Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Mitch White

Mitch White is a 29-year-old right-handed pitcher who came to us in a trade from the Dodgers on August 2nd, 2022. We sent Moises Brito and Nick Frasso to LA for him and Alex De Jesus. I was a fan of Nick Frasso, so I wasn’t thrilled with the trade.

Frasso is now 25 and ranked #97 on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects list. He spent most of 2023 in Double-A and made four starts at Triple-A at the end of the season. In 25 starts, he had a 3.77 ERA, 31 walks, and 107 strikeouts in 93 innings. Brito pitched in the Dominican Summer League.

De Jesus played in Vancouver last year, playing short and third, and he hit .248/.340/.466.

Mitch? He has pitched in 20 games since coming to the Jays, with a 7.60 ERA in 55.2 innings. He’s had 23 walks and 44 strikeouts. Last year, he pitched mainly in Buffalo, with a 5.19 ERA in 59 innings.

Last year, he threw a cutter to add to his four-seam fastball, curve and slider.

He’s been a different pitcher this spring, throwing much harder. Last year, he averaged 93.8 on his fastball; this spring, he’s hit 97-98. BUT....in his 18 innings, he’s allowed 11 hits and 11 walks with 14 strikeouts. There have been good flashes (his last start against Boston, 5.2, 2 hits, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts, made me feel better), but 11 walks in 18 innings is not what we want to see.

He’s out of options. He will get a chance between that and the fact that he is throwing harder and can go multiple innings from the pen. What he does with it is the question.

PECOTA thinks he’ll pitch in 42 games, starting 6, with a 4.55 ERA over 64.1 innings.

ZiPS: 27 games, 14 starts (I’m taking the under), 80.1 innings, 4.60 ERA.

Steamer: 53 games, 2 starts, 4.12 ERA in 60.0 innings.