by Jim Brown
*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2010 season as an 'under the radar' player.
Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
LHP Tom Milone, Double-A Harrisburg (WAS)
season stats: 11-5, 2.93 ERA, 144.1 IP, 148 H, 44 ER, 22 BB, 143 K in 25 starts
August 18-August 24 stats: 2-0, 13 IP, 11 H, BB, 20 K in 2 starts
OK, the Strasburg Express has hit the DC area and some pundits are saying "I told you so" as it's likely he'll be shutdown for the season with a right forearm flexor strain. Up steps Jordan Zimmermann, who gets his first start of 2010 this week as he returns from Tommy John surgery. So it's wait until next year for the excitement of having Strasburg and Zimmermann in the rotation. But the real excitment may come from a 23 year-old who's dominating Double-A hitters in the Eastern League. Milone has been one of those pitchers who quietly go about their turn in the rotation, and after attending the game, you find yourself looking in the morning boxscore for the kid's name. Not anymore as the 6'1" lefty, who leads the Eastern League in K's, has been absolutely lights out in August with a 4-0 record, 39 K's, and only one walk. He struckout a career high 13 batters in 6.2 IP during his start on August 18th, the second time in three starts where he has hit double digits in K's.
A 10th round pick in 2008 out of USC, Milone flew under the radar as a college pitcher, lacking a dominating fastball while racking up a 16-17 career record with a 4.78 ERA. With a limited ceiling, Milone began his pro career with a workman-like attitude at short-season Vermont and Lo-A Hagerstown going a combined 1-6 with a respectable 3.51 ERA. He shined the following year at Hi-A Potomac, where he learned to throw a cutter, finishing 12-5 with a 2.91 ERA and 6 K's per 9 IP. His solid pitching this season has the Senators chasing their first playoff appearances since 2002.
Milone's pitch velocity resembles that of a pitcher in the twilight of his career. His fastball peaks at 87 mph but usually sits in the mid-80's range. He has a crisp curveball plus the accompanied cutter which resembles his fastball but with a nasty drop at the plate. The best pitch in the Milone menu would be his change up, which he throws with confidence in any count. Milone has similar tools as the other mid-rotation starters on the Nats, but what sets him apart is his control. If you have followed my weekly submissions over the last two seasons, you should have noticed that I have a propondance toward pitchers with outstanding control. Milone's uncanny control goes all the way back to his prep days, as he only walked 3 batters through high school. Though his ceiling was deemed limited and he didnt recieve the laurels of being named on any of the pre-season "top whatever lists", Milone could actually be the anchor on the bottom end of the Nats staff sometime during the 2011 season. After this season, look for the list makers to notice Milone's accomplishments and place him as one of the top 20 prospects in the farm system.
Honorable Mentions
RHP Justin Fitzgerald, Hi-A San Jose (SF)
season stats: 9-5, 3.64 ERA 128.2 IP, 123 H, 40 BB, 104 K in 23 games (22 starts)
August 18–August 24 stats: 1-0, 6 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 11 K in 1 start
RHP Austin Fleet, AZL Giants (SF)
season stats: 6-3, 2.65 ERA, 51 IP, 42 H, 8 BB, 65 K in 12 games (11 starts)
August 18–August 24 stats: 1-1, 8 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 9 K in 2 starts
Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar Minor League AL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar Minor League AL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2010 Archive
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