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    Andrew Abbott (Photo: Mark Meeks/Todd Norris/Chattanooga Lookouts)
    Photo: Mark Meeks/Todd Norris/Chattanooga Lookouts

    Reds prospect Andrew Abbott strikes out 14 in a dominant start

    Doug Gray 12

    Andrew Abbott ended the 2022 season on a good run of starts after having some ups-and-downs during the summer with Double-A Chattanooga. Over the final three starts last season, Abbott threw 16.0 shutout innings while allowing just seven hits, three walks, and he struck out 21 of the 54 batters he faced (39%).

    That was just a teaser for what was going to come when 2023 began. The lefty was dominant in his season debut. Making a start on the road he tossed 4.2 hitless innings with a walk and 11 strikeouts against the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Somehow that performance seems tame in comparison to what he did on Thursday night. Making his home debut in 2023, Abbott threw 6.0 shutout innings, giving up just two singles, walking no one, and he struck out a career best 14 batters.

    This season almost couldn’t have started out better. 25 strikeouts, two hits, one walk, no runs, 10.2 innings pitched. Going back to the start of September last season he’s got 46 strikeouts, four walks, nine hits allowed, and no runs in 26.2 innings for the Chattanooga Lookouts. If he keeps going then he’s going to be making the drive to Louisville to join the Bats rotation in short order. That would be similar to how things went for the lefty last year when he was promoted from Dayton to Chattanooga after a month where he allowed two runs in 27.0 innings with seven walks and 40 strikeouts for the Dragons.

    Blake Dunn getting it done

    If you are still reading after that bad segue, thank you. Last night there wasn’t much that went right for the Dayton Dragons in their 15-3 loss to Great Lakes. One thing that did go right was Blake Dunn going 2-4 with his second homer of the season, scoring two runs, and driving in two runs.

    Dunn has played in five of the Dragons six games this season. He’s 4-13 with two home runs, four walks, two steals, and two strikeouts. His line on the year is .308/.474/.769. He’s driven in seven runs for good measure.

    Drafted back in 2021 in the 15th round out of Western Michigan, Dunn hasn’t had a bunch of time on the field. In 2021 after the draft he played in just 11 games. That’s not surprising given the late date of the draft these days. But last year he missed much of the season and only played in 37 games. If we include the five games he’s played in this year he’s played in just 53 games. That’s not a whole lot of time on the field. When he’s been on the field, though, he’s taken full advantage of it. He’s hitting .272/.422/.469 in his career with 31 walks, 42 strikeouts, and 27 stolen bases in 28 attempts. That kind of production will work.

    Doug Gray
    Doug Gray is the owner and operator of this website and has been running it since 2006 in one variation or another.

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    12 Responses

      1. Consistent off-speed command was the issue middle of last year. It looked like he was having issues holding the same arm slot through starts last year and so he was losing both shape and command/control, which left guys sitting on fastballs. Looked better at the end of last year and I was surprised to see him back here this year.

        1. That fastball command in the video was plus to me. He was hitting the glove with some precision.

    4. Wasting a lot of Abbott strikeouts in Tennessee. Let’s get him to Lville or even Cincy real soon

    5. Recalled this comment from last season about Dunn – “with his age Cincinnati may look to try and push him a bit quicker if he plays well.” Seems like a bit of Friedl and Fraley to his game – could he be in Chattanooga before July?

      1. It’s a challenge for me to find a comp for Dunn. He reminds me of a football strong safety playing baseball. Thing is, he’s plenty athletic enough to get things done (no punn intended). His speed is really good but its not the type of Drew Stubbs speed with ultra long strides swallowing up enormous patches of outfield. But he’s got a lot of burst. I’m almost reluctant to say it, but his movements being kind of choppy remind me of Pete Rose. Strong safety in a baseball uni. To be continued …

    6. Dunn’s injury in 2022 was scary. The human tank Ibarra was running full speed backwards chasing a foul ball and Dunn racing full speed in, coming together at the ball. In those cases, the tank typically wins and Dunn, I think, broke his shoulder blade. He was lucky it wasn’t more. That game was against St. Lucie so on of the few broadcasted.

      1. I recall that, and he had the hamate issue before. Fantastic numbers between the MAC and the minors, but very small sample size – still, given his age move him up as fast as possible until the numbers peak.

      1. I think I read they were or were about to start baseball activities. So maybe a rehab stint is just around the corner, fingers crossed.

    8. I must say, as much as I do not like to criticize players, Connor Phillips’ body language while being hit around and missing pitches tonight, IMO, is not a good look.

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