Top Minor League Pitching Prospects Who Desperately Need a Third Pitch

Throughout the minor leagues, there are pitchers capable of excelling with essentially a two-pitch mix.

No, I’m not talking about relievers.

This season, there have been several up-and-coming young arms who have posted impressive statistics—in some cases, at multiple levels—while trying to iron out at least a third average offering.

For pitching prospects that possess two plus pitches, adding at least an average third pitch could mean the difference between a career as a No. 2 or Nos. 4 or 5 starter

Here is a look at five intriguing prospects who will need to thoroughly develop a third pitch before ultimately reaching the major leagues.

Tony Cingrani, LHP, Cincinnati Reds

Flying under the radar headed into the 2012 season, Cingrani has dominated hitters at both High-A and Double-A this season without possessing a true third pitch.

With a plus fastball-changeup combination, the 6’4” left-hander has pitched extremely well this season. He throws on a downward plane and gets late, arm-side action on both offerings.

Adding a breaking ball should aid his success against both right- and left-handed hitters as he continues to ascend the Reds' system.

Ariel Pena, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers

Acquired by the Brewers in the trade deadline deal that sent Zack Greinke to the Angels, Pena has a power arsenal that consists primarily of a plus fastball-slider combination. In fact, many scouts believe that his career may be in the bullpen and not the starting rotation, given his lack of a changeup—a pitch that should yield success given his fastball velocity.

Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves

After an absolutely dominant season at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2011, Teheran’s success is yet to carry over in the major leagues. In fact, just one year later, the right-hander has been one of the more inconsistent and disappointing pitchers at Triple-A.

With a mid-90s fastball that he sometimes locates aggressively and a changeup that still receives at least above-average grades, Teheran has been continually hampered by his lack of a breaking ball. When he does throw one, it’s seldom effective and basically serves a “show me” pitch.

Kyle Crick, RHP, San Francisco Giants

The top power arm in the Giants’ system, Crick’s fastball typically sits in the mid-90s, though he can reach back to scrape 96-97 miles per hour as needed.

The right-hander’s top secondary offering is his slider, although he can get around it at times and make it more slurvy. His changeup still has a ways to go, as he currently lacks the finesse and feel for it. However, compared to other players on this list, Crick is still in the low minors and will have time for it to thoroughly develop.

Matt Barnes, RHP, Boston Red Sox

Despite his success this season, Barnes is still essentially a fastball-curveball pitcher who will tenuously mix in a changeup at times. It’s not a terrible pitch, per se, but he lacks the feel and confidence for it and therefore tends to avoid throwing it.

Featuring a reliable third pitch should help the right-hander as he reaches higher minor-league levels and ultimately the major leagues.