Atlanta Braves Newcomer: Rule 5 Selection Evan Rutckyj
Sep 16, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jason Grilli is honored as the Braves nominee for the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award before their game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
New Atlanta Braves Lefty Evan Rutckyj
Who Is He?
Evan Rutckyj is a native of Ontario, Canada. He was selected in the 16th round out of high school in 2010 by the New York Yankees. They sent him to the Gulf Coast League, but he threw only one scoreless inning that season.
In 2011, the Yankees returned him to the GCL. He pitched in 12 games, starting 8 of them. He accumulated 45 1/3 innings with a 4.76 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 24/37 BB/K ratio.
The Yankees moved him to the New York-Penn League in 2012 to their Staten Island squad to start the season. After 15 appearances, 14 of them starts, Rutckyj was moved up to Charleston of the South Atlantic League, where he made 6 starts. His final numbers in 2012 combined were 21 games pitched, 20 of them starts, 101 1/3 innings, 3.91 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and 49/86 BB/K.
In 2013, the Yankees had Rutckyj spend the entire season at Charleston, and the results were less than impressive, as he pitched in 25 games, 19 of them starts, racking up 118 innings with a 5.03 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and 60/102 BB/K ratio.
The Yankees moved Rutckyj to the bullpen in 2014, starting him in Charleston, but he did move up to high-A Tampa in the Florida State League midway through the season. His season totals between the levels were 34 appearances, 49 2/3 innings, 3.81 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 37/58 BB/K ratio.
Next: Rutckyj's scouting report
In 2015, something clicked with Rutckyj, and he made big strides in his performance. He started in high-A Tampa and finished his season with AA Trenton in the Eastern League. In total, he made 36 appearances, throwing 61 2/3 innings with a 2.63 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 21/82 BB/K. His splits were essentially equal to both sides of the plate, but that was only because lefties had an incredible .424 BABIP against him in order to post their .656 OPS allowed, whereas RH had a .685 OPS. Right handed hitters struck out roughly 28% of the time against Rutckyj while lefties struck out just over 40%. The Braves selected Rutckyj with the third pick in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings this December.
Jun 7, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Rutckyj Scouting Report
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I watched Evan’s last four relief appearances for AA Trenton on the season. In those appearances, he pitched 6 2/3 innings, with a 2.70 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 1/11 BB/K ratio.
Evan stands an impressive 6’5, but he’s listed at 213 pounds, and that number seems accurate, leaving him fairly lean on that taller frame. He sports a fastball that can run into the mid-90s, but typically runs more in the low-90s with excellent late life. He also has a biting slider that became a weapon this year when he changed from throwing a slower, deeper-breaking slider to a harder, later-breaking pitch. The slider now looks more like the fastball, and it really throws off hitters.
Evan has a motion that explains a lot of his control issues, which is why I could definitely see some adjustment in Atlanta. His leg stride for a 6’5 guy seems fairly short, and it’s certainly not consistent. He has a lot of movement in his arm within his motion as the ball starts at his chest in his glove, dips all the way down below his hip and then behind the hip, then follows a path up his back and up his arm until he releases it at just under a 3/4 pitch slot. While this does make the ball harder to pick up coming out of his hand for hitters from both sides of the plate, it also leaves Ruthckyj more susceptible than a typical lefty reliever to stolen bases.
In watching his pitching, Rutckyj is most effective when working his slider and fastball both at the knees with an occasional chest-high fastball. With his arm whip motion, he seems to really have hitters baffled when he climbs the ladder with a fastball when he otherwise keeps the ball down. When he tries the top of the zone too frequently, however, he doesn’t really have the sort of late life on his pitches to stop hitters from tattooing his pitches.
Next: 2016 outlook
Rutckyj has a change up that he throws as a “show me” pitch, but it’s not good at all. I saw maybe a dozen in the games I saw, and he bounced probably 8 of them. Granted, he got about 50% strikes on them because there is good life on the pitch, but it’s a pitch that he really can’t locate, so unless he’s on his best day of location, the change up isn’t really a good weapon for him.
Sep 27, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Daniel Winkler reacts as Miami Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna (13) rounds the bases after his home run in the seventh inning at Marlins Park. The Marlins won 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Rutckyj 2016 Outlook
While he has to remain in Atlanta this year, Rutckyj will benefit greatly from time with Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell working with him on consistency in his stride. His arm whip may make him more susceptible to stolen bases, but it also allows his average velocity to play up from the left side, so there’s some value in that portion of what he already does, but his legs not being consistent is certainly part of his issues with control.
I also had a chance during one of the games to see close ups on Rutckyj’s hands, and he does have smaller than average hands for a guy of his height. That should allow some interesting grip combinations with a cutter or sinker to work in a unique way for him if he wanted to work on them, and it’d give him a pitch with some wiggle on it if the Braves chose to have him do that instead of his change up.
The basics of the situation are easy. Rutckyj must stay with the Braves all season in order to be kept in the system. If his improvement in 2015 can stick, that won’t be an issue, and we’ll be looking at a very, very good LOOGY in the Braves bullpen. He could even have a role where he is able to face hitters on both sides of the plate.
By the way, if you didn’t catch the picture theme, each picture was of a current or recent Brave who was once a Rule 5 draftee!