Efficient Tyler Mahle Improves A Little Each Year

Derrin Ebert, now the pitching coach at low Class A Dayton, likes to tell the story of when he was in Rookie-level Billings and righthander Tyler Mahle threw a complete game on just 80 pitches. Afterward, Ebert tossed him his pitch counter as a souvenir.

Mahle has picked up a couple of other souvenirs along the way, including several from his April 22 perfect game for Double-A Pensacola against Mobile.

It was Mahle’s second no-hitter. He held Jupiter hitless last June in his final start for high Class A Daytona.

Against Mobile this year, Mahle needed just 88 pitches to get through his perfect game. He struck out nine.

Reds big league catcher Devin Mesoraco, on a rehab assignment but not catching that day, was so impressed that he offered to bring Mahle up with him.

“Mahle was really impressive,” Mesoraco said. “Three out of the four starts, he was perfect through four or five. He’s a really good-looking kid. It shouldn’t be too long before we see him up here. His command of his fastball is certainly ready to pitch up here.”

Farm director Jeff Graupe said Mahle’s velocity has ticked upward one or two miles per hour each year in pro ball since signing as a 2013 seventh-round pick out of Westminster (Calif.) High. He said Mahle has reached 99 mph this season.

Add a developing slider and changeup he commands and Mahle’s success isn’t unexpected. He went 4-0, 0.55 in five April starts, recording 34 strikeouts and six walks in 32.2 innings.

“We’re getting some really good reports on the pitching in Pensacola,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “That’ll help us when those kids (particularly Mahle and righthander Luis Castillo) are in Triple-A (and) that much closer. (They need) experience against more mature, experienced hitters in Triple-A.”

— C. Trent Rosecrans covers the Reds for the Cincinnati Enquirer