Ober takes the under on velo
Right-hander Bailey Ober pitched with slightly diminished velocity in his fourth Spring Training start Tuesday, though he got solid results over five scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers.
Ober allowed two hits and a walk, striking out two at Hammond Stadium with Detroit winning 6-5 against Minnesota's bullpen.
Ober's four-seam fastball averaged 89.3 mph on 33 pitches, reaching 90.5 mph and dipping as low as 87.8 mph. His velocity was similar to his previous outing, which also had atypical slower speeds for Ober.
His fastball ran 91.7 mph on average in 2024, which put him in the 16th percentile league wide, but his four-seamer plays faster because of elite extension, in the 97th percentile. Ober stands 6-foot-9 with long arms and is able to release the ball closer to home plate than almost any other pitcher.
He also succeeds because of pinpoint location within the strike zone, an ability to create middling contact, and good enough stuff to miss bats.
A problem with being 6-9 is, sometimes your mechanics can get out of whack, which is what Ober told reporters in Florida he has been addressing. He feels fine physically, but he's working out some kinks with timing, and that's why the velocity has been down.
As a result, the Tigers hit the ball hard seven times against Ober, who threw strikes on 53 of 77 pitches.
How to explain the good results with slower pitches? His curveball was effective, and he had a little good luck. And Ober is just a really good pitcher, even when he's feeling a little out of whack.
Rule 5 guy violates Rule 1 of pitching: not enough strikes
Right-hander Eiberson Castellano still has time to show he deserves to make the Twins roster for Opening Day as a Rule 5 pick, but right now he's just not throwing the ball over the plate enough.
Castellano threw 11 of 26 pitches for strikes in relief of Ober on Tuesday. He also walked one and hit a batter on the way to allowing three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Castellano has a 9.35 ERA, walking nine in 8 1/2 innings overall in Grapefruit play. He does have 12 strikeouts and is allowing a .206 batting average, and his previous outing was his best one, manager Rocco Baldelli noted.
So there is something good there. Is there enough to take him to St. Louis? Considering his talent, and that the final few spots in the bullpen are unsettled for different reasons, yes.
Baldelli said the decision likely will come down to the final week of Spring Training, and that Castellanos will get a start in his next appearance.
If the Twins don't keep him on the active roster, they must offer Castellano back to the Phillies for $50,000 — or else work out a trade that would allow them to demote him to their minors, once the time comes to finalize rosters.
Julien ruling again?
After a season-long sophomore slump, Edouard Julien is seizing an opportunity to get his job back in the lineup. Julien had two more hits against the Tigers, a 107 mph double and a 105.3 mph single against right-hander Matt Manning.
The best news was: the hits came on pitches other than a fastball (a curve and a splitter), the likes of which confounded Julien in 2024. He also started the spring 0-for-6 on breaking/offspeed balls. He also got picked off second base and made another out running to third.
Julien is batting .302/.375/.442 with a home run, three doubles, five walks and nine strikeouts in 43 at-bats this spring. With Royce Lewis on the shelf because of a hamstring injury, another bat will get a chance to make the Opening Day roster.
Before, the Twins might have preferred Julien go to St. Paul to get more frequent opportunities.
Now, those opportunities might be more likely to come with the big club.