What to expect Puk Athletics in MLB

One of the best left-handed pitchers is heading to the big leagues as the A's call A.J. Puk ahead of Tuesday's first game against the Yankees, a source told Martin Gallegos of MLB.com.
Perspective # 2 of A should work in the office of his

One of the best left-handed pitchers is heading to the big leagues as the A's call A.J. Puk ahead of Tuesday's first game against the Yankees, a source told Martin Gallegos of MLB.com.

A # 2's prospect is expected to make his debut in the majors after playing in relief exclusively at Triple-A Las Vegas. MLB Pipeline has Puk at No. 43 on his list of Top 100 hopefuls, and No. 5 left-handed pitchers.

In nine appearances with the Aviators, Puk recorded a total of 4.91 and .91 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and three goals in 11 innings, while keeping the batters at .175 in the Pacific Coast League .

Selected with overall pick No. 6 in the 2016 draft, Puk was about to impact A's turn in '18 before being operated on by Tommy John in April and missing the entire season.

The product from the University of Florida had spent the second half of the previous year in Double-A, winning a mid-season promotion to Midland after an outstanding campaign in the A Advanced California League class with Modesto. He threw a 4.03 lead and accumulated 184 strikeouts in 125 innings (27 games / 24 starts) between the two levels, leading all of the Minor League shooters with 13.2 outs in 9 innings.

After an absence of about 14 months, Puk made his highly anticipated return to the mound on June 11 in Stockton and quickly showed that his belongings were still there. At first, he scored his fastball at 99 mph, eliminating four batters in two sets.

The A began deploying the 24-year-old left-hander as a relief after promoting Double-A at the end of June, and a subsequent promotion in Triple-A in July clearly showed that it was not a problem. organization was preparing it for a call at the end of the season. in 2019.

In total, Puk scored a points average of 3.98 with 262 strikeouts (12.9 K / 9) and 70 walks (3.4 BB / 9) in 183 innings in three previous seasons in minor league.

From Scouting's point of view, here's a look at what a 6'-7 "and 238-pound weight should bring to the table:

Fastball: As previously stated, Puk can really turn on the radar cannon. He has always sat at 96-98 mph while beating 99 times this summer, and it's fair to wonder if we could see him triple in his appearances in the majors. Using his wide frame to his advantage, Puk gets an excellent extension on his front side, giving his heater a late life.

Cursor: Puk combines his almost elite fastball with one of the best sliders in the Minors. It's a real training ground – a 88- to 90-mph run, with a devastating late-dive action that lets right-handed and left-handed hitters escape. Puk can bury him skillfully in the dirt when he is ahead of the count, although his urge to catch him for a hit remains a work in progress.

changeup: Puk showed the qualities of an above-average change as a starter, but he largely cleared the field of his arsenal this year after he had caused early elbow discomfort. The good news is that Puk really does not need a change of course, given the strength of his fastball-slider coupling.

Control: Puk's general control leaves something to be desired, especially after his injury, but that does not prevent him from missing bats and generating weak contact from the batters on both sides of the plate. Regular throwing may be a problem for him sometimes, but Puk's raw material and his natural ability to slaughter the bat should give him a chance to create a marker effect for A.