It's Time to Give Jovani Moran an Extended Look

[Cody Christie]

Minnesota's bullpen has been frustrating to watch throughout much of the 2022 campaign. For a player like Jovani Moran, it has to be even more frustrating that he isn't getting a more extended look at the big-league level. 

 

 

The Twins drafted Jovani Moran in the 7th round of the 2015 MLB Draft as a high schooler from Puerto Rico. Arm issues limited him to fewer than 20 innings in his first two seasons, but he had a breakout season in 2017. He put himself on the prospect radar with a dominant performance in the Appalachian League, where he accumulated 45 strikeouts in 24 innings. All those appearances were in a relief role, but his dominant performance earned him the Twins Daily Short Season Pitcher of the Year. 

Moran hasn't been flawless as he has climbed the organizational ladder. His early included elbow and shoulder injuries like removing bone chips, but he has been able to avoid Tommy John surgery. In six minor league seasons, there has only been one season where he has pitched more than 70 innings. On the field, his 4.3 BB/9 rate is too high, and that trait has followed him to the big-league level.

Throughout the 2021 season, Moran has pushed himself into the conversation at the big-league level. Last year, he won the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year. Moran posted a 2.54 ERA and a 14.6 K/9 in 35 appearances between Double- and Triple-A. By the season's end, he made his big-league debut, but he surrendered seven runs in eight innings. His small sample size with the Twins didn't take away from him being in the team's long-term bullpen plans. 

During the 2022 campaign, the Twins have shuffled Moran between St. Paul and Minneapolis. At Triple-A, his appearances haven't been as clean as one would like to see. He has a 5.09 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, but he has only allowed more than two runs in two appearances. He's posted a 15.8 K/9 which is nearly as high as when he dominated the Appy League as a 20-year-old. 

Even with time spent at multiple levels, Moran has been nearly flawless at the big-league level this season. Three of the six earned runs he has allowed came in less than an inning against the Tigers. He's allowed one hit or fewer in all but two appearances, and he has multiple strikeouts in half of his appearances. In his professional career, Moran's changeup has been his dominant pitch, and that has continued this year, with 20 of his 31 strikeouts coming on the changeup. However, his fastball has also improved with a .202 xBA and a .278 SLG. 

The Twins' bullpen has multiple long-term problems, including sticking with veteran relievers too long. Emilio Pagan has been pushed into a low-leverage role even though he has been one of baseball's worst relievers over the last two seasons. Pagan is likely out of the team's plans after this season, and Moran is a 25-year-old with the potential to impact Minnesota's bullpen for the long term. It's time Moran got a more extended look.  

Do you think Moran deserves a longer look in the Twins bullpen? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

 

 

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[Brandon27]

I went to saints game like a week or two Moran and peacock shouldn't be in the minors 

[JoeCool]

Pagan should be DFA’ed. We should be looking at long term options. 

[Linus]

I have my doubts because of the walk rate but he really is the only healthy potential long term pen piece we have. Time to find out what he can do with an extended run. 

[RJA]

Yes.  Simple answer.  Let's see whether he can be a reliable bullpen piece next year.  And, more importantly, he could help this year.  Does anyone really believe he would do worse than Pagan has for the past 4 years?

[Yoke]

Absolutely should be up. What do they have to lose?

[MN_ExPat]

Linus makes a good point, as I too would love to see him stick on the major roster.  Those walks though... that's hard to look past.  I can't help but feel that if he were able to cut them even by a 1/3, he would have a permanent place with the Twins.

I don't disagree with the sentiment that Pagan has cratered and needs a reset at AAA (I personally think it's past time for that to happen).  However, I hesitate to unleash the #freeJovani.  The plus side is he can't be any worse than Pagan, the downside is, not matter how good Moran's stuff is... continued walks will come back to haunt.

So, from a fan's perspective I'd say I'd love to see Moran get some extended time in the Show to see if he can rise to the challenge. 

[terrydactyls]

Now is the time for auditioning as many younger players as possible.  The Twins will probably not make the playoffs and they have many off-season decisions ahead.  The remainder of the 2022 season is their research and development time.

[mikelink45]

Yes. Young arms. Time to end the Pagan experiment. He has shown what kind of pitcher he is. 

[PatPfund]

Moran is a major league arm with a fatal (if he doesn't fix it) control problem. He's already walked his way off the MLB roster a couple times, and it isn't a small sample thing; he's wild wherever he pitches. I don't really see why it would be any different with another call up until whatever mechanical/head issue is addressed.

I'm sure they'll give Jovani another shot this year, but frankly I'd rather see Peacock or Schulfer or Sisk. (They might not be better, but I haven't seen them walk the bases full like I have Moran.)

[Doctor Gast]

#1. I have asked before earlier this season but haven't gotten a for sure answer, can  we send Pagan down to AAA? If the answer is yes Pagan should have been send down to experiment how to use him & let him work it out there not in MLB.

#2. IMO Moran isn't the answer & we shouldn't bring him up again just to see if he can stick. We are still in the hunt and we can't just roll over dead (is this the attitude we want to be transmitted to the team? just because they aren't playing up to their potential) because some of us have. I want them to have a chance to win & fight until the end. We have too many questionable short RPs w/o bringing up more.

#3. Long relief has been successful, that's where our focus should be. Bridging the gap between the rotation & dependable short relief.

[puckstopper1]

46 minutes ago, PatPfund said:

Moran is a major league arm with a fatal (if he doesn't fix it) control problem. He's already walked his way off the MLB roster a couple times, and it isn't a small sample thing; he's wild wherever he pitches. I don't really see why it would be any different with another call up until whatever mechanical/head issue is addressed.

I'm sure they'll give Jovani another shot this year, but frankly I'd rather see Peacock or Schulfer or Sisk. (They might not be better, but I haven't seen them walk the bases full like I have Moran.)

If he can improve his control, sure.  If not I agree with Pat that Sisk deserves a shot as he has been outstanding this season.

[LA VIkes Fan]

I have read that Pagan has options but he also has more than 5 years of MLB time. Asa a result, he can refuse an assignment to AAA and become a free agent if the Twins try to option him down. He also is controllable one more year through arbitration. I think these are the two reasons the Twins still hang on - hope that he can be "fixed' so his production matches the talent and fear that  he will leave and another team will fix him.  That, and the trade we amde to get him and Paddack. 

Having said that, this strikes me as the classic chasing after sunk costs combined with a fantasy that the Twins can find value where others can't. It didn't work out here; time to move on. Option him, bring up Moran or Sisk. IF he stays in AAA and collects his $2.3m salary maybe he can be fixed. If not, it's a cost of doing business.    

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, Yoke said:

Absolutely should be up. What do they have to lose?

This.

[bean5302]

4 hours ago, Yoke said:

Absolutely should be up. What do they have to lose?

The playoff hunt.

[bean5302]

WHIP is the most underrated stat for pitchers. 1.52 in AAA = unplayable at MLB. Anything north of 1.40 isn't worth a roster spot. In any case, it's not just walks which have been a major problem for Moran. He also gives up a ton of hits. 9.0 hits per 9 innings with a .429 BABIP and a 16.7% HR/FB rate. While you may be temped to infer he's been unlucky, high BABIP and high HR/FB rates are also indicative of pitches not being deceptive enough to fool professional batters.

I see Moran as similar to Drew Strotman. If they throw strikes, their pitches get destroyed. If they don't throw strikes, too many AAA hitters can lay off them and take a free base.

Until Moran throws strikes and gives up on batters always chasing junkballs, he won't be able to prove his value and he won't be worth the risk at the MLB level... If you think Pagan is rough, Moran looks like a lesser version of him right now.

The real question is why the highly touted pitcher development guru Derek Falvey's coaching staff can't get Moran to throw strikes or Woods-Richardson to fix his delivery mechanics and be consistent on his fastball being at an MLB level...

[baul0010]

5 hours ago, Yoke said:

Absolutely should be up. What do they have to lose?

Just more games.  We are doing a pretty good job of that anyway.  

[DocBauer]

I think Moran has legitimate ML stuff. His BB are absolutely an issue, but haven't always been as high as this year. For whatever reason, there has been fluctuations over his career. He's got some velocity and a decent slider, but it's those pitches he needs to harness better, IMO, and not the change. And while his BB are unacceptable at any level, the K's are there and most of his numbers at the ML level are actually better than at AAA in almost the same number of IP. Weird. 

Sisk has had a good year, no doubt, great at AA and good at AAA last I looked. The Twins need a 2nd LHRP option and I'm not sure who that is going to be. Just might be a FA signed this offseason. But at some point, Moran and Sisk do deserve a look, or another look. It's up to Moran to PROVE he belongs, but he also deserves that next look see at some point.

Biggest issue, IMO, is the middle relief now and going forward. 

[jimbo92107]

The Twins are fried. Time to call up bullpen arms on merit in AAA. Moran had his shot, now call up other candidates. For the sake of Yog, Monster from Space, DFA Pagan. Let other teams try to figure him out. If they can, fine. So done with that guy. Next, I'd tell Chris Archer that he's done being a starter for this club. Bullpen or go elsewhere. Ryan needs to hone his curve or his slider to be as deadly as his heater, or he'll never get to late innings. Bundy needs to get in better shape before his fastball is in the mid 80's. Gray needs to come to spring training in the best shape of his life, ready to challenge Mahle for #1. 

Meanwhile, it is time for us at TD to let go of 2022. Not worth the heartache to watch this team slowly sink into the icy waters of September. 

Can you believe the NFL preseason is already almost over? 

[old nurse]

Moran has not shown that he can find  home plate.  When he can he will be up. If he can’t find it probably sometime next year he would be DFA

[jkcarew]

Instead of Pagan? Yes. But it’s pretty easy to argue that he doesn’t DESERVE a call up or to argue that there are still a couple others that would deserve the call up more than he does. He hasn’t been very good at all in St. Paul. And it’s still a little early to call him up just because he’s a prospect. (Although that time seems to be rapidly approaching.)

[Rosterman]

He is a great situational guy. He should be that second lefty in the bullpen now, instead of giving innings to Pagan and Megill. But he malso had options and was the go-to guy when you needed someone short-term, which worked against him as you ate up his up-and-down opportunities. Expect him to be added when the rosters expand.

Peacock should also get a look, but at the expense of whom? The Twins will supposedly make room for Dobnak, Winder and possibly Ober. Heaven help us if we need to find a roster spot for Madea, too. Doubt if any would be the starter we need, although imagine any could replace Archer or Bundy, if the Twins want to go that route.

The Twins have to evaluate their pitching staff hard, depending on where they are in the standings next week. Replace arms that are tiring, perhaps. Jettison players that have no future with the Twins and are on the 40-man. Every starter has to be evaluated at their potential to give the Twins a win in their last seven appearances. The Twins will carry nine arms in the bullpen...can they get their job done!