I saw a post very similar to the one I am about to write over at Royals Review the other day, looking at Royals' prospects and their K% and BB%. I am going to take this one step further. The author over at RR did a fantastic job, but (s)he looked at the Major League average for K% and BB% to look at minor leaguers. I am going to sort players, by league, to get their numbers. Let's first look at the numbers.
In MLB, pitchers average a strikeout 19.75% of the time and a walk 7.85% of the time. I would list that as:
MLB: 19.75 K% and 7.85 BB% with an average age of 28
So what do the minor leagues have to offer?
International League (AAA): 20.09 K% and 9.09 BB% with an average age of 27.4
Pacific Coast League (AAA): 19.50 K% and 9.15 BB% with an average age of 26.6
Eastern League (AA): 20.11 K% and 9.19 BB% with an average age of 24.6
Southern League (AA): 19.52 K% and 9.21 BB% with an average age of 24.3
Texas League (AA): 19.81 K% and 8.06 BB% with an average age of 24.5
California League (A+): 21.13 K% and 8.86 BB% with an average age of 23.2
Carolina League (A+): 19.70 K% and 9.28 BB% with an average age of 22.8
Florida State League (A+): 18.71 K% and 8.37 BB% with an average age of 23.2
Midwest League (A): 19.35 K% and 9.04 BB% with an average age of 21.9
South Atlantic League (A): 21.40 K% and 8.77 BB% with an average age of 21.7
NY-Penn League (A-): 20.31 K% and 7.89 BB% with an average age of 21.4
Northwest League (A-): 20.94 K% and 9.17 BB% with an average age of 21.4
I want to look at players whose numbers exceed those listed above. So here are my criteria:
1) The pitcher must be a "qualified" pitcher. That means they would throw enough innings to be qualified for the ERA title in that league.
2) The pitcher must be no older than a rounded down league average (for example, the International League pitchers will have to be in their age 27 season or younger.)
3) The pitcher must exceed a rounded up K%.
4) The pitcher must be under a rounded down BB%.
International League Superstar Pitchers
27 and under with 21 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Jose Alvarez - Tigers - 24 years old, 22.2 K%, 4.8 BB%
- Andrew Albers - Twins - 27 years old, 21.8 K%, 6.0 BB%
- Jake Odorizzi - Rays - 23 years old, 24.1 K%, 8.7 BB%
Pacific Coast League Superstar Pitchers
26 and under with 20 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Nick Additon - Cardinals - 25 years old, 21.3 K%, 6.4 BB%
- Sean O'Sullivan - Padres - 25 years old, 20.2 K%, 6.5 BB%
- Brian Flynn - Marlins - 23 years old, 23.5 K%, 7.6 BB%
- Sonny Gray - Athletics - 23 years old, 23.9 K%, 7.9 BB%
- James Paxton - Mariners - 24 years old, 21.8 K%, 8.5 BB%
Eastern League Superstar Pitchers
24 and under with 21 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Logan Verrett - Mets - 23 years old, 22.1 K%, 5.2 BB%
- Mike Wright - Orioles - 23 years old, 21.7 K%, 6.7 BB%
- Kyle Lobstein - Tigers - 23 years old, 21.7 K%, 7.1 BB%
- Jameson Taillon - Pirates - 21 years old, 22.2 K%, 7.5 BB%
Southern League Superstar Pitchers
24 and under with 20 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
-
Zach Lee - Dodgers - 21 years old, 22.6 K%, 5.8 BB%
- Adam Conley - Marlins - 23 years old, 21.9 K%, 6.4 BB%
- Alberto Cabrera - Cubs - 24 years old, 23.0 K%, 8.4 BB%
Texas League Superstar Pitchers
24 and under with 20 K% or higher and 8 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Keyvius Sampson - Padres - 22 years old, 26.8 K%, 8.0 BB%
-
Nick Tropeano - Astros - 22 years old, 22.9 K%, 6.9 BB%
- Carlos Pimentel - Rangers - 23 years old, 25.3 K%, 7.7 BB%
- Seth Blair - Cardinals - 24 years old, 21.9 K%, 7.8 BB%
California League Superstar Pitchers
23 and under with 22 K% or higher and 8 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB- Ty Blach - Giants - 22 years old, 22.8 K%, 3.1 BB%
- Clayton Blackburn - Giants - 20 years old, 24.8 K%, 5.8 BB%
- Danny Winkler - Rockies - 23 years old, 29.8 K%, 7.3 BB%
- Jon Moscot - Reds - 21 years old, 22.8 K%, 7.3 BB%
- David Rollins - Astros - 23 years old, 23.7 K%, 7.9 BB%
Carolina League Superstar Pitchers
22 and under with 20 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- AJ Cole - Nationals - 21 years old, 25.1 K%, 5.7 BB%
- Cody Anderson - Indians - 22 years old, 23.0 K%, 6.5 BB%
- Zach Davies - Orioles - 20 years old, 21.6 K%, 6.3 BB%
- Kyle Smith - Royals (now Astros) - 20 years old, 22.2 K%, 6.7 BB%
- Alec Asher - Rangers - 21 years old, 23.4 K%, 7.2 BB%
- Nicholas Martinez - Rangers - 22 years old, 21.0 K%, 7.6 BB%
Florida State League Superstar Pitchers
23 and under with 19 K% or higher and 8 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Matthew Bowman - Mets - 22 years old, 23.1 K%, 7.5 BB%
- Wilsen Palacios - Tigers - 23 years old, 19.7 K%, 7.8 BB%
Midwest League Superstar Pitchers
21 and under with 20 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Vincent Velasquez - Astros - 21 years old, 27.2 K%, 7.3 BB%
South Atlantic League Superstar Pitchers
21 and under with 22 K% or higher and 8 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Kendry Flores - Giants - 21 years old, 24.1 K%, 3.4 BB%
- Luis Cessa - Mets - 21 years old, 23.2 K%, 3.6 BB%
- Mark Binford - Royals - 20 years old, 24.6 K%, 4.6 BB%
- Miguel Almonte - Royals - 20 years old, 23.7 K%, 7.5 BB%
NY-Penn League Superstar Pitchers
21 and under with 21 K% or higher and 7 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Benjamin Griset - Rays - 21 years old, 21.0 K%, 2.8 BB%
- Michael Feliz - Astros - 19 years old, 27.8 K%, 3.9 BB%
Northwest League Superstar Pitchers
21 and under with 21 K% or higher and 9 BB% or lower - sorted by K:BB
- Christopher Johnson - Giants - 21 years old, 25.7 K%, 2.2 BB%
- Erik Schoenrock - Padres - 21 years old, 24.0 K%, 7.1 BB%
- Steven Ewing - Mariners - 21 years old, 24.7 K%, 7.9 BB%
- Lars Huijer - Mariners - 19 years old, 21.5 K%, 7.5 BB%