Breaking Down MLB's Next Golden Era of Left-Handed Pitching Prospects

2014 was a good year to be a left-handed pitcher.

Clayton Kershaw is proof of that, as the Los Angeles Dodgers ace captured both the Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award in the National League while leading the major leagues in ERA for the fourth consecutive year.

The postseason belonged to 25-year-old Madison Bumgarner, who guided the San Francisco Giants to their third World Series title in five years behind a 1.03 ERA in 52.2 innings. The southpaw fired two shutouts across four playoff series, and his five innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen in Game 7 of the Fall Classic will be remembered as one of the greatest pitching performances in baseball history.

Meanwhile, Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox furthered his reputation as one of the game’s premier left-handed pitchers, posting a 2.17 ERA while striking out at least 200 batters for the second consecutive year. Free agent Jon Lester’s remarkable career in Boston earned him a six-year, $155 million contract from the Cubs this offseason, while David Price set an arbitration record with his one-year, $19.75 million deal with the Tigers.

The upcoming season will usher in a new wave of left-handers to the major leagues, as there’s an unusually high number of southpaws that rank among the game’s top pitching prospects heading into 2015.

To highlight this collection of talent, we’re going to take an in-depth look at left-handers that will be ranked in the top half of Prospect Pipeline’s forthcoming top 100 prospects for 2015. So even though guys like Marco Gonzales, Brandon Finnegan and Kyle Freeland are legitimate top-100 prospects, they won’t be featured in this article.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at MLB’s next golden era of left-handed pitching prospects.

	Team	Age	Fastball	Curveball	Slider	Changeup	Command	OFP
Julio Urias	LAD	18	65	60	-	60	60	70
Carlos Rodon	CHW	22	60	-	70	55	50	70
Daniel Norris	TOR	21	60	50	60	60	50	60
Andrew Heaney	LAA	23	60	-	60	55	60	60
Steven Matz	NYM	23	65	65	-	60	50	60
Henry Owens	BOS	22	55	55	-	65	50	60
Sean Manaea	KCR	23	65	-	60	50	50	60

Before we get carried away, I thought it might be helpful to compare the seven players based on their ages, individual pitch grades, command and overall future potential. These are the same scouting grades and OFPs (based on the 20-80 scouting scale where 50 represents major league average) that appeared in each left-hander's individual write-up as part of his team's top 10 prospects feature.

Julio Urias, Los Angeles Dodgers (18)

Urias solidified his status as one of the game’s top prospects in 2014, as the precocious left-hander dominated older hitters in the hitter-friendly California League in his age-17 season.

After celebrating his 18th birthday on Aug. 12, Urias capped his outstanding campaign by posting a 0.44 ERA with 31 strikeouts over his final 20.1 innings (five starts) for High-A Rancho Cucamonga. On the season, the southpaw pitched to a 2.36 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 109 strikeouts in 87.2 innings while also holding opposing hitters to a dismal .194/.292/.290 batting line.

Urias’ stuff and feel for his craft are truly special, and not just in context of his age. The 5’11”, 160-pound left-hander’s mechanics are smooth and repeatable, which allows for him to find a consistent release point from a three-quarters slot. His fastball already sits in the low 90s and bumps 94-95 mph, and he’s adept at manipulating the pitch so as to generate both sinking and cutting action.

The southpaw’s curveball shows plus potential in the 78-82 mph range, and he has a distinct feel for changing the shape and pace via adding/subtracting. Urias also throws a fading changeup in the low 80s with late fading action, though his feel for the pitch lags behind his other two offerings. 

Urias isn’t your average pitching prospect, and, so far, the Dodgers haven’t treated him as such, challenging the teenager with aggressive full-season assignments.

"I've never had an 18-year-old that I've played with or managed with that kind of polish with four pitches," said Rancho Cucamonga manager P.J. Forbes via MiLB.com. "You watch him throw a bullpen [session], it's special. You watch him attack hitters during a game, it's special. There's really not enough adjectives to explain or talk about his development this year because it just seems to continue to grow.

"You talk to [pitching coach Matt] Herges or stand in on a bullpen and watch him, he's so meticulous. If he doesn't throw one ball where he wants to throw it, you can tell by his reaction that he's not happy with it. You can see what a perfectionist he is. You just don't expect that from a kid who really should be pitching as a senior in high school. You feel lucky to be able to run him out there every fifth day and continue to watch the growth and the maturity."

The 18-year-old is a safe bet to reach the major leagues as a teenager, possibly as early as 2016, though it may take him several years to work his way to the front of the rotation. Everything about Urias is special, and it’s why he’ll enter the 2015 season ranked as the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball.

Carlos Rodon, Chicago White Sox (22)

The White Sox promoted Carlos Rodon, the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, to Triple-A Charlotte in mid-August, less than a month after he made his professional debut in the rookie-level Arizona League.

The 22-year-old impressed at the minor leagues' highest level, posting a 3.00 ERA with 18 strikeouts over 12 innings (three starts), including 15 over his final two starts. There was even talk that the White Sox might call him up in September to pitch out of the bullpen.

Rodon, who received a franchise-record signing bonus of $6.582 million, has everything one looks for in a potential front-end starter with a durable frame, three offerings with plus-or-better potential and the type of competitive mound presence that can’t be taught. Specifically, Rodon’s arsenal is highlighted by a 93-98 mph heater that usually sits around 94-95 and a 70-grade slider that will help him pile up strikeouts in the major leagues like he did at North Carolina State.

Rodon’s overall command is in need of refinement, naturally, and his changeup requires further development, but the White Sox seem confident that their promising left-hander can make swift adjustments on the go against the game’s top hitters.

Rodon will compete during spring training for a spot in the South Siders’ Opening Day rotation, although there’s also a possibility that the team chooses to break him in a bullpen role. Right now, the club seems to be playing things by ear:

"We didn’t draft this guy third in the nation to be a reliever,” pitching coach Don Cooper, who watched Rodon throw a bullpen session Friday, said via J.J. Stankevitz of CSNChicago.com. “At some point he’s going to be a starter. We haven’t discussed when is that point. Right now he’s going to come to spring training, show us what he can do and he’s going to give us all the information we need.”

The White Sox stand to save a year of team control over Rodon by having him begin the season in the minor leagues, a move that would also makes sense given John Danks and Hector Noesi’s respective abilities to hold down the back end of the rotation. However, once Rodon arrives, he’ll be up to stay, and it shouldn’t take him long to emerge as one of baseball’s premier left-handed pitchers.

Daniel Norris, Toronto Blue Jays (21)

Daniel Norris struggled to find the zone early in his career, but he turned things around in a hurry after making a mechanical adjustment in late 2013 while at Low-A Lansing. The adjustment allowed him to execute his full arsenal both inside and outside of the strike zone in 2014, resulting in a drastically improved strikeout and walk rates.

With four pitches that range from average to plus, including by a trio of future grade-60 offerings in a low- to mid-90s fastball, sharp slider and sinking changeup, it’s hard not to think that Norris is merely tapping the surface of his bat-missing potential. The 21-year-old always had been difficult to square up, but his knack for throwing strikes and generating whiffs last season pushed his overall effectiveness to a whole new level. He learned to induce consistently weak contact and continues to keep the ball in the yard.

All that said, Norris still has a ways to go in terms of refining his control and command, especially when pitching with runners on base or when he’s behind in the count. Furthermore, the left-hander underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow following the season, meaning there might be some limitations to his workload in 2015.

Norris will need to thoroughly develop his curveball and changeup and continue to make strides with his command to become an impact No. 3 starter in the major leagues. But even if he fails to achieve his full potential, the left-hander’s deep arsenal and aggressive approach should help carve out a career as a back-end starter.

Norris, who spent a portion of the offseason living out of his 1978 Volkswagen van, will compete during spring training for the final spot in the Blue Jays’ Opening Day rotation, but he’s likely to begin the season back in Triple-A. However, general manager Alex Anthopoulos does expect Norris to pitch out of the rotation at some point in 2015, according to a tweet from Ben Nicholson-Smith of sportsnet.ca.

Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels (23)

Andrew Heaney opened 2014 with a dominant showing between the Double-A and Triple-A levels, which resulted in a promotion to the major leagues in early June. However, the 23-year-old left-handed pitcher couldn’t replicate his minor league success against the game’s top hitters, going 0-3 with a 6.53 ERA and five home runs allowed in 20.2 innings over four starts.

Heaney continued to scuffle after returning to Triple-A, registering a 4.30 ERA and yielding eight more home runs over his final 60.2 innings (11 starts), but he still returned to the major leagues in September and looked sharp, notching four strikeouts and allowing just two hits over 4.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

“Everyone says to keep the ball down—you hear that all time—but when you give up some homers, it starts to sink in a lot more,” said Heaney via Mike Digiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. “To experience some ups and downs, to go through that roller coaster emotionally and physically, was a learning experience.”

During the offseason, Heaney was dealt to the Dodgers in December as part of the Dee Gordon trade, only to be traded to the Angels in return for Howie Kendrick.

At 6’2”, Heaney’s frame is both wiry and athletic with room to add strength. As for his stuff, the left-hander features an above-average fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 95 with late life. His command of the pitch was challenged last season in the major leagues, but there isn’t any reason to believe it won’t improve with experience.

His go-to secondary pitch is an above-average slider that he can throw for a strike early in the coun, and then use it to put away hitters out of the zone when ahead. The left-hander made significant progress developing his changeup last season, partially in response to facing more advanced right-handed hitters, and it should at least be a solid-to-average offering at maturity.

Heaney should have the opportunity to crack the Angels’ Opening Day rotation, though that might depend on Garrett Richards’ health.

Steven Matz, New York Mets (23)

The New York Mets selected Steven Matz in the second round of the 2009 draft, but the left-hander underwent Tommy John surgery after signing and didn’t make his professional debut until 2012. Since then, however, the 23-year-old has made up for the lost time with a dominating ascent through the Mets system.

Matz started receiving rave reviews last spring in major league camp, which was when members of the organization began discussing him in the same sentence as top prospect Noah Syndergaard. His performance between the High-A and Double-A levels only brought on more hype.

Matz pitched to 1.28 ERA with 48 strikeouts and nine walks over his final 42.1 innings (seven starts), and he struck out a season-high 11 batters over 7.1 innings Sept. 12 and helped the B-Mets capture the Eastern League crown.

The 6’2”, 200-pound left-hander uses a heavy, low- to mid-90s fastball to both miss bats and generate ground balls, while his curveball and changeup each have the potential to become an above-average pitch with refinement.

The endless praise of Matz has continued to roll in this offseason, with Mets Triple-A manager Wally Backman proclaiming that he’s the best pitching prospect in the system. Meanwhile, two other coaches within the organization went so far as to compare him to greats such as Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner.

From John Harper of the New York Daily News:

"

Certainly there is something about Matz that inspires visions of greatness. Last year Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen compared him to another lefty, one Clayton Kershaw, raving about how explosively the ball comes out of his hand.

And now Frank Viola, the Mets’ Triple-A pitching coach whom Matz credits for teaching him the mental part of pitching when they were both in Class-A Savannah in 2013, invokes the name of the lefty who all but singlehandedly won the World Series for the Giants last season. Yep, Madison Bumgarner.

"

Hyperbole aside, there’s no question that Matz’s future is bright. He won’t break camp in the starting rotation, but given his progress and success over the last two years, Matz should finish the season taking the ball every fifth day for the Mets.

Henry Owens, Boston Red Sox (22)

Owens doesn’t have an overpowering arsenal, but his combination of an aggressive approach, a deceptive delivery and feel for changing hitters’ eye levels with three pitches has made him one of the more proficient strikeout artists in the minor leagues. In 2014, the left-hander went 17-5 in 26 starts with a 2.94 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 159 innings for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.

The 6’6” left-hander’s fastball sits in the 88-92 mph range with sink, and his changeup is a future plus offering thrown in the upper 70s with late sink and fade to the arm side. His curveball flashes solid-average potential when he’s around the plate, and he’s comfortable adding and subtracting with the pitch, but it’s still his least consistent offering.

Owens has proved to be difficult to barrel for the same reasons he consistently misses bats; he knows how to disrupt hitters’ timing, and he throws everything with conviction. He’ll inevitably get hit around more in the major leagues, though that should force him to consistently keep the ball down in the zone.

Lastly, Owens has been more durable than the average high school draft pick, working at least 100 innings in each of his first three pro seasons. More recently, the established a career high in 2014 with 159 innings pitched.

Owens still projects as more of a mid-rotation starter than staff ace due to his lack of a dominant pitch and slightly below-average command, but there’s still something to be said for his ability to miss bats in what’s been an accelerated rise though the minor leagues. The 22-year-old will return to Triple-A Pawtucket to open the season, where he’ll continue to refine his breaking ball and control. And if all goes as planned, Owens will be ready to make his Red Sox debut at some point during the second half.

Sean Manaea, Kansas City Royals (23)

There was an argument that Sean Manaea was the top college pitcher in the 2013 draft before a hip injury caused him to drop to the 34th overall pick. The Royals showed faith in the left-hander with a $3.55 million bonus, and he rewarded them in his professional debut with a 3.11 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 121.2 innings (25 starts) at High-A Wilmington.

Manaea, 23, was especially dominant over his final eight outings, with a 1.23 ERA and 55-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 51.1 innings, and he capped his pro debut with 12 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in his final start.

Manaea’s fastball works comfortably in the low 90s, occasionally reaching 94-95 mph, and he uses his height and long arms to create plane. The southpaw’s slider is potentially an above-average pitch, thrown with tilt and late biting action, while his changeup should settle in around average but with a chance to play up with improved fastball command.

His overall command profile is fringy due to some of the effort in his delivery, but at the same time, that effort is also why he’s so deceptive. Plus, I’m willing to bet his command will improve naturally with experience.

Manaea is likely to open 2015 in Double-A after spending his entire professional debut at High-A, and he’ll probably remain there for the duration of the season. The Royals have pitching prospects Kyle Zimmer and Brandon Finnegan above Manaea on the depth chart, so there will be no reason to rush the 23-year-old’s development next season. A midseason debut in 2016 is a more realistic estimated time of arrival in the major leagues.

*All stats courtesy of either FanGraphs or Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

Want to talk prospects? Hit me up on Twitter: @GoldenSombrero