Drew Thorpe’s record-breaking Minor League season: Is he the Yankees’ future ace?

New York Yankees‘ top pitching prospect, Drew Thorpe, showcased an outstanding debut season in the minor leagues, garnering significant attention for his remarkable performance. On a recent episode of the MLB Pipeline podcast, it wasn’t just Thorpe’s overall statistics or pitch arsenal, notably his changeup, that stole the spotlight. Instead, his ability to pitch effectively and deep into games was a rare feat in the modern baseball landscape.

Yankees’ Drew Thorpe: A pitching star in the making

Jonathan Mayo, a respected voice in the baseball world, praised Thorpe’s impressive volume of work, emphasizing that wins and losses don’t carry as much weight, especially in the minor leagues. What truly stood out was Thorpe’s ability to consistently pitch deep into games, contributing to his impressive 14-2 record for the minor league season. In an era marked by strict pitch counts and innings limits for pitchers, this accomplishment was a testament to Thorpe’s durability and skill.

Thorpe’s remarkable achievements have earned him a spot as a finalist for MLB Pipeline’s inaugural MiLB Pitching Prospect of the Year award, alongside Cade Horton of the Chicago Cubs and Robby Snelling of the San Diego Padres. Selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft from Cal Poly, Thorpe blazed through two levels of the minor leagues, concluding his season at Double-A with a 1.48 ERA over 30 1/3 innings. Over the course of his season at these two levels, he accumulated 139 1/3 innings, striking out 182 batters while issuing only 38 walks. Unfortunately, his season concluded with a minor injury to his non-throwing shoulder, as Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake reported.

Yankees prospect dominates Minor League scene

Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline highlighted that 19 of Thorpe’s appearances lasted at least five innings, with three extending to a remarkable eight innings—an uncommon achievement for a pitcher just starting his professional career. Among the top 100 prospects listed by MLB Pipeline, only one pitcher managed to exceed Thorpe’s innings count for the season—Quinn Priester of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who ascended to the major leagues.

Thorpe’s relentless pursuit of excellence was echoed by High-A Hudson Valley pitching coach Preston Claiborne, who commended the young pitcher’s dedication and work ethic. With such a promising start to his professional career, Drew Thorpe is undoubtedly a name to watch for as the New York Yankees potentially have a future workhorse pitcher in their minor league system.

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