Two Major One Minor 080514

Here is my 12th Two Major One Minor segment of 2014. This is my fourth year of doing this series where I feature two Major League players and one minor league player each week. This week I am featuring Dellin Betances, Brad Boxberger and Andy Oliver.

RHP Betances of the New York Yankees is an imposing figure out of the bull pen at 6-foot-8 and 260. He is dominating batters as he is 4-0, 1.49 ERA, 98 K, 0.74 WHIP, 1 SV in 66.1 IP over 49 games. It is always impressive when a relief pitcher reaches the triple digit mark in strikeouts. He has been doing it at a rate of 13.3/9 while only giving up 20 walks. This is his break out year but over three MLB seasons with the Yankees he is 4-0, 2.31 ERA, 110 K, 0.91 WHIP, 1 SV in 74.0 IP over 57 games. He was originally drafted by the Yankees in the eighth round in 2006 out of high school. Betances turned 26 on March 23.

RHP Boxberger is also establishing himself as a dominate force out of the bull pen for the Tampa Bay Rays. This season he is 2-1, 2.00 ERA, 71 K, 0.82 WHIP, 1 SV in 45.0 IP over 43 games. His K/9 rate is even better at 14.2 and he has only allowed 16 walks. Over three MLB seasons with the Rays and Padres he is 2-2, 2.38 ERA, 128 K, 1.15 WHIP, 2 SV in 94.2 IP over 85 games. He was originally drafted by the Reds with the 43rd pick of the first round in 2009, traded to the Padres in 2011 and traded to the Rays in 2014. Boxberger turned 26 on May 27.

LHP Oliver is reinventing himself as a closer in the Pirates organization after struggling as a starter in a couple brief stints in the MLB. This season with Triple A Indianapolis he is 2-2, 2.17 ERA, 70 K, 1.11 WHIP, 13 SV in 54.0 IP over 38 games. He has an 11.7/9 K rate but has walked 33. Over two MLB seasons with the Detroit Tigers he was 0-5, 7.11 ERA, 23 K, 1.83 WHIP in 31.2 IP over 7 games across 2010 and 2011. He was originally drafted by the Tigers in the second round in 2009 and was traded to the Pirates in 2012. Oliver will be 27 on December 3rd.