Pittsburgh Pirates Tyler Glasnow Could Help Postseason Push
By David Hill
Over the past few years, it has become somewhat common for a team on the verge of making the playoffs to bring in a minor league pitcher to help that postseason push. The Kansas City Royals did that last year with Brandon Finnegan, and the year before with Yordano Ventura. In 2013, the Pittsburgh Pirates did the same with Gerrit Cole. This year, for the Pirates, history could repeat itself with Tyler Glasnow.
Glasnow, like Cole before him, is not only one of the top prospects on the Pirates, but in all of baseball. Essentially a consensus top twenty prospect at the start of this season, Glasnow has split time between three levels this year, spending most of his time with the Altoona Curve of the Eastern League. Overall, in his 16 starts this year, Glasnow has posted a 2.41 ERA and a 1.072 WHiP, striking out 101 batters in 78.1 innings. He certainly appears to be cementing his place as a major part of the Pirates future.
Yet, even with these excellent numbers, there are still warts on Glasnow’s resume. He has walked over four batters per nine innings in his career, and in his ten innings at the AAA level, Glasnow has issued seven walks. He has also given up eight runs in his ten innings, yet only two were earned. It may be a small sample size, but this performance at Indianapolis is certainly concerning.
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Despite these flaws, there is no mistaking the potential that Tyler Glasnow could have for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a relief role down the stretch. Even with his struggles at Indianapolis, Glasnow has struck out 13 batters, and his 46.1% ground ball rate is above average. In a late inning situation when a strikeout or ground ball are desperately needed, Glasnow could be exactly what Clint Hurdle and the Pirates would need.
Of course, the key to getting Glasnow to perform as the Pirates would hope during any September callup would be if he can harness his stuff. His command was exquisite at Altoona, where Glasnow walked only 19 batters in 63 innings of work. That 2.7 walks per nine was the lowest rate of his during any stop of more than four innings during his minor league career.
With the pure stuff that Glasnow has, he could be a force in the majors in a relief role this year. All it really takes is for him to trust that pure ability and attack. When Glasnow attempts to get too fine with his pitches, and is trying to make the perfect pitch instead of challenging the opposition, that is where he gets in to trouble.
All Tyler Glasnow needs is that confidence, and he could be a vital part of the Pittsburgh Pirates postseason push this year. When the September callups start to happen, it will be interesting to see if Glasnow’s name gets called.