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A seventeen-year-old is tough to gauge, but right now, what's his ceiling? Throw out the name of a HoFer caliber pitcher to make me happy.

A seventeen-year-old is tough to gauge, but right now, what's his ceiling? Throw out the name of a HoFer caliber pitcher to make me happy.

 

Let's not tag him yet, he's got a long ways to go.

 

Plus there isn't much info to gauge a comparision.

OK, we won't tag him, but consider MLB pitchers who are:

 

1.) Left-handed,

2.) sit 92-93, and touch 95

3.) have four big league pitches

4.) has terrific control

 

Now add four years or so of actual experience and hope for health...

What excites me is the supposed state of his current delivery and mechanics. I remember hearing on multiple occasions that he has solid mechanics in his delivery (however I cannot seem to remember where) and after watching him throw on YouTube, to my untrained eye, he looks solid and fluid with no "herky-jerky" action. His fast growing body coupled with his delivery/age/succes (albeit short lived thus far) have me eager to observe how he develops from now on. He currently sits at #8 on my list, in between Berrios and Kepler. However upside is a key aspect to my personal rankings (along with my desire for unique international players to help assist baseball cross borders around the world). I am also interested in following fellow Aussie pitcher Sam Gibbons.

OK, we won't tag him, but consider MLB pitchers who are:

 

1.) Left-handed,

2.) sit 92-93, and touch 95

3.) have four big league pitches

4.) has terrific control

 

Now add four years or so of actual experience and hope for health...

 

Yup. Plus those smooth mechanics- which should mitigate some of the health concerns and, with a developing body, portent another incremental velocity uptick eventually to the mid-to-high-90s. All of which is why I think he should be ranked as the #3 Twins overall pitching prospect, behind only Meyer and Stewart.

People are talking about his smooth mechanics, but wasn't he the guy with the whadyacallit inverted M or just plain Dubya?

Thorpe was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Aussie League this winter. Lineups he faced included mostly High A ball players with some AA, AAA and a few big leaguers mixed in. His performance there tells me he will likely see Cedar Rapids this spring/summer.

People are talking about his smooth mechanics, but wasn't he the guy with the whadyacallit inverted M or just plain Dubya?

 

Maybe he has ths problem out of the stretch, but in this video I see a high kick, a long stride and very little shoulder stress. Pretty muscular-looking thighs and glutes for 6'1" and 160#s.

 

 

 

http://talkingbaseball.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/thorpe3.jpg

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by jokin

Thorpe was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Aussie League this winter. Lineups he faced included mostly High A ball players with some AA, AAA and a few big leaguers mixed in. His performance there tells me he will likely see Cedar Rapids this spring/summer.

 

Here are his numbers in the offseason. Like you point out, safe to say much better competition than the rookie league he was in least year and he just turned 18 in November.

 

7 starts, 36.2 IP, 3-2, 2.45 ER, 30 K, 10 BB, 1.22 WHIP, 1 HR allowed, .241 Average.

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by tobi0040

Maybe he has ths problem out of the stretch, but in this video I see a high kick, a long stride and very little shoulder stress. Pretty muscular-looking legs for 6'1" and 160#s.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, he looks smooth and does have a good stride. Most Twins pitchers don't stride much and I hope shortening the stride is not an organizational decision that they will later do with Thorpe.

A seventeen-year-old is tough to gauge, but right now, what's his ceiling? Throw out the name of a HoFer caliber pitcher to make me happy.

 

He's far enough away that I think you can say potential ace.

 

What I've read is 3 potential plus pitches though needing refinement. He's a lefty already throwing in the low 90s and can hit 95. He could add a few ticks to that as he ages. Scouts have said he'd be a first rounder this June if he was in the draft, so he's a good prospect. He's 17 also, so dominating the GCL at that age is impressive (though GCL dominance doesn't mean what it would had he dominated the MWL). He continued doing this in the Aussie league where his competition is much much older, and some of them have succeeded at higher levels. So in a nutshell, I have a mancrush on him.

Maybe he has ths problem out of the stretch, but in this video I see a high kick, a long stride and very little shoulder stress. Pretty muscular-looking thighs and glutes for 6'1" and 160#s.

 

Just an FYI - Never trust the MLB.com's height/weight listings for prospect players.

 

Thorpe has added significant weight from when he signed. Baseball America lists him at 6'2" 215 now, and he's gonna add even more.

Just an FYI - Never trust the MLB.com's height/weight listings for prospect players.

 

Thorpe has added significant weight from when he signed. Baseball America lists him at 6'2" 215 now, and he's gonna add even more.

 

Yep, part of the reason he went from a marginal signing to "holy crap" is that he put on 50 lbs (!) in one year, which corresponded in an uptick from a high 80s fastball to sitting at 92mph with the ability to wick it up to 95 or so.

Yep, part of the reason he went from a marginal signing to "holy crap" is that he put on 50 lbs (!) in one year, which corresponded in an uptick from a high 80s fastball to sitting at 92mph with the ability to wick it up to 95 or so.

 

Haha, I feel like I've said the same exact thing around here about 10 times in the last week!

Maybe he has ths problem out of the stretch, but in this video I see a high kick, a long stride and very little shoulder stress. Pretty muscular-looking thighs and glutes for 6'1" and 160#s.

 

 

Coach Lou Brown would not approve of his attire in this video. We wear caps and sleeves at this level, son. But in all seriousness, holy cow is this kid smooth for his age! After the whole Liam Hendriks let down I was ready to write off Aussie baseball for good. Thank you Lewis Thorpe for restoring my faith in your fair continent.

With my admittedly strong bias, I'm kind of hoping the Twins will look at what he did in winter ball and conclude there's no good reason for him to spend much, if any, time in Elizabethton. I assumed after last season that that's where he'd spend most of 2014, but if Australian Winter League is really comparable to Class A or higher, then there's not much point in having him spend half a season dominating a lower level just because it's the "next natural step."

 

I don't believe in rushing guys, but I also don't like the idea of essentially wasting a year of development by letting a pitcher throw at a level lower than what he's already demonstrated dominance over.

With my admittedly strong bias, I'm kind of hoping the Twins will look at what he did in winter ball and conclude there's no good reason for him to spend much, if any, time in Elizabethton. I assumed after last season that that's where he'd spend most of 2014, but if Australian Winter League is really comparable to Class A or higher, then there's not much point in having him spend half a season dominating a lower level just because it's the "next natural step."

 

If Thorpe stays in Elizabethton, I suspect it would be for maturation reasons, not talent reasons. Not that the kid is immature or anything, just that I know the Twins like to keep the younger kids at the lower levels where the spotlight is dimmer and the venues smaller.

Between Lewis Thorpe, Stephen Gonsalves, and Felix Jorge, not to mention Kohl Stewart, the Twins added a big group of very high upside arms in the last 12 months. Of course, they also added Alex Meyer and Trevor May in the past 14 months, so that is 6 significant arms added in short order.

 

I would kind of like to add Phil Hughes to this list of high upside arms, but I am not sure it fits in the same category.

Chris Sale comp?

If Thorpe stays in Elizabethton, I suspect it would be for maturation reasons, not talent reasons. Not that the kid is immature or anything, just that I know the Twins like to keep the younger kids at the lower levels where the spotlight is dimmer and the venues smaller.

 

I could see him spending time in Elizabethton with a call-up to CR as other pitchers there move up. Aside from the reasons pointed out by Brock, I don't think he'd be ready just yet for the full season workload.

 

He could go E-town/CR this year. CR/FM next year. NB in 2016 as a 20-year old. Knocking on MLB door at 21. That feels plenty aggressive to me.

He could go E-town/CR this year. CR/FM next year. NB in 2016 as a 20-year old. Knocking on MLB door at 21. That feels plenty aggressive to me.

 

I decided to check who else has made it to MLB at 21 (or earlier) in the last 20 years.

 

Age 19: 6

Age 20: 40 (2 per season)

Age 21: 179 (9 per season)

 

Even making an appearance in 2017 as a 21-year old would put him in fairly rare territory.

I could see him spending time in Elizabethton with a call-up to CR as other pitchers there move up. Aside from the reasons pointed out by Brock, I don't think he'd be ready just yet for the full season workload.

 

He could go E-town/CR this year. CR/FM next year. NB in 2016 as a 20-year old. Knocking on MLB door at 21. That feels plenty aggressive to me.

 

That's very aggressive, and realistic...

 

I'm the positive Twins blogger, but I hvae to point out that there have been a lot of young pitchers who have pitched and dominated in the GCL and didn't get to AA... Thorpe certainly appears to have incredible upside, but let's just hope he continues to progress and stay healthy.

That's very aggressive, and realistic...

 

I'm the positive Twins blogger, but I hvae to point out that there have been a lot of young pitchers who have pitched and dominated in the GCL and didn't get to AA... Thorpe certainly appears to have incredible upside, but let's just hope he continues to progress and stay healthy.

 

Who brought Debbie Downer to the party?

Who brought Debbie Downer to the party?

 

Irony, thy initials are either D.D. or S.S.

Edited February 6, 201412 yr by jokin

I am Mr. Negative...

I could care less what level he is. I will take an 18 year old 6'2 lefty who already sits in the low 90s any day of the week. Those don't grow on trees.

I watched him throw a bullpen today. Pretty impressive for a young kid. His breaking ball has alot of movement. He'll be one to keep an eye on.

I just hate how the Twins drag their feet with these prospects. Obviously, the best approach is to get the best young prospects up to Class A as soon as possible, leave them their for a couple of years and then, once they've proven they're for real, zip them up through high-A, AA, and AAA quickly and get them up to The Show!

 

Yours truly,

 

A Cedar Rapids Twins fan

On the latest talk to contact podcast we were joined by Jim Callis who offered his thoughts on Lewis Thorpe and most of the other top prospects in the Twins organization.

 

www.talktocontact.com