Connor Prielipp's rookie season hasn't been smooth sailing. In 61 2/3 innings across 12 starts this year, the left-hander has posted a 4.96 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. However, there are reasons to believe he will turn things around, and his latest start is one of them.
Prielipp allowed two runs on six hits and no walks with a career-high 10 strikeouts over six innings against the Colorado Rockies at Target Field on Sunday. He hit two batters in the outing, but the fact that he didn't walk anyone is an encouraging sign, as it marked his first outing without a walk since his MLB debut on April 22.
Roughly a month ago, it seemed Prielipp could be nearing a demotion to Triple-A after he allowed 11 runs across his final two starts of May. Not just because of his struggles, but also because his 82 2/3 innings last season were by far the most of his career due to various injuries he has suffered throughout his career. Injuries even held him back in college, as he threw just 28 innings in two seasons at the University of Alabama. However, Bailey Ober landed on the IL, and Mick Abel suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery, forcing the Twins to keep Prielipp in the majors no matter what.
So while the Twins need Prielipp due to the numerous injuries to the starting pitching staff, the club is also displaying patience with the 25-year-old by allowing him to pitch through his struggles. Minnesota remains cautious with Prielipp, as he was originally scheduled to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday, but the Twins pushed the start to Sunday. He's already on pace to shatter his personal innings record, with 61 2/3 innings already under his belt this season.
Twins' Connor Prielipp has shown encouraging signs in rookie season
Prielipp's slider and curveball have easily been his best pitches this year. While he has generally relied on his slider at about the same rate as his most-used pitch, his fastball, he upped his curveball usage in his recent outing against Colorado.
Let's look at some underlying metrics for Prielipp. Despite having an ERA close to 5.00, he has a solid FIP of 3.62. Additionally, he has a chase rate of 32%, which ranks in the 69th percentile. He's generally been average as far as strikeout (23.8%) and walk (8.4%) rates go, but his recent outing is a major step in the right direction, even though it was against the worst team in the league.
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