WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2011
A-:  4-3-2, 4.28 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 33.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 7.8 K/9 

A little surprisingly, Poytress pitched in relief at State College, except for one start.  He struggled initially, with an ERA of 5.59 at the end of July.  In ten outings starting at the beginning of August, though, he allowed no runs except for one bad outing in which he allowed four.  He fanned 16 in 14.1 IP in that stretch.  For the season, his BB/9 and K/9 were good.  He did not have a significant platoon split.

2012
R:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9
A:  2-0-0, 0.79 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 11.1 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 7.9 K/9
A+:  3-0-1, 2.59 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 41.2 IP, 5.6 BB/9, 6.3 K/9 

Poytress began 2012 in extended spring training, but moved up to West Virginia early in the season.  He pitched very well in four outings and then moved up to Bradenton.  He had a 1.33 ERA through mid-May, but it came in spite of him walking the same number he struck out.  At that point he went out with an injury.  He returned to Bradenton in July and posted a 3.80 ERA the rest of the way.  Poytress finished with a good ERA at Bradenton, but he did it despite poor walk and K rates and a poor WHIP.  He was much tougher against left-handed than right-handed batters, with a .194 opponents’ average vs. .282.

Given the time Poytress missed and the anomalies in his stat line, it’s hard to say whether he might be a prospect or not.  He could have a shot at starting 2013 in AA.