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 Austin Kirk, Lo-A Peoria (CHC)
season stats: 4-2, 1.79 ERA, 70.1 IP, 43 H, 15 BB, 60 K in 13 appearances (12 starts)
June 8-June 14: 1-0, 13 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 12 K in 2 starts
Now that the amateur draft has concluded and with the Rookie Leagues slated to begin play shortly, it will be refreshing to see new names cropping up on my daily stat sheets. By now, we usually see several pitchers dominating week in and week out. But this season has seen a good mix of pitchers who have had steady outings. Reds prospect Daniel Corcino has been one of the few exceptions, as well as this week’s pick. While Corcino was ranked as the Reds' 15th best prospect coming into the season, Kirk wasn't even ranked among the top 30 prospects in the Cubs system. That shouldn’t be the case, however, when the Prospect Handbook hits the shelves in February 2012.
Kirk was the first pitcher selected by the Cubs in the 2009 Draft (3rd Round) out of Owasso High School in Oklahoma, a program that has churned out many pro ball players. During his senior year, Kirk threw two no-hitters and went 9-1 with a 0.45 ERA. He started his first full year with short-season Boise in 2010 and finished the season with 3 relief appearances in Peoria. Back with Peoria again, Kirk has been a model of consistency over his 13 appearances. The 6'1" left-hander has surrendered more than 2 earned runs only once this season and has allowed just 2 ER over 18 IP in his last three starts. With all of his outstanding peripherals, its Kirk’s character that stands out. With most pitchers feeling their way through the minor league system, this competitive 21-year old “gets it”. To describe what type of character Kirk displayed as a high school senior, here’s an excerpt from ChicagoCubsOnline.com:
There was a 70 year old that kind of adopted the team (Owassa HS) as his own, and was a huge fan of Kirk's...It's almost like a Babe Ruth story. The guy was on his deathbed still rooting for the team, and recently passed away, and Kirk had given him his old jersey, a signed ball, and their state championship medal. When he was buried, the guy had on Kirk's jersey, the ball, and medal. It was a very heartwarming story.
Feel good stories get repeated over and over again by broadcasters at the major league level and this one will be at the top of the list when Kirk makes his debut sometime in the next couple of years.
Relief Pitcher of the Week
RHP Oswaldo Martinez, Hi-A Daytona (CHC): 1-0, 1.93 ERA, 9.1 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 10 K in 6 appearances; 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 6 K in 3 appearances over last week
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UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
UTR Minor League AL Performances of the Week
Under the Radar 2011 Archive
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