Last week, I took a look at some of the leaders in ground ball rate throughout the minor leagues. Ground ball pitchers are the most underappreciated and come with much less fanfare as they typically don't feature the type of pure stuff that scouts love. Knowing this gives us a competitive advantage as many of these pitchers have successful major league careers, but come with little hype, allowing us to acquire them cheaply for our fantasy teams. This week, I am moving on to the more traditionally exciting skill as I take a look at some of the strikeout rate leaders who are not currently in the majors.

P.J. Walters (Cardinals)
Walters got a taste of the majors earlier in the year, throwing 16.0 innings with an unsightly 9.56 ERA. However, the 24-year old has posted an 8.8 K/9 in Triple-A this season, to go along with strikeout rates of at least 9.0 in four of six previous stops. He has also shown improved control after his walk rate spiked last year during his first run at Triple-A, while inducing ground balls at a solid 48% rate. His average fastball velocity was just 88.8 miles per hour while pitching for the Cardinals, so it is possible he is one of those pitchers whose minor league skill set does not translate to the majors as a result of underwhelming stuff. If he gets another shot, he could be a good gamble in NL-Only leagues, whether it is later this year or sometime next season.

Hector Rondon (Indians)
Rondon has posted strikeout rates of around 9.0 at each stop from High-A to Triple-A this season, while showing excellent control. His ground ball rate is just below the league average, and could eventually pose a problem as typically ground ball rates decline from the minor leagues to the majors. If that occurs, we could be looking at a strong fly ball pitcher. However, Rondon is just 21 years old and has posted a sparkling 35:6 K/BB ratio in 35 innings during his first trial at Triple-A this year, so his name could become more familiar shortly.

Felix Doubront (Red Sox)
Doubront's skill trend looks intriguing. In 2006 and 2007, Doubront's strikeout rate reached no greater than 6.4 per nine, but then something clicked in 2008, when it jumped to 9.2 per nine innings. The good news is that upon his promotion to Double-A this season, his improved strikeout rate has been nearly sustained, at 8.6 per nine innings. Unfortunately, his control has taken a hit, as his BB/9 has risen to 4.1 after typically sitting in the 2.5-3.0 range. He also sports a career ground ball rate of 47%, which is a bit above average. Just 21 years old, the lefty might start getting some more recognition on Sox prospect lists soon.

Jeremy McBryde (Padres)
The 22-year old has posted a 9.8 K/9, to go along with a 2.3 BB/9 at High-A this year, as he moves slowly up the ranks of Single-A, at which he has pitched since 2007. His ERAs have been over 4.00 at each stop, but some terrible defense behind him should take most of the blame. In addition, he is a fly ball pitcher, so the home run ball has been a problem, but if he ever makes it to the majors and remains with the Padres, obviously PETCO is the park you want to call home. He still appears to have a ways to go as the Padres could very well be simply look at his high ERAs and pushing him up the levels slowly as a result. Check out his 2007 stats: his ERA was 4.28, but his FIP was just 2.64, a difference caused by a ridiculous .381 BABIP and 63% strand rate!

Simon Castro (Padres)
Here is another Padres minor league pitcher suffering from some bad defensive luck. He has posted a 10.4 K/9 at Single-A this season, while showing much improved control, with a BB/9 of 2.4. His biggest problem in 2007-2008 was that walk rate, which began above 5.0 in 2007 in the Rookie league, but has declined considerably since, even as he has moved up in the system. He has been pretty average in terms of ground ball rate, which prevents me from getting too excited, but he is just 21 years old and improving his skills at each level, which is a great sign.
 

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