Follow the Prospects: Lucas Giolito, RHP

[welch]

That one missed the strike zone. But if it had found the strike zone, the batter would have crapped his pants in terror. The movement...

Got to start behind the RH batter's ear...like Pascual. Then the snap, down, and break over the outside corner. That will bring lots of flinching. When Little Gio runs the batter's knees to jello, he's ready. Giolito has the pitch...he's just starting down the middle.

[zoom]

named to futures game (with Taylor). 

[blue911]

Don't be surprised when Baseball Prospectus names him the top pitching prospect.

[sportsfan882]

I'd be shocked if that happens. I wouldn't expect that until after next season.

[blue911]

I'd be shocked if that happens. I wouldn't expect that until after next season.

Parks said it at the BP event so it isn't exactly a secret.

[sportsfan882]

Parks said it at the BP event so it isn't exactly a secret.

Did you attend? If so, how was it?

I wonder how many innings Giolito will throw this season. Only at 48.2 now.

[blue911]

Did you attend? If so, how was it?

I wonder how many innings Giolito will throw this season. Only at 48.2 now.

Yes I went it's a nice event. I asked Bryan Minniti if Giolito's inning cap was around 90-100 IP, he said probably a little higher.

[daggerrrrrr]

Jim Callis is pretty high on Giolito. Says  baby Gio "might be the best pitching prospect in the minors" and says he has a "Roy Halladay body but has Nolan Ryan type of stuff".  The video where he said this is in the links below. Teams gotta be kicking themselves for passing on this kid in the draft.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/was/big-league-power-highlights-rosters-for-2014-sirius-xm-all-star-futures-game?ymd=20140624&content_id=81348872&vkey=news_was

[TigerFan]

LOL @ Nolan Ryan stuff.  How can anyone say something with a straight face?  How can you compare a kid in the low minors with a HOF pitcher?

[tomterp]

LOL @ Nolan Ryan stuff.  How can anyone say something with a straight face?  How can you compare a kid in the low minors with a HOF pitcher?

Pretty routine to project a minor leaguer to some well known major league star, as sort of a best case outcome.  For people who don't have the opportunity to see the minor leaguer, it's a way to visualize what the kid might look like.

[TigerFan]

Pretty routine to project a minor leaguer to some well known major league star, as sort of a best case outcome.  For people who don't have the opportunity to see the minor leaguer, it's a way to visualize what the kid might look like.

That's a pretty big stretch IMO.  If you think he is that good, which is, what one in a few hundred thousand?  Why not say he is a fireballer with great command that will strike out plenty of people with accurate command?  No way Giolito ever even sniffs Ryan's jock, even if it were filled with Icyhot.

[tomterp]

Here's a curve:

[Glockypoo]

Why not say he is a fireballer with great command that will strike out plenty of people with accurate command?

Like Nolan Ryan?

I kid, I kid.

[Slateman]

Yes I went it's a nice event. I asked Bryan Minniti if Giolito's inning cap was around 90-100 IP, he said probably a little higher.

I could see him being at 90-100 IP at the end of the season, getting an eval and rest, and throwing in the AFL to continue strengthening his arm.

[blue911]

I could see him being at 90-100 IP at the end of the season, getting an eval and rest, and throwing in the AFL to continue strengthening his arm.

I wouldn't count on him pitching in the AFL. Ever.

[HalfSmokes]

Have the Nats ever had a prospect they intended on calling up skip the AFL? It seems like Rizzo likes afl followed by some time in aaa before calling a player up

[houston-nat]

I wouldn't count on him pitching in the AFL. Ever.

Any reason for this strong opinion?

[blue911]

Any reason for this strong opinion?

It's a league for second tier starters and guys who need innings ( i.e. Alex Meyer last year), it's hell for young pitchers much like the California League. Pitches just don't move as much at 1,500 feet.

[Slateman]

It's a league for second tier starters and guys who need innings ( i.e. Alex Meyer last year), it's hell for young pitchers much like the California League. Pitches just don't move as much at 1,500 feet.

Giolito needs innings.

[blue911]

Giolito needs innings.

 

[Slateman]

Yes, you need to pitch some innings in order to strengthen your arm. No crap, right?

[blue911]

Yes, you need to pitch some innings in order to strengthen your arm. No crap, right?

That's straight from the 1950's.

[Slateman]

That's straight from the 1950's.

Not really.

[blue911]

Not really.

100 innings will give you all of the arm strength you'll ever need. Fleisig just got finished stating that the lack of complete rest is the largest cause of arm problems in young pitchers. Even more to the point he stated that winter league ball isn't in the best interest of a pitchers health.


http://www.asmi.org/research.php?page=research&section=TJpositionstatement

[Slateman]

100 innings will give you all of the arm strength you'll ever need. Fleisig just got finished stating that the lack of complete rest is the largest cause of arm problems in young pitchers. Even more to the point he stated that winter league ball isn't in the best interest of a pitchers health.


http://www.asmi.org/research.php?page=research&section=TJpositionstatement

He will get complete rest. There's a month of between Single A and AFL. Then four months off until spring training.