Zachary Foster

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2008
R:  1-2-0, 3.99 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 38.1 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 7.5 K/9 

Didn’t pitch well against younger GCL competition, with a .291 opponents’ average and a high walk rate.  He divided his time between starting and relieving.

2009
A-:  2-0-1, 1.24 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 29 IP, 5.0 BB/9, 8.1 K/9 

Foster moved to short relief at State College and allowed an opponents’ average of just .134, although he walked a lot.  He had a fairly good K rate.

2010
A:  5-4-6, 4.28 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 61 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 6.6 K/9 

Foster didn’t make the West Virginia roster out of spring training, but was assigned there in early April.  He had just a fair season, giving up too many hits and not fanning many.  Left-handed batters hit .288 against him, compared to .237 by right-handed batters.

2011
A:  1-1-0, 4.91 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 18.1 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 9.8 K/9
A+:  3-1-2, 3.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 37.2 IP, 4.3 BB/9, 4.3 K/9 

After opening the season back at West Virginia, Foster moved up to Bradenton at the beginning of June.  He had oddly contrasting numbers.  For the Power, he had a high ERA and a .316 opponents’ BA, but he had excellent BB and K rates.  For the Marauders, he had a good ERA and an opponents’ BA of .195, but he walked and struck out the same number.

2012
A+:  1-7-4, 5.61 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 61.0 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 3.8 K/9
AA:  0-1-0, 13.50 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 6.8 BB/9, 3.4 K/9

Foster spent the season at Bradenton, except for one appearance filling in at Altoona.  He had a very poor year, with terrible walk and K rates, and an opponents’ average of .283.  Right-handed batters hit .321 against him, which seems odd for a pitcher who throws sidearm.

Foster is an organizational pitcher at this point and not a good one.  It’d be a little puzzling to see him return for another year, but the right size and build seems to carry a lot of weight with the Pirates.