With all the talk surrounding top prospect Nate Pearson’s move to Triple-A Buffalo and fresh prospects like Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson performing well since being acquired by the Blue Jays, there’s been little discussion on the young pitchers that were already in the system. That might all change now.
114 pitches, 73 strikes
Just one walk, one HBP and NO HITS!
WHAT.A.PERFORMANCE, @TJZeuch pic.twitter.com/NfFmZEXS4C
— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) August 20, 2019
Just slightly away from a perfect game, T.J. Zeuch has just thrown the second no-hitter in Buffalo Bisons history. Allowing only a single walk and one batter getting on base after getting hit, Zeuch showed some impressive dominance to set yet another milestone for some Blue Jays prospects.
With this no-no in hand, Zeuch’s ERA is now lowered to 3.84 in his first season in Triple-A. While he’s never been a strikeout machine, Zeuch has always been able to get outs with an extremely high groundball rate and this year it’s no different. With a 56.9 GB% is keeping his standard, as through 120 innings in Double-A New Hampshire last year, he kept it at a 55.2 GB% with only 6.08 K/9.
The 24-year-old was the Blue Jays’ first selection in the 2016 draft, at 21st overall, and has been able to steadily progress through the system and is currently the next one knocking on the major-league door. This performance will no doubt keep him in conversation for a debut in September.
It was a progressively stressful night for the Bisons as they kept the no-hitter alive and it all peaked when outfielder Jonathan Davis made a spectacular diving catch to keep the game blank for Rochester — with that being the 26th out of the game, it was a crucial grab from the defensively-minded fielder.
Jonathan Davis saving the ‘no’. pic.twitter.com/sHPft4ipL6
— Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) August 20, 2019
TJ Zeuch gets the ‘no’. Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/4l2GU2wCgv
— Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) August 20, 2019
As Zeuch and fellow Bisons jump for joy as he made this impressive feat, it’s another feel-good story that involves this crop of young Jays talent. Zeuch was already on his way to making his big-league debut this year, but now he has certainly caught everyone’s attention and will most likely be making that appearance before the season ends.
Maybe he’ll just do the same thing in September, you never know.
Awesome.
I think because if his lack of Ks Zeuch kind of gets forgotten about as a potential long term rotation piece. Admittedly I haven’t been high on him.
Hopefully he can take his high contact profile and become an asset to the big club. Certainly would like to see him get an opportunity.