Tyler Eppler
| IP | 753.333 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.277 |
| WHIP | 1.304 |
| BB/9 | 2.091 |
| SO/9 | 6.32 |
- Full name Tyler Austin Eppler
- Born 01/05/1993 in College Station, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Sam Houston State
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Drafted in the 6th round (191st overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 (signed for $200,000).
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Eppler stands out at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds with broad shoulders, a body made for pitching. His arm works well and he has a chance to stay a starter in pro ball, having held up well in his first season as Sam Houston State's No. 1 starter. Eppler's fastball has average velocity, touching 92-93 mph but sitting 89-91, and generally lacks life, so locating is crucial. He's athletic and strong enough to maintain his delivery and projects to have average control. He mixes in his curveball, which features 11-to-5 shape, and he has a good feel for using his cutter-like slider and fringy changeup.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Pirates took Eppler in the sixth round in 2014 after he spent only one season at the Division I level and two years in junior college. Pittsburgh was intrigued by his big frame and decent velocity. Eppler has moved up the minor league ladder steadily but not without difficulty. Opponents hit over .280 against him in 2016 and 2017, and he has allowed a combined 38 home runs in two-plus seasons at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. Eppler's fastball sits in the 93-94 mph range, and he has a slider, cutter and curveball, but none of those secondary pitches are wipeout offerings and are generally used to draw contact. His changeup may be his best secondary pitch. He generally stays close to the zone with all of his pitches, but the Pirates are hoping he develops more ability to throw effective balls and get hitters to chase out of the zone. Eppler will most likely begin 2018 at Triple-A and be on call if the major league staff has any problems. -
Eppler was the second pitcher selected by the Pirates from Sam Houston State early in the 2014 draft. Pittsburgh chose him two rounds after taking lefthander Cody Dickson in the fourth round. Eppler's career got off to a delayed start after he was sidelined for the first 10 weeks of 2015 with elbow soreness, but he has still risen relatively quickly and spent all of 2016 in the Double-A Altoona rotation. Eppler has added a few ticks to his fastball velocity since college and now reaches 95 mph while sitting at 91-93. That is part of a four-pitch mix that includes an average slider and curveball along with a changeup still in its developmental changes. While Eppler has good control, the lack of strikeouts for a pitcher with his stuff is concerning. He has averaged just 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings across his career, with his total decreasing every level he ascends. He did answer questions about durability in 2016 by taking his regular turn in the Altoona rotation. Eppler is ready for a shot at Triple-A Indianapolis, but a backlog of starting pitchers in the upper minors could send him back to Altoona to at least begin 2017.
Draft Prospects
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Eppler stands out at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds with broad shoulders, a body made for pitching. His arm works well and he has a chance to stay a starter in pro ball, having held up well in his first season as Sam Houston State's No. 1 starter. Eppler's fastball has average velocity, touching 92-93 mph but sitting 89-91, and generally lacks life, so locating is crucial. He's athletic and strong enough to maintain his delivery and projects to have average control. He mixes in his curveball, which features 11-to-5 shape, and he has a good feel for using his cutter-like slider and fringy changeup.
