Top pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow will be making his 2014 debut on Friday for Bradenton against St. Lucie. Glasnow missed the start of the season after having lower back tightness during Spring Training. He was recovered by the end of Spring Training, but needed time to build up his innings.
In his final rehab start, Glasnow was hitting 100 MPH, hitting that number seven times, according to Jim Callis. The right-hander had hit 99 MPH a few times last year, so the one extra mile per hour isn’t a huge difference. The frequency in which he hit that number is more significant.
“I know I hit it that day,” Glasnow said. “I didn’t know I hit it that many times though.”
Glasnow did mention that his control wasn’t as good in that start. The control is going to be the biggest test for him going forward. Last year he saw his walk rate slowly declining as the season went on, going from a 6.28 BB/9 in his first ten games of the season, to a 3.06 BB/9 in a ten game stretch that ended in the middle of August. Continuing that improvement will be huge in his attempt to be a top of the rotation starter.
A big focus this year for Glasnow will be on the changeup. The Pirates have him focusing on improving that pitch, and throwing it more frequently.
“I’ve been throwing the changeup a lot more,” Glasnow said. “That’s been feeling a lot better.”
This is the same level that Jameson Taillon started working on his changeup more frequently, getting challenged by the Pirates pitching coaches to throw the pitch 20 times per start. Glasnow has a plus fastball when his command is on, and he’s got a plus curveball at times. If he can develop a good changeup, he’ll have a dominant three pitch mix to work with.
Glasnow will be pitching every five days in the Bradenton rotation. Currently that rotation has five guys who are all performing well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of the current rotation members sent up to Altoona to replace the recently injury Zack Dodson.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Great news indeed, and a little unexpected since Glasnow was left out of Tim’s injury update posting. Only missing a few weeks and a few starts seemed like the best case scenario when the injury was announced. About time we got one of those best cases.
Finally, some good news on the injury front
if he masters the change up by mid june ,he will be in the rotation after the super 2 deadline?
Assume you mean after the June 2015 Super 2 deadline. That is possible but not likely. Optimistically he doesn’t get to AA until the latter part of the year, then starts 2015 in AA before moving up to AAA. With unexpected control gains and command of his changeup, he could get to Pittsburgh by June of 2015 but I wouldn’t bet on it. Remember that he is two years younger than Taillon – so that would be a very aggressive path.
Any shot of him making a June 2015 debut or did the injury push that back?
I doubt it. He’s only missed like 3 starts.
Imagine Taillon, Glasnow and Kingham heading up the AAA rotation next year and the anticipation for their debuts. Not quite as good as JVB, Bullington and Jimmy Anderson but it’s a start.
My take from this write up is …. he hit 100 SEVEN MUTHER F***ING TIMES. WHOLLY S***!!!! Cole will make a nice #2 .
CONTROL, imho, will be the key going forward, more than the changeup. Without the control, he won’t even be much use as a reliever.
As Sam Snead once said, “The woods are full of long hitters.” Different sport, same concept.
But Nolan Ryan had a decent career.
he gained control AND command.