Vols in MLB Update

#2,253
#2,253
chuckiepoo said:
So they’ll half fill the lower bowl?
Click to expand...
Last time I was at the Trop (2 years ago), they didn't even have the upper deck open. And it was Braves vs Rays with the two best records in baseball. It essentially forced us to pay premium prices for tickets on the secondary market while 10000+ seats sat empty.
 
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#2,257
#2,257

Daily Beacon​

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Vols in the Minors: Shaky starts as spring training continues​


For many young prospects, spring training can be a time of immense pressure and excitement.

Some may thrive under that kind of pressure while others may take some time to adapt. Regardless of good or bad performances, it is important for players, especially young ones attempting to win a job at the highest level, to focus on what they can control and what they can improve on to make themselves as effective as possible.

Jordan Beck’s slow start


Jordan Beck, a member of the 2022 super team at Tennessee, got the opportunity to play in a healthy number of games for the Colorado Rockies last season. However, in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the majors, Beck was pretty underwhelming. Hitting just .188 with a .521 OPS in 170 at-bats last season, Beck was never really able to get anything going at the plate.

Due to the Rockies' lack of team success or real depth in their organization, Beck continues to get opportunities to prove himself as a big-league talent. As the projected starting DH and fourth outfielder for the Rockies, Beck has gotten plenty of reps during spring training.

So far, Beck is batting .231 with a .656 OPS in 26 at-bats this spring. While these numbers are better than last season, it is still not effective for a Major League designated hitter.

Chase Dollander shows inconsistency

Chase Dollander was one of the best college pitching prospects coming out of the 2023 MLB Draft. While he has not yet made his debut for the Rockies, Dollander has been extremely effective in the minors so far. Last season, Dollander posted a 2.59 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 118 innings in two levels in the minors. Although not projected to make the Opening Day roster for the Rockies, Dollander earned himself a non-roster invite to spring training this year.


So far, Dollander has made three starts. In the first start on Feb. 24, Dollander seemed pretty effective. Over two innings, Dollander struck out three, allowed no walks and gave up one run on two hits against the San Francisco Giants. After the strong start to the right-hander’s spring, Dollander began to struggle.

In a start on March 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dollander pitched three innings, allowing three hits, three runs and one walk while striking out four. While it was not a terrible start, there were still some obvious signs of potential improvement.

In his last start on March 8, Dollander really looked bad. Over just 1.2 innings, Dollander gave up five earned runs on two hits and four walks while only striking out one opposing batter.

It’s difficult to judge Dollander’s abilities off of his performance so far at any level, as most of his games in the minors have been played at lower levels like A-plus and AA, but if Dollander wants to make the jump to the next levels, it is obvious he will need to make adjustments to remain consistently effective against Major League hitters.

Dollander has also been selected to represent the Rockies in the Spring Breakout series where he will face many other top prospects in the game. These games could give Dollander another opportunity to prove his potential.

Ben Joyce Lights it up in spring training

The flame-throwing righty has been lights out during spring training so far with the Los Angeles Angels. In three appearances, Joyce has pitched three innings and not given up a single earned run. Joyce still owns a 1.33 WHIP in those three innings, so it may be important to watch him closely during the rest of the spring to see what kind of baserunners he is allowing.

Regardless, Joyce is projected to be the Angels Opening Day closer barring any late additions by the Angels. Joyce has also said that he believes he could hit 107 mph off the mound this year. This would be the fastest pitch in the history of the sport by over one mile an hour and will be something fun to follow during Joyce’s season.
 
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