Baltimore Orioles: 5 Left-Handed Relievers the Orioles Could Pursue
By Ben Palmer
3. Mike Minor
Mike Minor started his career as a starting pitcher with the Atlanta Braves, and was starting with them as recently as 2014. Outside of one good season with them in 2013 when he pitched to a 3.21 ERA, he never really found his footing as a starter.
He eventually signed a two-year deal with the Kansas City Royals but missed the entire 2016 season after having shoulder surgery. But last year, Minor found quite a bit of success as a reliever.
Minor pitched 77.2 innings and ended up with a 2.55 ERA and an excellent 10.20 K/9, totaling 17 holds on the year. Looking at his peripherals, the stats look somewhat real with some chances of regression, as he had a .272 BABIP, a 2.62 FIP, and a 3.59 xFIP.
Minor throws a mix of five pitches, including a knuckle curveball that’s got some excellent drop on it.
Minor throws a fastball that he was able to amp up to around 94 MPH last year, up from around 90 MPH the year before. He also mixes in a slider, changeup, and an occasional sinker.
Minor is just 29 years old, and as long as he stays healthy, he could be an excellent arm out of the bullpen, and potentially even start some for the Baltimore Orioles, if they need it.