Welcome back to the big leagues, Dillon Maples. And thank you for treating us to the full Dillon Maples experience.
By that, I mean the extraordinarily talented 26-year-old righty made his 2019 big league debut last night, walking the first two batters he faced … and then striking out the next three.
It’s so very easy to see why we remain enchanted by the prospects of Maples commanding his pitches well enough to stay in the big leagues. He can do things like this:
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1122108272578912256
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1122109791801937920
Our minor league guy, Bryan, especially wanted to get a look at Maples – who was breaking back out at Iowa over the past couple weeks – and he shared his observations in great detail:
To marte: FB in on hands ball, 97 mph FB in zone (6 of 8 pitches so far fastballs), FB up and in, FB missed call by ump (a brutal outcome for Dillon), slider wild pitch.
Walk. Uh oh.
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) April 27, 2019
To Peralta: 91 mph slider down the middle, exact same pitch for strike 2, 98 on the hands fouled off, 91 mph slider at top of zone drawing awkward swing.
Another swinging strikeout.
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) April 27, 2019
In conclusion: Maples began inning a little amped up causing a slight mechanical flaw and no feel for his most important pitch (slider). Demanded too much from his FB as a result. Hung in there, settled down after meeting with Hottovy, great finish once slider feel came back.
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) April 27, 2019
The biggest thing for Maples, in my view, is being able to consistently throw his high-90s fastball in the strike zone. I’m not even talking about locating it precisely. The slider is so uniquely nasty – and he can usually pretty consistently throw it for strikes or for wipeouts – that he just needs to be able to keep hitters slightly honest with the fastball. And it’s a great fastball, too, with plenty of velocity and life. He just has to be able to throw it for strikes.
Maples, together with Carl Edwards Jr., likely has the best two-pitch combo in the entire organization. Sure, lots of orgs have guys like that, and the real separator is the ability to locate and command. But if you want an elite reliever, the plus-plus pitches are where you have to start. Maples is special like that.