San Diego Padres’ Bryan Mitchell is Beginning to Impress

So far this spring, San Diego Padres’ hurler Bryan Mitchell has been turning a lot of heads. If he continues on this pace, he could secure himself a spot on the Friars’ Opening Day roster.

San Diego Padres’ GM A.J.Preller definitely seems to know what he is doing!  To acquire Bryan Mitchell from the Yankees, the Friars had to buy out Chase Headley’s contract worth $13 million (one year). Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman called the deal “an opportunity for us to clear some money.”

For A.J.Preller though, this contract was more about Bryan Mitchell, a promising right-handed hurler with tremendous upside.  Mitchell made only $550,625 in 2017 but now finds himself in San Diego with an opportunity to be a starting pitcher for San Diego Padres and to win hearts.

Bryan Mitchell is impressive to start the spring training

Bryan Mitchell seems to be repaying the faith entrusted to him by putting up solid numbers to start the spring (small sample size, of course). In the 2 appearances he’s made so far, he is yet to concede a run over 4 IP.

He has struck out two hitters and has an impressive WHIP of 1.00.  The important thing to pay attention to is that Bryan Mitchell has started both games he’s appeared in. It is clear that Andy Green is having a closer look at Mitchell as a starter.

In all likelihood, Mitchell will get another ten-to-twelve innings in spring training and as long as he sticks to the basics he should seamlessly fit into a starting role. Our very own Nick Stevens wrote, “Mitchell may wind up being the most successful starting pitcher on this staff.” That really wouldn’t surprise me either.

Bryan Mitchell has only started nine games in the last four years for the Yankees so it’s nearly impossible to derive any solid conclusions with such limited numbers.  In Triple-A Wilkes-Barre though, Mitchell put up solid numbers.

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He went 3-3 with a 3.25 ERA in the thirteen starts (2017) with a 1.31 WHIP.  The stat that caught my eye was his SO/9 rates of 9.7 in 2017 and 10.3 in 2016.  His curveball has been and will continue to be instrumental in keeping the hitters guessing.

San Diego Padres need Mitchell to stay healthy

Staying healthy will be the mantra for Bryan Mitchell this year. Hopefully, a change in coasts will bring him a change in fortune.  He has had a few untimely, ill-fated injuries. In 2016, he had to undergo a surgery for turf-toe.

His injury came one day after Mitchell learned that he would be making the 25-man roster for the Yankees.  A year earlier he was hit in the face by a liner, suffering a nasal fracture.

The San Diego Padres have a number of spots up for grabs in their starting rotation. Only Clayton Richard, the veteran lefty’s spot is secure for certain.  Bryan Mitchell has afforded himself a decent head-start so far and is definitely showing Padres’ manager Andy Green all he can.

Next: San Diego Padres Continue To Mash

He now needs to keep his head down and keep rolling. We hope to see Bryan Mitchell being a part of this San Diego Padres’ pitching unit for some time. Good luck, Bryan!