WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2015
R:  2-1-2, 0.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 8.1 IP, 7.6 BB/9, 18.4 K/9
R+:  0-2-1, 4.76 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 11.1 IP, 5.6 BB/9, 8.7 K/9

The Dodgers sent Spitzbarth initially to the Arizona League, where he gave up just one hit in 8.1 IP, although he walked seven.  He had a little more trouble after moving up to advanced rookie ball.

2016
R+:  0-0-0, 1.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 9.0 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 15.0 K/9
A:  0-1-6, 1.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 28.1 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 13.7 K/9
AAA:  0-0-0, 19.29 ERA, 3.43 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 11.6 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Spitzbarth filled in for one appearance in AAA, then the Dodgers sent him to advanced rookie ball when the short season leagues began play.  He had little trouble there, then moved up to low A, where he also dominated.  He had very high K rates at both stops.

2017
A+:  1-0-6, 0.57 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 15.2 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 15.5 K/9
AA:  3-4-3, 3.00 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 54.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

Spitzbarth went initially to the high-offense California League and dominated there, with another extremely high K rate.  In mid-May, the Dodgers moved him up to AA.  He wasn’t as dominant there, but pitched very well except for a rough month of August.

2018
AA:  3-4-3, 4.10 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 63.2 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 11.9 K/9
AAA:  0-0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 6.0 K/9

Except for two appearances in AAA, Spitzbarth spent the season in AA.  He mostly pitched as he had in the low minors, holding opponents to a .215 average and missing lots of bats.  He had trouble, though, with gopher balls, allowing ten.  That hadn’t previously been an issue.

2019
AA:  3-3-5, 2.05 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 44.0 IP, 3.5 BB/9, 12.3 K/9
AAA:  1-0-0, 8.18 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 11.9 K/9

Spitzbarth went back to AA and pitched much like the previous year, only without the gopher balls, as he gave up only one.  In late June, the Dodgers moved him up to AAA and that went badly, as opopnents batted .316 and hit a home run better than once every four innings.  He did at least continue to miss bats.

2020
DNP

The pandemic eliminated any season Spitzbarth would have had and the Pirates selected him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.

2021
AAA:  3-3-2, 2.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 46.2 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 7.9 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 1.8 K/9

The Pirates sent Spitzbarth to Indianapolis and he got good results pitching in relief there.  The weak walk and K rates are a red flag, though, and his xFIP was 4.99.  He benefited from a fairly low BABIP of .252 and a fairly high strand rate of 82.1%.  He had a reverse platoon split.  The Pirates called Spitzbarth up in early August when Chad Kuhl went on the COVID-19 injured list.  He was optioned four times after that and recalled three times, although in the end he threw only five innings in the majors.

The Pirates outrighted Spitzbarth after the season.