The Rays are set to promote top pitching prospect Shane McClanahan to start Thursday’s game against the Athletics, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. It’s a nice birthday present for the 2018 No. 31 overall pick, who turns 24 today.
McClanahan technically already made his Major League debut, but it came during last year’s postseason. This will represent the left-hander’s first taste of big league action during the regular season. It’s not yet clear whether this will be a spot start or the beginning of a legitimate audition for a rotation job, but the Rays have thus far received shaky work from lefties Ryan Yarbrough and veteran Rich Hill. Right-hander Chris Archer, meanwhile, is on the injured list with a forearm injury.
McClanahan pitched just seven innings of Rookie ball after being drafted and didn’t pitch at all in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season. He was excellent in his only full minor league season, however, pitching to a 3.36 ERA with a huge 30.6 percent strikeout rate and a solid 8.9 percent walk rate through 120 2/3 innings across three levels (Class-A, Class-A Advanced and Double-A). He’s considered to be one of the game’s better all-around prospects, sitting 75th at MLB.com, 90th at Baseball America and 117th at FanGraphs.
Scouting reports on McClanahan all note that his future may ultimately lie in the bullpen, where he can lean on a triple-digit heater and a wipeout breaking ball to thrive as a two-pitch, late-inning weapon. But he’s also improved his control and added a still-developing changeup to his arsenal, and the Rays understandably will give him a chance to start before dropping into a relief role. MLB.com’s report suggests McClanahan could be a solid No. 3 starter if the changeup and control are there, while FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen believes he’ll eventually be a power reliever at the back of the Tampa Bay ’pen.
Whatever the outcome for McClanahan, most expect that he’ll be an important piece of the Rays’ pitching staff for the foreseeable future. He didn’t accrue any big league service for last year’s postseason play, and he’s now spent enough time at the alternate site that his path to free agency has been pushed back a year. Even if he’s in the Majors for good from this point forth, he’d be controllable all the way through the 2027 season. Due to the timing of his promotion, he’s currently on track to qualify as a Super Two player, which would make him arbitration-eligible four times, beginning in the 2023-24 offseason. Future optional assignments to the minors, of course, could impact both timelines.
Spot start. Rays building these guys up lightly so they are ready come September
Another weapon for the Rays. Good for the Rays. I fully expect them to win the AL East and go deep in the playoffs. Even being at .500 right now losing Morton/Snell from last years team is impressive.
Kevin Cash says McClanahan is staying up with the team. McClanahan he is stretched out to pitch 4 to 5 innings.
Cash said they see McClanahan as a starter and expect him to stick around.
3:57 PM · Apr 28, 2021·Twitter Web App
Sorry to get off topic but its Crazy how there’s not one team in NL East over 500. Especially with all that hype. Currently all 5 teams trail both pirates and diamondbacks lol
as a Phillies fan its amazing that were tied for 1st for a few minutes before our loss last night lol. NL Least.
Darkside, you know the Phillies are a historically bad team in April. Getting through the month around .500 should be encouraging.
That’s something every fan says at the beginning of a season when their team starts poorly. Prove it with stats and links.
The NLE has been terrible and I will be the first to say that the Braves have been the biggest disappointment of the season. I get that they’ve had key injuries but man, that batting line up of ours has been dreadful. Some of them are coming around but yikes.
In the past 20 seasons, the Phillies have an April record of .500 or better 5 times, per MLB.com. That includes our post-season years. So three out of every four years we suck in April.
Good stuff I love McClanahan ever since he was drafted out of USF he’s going to do really well at whatever opportunity they give him he will not disappoint Rays fans
he was a steal there. i remember he got Chris Sale comps before the draft.
Whenever I tuned in and watch Yarbough, he has been solid. He had two terrible starts against Rangers and Red Sox but then gave up 0, 1, and 0 runs against MIA, NYY, TOR respectively. I think he should be fine.
I heard mad dog say he wasn’t a fan of Archer and was overrated years ago. I laugh bc Archer was the Rays ace on very good teams. Archer been down hill ever since then. Pirates then dump Cole, and then trade Glasnow and Meadows for Archer soon after when he was not in peak form. That was a head scratcher for me. Goooo Angels!
FWIW, Yarbrough has been back to his normal self now that he’s got an opener, and Hill was filthy in his last start. Excited to see McClanahan pitch though, him and Patino should continue the pitching pipeline that is Tampa Bay.
Was my ROTY year pick. Hopefully he can still do it
I think Fleming’s got a solid shot at it
I guess this puts Casey Mize as the fifth best pitcher in the big leagues from the 2018 draft.
He was in that range prior to the 18 season then had a career year which popped him into that #1 spot. Crazy how much springer fell that draft ! Compare him to a Puk or McKay who didn’t fall yet can’t make their teams active roster
I thinks it’s a stretch to say McKay can’t make the Rays active roster. He was pitching for the Rays in 2019 and was expected to be a significant member of the Rays’ pitching staff in 2020 before being injured. He’s now rehabbing shoulder surgery and the team is optimistic they’ll have him back on the mound sometime this season. Both players made their MLB debut as 23 year olds with similar innings pitched and FIPs during their first MLB seasons.
Kelenic and Bohm were the top 2 players from that draft
Has he been traded yet?
Hopefully he does well against the A’s but gets next week against my Angels off ha ha.
Always interesting as a pure baseball fan to see a new talent emerge.
I actually want the NL east teams to start winning so that when the Mets win the division I don’t hear the “weak division” argument.
Ha. A week ago, you ridiculously had the Mets atop your personal power rankings. Now you want to squeak out a playoff spot in a mediocre division. Overrated offensive. Spotty pitching. The worst defense in the game. When will you face the reality that the Mets don’t have what it takes to contend? Just wait until the trade deadline when your Metsies are sellers and not buyers.
Squeak out!??? I never said that… I’ll watch out for your dodgers. Lost 7 out the last 9 games.
Of course he knows you didn’t say “squeak out”. You know very well Cey Hey isn’t saying that YOU said the phrase “squeak out”. It’s what came before that phrase that is your previous quote and you know it.
Also..yes the Dodgers have lost 7/10..yet the Mets are STILL lower than the Dodgers despite that slump going on. Maybe because the Mets have lost 5/7. =)
When the dodgers lose to the Mets in a playoff series where they have to face Degrom 2-3 times and carrasco and syndergaard I’ll be waiting for cey hey.
Did the Mutts win deGrom’s start tonight? I can’t find a score.
Btw, the Dodgers will be fine. They’ve been going at 102-60 clip for the last five years and have their best team now. The Mets have been sub-.500 over the same stretch and still have the game’s worst defense.
Clanny, Glas, Patino, Hill, and Wacha/Honey/Strotman/Flem make for an interesting 2nd half, also with Baz/Ryan not far behind.