1.13 ERA, 0.65 WHIP: MLB's top pitching prospect stays dominant at Double-A
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Kade Anderson is on another level this season.
MLB’s No. 5 prospect turned in yet another masterful performance, punching out nine over 5 1/3 scoreless innings in Double-A Arkansas’ 4-0 win over Amarillo on Friday at Dickey-Stephens Park. The outing lowers Anderson’s season ERA to a miniscule 1.13, which ranks first among all Minor League pitchers with a minimum of 80 innings pitched.
The Mariners' No. 1 prospect had his swing-and-miss stuff going early and often, striking out the side in the first while fanning five of the first nine batters he faced. By night's end, the southpaw had amassed a whopping 39.6 percent whiff rate (19 whiffs on 48 swings).
In total, the 22-year-old punched out three prospects among the Diamondbacks' Top 30 -- Jansel Luis (AZ No. 6), Alberto Barriga (AZ No. 13) and Druw Jones (AZ No. 23). Along with dominating the ranked trio, Anderson also held rehabbing big leaguer Jordan Lawlar hitless and punched out the outfielder in the top of the first.
This season, there's been nearly no better strikeout artist in the Minors than Anderson. His 40.9 percent strikeout rate and 13.1 K/9 rank first and second, respectively, among all MiLB pitchers.
When hitters have managed to make contact against MLB’s top left-handed pitching prospect, its seldom resulted in damage. In 87 2/3 innings pitched at the Double-A level, opposing hitters have managed just a .408 OPS, 13 extra-base hits and four long balls against Anderson. Jonathan Santucci, who ranks second in OPS allowed among qualified arms on the Double-A circuit, sits a distant second to Anderson at .606 -- nearly a .200-point differential.
Even if you boil things down to batting average, Anderson still laps the field. Of the 17 starts he’s made this season with Arkansas he’s yielded four or more hits in a start just four times. His .150 batting average against not only leads all qualified arms at Double-A, it ranks second among all MiLB pitchers with a minimum of 80 innings pitched.
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Given his utter dominance and the trade of Luis Castillo to the White Sox at the Trade Deadline, it’s fair to wonder when the 2025 first-rounder might make his MLB debut. As it stands, the cleanest path for Anderson to reach the Majors would be around Sept. 1, when rosters expand from 26 to 28.
“He's the best starting pitcher in the Minor Leagues," said Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto earlier this week. "He is trending in every way you can.”