Minor League Profile: Josh Satow

 The diminutive Josh Satow has become a nice find for the Rays organization. Selected with the 743^rd pick in the 2008 MLB draft, the 5'10 155 lb southpaw has been a force out of the bullpen. In 2007, Satow ranked 2^nd in the Pac 10 Conference in ERA at 2.33 while being utilized as a starter at Arizona State University. TheBAseball America draft bio from 2007 mentions a mid-80s fastball with a plus-plus changeup with fade and sink. Seattle drafted Satow with the 855^th pick in the 2007 draft, but Satow opted to return to school for his senior season.

In his senior season2008, he struggled with his control and his ability to keep the ball down with his HR/9 jumping from .2 to 1.0. It seems he has regained his command under the watchful eye of the Rays organizational coaches. A soft-tossing converted-bullpen lefty, does this sound familiar?

He played short season ball in 2008 at Hudson Valley where he posted a FIP of 2.40. This season the lefty has really hit his stride in Bowling Green where his BB/9 has been reduced to 1.92 while still striking out 27.6% of batters faced. His tRA is 2.37 with a swinging strike rate of 18.8%.  Satow has a FIP vs. opposite handed righties of an attractive 2.21. He has yet to allow a home run in 63 minor league innings pitched. It does seem he has regained the sink he displayed his junior year at Arizona State. While he is an elder statesman of A level ball, he is doing about all you could hope for and has exceeded expectations to date. The time is probably nearing to bump Matt Gorgen up to Montgomery while sending Satow to Charlotte. Please see his college and minor league stats below, followed by some minor league splits.

Data from statcorner, Baseball America, and FanGraphs