Blue Jays Farm Report: Adam Macko discovering why sometimes less is more

Baseball

Published 08.08.2023

Blue Jays Farm Report: Adam Macko discovering why sometimes less is more

TORONTO – Adam Macko is studying to belief course of over outcomes throughout his first season as a prospect within the Toronto Blue Jays farm system.

In years previous, if the 22-year-old had a tricky outing, or if his numbers had been lagging, he’d look to make adjustments in his mechanics, maybe, or possibly pitch grip, one thing, something, to provide a greater final result as rapidly as attainable.

Outworking others is how the Slovakia-born, Alberta-raised lefty made it to professional ball within the first place and his willpower was the purpose supply for his confidence. As a end result, “having faith when things are not going according to plan is just as hard for me as the next guy, I’d say even harder sometimes,” he conceded.

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Still, since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners within the winter as a part of the Teoscar Hernandez deal, Macko is beginning to settle for that there must be “a bit of a change in that mindset.”

“Just like me staying healthy is not always doing more, it’s maybe doing less, the Blue Jays are really helping me figure out how not changing things can be a good thing for me, even if things are not going the right way, because not everything is going to go my way, even if I’m doing everything perfect,” he mentioned in a latest interview. “They’ve been really opening my eyes about learning how to stay the same guy every time out there and how that’s more valuable than changing things. It does show up every once in a while in an outing where I’m like, ‘Yeah, this is the person I want to be.’ And I didn’t change anything. It’s just how it works out.”

Reinforcing that time are Macko’s previous two begins with the advanced-A Vancouver Canadians, when he threw 5 shutout innings towards Everett and Hillsboro, permitting solely a complete of 5 hits with six walks and 11 strikeouts. While his general stat line nonetheless features a 5.23 ERA and 1.476 WHIP, these numbers belie different markers of progress, each overt and covert.

On the overt entrance are his 63.2 innings logged over 15 begins, each profession highs and counting. And whereas his strikeouts per 9 charge is right down to 9.5 from the low teenagers, covertly “I’m actually metrically a better pitcher than I was last year, which is hard to believe,” he mentioned, “but I do believe that and it is going to show up.”

The Blue Jays imagine the positive aspects will finally present up for Macko and different pitchers within the farm system, too, one thing they’re relying on after sending double-A starters Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jordan Hicks forward of the commerce deadline.

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Both Robberse and Kloffenstein had been, in several methods, developmental success tales, the previous a uncooked expertise from the Netherlands in want of an influence increase to leverage his clear mechanics, the latter a thunder-armed righty who, after years of wheel-spinning, discovered constant command and a more practical technique to deploy his arsenal.

Had they remained within the group, they might have been at triple-A Buffalo subsequent season, offering the kind of upper-level beginning depth that’s been a gaping gap in recent times.

Macko received’t essentially get there subsequent yr, however with continued strides he might be knocking on the door someday in 2025 as a part of a wave behind up-and-down righty Bowden Francis, high prospect Ricky Tiedemann and lefty Jimmy Robbins, simply promoted to Buffalo from New Hampshire.

Devereaux Harrison and Dahian Santos are two different names to observe in Vancouver, lefty Kendry Rojas is having a pleasant season at low-A Dunedin, whereas 2023 draftees Jauron Watts-Brown, Landen Maroudis and Conner O’Halloran all have instruments for the pitching improvement workers to maximise.

“It was very difficult to part ways with both of them,” Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins mentioned of Robberse and Kloffenstein, “but I feel like we’re going to have more of those stories out of our international department, out of our player development, obviously, from the draft. That’s what makes us feel comfortable making a deal with subtractions of players of those calibre.”

Macko’s potential is an usually ignored component of the Hernandez deal, though like several prospect, there’s danger there.

Last yr, he battled elbow and knee accidents within the Mariners system that each stunted his improvement and left pitching wire-to-wire this yr “one of my biggest goals,” he mentioned.

To that finish, managing his work extra successfully was one key piece of the puzzle, as has been ensuring his supply is as clear as it may be to keep away from undue pressure in particular areas.

“My velocity has been harder than it has been for two years,” mentioned Macko. “All the things mechanically are syncing up. I’m not getting sore after outings, knock on wood. I’m feeling really good playing catch, all that stuff.”

Focal factors now embrace his sightlines to the plate and making psychological changes in how he works by way of conditions on the mound, in addition to making positive aspects along with his command.

“Learning how to be able to throw strikes and still like put guys away outside the zone and being able to expand on purpose, not by accident, is something that I’m still getting to,” mentioned Macko. “But I think that’s going to work out.”

Elsewhere within the Blue Jays system:

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons

Davis Schneider’s ascension to the majors final week was a deserved reward for somebody who pushed for a promotion all yr lengthy, and Addison Barger is one other participant turning up the warmth. The 23-year-old hit two extra homers with two doubles final week, and if the Blue Jays really feel they want extra offence throughout Bo Bichette’s absence, he’d actually be a candidate to supply some. Intriguingly, he’s largely been rotating by way of shortstop, third base and proper discipline however on July 27, he performed his first sport at second base this yr. He performed there 5 instances within the Arizona Fall League final yr. … Orelvis Martinez, who at 21 is 5.4 years youthful than the league common, continues feeling his manner by way of triple-A, batting .230/.310/.393 by way of his first 16 video games on the stage, splitting time in discipline evenly between quick and third. … Canadian righty Rowan Wick agreed to a minor-league take care of the Blue Jays final week and has made three appearances with the Bisons, hanging out 5 whereas accumulating a save in 3.1 shutout innings. The former Chicago Cubs reliever may be a useful resource for Hagen Danner, one other catcher-turned reliever within the Buffalo bullpen.

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Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is rejoining to the Fisher Cats this week after making three rehab begins, one within the GCL, two with low-A Dunedin. He struck out 9 in three shutout innings final week. Tiedemann hasn’t pitched in New Hampshire since leaving a May 4 begin with left biceps irritation. … Right-handed reliever Connor Cooke is on to his third stage of the season after getting promoted to Buffalo on Friday. The 23-year-old posted a 4.38 ERA in 20 appearances with the Fisher Cats however struck out 46 in a mere 24.2 innings. … Between the commerce of Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein to the Cardinals and the promotions of Jimmy Robbins and Paxton Schultz to Buffalo, the New Hampshire rotation has been almost completely worn out over the previous month. While Chad Dallas stays and Tiedemann is returning, the Blue Jays signed righty Trevor Clifton from the Ottawa Titans of the unbiased Frontier League to assist fill some gaps. The 28-year-old was final in affiliated ball in 2019, with triple-A Iowa within the Cubs system.

High-A Vancouver Canadians

Josh Kasevich is batting .328/.423/.492 in 17 video games since getting back from a three-week stint on the injured listing. The shortstop has walked 10 instances towards seven strikeouts throughout that span and if his offensive instruments hold catching as much as his defensive expertise, he’ll rise rapidly by way of the Blue Jays system. … Infielder Michael Turconi has reached base in 33 consecutive video games, batting .282/.430/.470 throughout that run. He hit for the cycle Aug. 2. … Reliever Matt Svanson, dealt to St. Louis within the Paul DeJong commerce, had simply been despatched from Vancouver to New Hampshire when he was moved. … Pat Gallagher, an Eleventh-round choose final yr, was moved up from low-A Dunedin amidst the organizational musical chairs brought on by the deadline. He allowed one run in 3.1 innings throughout his first outing with Vancouver after logging 52 frames in 11 outings, eight begins, with 63 strikeouts.

Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays

Lefty Brandon Barriera is being shut down once more after experiencing biceps soreness throughout a July 29 outing within the Florida Complex League. His velocity was additionally down throughout his two innings of labor that day, when he allowed a run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. The 2022 first-rounder has thrown solely 20 innings in seven begins due to accidents. … Right-hander Joey Murray, an eighth-round choose in 2018 who surged three ranges in 2019 earlier than arm accidents felled him, was launched July 29. He appeared in 9 video games with Dunedin this season, logging 11.2 innings.