Lengthy Sit-Down Pays Off For Wikelman Gonzalez Of Red Sox
Righthander Wikelman Gonzalez has always possessed electrifying stuff, but his inability to work inside the strike zone created questions about his ability to start.
Through six starts in High-A Greenville this season, the 21-year-old walked 26% of batters while throwing almost as many balls as strikes. His stuff would briefly look overpowering, but then his outings would rapidly fall apart.
He had run up a 9.00 ERA in 16 innings despite throwing a four-pitch mix anchored by a mid-90s fastball that occasionally touched 98 mph, a curveball, changeup and newly developed cutter.
Greenville pitching coach Bob Kipper, manager Iggy Suarez, and lower-levels pitching coordinator Nick Otte sat down with Gonzalez to try to get to the root of the problem.
In a lengthy meeting, Gonzalez acknowledged he was having trouble eating and sleeping because of the pressure to excel. The coaches told him that if he refocused his attention from outcomes to process, improved results would follow.
The Venezuelan righthander almost immediately saw huge gains. His control, according to Red Sox director of pitching development Shawn Haviland, improved from perhaps a 30 on the 20-80 scouting scale to a 45 or 50. With that, his stuff started to play.
In his next 12 starts—nine in Greenville and three in Double-A Portland—Gonzalez cut his walk rate to 11% while striking out 39% of hitters and producing a 3.23 ERA.
“To be honest, he’s been on an excellent run, but it’s not surprising,” Haviland said. “This is what his stuff should do in the minor leagues.”
Gonzalez will have to continue to refine his control to remain a starter, but the Red Sox are optimistic that his on-field development and work routines have given him a strong chance to do so.
“We’re seeing a kid grow up,” Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham said. “We’re seeing a kid mature.
“We’re seeing a kid get a better feel for how his body moves and what he needs to do on the rubber, what he needs to do to be most efficient and powerful and effective with his stuff.
“It’s kind of all coming together.”
SOX YARNS
— Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela got off to a dazzling start after his late-June promotion to Triple-A Worcester, hitting nine homers with 19 extra-base hits in his first 28 games while batting .325/.387/.667.
— High-A righthander Angel Bastardo tied a High-A Greenville record with 14 strikeouts in a complete-game, seven-inning shutout on July 21.
