Toronto Blue Jays prospect Ricky Tiedemann is bringing the noise all the way down in Double-A New Hampshire. Expectations were high for the southpaw pitcher as he continues to live up to them. The young flame-thrower has been turning heads since his remarkable Spring Training campaign. Although, Tiedemann’s 2023 debut was stalled due to a shoulder injury, making two spring appearances with the club. With his success so far, the promising starter will look to accelerate his timeline to get to the big leagues sooner than later.
Blue Jays Prospect Ricky Tiedemann On Radar
Ricky Tiedemann struck out every batter he got out in his 3 inning start. Allowed just 2 hits and had 13 whiffs on 49 pitches. 44.9% CSW!pic.twitter.com/9EvyPaan2R
— Chris Clegg (@RotoClegg) April 13, 2023
The hype surrounding Tiedemann has caught the eye of almost everyone in the Blue Jays organization. Manager John Schneider was among the ones who were in awe of the 20-year-old season debut in the minors. Tiedemann took the mound on April 13, striking out nine batters in three innings of work with his fastball touching 99 MPH on the radar gun. Coming off his dominant performance followed up with a start against the New York Yankees Double-A Somerset. He threw 3 2/3 innings in a one-run ball game with one hit, walking two, and striking out six.
Tiedemann did run into different situations at times. His encounter against Jasson Dominguez allowed him to score on a sacrifice flyer. The young lefty did settle down afterward, throwing 12 swings and misses on pitches, both of which are season highs.
What Tiedemann Needs to Do Next
Through two starts this season, #BlueJays No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann has thrown 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball and struck out 15.
He’s good enough already and that’s not news. This is all about finishing touches, a starter’s routines and setting up a proper workload.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) April 19, 2023
There are a few signs that the Blue Jays need to look for that suggest Tiedemann is ready for the majors. First, he needs to continue to trust his fastball and stay aggressive. He can’t avoid it, even if he gives up a hit or a run. He needs to keep going after hitters by pounding the strike zone. Next, Tiedemann needs to understand how he can get ahead of the count and how many pitches he can get to stay ahead. Essentially, he needs to have the ability to be in the zone and move it in-and-out of the location each time.
Another big thing is how quality can swing counts. If he has a batter that’s ahead of the count, Tiedemann will need a quality pitch, one that is in the top corner and not one down in the middle of the zone. Those will be some of the biggest challenges he will need to take on if he wants to advance through his development.
Will Tiedemann Have a 2023 Debut?
It’s unlikely the Blue Jays will bring up their top prospect this year, but more so in 2024. However, the Blue Jays want to see Tiedemann rise to the occasion, and it’s easy to think about him striking out MLB hitters one day. He shows signs of a breakout year as he improved from his incredible debut last summer. He dominated three minor league levels as the Blue Jays don’t want him as a leverage reliever but a front-of-the-rotation starter. His control will continue to improve, which includes some long levers with a lower arm slot in his delivery. The next step will be to eat those innings in the minors with more frequent starts that will help him push toward being a top-three starter in the rotation.
Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
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