Tyler Jay - 2018

[Steve Lein]

(image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily)

 

Tyler Jay – LHP

 

Born:                     April 19^th, 1994 (23 years old on opening day)

Drafted:               1^st round (6^th overall), 2015 from the University of Illinois

Bats/Throws:     Left/Left

Height:                 6’ 1”

Weight:                185 lbs

 

Baseball Reference.com Player Page

 

Tyler Jay was drafted with the 6^th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of the University of Illinois, where he was the closer on a team that won the Big Ten Conference with a 50-10-1 overall record and were Regional Champions in the NCAA Tournament that season. Jay also took home the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year hardware and saw his draft stock rise throughout the season as he wasn’t your typical 1-inning closer.

 

In 30 appearances during that 2015 season, Jay pitched more than 1 inning 18 times, finishing with 66.2 total innings. It wasn’t out of the question to see some starter potential there.

 

After signing, Jay was sent directly to the Florida State League and pitched out of the bullpen. In 18.1 IP he had a 3.93 ERA and struck out 22 to begin his pro career. For the 2016 season he made 13 starts for the Miracle, going 5-5 with a 3.10 ERA and 68 K’s in 69.2 innings before being bumped to Chattanooga where he made 2 starts and 3 relief appearances.

 

Before the 2017 season started, the new Falvine regime decided to move him to the bullpen permanently, and the expectation was he might move quickly and join the Twins bullpen during the summer. Unfortunately, injury struck in spring training and he sat out until May 25^th. He’d make just 2 appearances for Chattanooga before going back on the disabled list, and the fear at the time was he might require Thoracic Outlet Surgery. He again missed all of June and July and most of August, but after surgery was determined not to be needed, he went at a rehab tour in Fort Myers with the GCL Twins and the Miracle before heading to the Arizona Fall League.

 

He was able to get in 9.2 more innings in the AFL, though the results were a mixed bag as he had a 5.59 ERA and allowed 13 hits, including 2 home runs. He did strike out 11. The biggest takeaway from this was he showed he should be healthy heading into the 2018 season.

 

He begins this year back with the Chattanooga Lookouts, and the plan for 2018 isn’t much different than it would have been in 2017 provided he was healthy. If he’s performing he could be a quick mover, with the Twins bullpen in sight before September rolls around.

 

Article Links:

 

2015 Draft Preview: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/twins-draft-preview-tyler-jay-r3720

 

2018 Next Minnesota Twins: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/the-next-minnesota-twins-2018-r6569

 

 

[Steve Lein]

In the season's first week Jay has made only 1 appearance with the Lookouts, and it came in their 2-0 win over Birmingham on April 7th.

 

This appearance was notable as Jay gave up the only hit of the game to the Baron's after Stephen Gonsalves went the first 5.1 hitless innings. That's hardly anything to complain about though, as it was a strong game for Jay. He was the first reliever summoned, finishing the sixth inning and the seventh to pick up his first Hold of the year. He allowed just a single and struck out two. Of his 19 pitches, 13 went for strikes.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats:  (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1 appearance, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K's,  0.60 WHIP, 1 Hold

[Steve Lein]

Unfortunately for Jay, the injury bug has struck again after just one appearance so far this season.

 

The good news is, it's not an arm or recurring injury. 

 

Jay was placed on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to April 11th, on Friday the 13th with a left groin strain. Hopefully he is not out to long!

[Steve Lein]

Jay was activated from the disabled list for Chattanooga on April 22nd, and has since appeared in two games for the Lookouts.

 

Against the Jackson Generals on the 24th, Jay came on in the seventh inning and picked up his second hold of the season in the 2-1 victory. He gave up single and another runner reached on an error but got three ground balls for a scoreless inning.

 

On the 29th versus the Tennessee Smokies Jay finished the first game of a 7-inning double-header. He pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits and his first walk of the season, while striking out two. He entered the game in the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs, and got a grounder to end the threat. He gave up single in the sixth but erased that runner with a double-play lineout. The first two hitters of the seventh reached base, but he got his two strikeouts and another groundball to snuff out the threat.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats:(0-0, 0.00 ERA) 3 appearances, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K,1.00 WHIP, 2 Holds

[Mike Sixel]

Call him up!

[Steve Lein]

Since the last update, Jay has made two more appearances for the Chattanooga Lookouts, both of them in victories.

 

Against the Mobile BayBears on May 3rd, Jay was the first reliever summoned in the 6th inning with the score 4-1 in favor of the Lookouts. He walked the first batter he faced, but he and catcher Brian Navarreto were able to catch that runner stealing at 2B for the innings first out. He later gave up a single and a wild pitch but struck out one for a scoreless inning. Back out for the seventh he delivered a one-two-three inning, striking out the last hitter he faced. Overall on the game his line was 2.0IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K's and picked up his 3rd Hold of the season. The Lookouts would win the game 4-1.

 

On May 7th versus the Jackson Generals, Jay came on in the 8th inning with a 6-3 lead and would finish the game for Chattanooga. In the eighth, Jay would be charged with his first run allowed of the season, but it was not an earned run as third baseman T.J. White committed a throwing error. A two-out double brought in that runner but Jay got a grounder to end the threat with a man on third. In the ninth, Jay again set the opposing lineup down in order, including his second strikeout of the day to pick up his first Save on the season in the 6-4 victory. He went 2.0 innings again, allowing the 1 run (unearned) on 1 hit while striking out 2.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 appearances, 9.0 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 8 K,1.00 WHIP, .198 BAA, 3 Holds, 1 Save.

[Steve Lein]

Jay again made two appearances in the last week, both versus the Tennessee Smokies at home in Chattanooga.

 

In May 13th's extra inning 11-10 loss, Jay was the first man up out of the bullpen in relief of starter Kohl Stewart. He entered the game with one-out in the sixth inning, runners on 1st and 2nd, and 4 runs already on the board in the frame for the Smokies. Jay limited further damage as best he could, but a single from the first man he faced to load the bases was followed by a sac fly to bring the Smokies within one run at 7-6. He struck out the next batter to end the inning and keep his team out front briefly. Back out for the seventh, Jay surrendered his first two earned runs of the year due to a couple of walks to put runners on, and a double that drove them both in to tie the game at 8. He would finish the inning and his day with 1.2IP, 2 H, 2 BB, and a K.

 

In their 8-6 win over the Smokies on the 16th, Jay entered the game in nearly the same spot. One out in the sixth with a runner on second base. His inherited runner would score after a single and a double to his first two hitters but would get two fly outs to end that inning with the Lookouts down 5-4. His offense put him in line for his first win of the season by plating four runs in the bottom half of the frame, and he worked around a double in the seventh to pitch a scoreless inning. He finished this one with 1.2 IP, his first W of 2018, and allowed three hits.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats: 1-0, 1.46 ERA, 7 appearances, 12.1 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 9 K,1.30 WHIP, .234 BAA, 3 Holds, 1 Save.

[Steve Lein]

Have forgotten to post an update for a while!

 

Since that last update Jay has appeared in eleven games. Over his last ten appearances he has pitched 17.1 innings, allowing 7 earned runs on 21 hits along with 7 walks and 17 strikeouts. Seven of those games he went more than one inning, but his ERA is 5.19 over that timeframe and overall has ballooned to 3.64.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats: 1-1, 3.64 ERA, 18 appearances, 29.2 IP, 35 H, 12 BB, 26 K, 1.58 WHIP, .292 BAA, 3 holds, 1 save

[Steve Lein]

Tyler Jay has pitched in seven games since the last update, and here's how they went:

 

06/29/2018 @TNS -     1.0 IP, H, K
07/04/2018 BIR  -         2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 K
07/07/2018 BIR -          W, 1.1 IP, 0 H, K
07/11/2018 @JAX -      1.1 IP, H, ER, 2 K
07/13/2018 MTG -        2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K
07/16/2018 MTG -        2.0 IP, H, 2 K
07/19/2018 @MOB -    S, 1.1 IP, H, 3 K

 

In that time frame he lowered his ERA from 3.64 to 2.88. Over 12 total innings, he has allowed only one earned run on just six hits and zero walks while striking out 14. 
 

Jay appears to be dialing it in now, and I'd imagine he's getting close to a promotion to AAA for the 2nd half of the year.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats: 2-1, 2.88 ERA, 25 appearances, 40.2 IP, 41 H, 12 BB, 40 K, 1.30 WHIP, .258 BAA, 3 holds, 2 saves

[goulik]

Nice to see the WHIP dropping with his ERA...that’s at least 7 straight appearances without a walk

[Steve Lein]

since the last update nearly a month ago, Jay has had a  bit of a rough go of it. Here's the list of his six appearances since then:

 

07/21/2018 @MOB - 2 IP,  4 H, ER, K
07/24/2018 PNS - 1.2 IP, H,  BB, K
07/28/2018 @TNS - 0.2 IP, 2 H,  4 ER, 2 BB
07/30/2018 @TNS - 1.0 IP, H, K
08/06/2018 MIS - 1.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 K
08/11/2018 JXN - 2.0 IP, 5 H, ER, K

 

That's 19 hits and 10 earned runs allowed over 9 innings, along with 3 walks and just 6 strikeouts. His ERA climbed to 4.17 along that stretch.

 

Cumulative 2018 Stats: 3-3, 4.17 ERA, 31 appearances, 49.2 IP, 60 H, 15 BB, 46 K, 1.51 WHIP, .302 BAA, 2 saves

[Mike Sixel]

Unbelievable, frankly.