MLB: Minor League 2016 All-Stars, Pitchers

Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates, AA/AAA, 22 years old

Stats: 116 2/3 innings, 1.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 68/144 BB/K ratio

Glasnow is a guy that certainly intimidates the moment he steps off the team bus, standing 6’8″ and fairly well built, listed at 225 pounds and possibly even 15+ pounds more with all good weight.

His height allows him a unique downward plane on his hard fastball, and he has a wicked breaking ball to go with it. However, like many guys at his height, Glasnow can have issues with repeating his delivery, leading to some command issues.

The Pirates snagged Glasnow in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, and he’s been nothing but impressive ever since, with only injuries slowing him down. In fact, he’s not even had a partial season at any stop that he posted above a 3.75 ERA until he got to the majors this season.

His regular season ERA totals have been 1.88, 2.10, 2.18, 1.74, 2.39, and then 1.93 this season. Add in a strikeout rate of nearly 1/3 of all hitters he faces at 32.1 percent, and Glasnow definitely has the makings of a future ace.

He did have some struggles with his walk rate in the major leagues, though he did still have similar high strikeout rates, striking out 24 in 23 1/3 major league innings.

Glasnow is likely going to be at the back of the Pirate rotation in 2017 due to not exceeding 125 innings in any season in his career and needing to ease into a heavier workload, but he has all the makings of a future front line guy.

Next: Twins Lefty