Brian Jeroloman

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

After his sophomore year in college, Jeroloman was considered a top catching prospect, but he hit only .242 as a junior.  Baseball America’s report on him at the time of the draft was unusually negative about his hitting, but his defensive ability was highly regarded, especially his ability to receive and to handle pitchers.  He also had a good arm and very good pop times.  As a pro, he’s had trouble throwing out base stealers in the last couple seasons, but he’s still well regarded defensively, enough so that he ranked as high as 12th on BA’s list of Toronto’s top 30 prospects.  His primary contribution on offense has been to draw walks.  He has little power and no speed.

2006
A-:  241/363/326, 141 AB, 10 2B, 1 HR, 26 BB, 38 K

Debuted in the NYPL and did little with the bat other than draw a lot of walks.  He threw out 42% of base stealers.

2007
A+:  259/421/338, 290 AB, 14 2B, 3 HR, 85 BB, 57 K

Moved up to high A and led the league in walks, but again didn’t do much else at bat.

2008
AA:  270/396/416, 226 AB, 15 2B, 6 HR, 47 BB, 47 K
AAA:  200/302/227, 75 AB, 2 2B, 11 BB, 17 K 

Jeroloman started hitting the ball harder in AA, even showing a little power and earning a promotion.  On the season his CS% was 37%.

2009
AA:  217/330/316, 364 AB, 16 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 62 BB, 120 K, 1-1 SB

The Jays sent Jeroloman back to AA for and he stopped hitting.  In fact, he started striking out a lot for the first time, fanning in a third of his at-bats.  He did throw out 43% of base stealers and he stole his first career base.  The Jays left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft after the season and he was not selected.

2010
AA:  261/429/412, 245 AB, 16 2B, 7 HR, 69 BB, 91 K, 0-1 SB
AAA:  316/519/789, 19 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 BB, 10 K 

Jeroloman went back to AA for a third year and hit about like he had in 2008, although his K rate went even higher than 2009.  His CS% dropped to 27% on the year.

2011
AAA:  240/335/295, 271 AB, 9 2B, 2 HR, 38 BB, 72 K, 3-6 SB

Finally in AAA, Jeroloman struggled at the plate, showing almost no power and still fanning in over a quarter of his at-bats.  Opponents ran on him much more often than in the past and he threw out only 15% of base stealers.  The Jays called him up in late August and he spent 37 days, the rest of the season, in the majors without ever getting into a game.  It was revealed only after the season that he’d been suffering from a wrist injury, but the Jays never put him on the disabled list.  After the season, Toronto removed him from the 40-man roster and the Pirates claimed him, only to designate him for assignment three days later and have him re-claimed by the Jays.

2012
R:  286/286/286, 7 AB
A+:  000/000/000, 11 AB, 6 K
AA:  195/308/195, 113 AB, 15 BB, 25 K, 2-4 SB

The Jays sent Jeroloman back to AA, but he ended up missing much of the season with a knee injury.  After the season he became a free agent and signed with Cleveland.

Jeroloman had trouble getting to AAA and struggled once he got there.  Hitters whose primary ability is drawing walks don’t tend to do well at higher levels, because the pitchers aren’t afraid to throw strikes.  At this point, he appears to be strictly an organizational catcher.  The Pirates assigned him initially to Indianapolis, where they already had Tony Sanchez, Ali Solis and Lucas May, although Sanchez and Solis were coming off minor injuries at the start of the season.  Jeroloman’s playing time in 2013 will probably depend mainly on injuries, promotions and the like.