Atlanta Braves Sign Lefty Reliever Jacob Lindgren
By Fred Owens
The Atlanta Braves today announced the signing of former Yankee farmhand Jacob Lindgren to a one year major league deal.
Lindgren in recovering from ligament replacement surgery and won’t pitch in 2017. His signing fill the last empty spit on the Atlanta Braves 40 man roster.
Historical Lindgren
The Cubs selected Jacob Lindgren (@JLindgren19) out of high school in the 12th round of the 2011 Draft but he elected to attend Mississippi State University instead. Baseball America’s pre-2014 draft scouting report ($) indicates that an injury – line drive off the knee and rolled ankle in the same play – at the end of the 2013 season cost him his Friday starter job.
That summer he used a “93-94 mph with his fastball with heavy life and arm-side run” and “and his hard, plus slider in the low to mid 80s” as a reliever in the Cape Cod league. He made six appearances that summer including one start and struck out 18 while walking one in 14 IP, a precursor of things to come.
Pitching from the pen in his junior year at Mississippi State Lindgren showed Craig Kimbrel like dominance and earned him the nickname “The Strikeout Factory”.” He had some control issues throwing 18 wild pitches but it didn’t affect the results. According to the Baseball Cube, in his 55 1/3 IP over 26 appearances he struck out 100, walked 25 and posted a 0.81 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 16.27 K/9.
That season earned him selection as a finalist for the C Spire Ferriss Trophy, given to the best college baseball player in Mississippi. Understandably is also convinced the Yankees to ignore his 5’11, 210 pound frame and select him in the second round (their first pick that season) of the 2014 draft for a reported $1,018,700 signing bonus.