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Angels’ Heaney among pitching prospects struggling in March

By Brody Hilgenkamp|

So far this Spring Training, there are prospects who are making me look very prescient and others who are performing as well as, say, my NCAA tournament bracket—thanks a lot Iowa State and Villanova.

Kris Bryant’s torrid spring caught no one by surprise. Earlier, I discussed how strikeouts would plague Cubs prospects—which they have—and that Daniel Norris should be given a chance to pitch in the major league rotation. He’s more than earned it, pitching to a 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings this spring, including a solid 5.2 innings and one run effort Friday against the Rays.

Others have just flat out struggled, including a bevy of highly-touted arms. Several pitching prospects are having a rough time this spring, including some who are expected to make impacts on their parent clubs.

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(All stats entering play Sunday.)

Let’s start with the teams who played in the World Series. Kyle Crick and Ty Blach of the San Francisco Giants, who could make starts or pitch in the bullpen for the Giants at some point this season, have given up a combined 15 runs and four home runs in a combined 14 innings. Blach has been hit hard in general (13 hits in 7.1 innings) and Crick has struggled to find the strike zone (four walks in 6.2 innings).

Brandon Finnegan, the Kansas City Royals’ fourth best reliever during their playoff run, has given up nine hits and walked four batters in 6.1 innings pitched, meaning the likelihood he starts the season in the majors is diminishing.

Norris’ fellow Blue Jay Aaron Sanchez, who was likely bound for a setup role, has given up 13 hits and seven earned runs in 13 innings. Not a good start for a guy who could be anchoring your bullpen.

I discussed how the Angels may be getting left-handed arms to complement the Matt Shoemaker/Garrett Richards phenomenon in Andrew Heaney and Sean Newcomb. Heany has trashed my vote of confidence by getting shelled for nine runs, 13 hits and five walks in 9.1 innings. Newcomb was never expected to start the season in the majors, considering he was drafted less than a year ago, but he was unimpressive in his first professional camp, giving up four hits in 1.2 innings.

The White Sox’s Carlos Rodon has the potential to have more of an impact on a playoff race than any pitcher mentioned in this article, either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. Alas, he’s given up five runs and nine hits in 8.1 unpersuasive innings. He has struck out 10 batters, however, and with Chris Sale’s rapid recovery from a broken foot, a bullpen role is still a likely landing spot.

Henry Owens, strikeout specialist of the Red Sox organization, carried over his control problems from 2014 into this spring. He’s walked five batters in 10 innings and given up seven runs.

Baltimore Orioles prospect Dylan Bundy hasn’t found his pre-Tommy John control, as he’s walked six batters in six innings of work. He’s also given up seven hits.

These are all very small sample sizes and most were likely headed to the minors to begin the season anyway.  Spring Training struggles or successes aren’t reliable indicators of performance once the Opening Day arrives. But for prospects trying to prove they’re worth a spot on the roster, March can be an important month, especially for the players like Rodon and Norris.

It’s also a good month to pad my ego as a knowledgeable sports fan.  As you can tell, this March has been rough on my ego…

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