Jason Stoffel

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2009
R:  0-0-2, 1.86 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 9.2 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 5.6 K/9
A-:  1-0-2, 0.87 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 0.9 BB/9, 11.3 K/9

Stoffel went initially to rookie ball and then to short season ball.  He had little trouble at either level.  Baseball America rated him the team’s 15th best prospect after the season.

2010
A+:  2-4-25, 4.80 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 50.2 IP, 4.3 BB/9, 11.7 K/9

The Giants moved Stoffel up to the California League, where he served as closer.  He obviously had a rougher time, apart from the high K rate, some of it no doubt attributable to the extreme hitters environment.  BA still ranked him 22nd in the Giants’ system.

2011
AA (SF):  1-2-13, 3.98 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 31.2 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 8.8 K/9
AA (Hou):  1-3-0, 5.62 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 10.7 K/9

The Giants sent Stoffel to AA, then traded him in July to Houston, which also sent him to AA.  He mostly struggled at both stops, partly due to control problems.

2012
AA:  2-1-27, 2.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 58.0 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 8.8 K/9

The Astros employed Stoffel as their AA closer all year.  Despite a slight drop in his K rate, he improved substantially.

2013
AA:  0-0-5, 1.23 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 8.6 K/9
AAA:  8-1-0, 3.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 62.1 IP, 4.3 BB/9, 7.4 K/9

Stoffel opened the season at AA, but moved up to AAA after seven games.  He had a reasonably good year, although his walk and K rates in AAA weren’t very good.

2014
AAA:  5-4-11, 3.20 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 64.2 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 9.5 K/9

Stoffel didn’t have an especially good year in AAA.  He had a high K rate, but allowed a lot of hits and walks.

2015
AA (Balt):  1-0-0, 2.13 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 7.1 K/9
AAA (Hou):  4-2-3, 4.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 44.0 IP, 3.7 BB/9, 10.2 K/9

The Astros sent Stoffel back to AAA, where he had a high ERA but fairly good numbers otherwise.  In August, Houston sent him for cash to the Orioles, who assigned him to AA.  He became a free agent after the season and re-signed with Baltimore.

2016
AA:  3-3-12, 3.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 28.2 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 12.9 K/9
AAA:  0-2-12, 1.78 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 30.1 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 11.0 K/9

Stoffel spent the first half of the season in AA, then moved up to AAA.  He pitched well at both levels, with solid walk rates and very high K rates.

2017
R:  0-1-0, 16.88 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 10.1 BB/9, 13.5 K/9

Stoffel’s 2016 showing suggested that he may have made progress with his command issues.  The K rate was certainly enticing.  He should have opened 2017 at Indianapolis, but he wasn’t able to pitch during spring training due to shoulder discomfort.  It took a long time for him to reach a point where he could pitch; he didn’t appear in a rehab outing until nearly the end of the minor league season.  In four appearances in the GCL, he was able to get through only 2.2 IP.

Stoffel will be a free agent after the season.  If they still think he has some potential, the Pirates could try to bring him back again on another minor league deal.