Dylan Bundy took the mound for the Frederick Keys on Tuesday night as the Orioles’ Single-A affiliate took on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Many MLB scouts were present in South Carolina to watch Bundy, who is rumored to be a candidate to be moved as we approach the trade deadline.
It was evident watching his pre-game routine and bullpen work that Bundy is a very confident pitcher. He shook off a few jeers from opposing fans during his bullpen session and worked a strong 20-25 pitches. The game plan for Tuesday’s matchup was clearly “fastball first,” as Bundy displayed very few off-speed pitches during his work in the ‘pen.
Starting the game strong has been a bit of an issue for Orioles pitchers this year, making Bundy’s strong first inning on Tuesday very refreshing. He rolled three ground balls that ultimately led to three outs against a strong Pelicans lineup that included Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams (two highly-touted prospects in the Rangers’ organization).
Bundy’s fastball sat at 92-93 for most of the night, but several dipped down to 90-91 when he was down in the count.
As the game progressed, Bundy had to make a few adjustments to keep the fastballs low in the zone. He worked farily consistently low on both sides of the plate, but he certainly left a few a bit higher than he had hoped, leading to several hits.
For a guy that is supposed to be the league’s next “shutdown pitcher,” Bundy didn’t show any signs of major dominance. The low-90’s fastball was fairly flat for most of the night, and the Myrtle Beach A-ball hitters had no problem putting the barrel on the ball and forcing the Keys’ defense to make some big plays.
While he didn’t allow any runs, Bundy struck out just one in six innings of work. He walked two and allowed three hits, but he did lower his ERA to 6.11.
A bounce back start was needed after two miserable outings for the O’s young arm.
The biggest thing that stood out in Bundy’s game was his lack of breaking balls. Although his mid-70’s curveball appeared to be an effective pitch the two times he threw it, it hardly made an appearance throughout his start. When called on a tough situation, the 21-year-old righty went to his fastball to get him through.
This start against the Pelicans made a few things clear:
1. The Orioles certainly will have trade bait here.
2. Bundy isn’t “done” following TJ surgery – not by any stretch.
3. The decision on the once #1 prospect in MLB will not be an easy one.
There will be calls from around the league in the next week or so – it’s ultimately going to come down to how much the O’s are willing to deal Bundy. He isn’t “that” Dylan Bundy anymore. At this point, one could surmise that the organization might have a boom or bust player on their hands, depending on the night.
A few other notes from Tuesday’s game:
Matt Hobgood looked really good, tossing three scoreless innings and getting the save. He’s built like an ox, and is every bit of his listed 245 lb.
Rangers’ prospect Jorge Alfaro is going to be something really special. He’s extremely talented behind the plate, and has some serious skills at the dish.
Cody Buckel, once touted as the Rangers’ top pitching prospect, has taken a horrible turn for the worse. After an incredible 2012 season, he had an ERA of 21.09 last year, and currently holds an 8.00+ ERA this year. He has lost all command of his stuff, and won’t be around much longer if things continue as they have.
