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Re: Minor Matters

5551 by Hillbilly
Triston McKenzie is Ready for the Next Level

Posted by Joseph Coblitz on Jun 7, 2016 09:00

When the Indians drafted a 6’5″ 165 lb 17 year old right handed pitcher in the first round last year, in the eyes of many it was a bigger deal than taking the left handed former first overall pick Brady Aiken earlier in the first. The spindly Triston McKenzie has an electric fastball that regularly hits 94 with movement and good enough breaking stuff to make him worthy of a first round pick.

At just 17 and already having pitched a full High School (at Royal Palm Beach High) season in 2015, the Indians took things really slow with McKenzie. He joined the AZL Indians late in the season and made just four appearances, averaging three innings a piece. This was not because he got knocked around, but to keep him pitching regularly without over stressing his arm. If you didn’t notice last year, he didn’t get knocked around at all, allowing just three walks, four hits and one run in those 12 innings, striking out 17. While most of the players in the AZL range between 18 and 19 years old, the 17 year old McKenzie looked significantly more advanced and his incredible numbers (0.58 WHIP, 12.8 K/9, 0.75 ERA).

Still taking things slow, McKenzie began his 2016 campaign with the Indians in Arizona for extended Spring Training. These games don’t count for anything and the numbers aren’t recorded publicly anywhere, but I was fortunate to see a few of his starts. In the first on April 18th against the Brewers team of the same level, he threw three innings, striking out three and walking two. He allowed two hits and a run and committed an error on a pick off throw to first. In his second, he was considerably better, striking out seven in 3.2 innings, walking one and allowing four hits and two runs.

The May 10th start showed both the best and worst of McKenzie. In the first three innings, his only hit allowed was given up to a player with Major League experience on a rehab assignment (Kyle Skipworth) and every pitch went exactly where he wanted it to. Facing mostly young players, he took advantage of their lack of plate discipline and had batters swinging at balls in the dirt and at shoulder level. His use of the high fastball followed by a low change was absolutely devastating and it’s hard to imagine hitters even two levels higher being able to make contact.

On the negative side, it was a reminder that McKenzie is still years away from the Majors. In his fourth inning, he may not have been physically tired, but he lost control and balls that had been tantalizing just below the knees now were in the dirt. This lead to his only walk and two wild pitches. He never gave in by throwing balls in the middle of the strike zone, but he won’t be at his most effective until his arm is stretched out for at least six or seven innings per start.

McKenzie from the wind-up (left) and the stretch (right) in Extended Spring Training - Joseph Coblitz, BurningRiverBaseball.com
McKenzie from the wind-up (left) and the stretch (right) in Extended Spring Training – Joseph Coblitz, BurningRiverBaseball.com

In addition, McKenzie has had particular trouble from the stretch with his command. The lanky right hander has an incredibly high leg kick (as visualized above) from the wind-up and he goes nearly as high from the stretch. This, combined with some control issues, has lead to issues with runners being free to steal. McKenzie is an incredibly talented pitcher and he will certainly be able to correct this one issue in short time.

For the moment though, McKenzie seems to be avoiding the issue by never allowing runners to reach base. In all, during Extended Spring Training I saw McKenzie pitch 10.1 innings during which he struck out 18 and walked six. These stats are unofficial as there are no officially kept stats for this league, but they match up similarly to those from his time in the AZL last year and will likely be repeated this season as he joins the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He has already been added to the Scrappers and could very well be the team’s ace when they open up their schedule on June 17th.

Re: Minor Matters

5552 by civ ollilavad
McKenzie is listed on the Scrappers preseason roster. That would be kind of a stretch, since the NYPL is mostly for college kids or high schoolers who have worked at least a full season in Arizona Summer League; not too many teenagers pitch for the Scrapppers although I recall a big 19-year old Lefty who I watched about 15 years ago who sure impressed in the brief time he stayed with Mahoning Valley.

Re: Minor Matters

5554 by civ ollilavad
Tuesday games:

CLE AA Zimmer, Bradley CF 4 0 1 1 .225
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 5 1 1 1 .287
CLE HiA Bradley, Bobby 1B 4 1 2 0 .238 2B (14)
CLE LoA Krieger, Tyler 2B 4 0 1 0 .324 CS (6)
CLE LoA Mejia, Francisco C 4 2 2 2 .317 HR (2) [10 homers last year; but batting avg is way up]
CLE AAA Armstrong, Shawn 1 0 0 0 0 2 2.21
CLE HiA Brown, Mitch 4 5 2 2 1 4 4.39 [working out of the bullpen]
CLE HiA Sheffield, Justus 4 5 3 3 0 4 3.10 L (4-2)

Re: Minor Matters

5559 by civ ollilavad
Wednesday lines:

CLE AA Zimmer, Bradley CF 4 1 1 0 .226 2B (11), BB (34)
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 4 0 1 0 .286 BB (11)
CLE LoA Castro, Willi SS 5 2 2 0 .252
CLE LoA Krieger, Tyler 2B 5 3 3 1 .330
CLE LoA Mejia, Francisco DH 5 2 3 4 .324 HR (3)

not listed for Lake County:
Nathan Lukes CF 3 3 3 2 .327 HR (2) 2-BB (28) OPS: .900 second in the 16-team Midwest League
Connor Mirabell RF 4 1 3 2 .337 HR (3) 2B (20) OPS .910 leads the Midwest League
He's a 25th round pick last year; he's age 22 so he's old for the league; LH. If the Indians think anything at all of him they'll promote him to Lynchburg.

CLE AA Plutko, Adam 7.2 5 2 2 1 13 3.02 [not usually a strikeout pitcher]
CLE AAA Armstrong, Shawn 1 0 0 0 0 2 2.11 W (1-1) [no walks, his key to success]

Re: Minor Matters

5563 by civ ollilavad
I have no idea if Lukes and especially Mirabell are "prospects". Lukes was a reasonably high draft pick [6th round or so] last year but was hurt in one his first games at Mahoning Valley so hardly got any at bats. Mirabell drafted much lower and was very unimpressive in his debut. Neither is a slugger, but both are hitting for good average with plenty of line drive power and decent walk totals; Lukes steals more bases.

Re: Minor Matters

5564 by civ ollilavad
Lukes' pre-draft analysis by BA:

A lefthanded-hitting corner bat, Lukes' best tool is his bat; he's the career hits leader at Sacramento State. He's a former walk-on whose older brother also player for the Hornets as a pitcher. He runs above-average and has a solid-average arm, and pro clubs likely will try him in center field. He played right for the Hornets, whose home field is notoriously difficult in right field. His 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame generates solid gap power and he has an easy swing that he repeats. He controls the strike zone well, walking more than he struck out as a junior, and his bat stays in the hitting zone a long time.

[all of which is pretty much how he's played for Lake County]

Marabell was not thought worthy of a prospect writeup
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