Mike FoltynewiczHow did he get here?: Drafted, 2010 (1st Round, 19th overall)
Stats: 6'4", 200 lbs, Throws: Right
Age as of April 1, 2011: 19
Birthplace/Hometown: Minooka, IL
Men of the Match: 2
2010 Overview
| IP | ERA/WHIP | K:BB | BAA | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 44.2 | 4.03/1.37 | 39:15 | .272 | 7.9 | 3.0 |
What happened?
Foltynewicz (whose name was on cut-and-paste for the first three weeks of the season) was the Astros second 1st-Round pick, and his high pick was met with generally good reviews:
Jim Callis: Foltynewicz gives Houston the best HS arm in Illinois two years in a row. I like how Houston takes the guys it wants, and bucks consensus.
Foltynewicz turned down a scholarship to play for the Longhorns, and signed on June 14, spending the entire season in Greeneville, resulting in a #7 ranking in Baseball America's Top 20 App League prospects.
What went right?
Pitching to righties. Foltynewicz allowed a .240 BAA to RHBs, striking out 23, and walking eight - with no homers allowed.
Home Games. Seven of his 12 starts were at home, where he allowed a 2.86 ERA/1.16 WHIP, and a .223 BAA.
Groundballs. Over the course of the season, Foltynewicz's GB:FB ratio was 2.07 - which I believe is the highest we've seen on the team so far. No matter how that ranking shakes out, getting twice as many groundballs as flyballs is a good sign.
What went wrong?
August 6. The number-killer outing of the year came at Princeton, where he allowed 7H/8ER in 2.1IP. You take that out, and he's sitting at 2.55 ERA / 1.23 WHIP. Of course, you can't just drop one start, but still, it's pretty telling. After that start, Foltynewicz finished the season with 18.2IP, 15H/1ER, 16K:3BB.
Lefties. Lefties hit .323 against him, including hitting all three homers, a 1.42 GB:FB ratio, with 21H + 7BB to 49 outs.
Appy Astros says: Folty did better than his numbers show. He had some learning opportunities (2 rough outings) but finished very strong.
Foltynewicz is all but in Lexington in 2011. Given his size, age, and stuff, Foltynewicz could be on a fast track, rejuvenating the perception of the Astros' farm system.
