2016 Pitching Preview

[GTNavyNuke]

I’m excited about pitching. Why? Because we were so thin last year and this year it will be the opposite. The problem is going to be giving players enough innings to prove themselves. So I expect more mid relief this year. Pitching wins games in the post season.

This year on the roster we have 9 Fr pitchers and 7 Fr at other positions. I’ll break down who is returning and the new ones. Of course, all I have is stats and internet stuff. But Hall / staff gets to see them every day. As he has said, there are a bunch of Fr pushing the others and it’ll be hard to decide who goes where. I expect that we’ll see a lot of pitchers and in-fielders moved around for the first half of the season. Then hopefully make a run!

Sr returning

• Cole Pitts – didn’t play summer ball. 6.9 ERA last year. Did better at end of year after Tommy John. Some innings this year?
• Joe Wiseman – didn’t play summer ball. 9.4 ERA last year. Long shot.

Jr returning

• Brandon Gold – Got beat up in Cape Cod with 5.68 ERA but only 6.1 Innings pitched. He was our stud last year @3.26. Should pitch a lot of innings.
• Matthew Gorst – didn’t play summer ball. 4.81 ERA last year improved from year before. Got a lot better as year went on. Pitch some innings this year.
• Ben Parr – great 1.93 ERA in Cape Cod this summer. Used a lot last year @ 4.53 ERA. Likely lots of innings.
• Matt Phillips – got beat up in Coastal over summer, 6.3 ERA. Last year 4.5 ERA. Fewer innings?
• Zac Ryan – stud reliever. Summer @ Cape Cod not inspiring @ 4.20. Should pitch a lot this year because he had cajones last year.
• Tanner Shelton – 5.27 this summer after 7.71 ERA last year. Still improving. Limited innings?
• Jonathan King – 4.97 this summer in Cape Cod after 3.82 last year. As workhorse last year expect a lot of innings this year unless others over take.

So returning

• Trevor Craport – not listed as pitcher on roster but UTL (catcher?).
• Jared Datoc – summer in Valley good @ 3.03 following limited Fr 6.52 ERA. I like the way he came on at the end of the year. Some innings and I think he will get better.
• Patrick Wiseman – Good summer with 1.59 in Valley League after limited Fr 5.87. Should see a lot of innings?
• Cody Worthy – didn’t pitch 2015 for us. Summer ball had 1.21 ERA for East Cobb in 46.1 Innings Pitched. Will probably see some innings.

Fr

• Micah Carpenter, RHP, no summer.
• Bailey Combs, RHP, no summer.
• Burton Dulaney, RHP, no summer.
• Tristin English, RHP, no summer. Drafted 39th round (1174th). Will likely see innings.
• Travis Entrop, LHP, no summer.
• Bobby Gauvreau, RHP, no summer.
• Keyton Gibson, RHP, 0.81 ERA for East Cobb in 60.2!!! innings pitched. Will likely see innings.
• Jonathan Hughes, RHP, 0 ERA for East Cobb in only 1 inning pitched. Drafted 2nd round, 68th. Will likely see innings.
• Jake Lee, RHP, no summer.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

My guess for top 10 in order of impact:

1. Brandon Gold (starter)
2. Jonathon King (starter)
3. Zac Ryan (closer)
4. Jonathan Hughes (Fr) (Mid relief or starter or closer)
5. Tristin English (Fr) (Mid relief to starter) (Mid relief or closer or starter)
6. Ben Parr (Starter)
7. Matthew Gorst (Mid relief or starter)
8. Patrick Wiseman (Starter)
9. Keyton Gibson (Fr) (Mid relief or starter)
10. Jared Datoc (Mid relief)

 

[RoosterJacket]

My guess for top 10 in order of impact:

1. Brandon Gold (starter)
2. Jonathon King (starter)
3. Zac Ryan (closer)
4. Jonathan Hughes (Fr) (Mid relief or starter or closer)
5. Tristin English (Fr) (Mid relief to starter) (Mid relief or closer or starter)
6. Ben Parr (Starter)
7. Matthew Gorst (Mid relief or starter)
8. Patrick Wiseman (Starter)
9. Keyton Gibson (Fr) (Mid relief or starter)
10. Jared Datoc (Mid relief)

English hasn't really pitched any since last spring, so if he does pitch any this year, it will be later in the season. He's definitely got the stuff to be a weekend starter by season's end. I have a feeling P. Wiseman will start out as the Sunday starter with Hughes and/or Gibson being midweek starters. I feel really good about King and Gold starting Friday's and Saturdays, then of course Ryan as our closer. Depth is much better this year!!

 

[RoosterJacket]

Hughes is starting Sunday's game. Guessing either P. Wiseman, Gibson, or Pitts will start next week's midweek game at Ga Southern. Can't wait for some baseball!!!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Hughes is starting Sunday's game. Guessing either P. Wiseman, Gibson, or Pitts will start next week's midweek game at Ga Southern. Can't wait for some baseball!!!

Who is starting on Friday and Saturday?

 

[ball4life66]

Who is starting on Friday and Saturday?

 

[awbuzz]

1 day 8 hours and 29 minutes...

 

[augustabuzz]

1 day 8 hours and 29 minutes...

Are we there yet?

 

[awbuzz]

Are we there yet?

21 hours and 10 minutes left [emoji3]

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I was wondering; how long has it been since we had a Fr pitcher start on the opening weekend?

This answers a Fr starting in an entire season: Jonathan Hughes, RHP: The righty from Flowery Branch, Ga., will be the first freshman pitcher to start for GT since southpaw Ben Parr did so May 22, 2014, vs. Duke in the ACC Tournament.

 

[RoosterJacket]

I was wondering; how long has it been since we had a Fr pitcher start on the opening weekend?

This answers a Fr starting in an entire season: Jonathan Hughes, RHP: The righty from Flowery Branch, Ga., will be the first freshman pitcher to start for GT since southpaw Ben Parr did so May 22, 2014, vs. Duke in the ACC Tournament.

Good question---bet it's been a while for an opening weekend freshman starter. There's a decent chance 3-4 freshmen start a game at some point in this season.

 

[augustabuzz]

21 hours and 10 minutes left [emoji3]

It sounds like you have heard that question from the back seat as well.

 

[daBuzz]

I've seen Hughes and Gibson pitch. They both have serious arm talent.

I coached against Gauvreau when he was in 9 year old Dizzy Dean and have watched him since then. Even at 9 years old, the kid was sitting in the upper 50s and touching 60...when the average pitch speed at the time was 40's and the good ones would hit low 50's. He's still a hard thrower but he had an absolutely horrendous HS coach at Sprayberry and still needs to learn to locate his pitches. Has some serious giddy up though. If he can learn to "pitch" as well as stay academically eligible, then he has a shot long term as well.

Shelton is a lefty from Etowah whom I watched many times over his HS career. Doesn't have overpowering velocity but can be really effective against lefties with that big, sweeping curve he throws and a really nice change up. If he ever makes up his mind to be a Tom Glavine-type pitcher, he could be really good but I sense that he wants to throw it by hitters and he really doesn't have the stuff to do that.

Edited:
I also heard that English has possibly the most upside of all the freshmen pitchers but is battling through some nagging arm issues. I think they're expecting him back in full stride by mid to late season with the plan of getting him into the flow of things and seeing how he handles the pressure against quality ACC opposition. Not necessarily from a "we have to have him this year" standpoint as much as to get him ready for next year. I asked my buddy why they wouldn't redshirt him then. He said, "because he'll get drafted after his 3rd year and you'll only get 2 years out of him". He also said that he likely would have gone pretty high in the MLB draft out of high school and that the only reason he's even on campus at Tech is because of the arm issues.
By the way, I heard he can rake. The term used was "he drops bombs".