Minor Leagues Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
Pat Pederson surprised even himself.
After turning in a season that even the front office types in Chicago couldn’t ignore, the 20-year-old Pederson won the Pitcher of the Year award from the San Pedro de Macoris Green Sox, the Short Season A level affiliate of the Black Sox.
Pederson, a 20-year-old Canadian, went 3-1 with a 1.79 ERA for the Green Sox, throwing 100.1 innings while striking out 126 batters and walking 51. His ERA ranked him 2nd in the Angela Drake league, while his strikeouts ranked him 1st. He also was selected to the Sub-League 2 All-Star team, and finished 2nd in the end-of-the-season balloting for the SL2 Outstanding Pitcher Award.
Pat Pederson
The BBA Scouting Consortium has always been impressed with Pederson’s “stuff,” rating him 9/9 in that category. The scouts are less than impressed with his pitch movement or control, though, rating him 2/2 and 1/1, respectively, for those skills.
And the scouts still aren’t convinced. His latest scouting report concludes: “Pederson may eventually play a role as an emergency fill-in due to injury, but is unlikely to play a bigger role than that.”
Still, this season’s showing was not a complete fluke.
Pederson, a 2038 discovery by the then-Huntsville Phantoms scouting staff, turned in a solid season for the Monclova Rookie League team in 2039 (3.84, 5-5) and again in 2040 (2-2, 2.12). Sox management was convinced by then that Pederson was worth moving through the system and promoted him to San Pedro for this season.
Now, he’ll get a shot at the Florida Prospect League and then likely move on to Grand Junction for a full Single A season next year.
“The scouts keep telling us to forget about Pat, but he keeps pitching and making people notice,” said Chicago GM Vic Caleca. “Well, we’ve noticed for sure after 3 straight fine seasons. We’ll give him opportunities now and see what he makes of them.”
Pederson, for one, can’t wait.
“Hey, that’s all I ask for is a chance,” he said. “I don’t care what the scouts say. I know I can pitch, and I’ll show everyone else I can, too.”
Stay tuned.