With career-best start, Prielipp makes convincing case to stick in rotation
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MINNEAPOLIS – Connor Prielipp wasn’t even a serious contender to make the Twins’ rotation in Spring Training. Now it’s going to be very tough to take him out.
Prielipp turned in the best performance of his burgeoning Major League career on Saturday night, pitching a career-high six innings in a 2-1 loss to the Brewers. He didn’t get much help from an offense that ground to a halt with runners in scoring position, and he was charged with a costly unearned run, but the rookie left-hander was brilliant with the parts he could control.
It was the second time in professional baseball, at any level, that Prielipp has pitched six innings. And it may very well be the best game he has pitched in pro ball. He was touched for an unearned run in the fourth inning, and a solo homer by the dangerous Jackson Chourio in the sixth, but overall, Prielipp was in total control.
“I used to be able to go six innings a lot, but with my injuries it's been a long time,” Prielipp said. “It's really cool to go six innings again.”
In five starts, Prielipp has yet to allow more than two earned runs. He has racked up 29 strikeouts against nine walks, and he keeps going deeper in games. He pitched with two extra days’ rest on Saturday, and he might continue to get occasional extra days, but performances like this are worth waiting for.
Prielipp became the first pitcher in Minnesota Twins history (since 1961) to begin his career with five straight starts of at least four innings and no more than two earned runs.
“I thought he had the best stuff he's had all year,” said manager Derek Shelton. “The execution of the slider, I mean, he left one up to Chourio, it ended up getting hit out. Other than that, we got a ground ball that we didn't catch for the first run. … I thought Connor was outstanding. I think it's the sharpest command and the sharpest stuff he's had.”
Showcasing a five-pitch mix led by his wipeout slider, Prielipp struck out a career-high eight batters. He leaned on his offspeed offerings more than usual, including a few more curveballs than he typically throws, and he finished off strikeouts with four different pitches.
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But it was Prielipp’s signature slider that was especially cooking on Saturday. He induced a 40% chase rate on the pitch and got half of his strikeouts with it. He also got beaten on it by Chourio, but it’s easy to see why Prielipp’s slider has been his go-to pitch for years.
“My slider is a big reason how I got to this point in my career,” Prielipp said. “I'm always going to lean on it.”
Prielipp got the opportunity to join the Twins’ rotation when Mick Abel went on the injured list with a right elbow injury. Taj Bradley followed Abel onto the injured list with right pectoralis muscle inflammation, and he could be back soon. Minnesota will proceed cautiously with Prielipp given his extensive injury history (Tommy John surgery during his time at the University of Alabama and UCL surgery in what was supposed to be his first full season of pro ball in 2023) and limited professional experience, but it’s hard to envision him not sticking in the rotation for a while longer.
"He's getting better,” Shelton said. “I think that's the thing. We've talked at length about making sure that we, I don't know if ‘protect’ is the right word, but we're aware of what his volume is. … It's the second time in pro ball -- not in the big leagues, in pro ball -- that he's gone six innings. It's impressive because the one thing that Connor has continued to do in his starts is get better."