Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Finnegan has had a crazy year. After getting a September call up in 2014, he became the first pitcher to pitch in both the College World Series and MLB World Series in the same year. In 2015, he was up and down with the Royals, being used as a reliever with the big club but mostly a starter in the minor leagues. The Royals traded the hard throwing lefty in a package for Johnny Cueto, and since than he’s been used as a permanent starter in the Reds minor league system.
Finnegan wasn’t impressed with how the Royals treated him,
“The Royals kind of screwed me over this year,” Finnegan said. “I wouldn’t have done what I did if it wasn’t for them last year. But you could tell they just didn’t have a clue what to do with me.”
Statistically Finnegan has had not only major league success as a reliever, but has posted much better numbers in general when not starting. In eight starts with the Louisville, the Cincinnati Reds AAA affiliate, Finnegan has been tuned up to an 0-3 record with 6.23 ERA and a 1.582 WHIP. His 2015 season as a whole in the minors, with 15 starts in 19 appearances, has been rough as the 22-year-old hasn’t posted a win and has a 5.65 ERA with a 1.640 WHIP split between the Reds and Royals organizations – a far cry from his 2.96 ERA in 14 bullpen appearances with the Royals this season.
Finnegan has stated his desire to remain a starter, despite his mixed results in the minor leagues.
“I like starting,” Finnegan said. “Once I’m in that mentality, it’s one of those things where it can get pretty scary for other people. Getting back into it has been tough, but I’ve got a great team to do it with. These guys have been very welcoming.”
Ironically enough, Delino DeShields, Finnegan’s manager in Louisville doesn’t think Finnegan is best projected as a starter, but more as a set up guy in the bullpen, where he’s had a better track record.
“Honestly, I see him as a power arm in the bullpen,” DeShields said. “I see him as a guy who can pitch seventh and eighth inning of ball games — lefty who can be a setup type of guy. I think his stuff will play better in that role.”
“But we’ll see. He’s a young guy. He hasn’t pitched a whole lot. This is really his first year of pro ball, so it’s probably too soon to label him.”
Finnegan’s season is over, as the Reds haven’t elected to call him up this month, so it remains to be seen where he’ll project as a big league pitcher.
