2K:17 Zach Eflin

[onejayhawk]

This is not one of the hot prospects coming up this year. That said he's solidly in the rotation at age 22. Much higher ranked guys, such as Appel, have been on the fringes. Eflin strolled right past.

Last out was a three-hit, no-walk CG SO on exactly 100 pitches. Even just missing a Maddux is news for a nobody from nowhere. What's the deal with this kid?

J

[revo]

He was pitching great at AAA, and while he's certainly surprised in the majors, I'm not sure he's going to sustain this level with his 4.6 K/9. He also had a 4.6 K/9 at AA ball last year, so that low rate doesn't appear to be out of the ordinary.

[onejayhawk]

I have been digging in the Fangraphs pitch and velocity data. He throws a standard four-seam fastball about 40%. About half as often, he throws a two-seam fastball and a slider. The FT is noticeably more effective than the FA with similar velocity. His out pitch seems to be a change-up. Velocity-wise, he's average for a prospect, 92-93 mph. The slider is much slower, low to mid 80s. The change is mid 80s. So, he has a definite change of speed, which he throws about 1/3 of his pitches. He shows a cut fastball but probably shouldn't.

He's a fastball/slider pitcher with an effective change-up. His best pitch seems to be the two seam fastball but the change is in the conversation. He throws a lot of strikes. In the CG shut-out no walks were allowed. Not bad for a kid. As noted, he does not strike out a lot of batters.

J

[overkill94]

His strikeout rate was weak last year in AA but fairly strong this year in AAA. When I've watched him he seems to have pretty good command to go with okay stuff so I could see him settling in as a 3.5 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 7 K/9 type.