posted 8/3/12 11:03 AM PST
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 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.
Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
RHP Burch Smith, Hi-A Lake Elsinore (SD)
season stats: 3.68 ERA, 107.2 IP, 100 H, 20 BB, 120 K in 21 starts
July 25-July 31: 5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 10 K in 1 start
Since the 2009 minor league season, I have been keeping a watchful eye for under the radar pitchers for MLBDC. Before that, I was scouring the low minors to acquire the next top youngster for my NL-only fantasy keeper league. This week I found myself the victim of “prospectitis”, as I became enamored with 22 year-old Donn Roach, who came to the Padres via trade with the Los Angeles Angels back in early May. Roach was having a solid season and looked like a lock to be on my 2013 breakout list. Then the Double-A San Antonio coaching staff shut him down for the season and word was that Roach might even challenge for a spot on the big league staff coming out of Spring Training next year. Roach is now on my NL-only roster, as I plucked him from the free agent wire two weeks ago. With Roach now gone from my radar, Lake Elsinore’s Burch Smith gave me a good slap upside the head on July 25th. A 14th round pick out of the University of Oklahoma in 2011, the 22 year-old may have only went 5 innings and faced 17 batters, but he struck out 10 of them.
During the time that I locked in on Roach, Smith was quietly winning seven of his last eight decisions. He's currently second in the hitter-friendly Cal League with 120 strikeouts. My radar this season may need some adjusting, as I didn’t select Burch’s 13 strikeout performance back on April 28th, where he also he flirted with a no-hitter over eight innings.
Burch decided not to sign after being drafted twice by the Cleveland Indians in 2009 and 2010. Not a bad decision given that the 22 year-old stayed on as a starter for a Howard Junior College (Texas) squad that went 65-1 and won the 2009 JC National Championship. Smith didn’t start pitching until late in high school and isn’t regarded as polished pitcher. He does have a big arm, though, as he throws his fastball in the mid 90s and up to 97 mph. The Texas native has shown great control (1.6 BB/9) and strikes out batters (10.3 K/9) with an easy delivery that shows no hint of deception. Smith has been a fly-ball pitcher this season, giving up 11 home runs, but only giving up two over his last ten starts. He credits his success thus far with the work that he’s done with Roach during his stop at Lake Elsinore. Now that Roach has been shut down to limit his innings, it would be great to see Smith take his spot in San Antonio.
Relief Pitcher of the Week
RHP Jordan Jankowski, Rookie Level Greeneville (HOU): 1.99 ERA, 22.2 IP, 16 H, 8 BB, 39 K in 14 appearances; 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 BB, 11 K , Sv in three appearances last week.
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UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
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