Entering the season, Tanner McDougal's professional experience had been limited to 9⅔ innings, and those came back in 2021. He figured to have a slow buildup after the White Sox selected him out of Nevada's prep ranks in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, and a torn UCL at the end of that season cost him all of 2022.
He returned to the mound for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Thursday. It was a big day for him, and a momentous occasion for those wanting to see him, as his appearances in the Arizona Complex League were not streamed.
McDougal pitched 3⅓ scoreless, hitless innings for the Ballers, but they were far from perfect. He issued five walks against three strikeouts, and threw just half of his 60 pitches for strikes.
Of all the excuses for control problems, "First start after Tommy John surgery and A-ball debut for a guy who turned 20 four days before" is one of the best. McDougal's ability to find the strike zone came and went, but the biggest issues came early. He issued three of his five walks in the first inning, and he threw just 10 of 24 pitches for strikes in the first inning. On the plus side, he sandwiched a four-pitch walk with two four-pitch strikeouts.
Because McDougal pitched on a road feed, the Shorebirds broadcast didn't offer many velocity updates, but the play-by-play man did say McDougal hit 98 and 97 in the first inning.
Because Delmarva's camera is stationed behind home plate instead of behind the center-field fence, you won't get a great look at the tilt on his breaking pitches. That said, he threw a couple of breakers that caused knees to buckle, and one thrown bat.
All in all, it's a pretty encouraging A-ball debut from one of the system's most promising pitchers. There's a chance the typical post-TJS problems were exacerbated by jitters, but if he's still issuing a walk per inning a month from now ... well, that still isn't terrible news, because that means he's still pitching.
Jacksonville 7, Charlotte 2
- Carlos Pérez went 2-for-4 with a double.
- Daniel Ponce de Leon made his organizational debut as an opener: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Rocket City 13, Birmingham 3
- Yoelqui Céspedes went 1-for-4 with a homer and two strikeouts.
- Luis Mieses, 2-for-4 with a double.
- Luke Shilling's best outing of the year: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 11 of 17 pitches for strikes.
- Tyler Osik pitched: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Winston-Salem 7, Brooklyn 5
- Terrell Tatum went 1-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases.
- Loidel Chapellí came a homer shy of the cycle during a 3-for-5 night, striking out once.
- Wilfred Veras went 2-for-3 with a walk, and both his hits were doubles.
- DJ Gladney, 1-for-3 with a double and a sac fly.
- Kohl Simas: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Kannapolis 6, Delmarva 5 (10 innings)
- Jordan Sprinkle went 2-for-6 with a triple and a strikeout.
- Tanner McDougal: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 K, 30 of 60 pitches for strikes.
