Few pitchers have as much talent and aptitude as Cleveland Indians starter Trevor Bauer.
Trevor Bauer is finally starting to reach his potential
Long an enigmatic figure, Trevor Bauer is starting to add strong results to his wide array of pitches and intriguing promise.
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That much has been clear since the UCLA product became the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. From the moment Bauer entered professional baseball, people have expected big things from him.
Yet, as with many pitching prospects, success hasn’t come easily for Bauer early in his career despite his undeniable potential. However, the 24-year-old’s performance so far in 2015 indicates that he might finally be ready to fulfill that youthful promise at the big league level.
Bauer tossed a gem Monday against the Chicago White Sox, twirling seven scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 0.95. Through three starts this season, Bauer has allowed just eight hits and two earned runs. He has struck out 12.3 batters per nine innings, the fourth-highest mark of any starter in the majors.
Bauer is still a little rough around the edges. In 19 innings pitched, he’s walked 14 hitters, good for a 6.6 BB/9 rate that is the highest of any starter in baseball. Control has been the biggest thing holding Bauer back, and it remains a problem even if he walked just two batters Monday night.
Long known for his diverse repertoire of pitches (Bauer has thrown eight different offerings during his MLB career, per Brooks Baseball), the right-hander's idiosyncrasies made him a poor fit with the Arizona Diamondbacks after they originally drafted him. Sent to Cleveland as part of a nine-player deal one season later, Bauer posted a 4.29 ERA and 4.32 FIP over 30 starts with the Indians between 2013-14, with too many walks always derailing any hope for consistency.
Those control issues bear watching, but Bauer’s strong start to the season is a positive sign for his outlook and the Indians’ hopes for contention. Perhaps Monday’s outing was an indication that his command is beginning to turn the corner. At the very least, one thing is still the same: Bauer’s talent remains as alluring as ever.
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