) has thrown 87.2 innings at Aberdeen, mostly starting but with a few relief appearances thrown in.   He has a 3.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10.3 K/9, 2.4 K/BB.

Peter Van Loon (23, 2021 16th rounder) has thrown 84.2 IP at Aberdeen, with a 3.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 2.8 K/BB.   

DL Hall (23, 2017 1st rounder) has thrown 84.1 IP, mostly at Norfolk after a few rehab outings.  He has a 4.48 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 14.6 K/9, 2.7 K/BB in the minors.   

Like I said, there is no obvious choice.  Right now, I would go with Armbruester, just for logging the most innings with pretty good ratios across the board, and weathering his promotion to Bowie without a hiccup.  He has the lowest WHIP and best K/BB ratio of all the pitchers I listed.   But if you asked me who were the best prospects on this list, he'd be below Hall, Rom and Pinto at least.  

 

 

Agreed on Armbruester.  Not a very inspiring list.  It will be interesting to see who we pick up in trades over the off-season.  The pitching crop definitely needs some fertilizer.  

[Fiver6565]

Pretty good snapshot to demonstrate how bad our pitching is in the minors after Grayson.  Even Hall had a year that is unworthy of consideration really.

 

Good thing we are able to take scrap heap guys like Voth and turn them into something usable.  That's a skill they will need again next year, even if they do make a trade/signing or two.  Not a lot of help coming up from the minors.  At least not obvious help.  Though perhaps a couple of these guys become top end relievers.  Who knows.

[Sports Guy]

A certain Orioles minor league podcast keeps yelling on pundits that the Os are really deep in pitching talent. (And this was argued before the deadline)

I don’t see it.  It’s terrible.

GRod should still get POY because he was way better in his innings than anyone else was in more innings.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Sports Guy

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

A certain Orioles minor league podcast keeps yelling on pundits that the Os are really deep in pitching talent.

I don’t see it.  It’s terrible.

GRod should still get POY because he was way better in his innings than anyone else was in more innings.

We also have quite a few arms on the shelf with injuries — Zach Peek, Kyle Brnovich, Brandon Young, Seth Johnson, Carter Baumler off the top of my head.  There may be a few more.  And, we picked up some guys in trades, and a few others came off injuries and didn’t hit 80 IP.   So, I didn’t mean for my POY list to be an exhaustive list of who the prospects are.  But, it’s pretty clear that we are thin on top level talent.  

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

We also have quite a few arms on the shelf with injuries — Zach Peek, Kyle Brnovich, Brandon Young, Seth Johnson, Carter Baumler off the top of my head.  There may be a few more.  And, we picked up some guys in trades, and a few others came off injuries and didn’t hit 80 IP.   So, I didn’t mean for my POY list to be an exhaustive list of who the prospects are.  But, it’s pretty clear that we are thin on top level talent.  

I think your list shows that are pitching depth sucks.

And yes, there are some talented injured arms..most of which we won’t even see in 2023 or if we do, it won’t be much.

Now, you don’t need depth if a few of the guys hit, so hopefully GRod, Povich and Hall can be impactful.

[RZNJ]

Obviously the minor league pitching is no where close to the positional talent.  That’s mostly by design through the draft.  Elias, himself, said we had some amazing arms in the system.  He doesn’t seem like a blows a lot of smoke although I’m sure some disagree with that.  Unfortunately, my belief is that most of these arms are from Delmarva on down, and the numbers/stats don’t match up with “amazing arm” just yet.   It’s going to take time.  In the meantime he traded for Bradish, Pinto, Povich, Johnson, McDermott among others.   Some good arms there even if less than amazing.

 

[btdart20]

Agree with everything that has been posted on this thread so far.  The position is notably thin.  Injuries are always a concern for pitchers and a) it influences our draft strategy away from drafting arms and b) the system was snake bit this year to some degree limiting the number of pitchers who qualify.  Of those who were healthy (and to make a blanket statement), I don't see much significant/impactful growth.  Beyond Grayson, there is a lot of risk scattered with a few solid upside arms.  The trade deadline definitely put a few more rounds in the clip.  But few POY headliners to choose from.

I like WHIP and K/BB as a snap take.  Armbruester passes that test.

Lowering the bar for inclusion to 60 IP puts Noah Denoyer (24) in the conversation (68 IP).  2.78 ERA (#1 in org minors), 0.94 WHIP (#1), 12.44 K/9 (#3), and a 5.53 K/BB (#1) of those with 60+ IP.  2.98 xFIP leads the org as well.  With 48 IP of his stronger stats in Bowie.  Maybe the IP prevent a legit chance at POY, but he's been a good story for 2022. 

For reference, Grayson currently has 59.1 IP, 2.12 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 12.89 K/9, and a 4.72 K/BB.  With a 2.79 xFIP. 

[Aristotelian]

On 9/7/2022 at 1:31 PM, btdart20 said:

Lowering the bar for inclusion to 60 IP puts Noah Denoyer (24) in the conversation (68 IP).  2.78 ERA (#1 in org minors), 0.94 WHIP (#1), 12.44 K/9 (#3), and a 5.53 K/BB (#1) of those with 60+ IP.  2.98 xFIP leads the org as well.  With 48 IP of his stronger stats in Bowie.  Maybe the IP prevent a legit chance at POY, but he's been a good story for 2022. 

That's a pretty strong resume. If he finishes strong he would be my guy. Denoyer pitched 3.2 tonight to he should break 80 IP for the year. 

[UMDTerrapins]

Rom and Denoyer would seem to be the top candidates. If you're willing to include relievers, I'd throw an honorable mention to Xavier Moore, who put up a 1.36 ERA in Aberdeen, went 10/10 in save ops, and allowed 18 hits in 33 innings with 58 strikeouts. Allowed just a .157 average, though the 15 walks was high. He doesn't get much attention, but that's a solid season. 

[waroriole]

That’s a brutal list. Gillespie, Hall, maybe Armbruester. 
 

Pinto has rebounded very well after a tough start to the season. Move him up to Bowie next season. If he has a good season at age 22, he starts looking like a real prospect. 

[RZNJ]

Rom may be stealing it with a late season push at Norfolk.  Excellent start last night.  All things equal we have to consider level and total number of starts.

[Frobby]

As noted in the Ryan Watson thread, Watson won the award, burnishing his case with 4 scoreless appearances after I started this thread.   His final numbers: 107.1 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.099 WHIP, 9.1 K/9,  3.7 K/BB.