Bratt, Drake enjoying big league camp -- next to the guy they were traded for
Over the past two days, the Diamondbacks have gotten an up-close-and-personal look at left-handers Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake, two of the three pitchers they acquired from the Rangers in the Merrill Kelly Trade Deadline deal last summer.
The pair started Saturday and Sunday's games for the Diamondbacks, in what was, for both, their first Major League Spring Training game. Drake had been in big league camp with the Rangers last year but did not pitch in a game, while this is Bratt's first Major League camp.
Let's take a look at their results and what fans should know about them:
Mitch Bratt (No. 9 AZ prospect per MLB Pipeline)
Bratt showed some early nerves in his outing Saturday against the Rockies, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over 1 1/3 innings with a walk and a strikeout.
"First big league spring, first big league game, especially starting it was fun," Bratt said. "So, I'm just grateful for the opportunity."
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Bratt turned down the opportunity to pitch for Team Canada in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. That was a tough decision for him, but given that this is his first spring with the Diamondbacks and he wants to make an impression, he thought it would be better to stay in camp.
Though he doesn't have an overpowering fastball, Bratt does have some deception in his delivery, which seems to help the heater play up, and the delivery creates angles that can be challenging for hitters to square up.
"He relentlessly attacks the strike zone," Arizona farm director Chris Slivka said. "He's fearless in the strike zone, which is something as an organization that we stress. He has the feel and confidence to land his mix of pitches in the strike zone, throw a lot of different pitches in a lot of different counts."
Bratt, 22, has featured a four-seam fastball, cutter, changeup, sweeper and curveball and is working on incorporating a two-seamer as well as refining the changeup, giving him a full arsenal to work with. He made it up to Double-A with the Rangers and finished up last year with Double-A Amarillo for Arizona.
Now, he, like Drake, shares a clubhouse with the guy he got traded for.
"It was pretty cool to see him sign back here," Bratt said of Kelly. "And when I introduced myself, I made sure to tell him I got traded for him and whatnot. So, he thought that was pretty cool, too. But he's been another guy who's been awesome to talk to and pick his brain [about] how he goes about his business."
Kohl Drake (No. 6 prospect)
Drake started Sunday's game against the Angels and allowed one run over two innings. He didn't allow a hit but walked two while striking out two. It was his first game action since last August; he missed September after suffering a shoulder capsule sprain after the trade.
"That was my first time in a big league game ever," Drake said. "I mean, I'm a nervy guy, so I like to use the nerves [to my advantage]. If I don't feel them, then I feel like I'm not going to get that adrenaline boost that you get as soon as you get on the mound. But I definitely was feeling them a little bit on the first batter, but after that, they kind of just went away."
Drake, 25, made it up to Triple-A last year with the Rangers and finished at Triple-A Reno for the Diamondbacks before getting hurt. He features a four-seam fastball, cutter and curveball. The Diamondbacks would like to see a little more consistency from the cutter, and he's working on adding a slider for an additional weapon against lefties.
"Just want to fine-tune his arsenal a little bit," Slivka said. "His last start before he went down, I was there for that and he was pinpoint with his command, he was moving the ball around."