Strikeouts and goose eggs: Seattle's Anderson continues remarkable run
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With each zero on the scoreboard and each K added to his ledger, Kade Anderson serves notice that he isn't just one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, he might soon be called the best.
Seattle's No. 2 prospect was brilliant yet again, striking out nine across 5 1/3 innings to lead Double-A Arkansas to a 4-0 win over Frisco in the first game of Friday's doubleheader at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Through his first nine professional starts, Anderson owns a 67/7 K/BB ratio in 44 innings, while striking out 41.9 percent of opposing batters. His command, control and ability to induce swings-and-misses has neutralized Texas League hitters, who are batting just .171 against him with six extra-base hits over 160 plate appearances.
MLB's top-ranked southpaw and No. 7 overall prospect opened the game with three consecutive balls ... and then followed with three straight strikes for his first K. Anderson was just getting started.
The LSU product faced one over the minimum after the opening frame and three baserunners total -- two coming on first and fourth-inning singles. Anderson didn't walk anyone -- no surprise considering his BB rate is 4.4 percent -- and he finished with a flourish, recording strikeouts against five of his last six batters to close out his outing after 74 pitches (53 strikes).
The start marked the second-longest outing for Anderson as a pro, topped by a pair of 5 2/3-inning performances in consecutive outings to begin the month. The organization has understandably been conservative with their prized prospect's workload.
Anderson has yet to toss more than 75 pitches in any outing, but it hasn't hampered his ability to miss bats or keep his name atop the Minor League leaderboard. The 21-year-old leads all Double-A hurlers in strikeouts, ranks fourth overall across the Minors and is averaging nearly 14 K's per nine innings (13.7).
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Anderson has held the opposition scoreless in six of his nine outings and has allowed more than one run just once -- a primary reason his 1.43 ERA ranks fifth among all qualified Minor Leaguers.
The Louisiana native received all the run support he'd require in the form of another Lazaro Montes (SEA No. 4/MLB No. 30) homer, his 12th of the season and second in three games.