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Thomas White is showing great potential in his first full professional season. He was drafted 35th overall by the Miami Marlins last year and has been performing exceptionally well with a 2.84 ERA, 2.99 FIP, and a 29.6% strikeout rate over 76 innings between Low-A Jupiter and High-A Beloit. His promotion to the higher level was due to the quality of his pitches, as explained by our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen.
During a recent game in West Michigan, I had the opportunity to speak with White about his approach to pitching. He shared that while he is still learning about analytics and the data behind his pitches, his main focus is on getting outs and observing how hitters react to his pitches.
White’s arsenal includes a four-seam fastball with an average speed of 95.6 mph and 17.5 inches of vertical movement, a two-seam changeup, and a sweeper-slider. He is also working on adding a cutter or hard slider to his repertoire.
His transition from a slurve to a sweeper-slider has been a significant developmental step, and he aims to continue refining his pitches to maximize their effectiveness.
As White continues to progress in his career, his understanding of pitching analytics and the metrics behind his pitches will play a crucial role in his development. With his impressive repertoire and potential, he has the opportunity to become an impact starter in the future.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
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Rafael Devers is 8 for 9 against Dallas Keuchel.
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Jose Altuve is 14 for 23 against Wade Miley.
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Left on the cutting-room floor from last month’s interview with Kansas City Royals right-hander Seth Lugo were his memories of standing in a batter’s box and how that influences his mindset on the mound.
“I talk to my catchers about this all the time, and to other pitchers as well,” the veteran hurler replied. “After I throw a pitch, I remember what it’s like to be in the box and see the spin, shape, [and] where it passed through the zone. I try to think like a hitter when I’m pitching.”
I asked the 34-year-old first-time All-Star if he could elaborate.
“What would you look for after this pitch?,” Lugo explained. “I mean, you can tell. A guy takes a swing and fouls it straight back; you can tell he just missed it. Or he takes, and turns around like, ‘Oh, I should have swung.’ You can see that. And you know that feeling as a hitter. It’s, ‘Dang, I hope he gives me that pitch again.’ You can make a pitch off of that.
“Hitters will think, ‘If he throws this pitch, I’m going to get him.’ Every hitter does that. The better hitters maybe don’t consciously think it, but they do. They know their one-spot. They get a fastball, or a sinker, they’re going to hammer it. If they see one and don’t swing, you know they’re mad at themselves. I’ve been in the box. I know the feeling.”
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