No I'm not going to discuss the attrition rates because there are better resources than I could provide that cover that angle of minor league pitching. Instead I'm going to provide information on which of our pitchers strike the most hitters out while walking the least. Some people around here think looking at the K/BB ratio is evil, and well, some people around here are stupid. Generally 2.00 is the lowest accepted K/BB ratio for a pitcher, with 3.00 being pretty good, 4.00 being great, and anything higher being really, really impressive.
K/BB ratio obviously isn't the end all to be all, but the pitchers who strike out three+ times their walk totals are usually going to be succesful. For instance, the top of the K/BB leaderboard this season features names like Dan Haren, Cliff Lee, and Roy Halladay while the bottom has Barry Zito, Daniel Cabrera, and Kenny Rogers.
54% of the Rays pitchers have a K/BB ratio of 2.00 or better and nearly 40% have K/9s of 8 or better. Anyhow here is the list of pitchers, ranked by K/BB ratio in descending order:
Player | Position | Age | Level | K/9 | K/BB |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Omar Bencomo | RHSP | 19 | ROK | 8.16 | 18.33 |
Matthew Gorgen | RHRP | 25 | L-A | 13.91 | 8.5 |
Nelson Liriano | RHRP | 20 | L-A | 10.8 | 8.5 |
Kyle Ayers | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 7.03 | 8.33 |
Jeremy Hellickson | RHSP | 21 | AA | 9.59 | 8.1 |
Jamie Bagley | RHRP | 20 | L-A | 11.27 | 7.6 |
Jesse Darcy | RHSP | 23 | L-A | 6.63 | 6.53 |
Albert Suarez | RHSP | 18 | L-A | 7.63 | 5.29 |
Juan Salas | RHRP | 29 | L-A | 10.95 | 4.83 |
Wilking Rodriguez | RHSP | 18 | L-A | 9.79 | 4.83 |
Neil Schenk | LHRP | 22 | L-A | 12.18 | 4.6 |
Joseph Cruz | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 10.33 | 4.43 |
Chris Luck | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 8.75 | 4.38 |
Lewis Heath Rollins | RHSP | 23 | AA | 7.7 | 4.18 |
Carlos Hernandez | LHSP | 28 | L-A | 8.65 | 4.17 |
Matthew Moore | LHSP | 19 | L-A | 12.75 | 4.05 |
Mitch Talbot | RHSP | 24 | AAA | 7.88 | 4.03 |
Michael Jarman | LHRP | 23 | L-A | 10.92 | 4 |
James Shields | RHSP | 26 | MLB | 6.82 | 4 |
Angel Chapa | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 9.2 | 3.88 |
Justin Garcia | RHRP | 22 | L-A | 9.71 | 3.85 |
Deivis Mavares | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 11.47 | 3.65 |
Austin Hinkle | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 12.92 | 3.53 |
Raul Guedez | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 7.71 | 3.5 |
Juan Wilsino | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 5.97 | 3.45 |
Grant Balfour | RHRP | 30 | MLB | 13.77 | 3.43 |
Nick Barnese | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 11.07 | 3.41 |
David Price | LHSP | 22 | AAA | 8.95 | 3.41 |
Andrew Sonnanstine | RHSP | 25 | MLB | 5.44 | 3.38 |
Jeremy Cummings | RHSP | 31 | AAA | 7.9 | 3.35 |
Kevin Boggan | RHRP | 22 | L-A | 6.66 | 3.31 |
Juan Santana | RHRP | 22 | L-A | 7.31 | 3.29 |
Brian Baker | RHRP | 25 | L-A | 7.11 | 3.24 |
Scott Dohmann | RHRP | 30 | AAA | 9.75 | 3.21 |
Dale Thayer | RHRP | 27 | AAA | 10.01 | 3.17 |
Matthew Long | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 12.49 | 3.1 |
Eduardo Morlan | RHRP | 22 | AA | 8.62 | 3 |
Jose Monegro | RHSP | 18 | L-A | 4.41 | 3 |
Elvin Perez | RHRP | 22 | L-A | 8.07 | 2.91 |
Ryan Reid | RHRP | 23 | AA | 11.41 | 2.88 |
Alexander Cobb | RHSP | 20 | L-A | 6.25 | 2.77 |
Frank De Los Santos | LHSP | 20 | L-A | 6.99 | 2.75 |
Neal Frontz | RHRP | 24 | AA | 6.84 | 2.75 |
Dan Wheeler | RHRP | 30 | MLB | 7.02 | 2.71 |
Scott Kazmir | LHSP | 24 | L-A | 9.71 | 2.68 |
Marquis Fleming | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 9.6 | 2.67 |
Joshua Satow | LHRP | 22 | L-A | 11.36 | 2.65 |
Brandon Mann | LHSP | 24 | L-A | 7.09 | 2.64 |
Jeremy Hall | RHSP | 24 | L-A | 7.09 | 2.52 |
Jason Ragan | RHSP | 25 | L-A | 5.16 | 2.46 |
Jeff Niemann | RHSP | 25 | AAA | 8.47 | 2.44 |
Shane Dyer | RHSP | 20 | L-A | 7.06 | 2.42 |
Colter Bean | RHRP | 31 | L-A | 9.63 | 2.38 |
Travis Risser | RHRP | 23 | H-A | 7.5 | 2.37 |
Jason Cromer | LHRP | 27 | L-A | 6.48 | 2.25 |
J.P Howell | LHRP | 25 | MLB | 9.2 | 2.24 |
Eliazer Suero | RHSP | 19 | ROK | 6.71 | 2.24 |
Chris Mason | RHSP | 23 | AAA | 7.44 | 2.17 |
Luis Yendis | RHSP | 18 | L-A | 6.79 | 2.16 |
Matt Garza | RHSP | 24 | MLB | 6.35 | 2.15 |
Wade Davis | RHSP | 22 | AAA | 7.62 | 2.06 |
Alexander Colome | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 10.1 | 2 |
Troy Percival | RHRP | 38 | MLB | 8.31 | 2 |
Kevin Chavez | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 6.99 | 2 |
Jae Kuk Ryu | RHSP | 25 | AAA | 6.92 | 2 |
Wilton Noel | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 6.24 | 2 |
Joice Linares | LHRP | 18 | L-A | 5.89 | 2 |
Jason McEachern | RHRP | 17 | L-A | 5.76 | 2 |
Craig James | RHRP | 25 | L-A | 8.32 | 1.97 |
Michael Wlodarczyk | LHRP | 25 | L-A | 7.25 | 1.94 |
John Baird | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 9 | 1.93 |
James Houser Jr. | LHSP | 23 | AAA | 7.25 | 1.9 |
Braulio Lara | LHRP | 19 | L-A | 10.32 | 1.86 |
Steve Andrade | RHRP | 30 | AAA | 10.24 | 1.86 |
Heath Phillips | LHRP | 26 | AAA | 7.07 | 1.85 |
Kevin Lynn | RHRP | 29 | L-A | 6.14 | 1.84 |
Ryan Owen | LHRP | 23 | L-A | 8.03 | 1.83 |
Eduar Quinonez | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 6.6 | 1.83 |
Robert Della Grotta | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 9.62 | 1.82 |
Jose Torres | RHRP | 17 | L-A | 6.28 | 1.82 |
Ryan Morse | LHSP | 25 | H-A | 5.45 | 1.82 |
Jacob McGee | LHSP | 21 | AA | 7.53 | 1.76 |
Travis Barnett | RHRP | 24 | L-A | 8.13 | 1.75 |
Darin Downs | LHRP | 23 | L-A | 8.21 | 1.74 |
Chris Andujar | RHSP | 20 | L-A | 7.63 | 1.73 |
Brian Flores | LHSP | 23 | L-A | 5.87 | 1.71 |
Joshua Johnson | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 6.1 | 1.69 |
Trever Miller | LHRP | 35 | MLB | 8.74 | 1.65 |
Richard De Los Santos | RHSP | 24 | AA | 4.44 | 1.63 |
Roger Deago | LHRP | 31 | L-A | 6.53 | 1.59 |
Tyree Hayes | RHSP | 19 | L-A | 5.43 | 1.52 |
Mike Prochaska | LHSP | 28 | L-A | 4.38 | 1.5 |
Wade Townsend | RHRP | 25 | L-A | 7.56 | 1.44 |
Chad Bradford | RHRP | 33 | MLB | 3.1 | 1.42 |
Aneuris Mercedes | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 7.16 | 1.4 |
Hugo Duarte | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 8.13 | 1.39 |
Victor Mateo | RHSP | 18 | L-A | 6.1 | 1.38 |
Carlos Duenas | LHRP | 20 | L-A | 6.2 | 1.36 |
Nick DeBarr | RHRP | 24 | AAA | 6.12 | 1.36 |
Edwin Jackson | RHSP | 24 | MLB | 5.19 | 1.3 |
Francisco Andrade | LHRP | 17 | L-A | 7.22 | 1.28 |
Jordi Amargos | RHRP | 22 | L-A | 6.41 | 1.27 |
Brian Henderson | LHRP | 26 | AA | 5.22 | 1.26 |
Alberto Molina | LHRP | 17 | L-A | 6.95 | 1.24 |
Glenn Gibson | LHRP | 20 | L-A | 6.15 | 1.24 |
Calvin Medlock | RHRP | 25 | AAA | 5.66 | 1.22 |
Jason Hammel | RHRP | 25 | MLB | 4.94 | 1.22 |
Kevin Lopez | RHRP | 19 | L-A | 6.09 | 1.2 |
Jino Gonzalez | LHRP | 25 | L-A | 6.98 | 1.19 |
Jose Angel Mejias | RHRP | 24 | L-A | 4.97 | 1.19 |
Diego Echeverria | RHRP | 23 | L-A | 4.77 | 1.19 |
Ben Hendrickson | RHSP | 27 | AAA | 4.58 | 1.14 |
Woods Fines | RHSP | 22 | L-A | 4.12 | 1.13 |
Matthew Walker | RHRP | 21 | L-A | 6.48 | 1.02 |
Joselo Jasco | RHRP | 19 | L-A | 6.75 | 1 |
Chris Fessler | RHRP | 24 | L-A | 5.4 | 1 |
Ali Crespo | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 2.13 | 1 |
Chuck Tiffany | LHRP | 23 | L-A | 6.7 | 0.94 |
Ronny Ozoria | RHRP | 19 | L-A | 6.75 | 0.89 |
Orlando Cabrera | RHRP | 18 | L-A | 5.45 | 0.84 |
Chris Kelly | RHRP | 25 | L-A | 4.56 | 0.84 |
Jose Fermin | RHRP | 17 | L-A | 5.59 | 0.78 |
Joan Guerrero | LHRP | 17 | L-A | 4.71 | 0.76 |
Luis Espana | RHRP | 19 | L-A | 3.54 | 0.73 |
Robinson Reyes | LHRP | 19 | L-A | 8.33 | 0.56 |
Most of the pitchers in the bottom half are likely never going to be successful unless they are a heavy groundballer (Bradford) ora lefty (Miller) or quirky like a knuckleballer (Echeverria). The guys at the top aren't guaranteed success either, sometimes they will find a wall where their stuff or control meets its match, but they have a higher chance of being major leaguers than poor Luis Espana.