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 David Holmberg, Lo-A South Bend (ARI)
season stats: 7-3, 2.61 ERA, 76.0 IP, 64 H, 13 BB, 74 K in 13 starts
June 15-June 21: 1-0, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K in 1 start
All-Star games are being played around the minor leagues this week and they represent the halfway point to the season. Let’s take a look at a young pitcher that has been named to one of those rosters over in the Midwest League. The recent addition as an "all-star" to Holmberg’s resume wasn’t the reason to pick the left-hander this week. It was his start on June 15th where he pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 10, walking none, and picking up his 4th straight win. The 19 year-old is currently riding a 27-inning scoreless streak and hasn’t given up more than 3 hits in a start over that span. In his last 6 starts, Holmberg has struck out 37 batters while walking only two. Ironically, Holmberg has drawn parallels to ex-Diamondbacks minor leaguer and current Oakland A's pitcher Brett Anderson. Once a top 10 prospect in the Chicago White Sox system, Holmberg was sent to Arizona in the Edwin Jackson trade last July.
Labeled as a big, soft-bodied pitcher that rarely tapped into the 90’s with his fastball when he was a 2nd Round draft pick in 2009, most scouts knew that he could add velocity as he began to fill-out his 6'4" frame. He proved them right when he zapped the gun at 94 mph during a recent outing. Holmberg has good command of 3 pitches that all rate as above average. His smooth delivery could be his ticket to move from his ceiling as a back of the rotation guy to a possible #3 starter. It's that delivery that has his fastball termed as “sneaky quick” in its deception. His recent success has come from tightening his loopy curveball down into the lower half of the strike zone. The Diamondbacks are typically very patient with their young arms, but I see him making it to Hi-A Visalia after a few more quality starts.
Relief Pitcher of the Week
LHP Grant Dayton, Lo-A Greensoboro (FLA): 6-0, 2.81 ERA, 32.0 IP, 25 H, 10 ER, 13 BB, 42 K, in 24 appearances; 1-0, 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, in 3 appearances over the past week
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UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week - posted later today
UTR Minor League AL Performances of the Week - posted later today
Under the Radar 2011 Archive
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