Prospect Watch: Blake Weiman Knockin at the Door for Spot in MLB Bullpen
In the 2017 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates made 40 different selections with 18 of those being pitchers. Of those 40 picks, pitcher Blake Weiman was the first player to reach Double-A, moving up to Altoona in just one season. Fast-forward to 2020, and Weiman is once again leading his class and is knocking on the door to be part of the Pirates bullpen in 2020. It took the University of Kansas alumnus just three seasons to rise through the Minor League system, and he is looking to defy his eighth-round selection and become the first of his class to appear in an MLB game.
After starting the 2019 season in Double-A Altoona, Weiman made the jump to Triple-A by the end of the season. He had his share of struggles going 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in eight appearances out of the bullpen. It was the first time in his career that Weiman had an ERA over three, and it proved he still has some developing to do before he makes it to the Major Leagues. The jump dropped his control numbers, but he continued to strike out batters at a high rate with 10 in 11.2 innings of work. No matter where Weiman has pitched he has seen success, so 2020 will be a chance for the 24-year old to prove the resilience he has on the mound.
Weiman grew up in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and went to the infamous Columbine High School. He was in Kindergarten when the shooting happened and doesn't remember much about it, but what he did know was Columbine sports we're some of the most dominant high school sports in the area. Weiman would lead the Columbine high school baseball team and was selected to the Colorado High School futures game on three separate occasions. Upon graduation, he continued his academic and collegiate career at the University of Kansas where he would be a three-year member of the baseball team.
After posting just average numbers in his first two seasons, Weiman had a breakout season during his junior year going 5-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 45 innings of work. He set a new career-high in strikeouts (55) and a career-low in walks (3) while limiting his opponents to just 45 hits and 16 earned runs. He entered the draft, not as one of the highly touted pitching options but, with a fastball that gets up to the low nineties, he was drawing interest amongst several major league teams. It would be the Pirates who picked him up in the eighth-round and he was assigned to Class A Short Season West Virginia.
Weiman would get right to work that season and appeared in 30 games for the Black Bears. He continued the success from his senior year with the Jayhawks and went 4-3 with a 3.78 ERA in 33.1 innings of work. Weiman proved he had the ability to strike batters out fanning 36 batters while allowing just 36 hits. He also showed strong control in that first season with just four walks and one hit batsmen. However, opponents were hitting Weiman at a .273 clip and he posted a 1.20 WHIP, which still stands as a career-high for the left-hander. Because of this, he would head back to the Black Bears to start the 2018 season.
With a whole off-season to prepare for his first full season of professional baseball, Weiman advanced to Class A West Virginia Power and was better than ever and his numbers showed that. He posted just a 1.29 ERA in 14 appearances while picking up three saves in four save opportunities. He held the opposition to a .212 average while allowing just 21 hits in his 27 innings of work. Of those 21 hits he allowed, only five of them went for extra bases with three doubles and two home runs. With Weiman showing improvement, he was promoted to the Advanced Class A Bradenton Marauders in May of that year.
The jump to Bradenton saw Weiman's numbers jump once again as his ERA ballooned to 3.90 in 32.1 innings of work. However, his strikeout numbers continued to be strong and he struck out 37 while walking just six batters. He was cursed by the home run ball, allowing three in his 22 appearances, but was able to limit extra-base hits allowing just eight of his 33 hits allowed to go for extra bases. Due to injuries at the Double-A level, Weiman would have a chance to pitch with the Altoona Curve at the end of 2018, making him the first member of his draft class to make it to that level.
He had a strong audition with the Curve throwing 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out five and walking one in his three games played. Because of his infant success at Double-A in 2018, Weiman earned his first invitation to Big League Spring Training. He allowed just one earned run in three appearances that year before being sent down to Minor league camp. However, he made a good impression on the Major League coaching staff and was able to take his momentum into the 2019 regular season.
He started last season in Double-A and was able to continue his success from the 2018 season. He posted a 1.86 ERA in 19.1 innings of work and went a perfect 2-2 in the save department. After, being plagued by the home run ball at every level of the Minor Leagues the year before, he was able to hold opponents in the park with the Curve. He allowed just one home run with Double-A and allowed just three extra-base hits. Weiman would take the final step in his Minor League career getting the call to Triple-A Indianapolis on June 8th as he began putting pressure on Major League relievers.
However, Weiman would only get to pitch in eight games for the Indians as two separate Injured List stints would end his season. He went on the IL July 12th with shoulder tendinitis and progressed well being activated on August 1st. However, three days later he was back on the IL and would stay there until the end of the season. In the games he did pitch in Triple-A, he saw his ERA go to a career-high 4.26 ERA, but that could have been the result of his injury. He didn't have nearly as good control as he had in previous seasons, walking four batters in 11.2 innings of work while striking out 10 batters.
Weiman looks to battle his way back from injury in 2020, and return to his dominant nature that he was brought up with. Weiman has a two-pitch arsenal featuring a fastball, slider combination. His fastball has average velocity topping out in the low 90's and he uses it to get ahead in the count. He balances that out with a nasty slider that fades down and into left-handed batters. His slider hits between the upper 70's and lower 80's and offers a nice contrast from his fastball. It is his main strikeout pitch as he generates an average of 10.01 strikeouts per nine innings.
The thing Weiman needs to work on before coming to the Big Leagues is keeping the ball in the yard. While he has been able to limit his extra-base hits, the home run is what has plagued him throughout his career. His HR per nine has seen an increase every season he has pitched in professional baseball and topped out at a career-high 1.16 last season. Part of this might be due to his lower velocity for a back-end reliever. With a fastball topping out at only 92 miles per hour, opposing hitters can catch up to the pitch more easily, and, when they do, they can hit it harder and farther leading to the elevated power numbers.
Weiman has shown promise throughout his young career, and 2020 will test his resilience on the mound. He is trying to come back from injury and poor performance as he tries to once again lead his class as the first to make it to the Major Leagues. Weiman is one of the best relief prospects in the Pirates system and before long he will be helping to close out games at the Major League level whether that be as a closer or a late-inning reliever.
Prediction: 2-1, 2.34 ERA (22 Games)
Because of the setbacks he faced last season, I don't think 2020 will be Blake Weiman's year to make it to the MLB. He will need a full season of development at Triple-A before he is ready to come up and face big-league hitters. If he can limit the number of home runs he allows and continue his strong control and strikeout numbers, I can see him being a force to be reckoned with in the back-end of the Pirates bullpen by 2021, and for many years after that.
It is still uncertain as to when the 2020 MLB season is set to begin, but we at Buccos Cove are determined to continue to bring you strong content. Until the 2020 season begins, we will continue looking at the players who make up the 2020 Pirates organization and how they will impact the organization this season.
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