Thursday, November 19, 2009

Top 50 Twins Prospects: #23 Anthony Slama

23. Anthony Slama


Relief Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 25

ETA: 2010

Potential: Above average late innings relief pitcher

2010 outlook: Class AAA Rochester closer until he is called up by the Twins


Slama is the second highest rated relief pitcher in these rankings of the Twins minor league system. He has been dominant in the minor leagues, leading many to wonder why he has been moving along so slowly in the system. In 2008 he was named the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He had a 1.01 ERA, and 110 strikeouts in 71 innings. That is 13.9 strikeouts per 9 innings!! He also gave up zero homers, just 43 hits, and 24 walks.


This year he split time at AA and AAA. At New Britain, he had a 2.48 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 65 innings. At AAA he only pitched 15 innings and he had a 3.45 ERA and 19 strikeouts. He did give up 5 runs in one game that ran up his ERA at AAA. I’ve heard he has a funky delivery that throws off hitters. The Twins obviously don’t think he’s quite major league ready or else he would have advanced through the different levels of the minors faster and been promoted already. It really is a bit baffling, because he’s not really young, so there’s no reason to have taken it so slowly with him. You can’t argue with the numbers though.

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