WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2012
A:  12-3-0, 2.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 120.1 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

After he signed too late to play in 2011, the Rockies sent Anderson to low A in 2012.  Although bothered by a hernia, Anderson had little trouble with hitters at that level, apart from a low K rate.  Baseball America ranked him seventh in Colorado’s system after the season.

2013
A-:  1-1-0, 0.60 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 15.0 IP, 1.8 BB/9, 7.8 K/9
A+:  3-2-0, 3.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 74.2 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 7.6 K/9

Anderson again was impacted by injuries, missing over two months due to shoulder soreness, then missing the Arizona Fall League due to a stress fracture in his elbow.  When he was able to pitch he got good results, especially considering that he was in the tough pitching environment of the California League.  BA ranked him 11th after the season.

2014
AA:  7-4-0, 1.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 118.1 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.1 K/9

Anderson had an outstanding season in AA, but after he left a playoff start he was diagnosed again with a stress fracture in his elbow.  BA rated him 16th after the season and Colorado added him to the 40-man roster.

2015
INJURED

The aftermath of the stress fracture kept Anderson out all season.

2016
A+:  0-0-0, 4.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 12.3 BB/9, 14.7 K/9
AA:  1-1-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 1.8 BB/9, 9.9 K/9
AAA:  1-1-0, 2.12 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 17.0 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 6.9 K/9
MLB:  5-6-0, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 114.1 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 7.8 K/9

Anderson missed the first month with an oblique strain, but then quickly made his way to the majors, pitching very well in two starts in AA and three in AAA.  He made 19 starts with the Rockies, putting up a 3.64 xFIP.  He did remarkably well at Coors, starting a dozen games there with an ERA of 3.00.

2017
AAA:  0-2-0, 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 12.1 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 9.5 K/9
MLB:  6-6-0, 4.81 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 86.0 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 8.5 K/9

Injuries continued to plague Anderson, as he went out repeatedly with left knee inflammation, ultimately missing two and a half months starting in late June.  When he was able, he pitched reasonably well.  The 4.81 ERA isn’t attractive, but his ERA+, which is park-adjusted, was 105 and his xFIP was 3.95.  The long ball was a problem, as Anderson allowed more than one every five innings.  Oddly, though, it wasn’t Coors; 12 of the 16 gopher balls he allowed were on the road.  His K rate was much-improved.

2018
MLB:  7-9-0, 4.55 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 176.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.4 K/9

Anderson finally got in a full season and had a solid year.  His numbers were good across the board except, again, for the gopher balls; he allowed an NL-high of 30.  They were almost evenly split between home (16) and road (14).

2019
MLB:  0-3-0, 11.76 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, 20.2 IP, 4.8 BB/9, 10.0 K/9

The injury problem cropped up again.  Anderson struggled through five starts, then had knee surgery in late May and missed the rest of the season.  The Rockies put him on waivers afterward and San Francisco claimed him.  The Giants non-tendered Anderson at the deadline, then signed him to a contract for less money that he’d made the previous year.

2020
MLB:  4-3-0, 4.37 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 59.2 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 6.2 K/9

In the pandemic season, Anderson put up a roughly average ERA with the Giants, but some of his other numbers, particularly his walk and K rates, were significantly worse than his norm.  He had an extremely low ground ball rate of 28.5%, but was helped by a HR/flyball rate of 6.1%, easily the lowest of his career.  His xFIP was 5.93.  The Giants non-tendered him after the season and he became a free agent.

Anderson doesn’t offer much upside, but if he can stay healthy he could be a reliable, back-of-the-rotation starter for a rebuilding team with a very inexperienced rotation.