We’ve already taken a look at five hitters that stood out during the 2023 Arizona Fall League. Now, we move to the pitching prospects that performed well. Here’s a look at five 2023 Arizona Fall League pitchers that stood out this past year.
Related: Five College Pitchers That Stood Out in the 2023 Cape Cod League Season
Davis Daniel
We start with Angels right-hander Davis Daniel, who pitched well in Arizona after a late-season cameo in the Majors. The former Auburn standout struck out 25 and walked just five over 19 innings and opposing hitters had a .152 batting average against the 26-year-old.
Daniel pitched well for the Angels last season, as he gave up just three earned runs over 12.1 IP in three September outings. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff but does command well on the mound. That could make him a potential back-of-the-end starter option for the Angels over the coming years.
Jackson Jobe
Tigers pitching prospect Jackson Jobe was one of the pitchers we highlighted as ones to watch back in September. Jobe has been lauded for his elite stuff, including a high-spin slider, cutter, and hard fastball. The former first-round pick missed time in 2023 but made up for it in October. Jobe struck out 19 over 15.2 IP and owned a 2.87 ERA.
Aside from Tarik Skubal, the Tigers have received inconsistent results from a number of the team’s young pitchers over the past two seasons. Not to mention, Casey Mize didn’t pitch at all this year. But if the Tigers can get Mize back in form and Jobe develops as expected, Detroit’s rotation could become quite formidable.
Ricky Tiedemann
Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Tiedemann put up eye-popping numbers across three levels in 2022 when the 21-year-old struck out 117 batters over 78.2 IP. The 2023 campaign wasn’t too kind to Tiedemann, as he spent much of the year on the IL thanks to biceps trouble. However, he made up for lost time in the AZL.
Tiedemann struck out 23 over 18 innings and owned a strong 2.50 ERA and a .190 opponent’s batting average. The lefty won the AZL Pitcher of the Year award for his results. He’s not easy to pick up at all, and his mid-90s heater & plus changeup combo could make Tiedemann an option for the Jays next season.
Carson Spiers
Another pitcher who performed well in the AZL this past month was Reds right-hander Carson Spiers. Spierers, who makes use of a low-to-mid-90s fastball, cutter, slider, and change, went 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 20:1 K:BB ratio over 18 frames.
Reds fans did get a look at Spiers this past September, as he along with fellow prospect Connor Phillips was called up to fill spots in a COVID-riddled roster. Spiers didn’t pitch great up with Cincinnati (6.92 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 12:7 K:BB over 13 IP), but the 26-year-old could be support for the Reds rotation in 2024.
Ryan Webb
Guardians pitching prospect Ryan Webb put up solid numbers in Single-A ball in each of the last two seasons. Webb saw time in the Arizona Fall League and had an up-and-down campaign. The 24-year-old gave up three home runs and walked 14, but he also struck out 36 and hitters batted just .198 against the former Georgia Bulldog.
The 24-year-old Webb has yet to reach Double-A as of yet, but he’ll likely move up to Akron next season.
