Ricky Tiedemann put up video game numbers at Double-A Tuesday night. Every out the top Blue Jays prospect recorded came via the strikeout.
Over 3 2/3 innings, Tiedemann compiled a career-high 11 strikeouts en route to New Hampshire's 6-3 win over Reading at FirstEnergy Stadium. It marked the second time this month that every out baseball's No. 2 left-handed prospect notched was a K. Tiedemann fanned nine over three frames for Single-A Dunedin on Aug. 4.
“I think the biggest key was just getting ahead early and attacking,” he said of Tuesday's performance. “Whether it be my fastball or dropping in a slider first pitch, I think just getting ahead early was the main key for me. I feel like if I do that, I'm able to get in a position to put [batters] away quickly and keep pitch count low. I think I did that well tonight.”
MLB's No. 33 overall prospect allowed three runs -- just one earned -- on two hits and two walks.
Getting a four-run cushion in the top of the first inning, Tiedemann gave up an RBI double and issued his only free passes of the game. But his final out of the frame started a run of eight consecutive strikeouts that took him through his first batter in the fourth.
“I think the past few weeks I've been trying to get a little bit more comfortable out there,” he said. “Coming off an injury, I feel like I'm getting a little bit healthier. [In regards to] getting comfortable as fast as possible and settling into games, I think I was able to do that the best tonight. I felt more comfortable than I have all year.”
Even though Tiedemann had a career night with the K, he noted that racking up punchouts isn't his goal, and his focus is simply on being aggressive on the mound.
“That's something that I actually talked about with my team,” he said. “I think when I tried to go for strikeouts, which I've been doing a lot of this year, that's when I fall apart. Now I have the mindset of ‘Here are my pitches’ and putting them in the zone and see if you can hit them. If it’s hit, hopefully it's to somebody. I feel like I had that mentality tonight and it opened up opportunities for the strikeout a little bit more.”
After a fielding error by shortstop Michael Turconi sandwiched the southpaw's final two whiffs in the fourth, Tiedemann gave up an RBI double to No. 16 Phillies prospect Ethan Wilson. He exited after throwing 64 pitches, 46 for strikes.
The 2021 third-round pick induced 11 swings-and-misses, showcasing his ability to keep batters off balance.
“That was pretty fun to watch him pitch the way he played,” Fisher Cats manager Cesar Martin said. “I wish his pitch count was lower so I could have kept watching him. Obviously, he’s got the ability to get anybody out on strikeouts and throw all three pitches for strikes like he did. He’s a guy that likes to have a plan before the game and he stuck with the plan very well.”
The career night was a most welcome sight for the Blue Jays organization after Tiedemann's rollercoaster season, which included four different stints on the 7-day injured list, and rehab assignments with Dunedin and in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. In his three prior starts for the Fisher Cats totaling six innings, the California native allowed seven runs on 10 hits and five walks with nine strikeouts.