Sam Moll

WTM’S PLAYER PROFILE

2013
A-:  3-1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 30.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.7 K/9

Moll had a good debut in short season ball.  He made six starts, then missed a month with a broken toe and pitched four times in relief after returning.  Baseball America rated him the Rockies’ 15th best prospect after the season.

2014
A-:  0-1-0, 4.15 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 13.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 4.8 K/9

Due to a sore elbow that required him to have bone chips removed, Moll wasn’t able to pitch until August.  He returned to short season ball then and struggled through nine relief outings.  BA still ranked him 21st in the Rockies’ system.

2015
A+:  0-1-2, 3.02 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 53.2 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 9.6 K/9
AA:  0-0-0, 1.23 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 14.2 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 10.4 K/9

Pitching in relief for good now, Moll had a breakout season.  He spent most of it in the high-offense California League, but finished with 13 dominant outings in AA.  On the season, he held left-handed hitters to a .495 OPS, while right-handers managed only .565.  BA ranked him 22nd in the Rockies’ system after the season.

2016
R:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 22.5 K/9
AAA:  3-5-2, 4.94 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 47.1 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 7.4 K/9

Moll had considerably more trouble in the hitters environment at Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League.  He got hit a lot harder and saw a sharp drop in his K rate.  He still held lefties to a .643 OPS, but righties posted an .802 figure against him.  He missed a month with elbow inflammation, with a lot of his trouble occurring late in the season after he returned.  BA still ranked him 27th in the Colorado system and the Rockies added him to the 40-man roster after the season.

2017
AAA (Colo):  3-2-0, 4.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 47.1 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
AAA (Oak):  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 1.3 BB/9, 10.3 K/9
MLB (Oak):  0-0-0, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 6.2 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 9.5 K/9

Back at Albuquerque, Moll continued pitching the way he had in 2016, except he had equally mediocre numbers against both RH and LH hitters.  In mid-August, the Rockies sent him to Oakland for cash.  He pitched much better in six outings in AAA after the trade and Oakland called him up in September.  He got hammered in 11 major league outings.  Oakland designated Moll for assignment in November and the Pirates claimed him.

Moll will likely compete with Jack Leathersich and Nik Turley for a bullpen spot in 2018, although it’s quite possible that the Pirates will try to get him through waivers at some point.  Unlike the other two, he hasn’t had any meaningful success above AA.  He does have two options left.