Jonathan Mayo posted an article for the best tools in the Arizona Fall League and Tyler Glasnow was named the pitcher with the best breaking ball. Glasnow throws a big-breaking curve that sits 77-78 MPH, which really keeps hitters off-balance when paired with his mid-90’s fastball. Mayo mentions that one scout rated his curve as a plus-plus pitch.
The voting not only comes from Mayo, he also talked to scouts and took a poll of 50 players in the league. Glasnow was a runner-up for the best pitcher and got plenty of votes for the best fastball. No other Pirates players were mentioned among any of the other categories.
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
I’m a huge fan of the separation between his fastball and curve. If he can somehow get his change into that 85-87 range, that would be fantastic. Now how about that command?
Runner up? Glasnow is the the best P prospect in the game!
Wow, I guess who’ve written off a guy named “Jamison Tallion. No comparison better pitch-ability. Neither ready obviously but, Tallion is hands down closer to the big leagues even coming off-TJ. Glasnow needs to figure out the key to becoming a successful pitcher at any level-“fastball command”. It will be interesting at the AA level-better hitters! They are NOT going to swing at too much out of the zone like lower level hitters. If he can fix his command- “now your making a little sense Kenny”. But, to say he is the best P prospect in the game- “not so much”
Why wouldn’t the Pirates teach Glasnow Charlie Morton’s sinking fastball (at 90 – 91 MPH ) to compliment the fastball and curve, sitting between the two velocities and breaking opposite the curve? Apparently he struggles with the changeup and he needs a third pitch to be a successful MLB starter.
Glasnow already has so much plane on his fastball due to size and arm slot that he won’t have any trouble getting ground balls.
A true sinker, a la Charlie Morton, wouldn’t be a terribly useful pitch.
Gotta control the 4 seamer before you can throw a sinker effectively. Otherwise he’ll be so mixed up between leaving fastballs high and sinkers low he’ll explode
Great idea!
We all know Glasnow has top shelf stuff. I am hoping his command becomes at least consistently average. Because with that stuff, average command is all he’ll need.