Mitch Keller Plays Catch, To Throw Off Mound Next Week
4 years agoPittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller appeared on the precipice of establishing himself atop the club’s rotation before an oblique ailment sidelined him after his Aug. 1 start. Keller played catch recently and has ramped up to throwing off the mound within the next week. Rated as the Pirates’ No. 1 prospect, Keller allowed three runs over his first 7 ⅔ frames this year, but his Statcast metrics indicate that he was the beneficiary of some good luck with his .740 xSLG ranking among the lowest one percentile of all pitchers in the Majors. In addition to being hit hard, Keller’s fastball velocity has dropped by an average of 2.8 MPH as opposed to last season. A return in the near future hasn’t been ruled out, and with the Pittsburgh starting staff decimated by injuries, Keller will have ample opportunity to stake his claim again in 2020.
Source: Adam Berry
Source: Adam Berry