KC Royals: Four pitchers due for bounce back season in 2020
By Cody Rickman
Josh Staumont (Reliever)
- 2019 stats – 3.72 ERA, 1.603 WHIP, 15 Ks, 10 BBs (1 IBB and 1 HBP), with a 6.06 FIP in 19.1 innings
- 2019 AAA stats – 3.16 ERA, 1.325 WHIP, 74 Ks, 37 BBs (1 IBB and 3 HBP), with a 4.26 FIP in 51.1 innings
- 2020 Steamer projection – 4.50 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 17 Ks, 9 BBs, with a 4.68 FIP in 15.0 innings
Josh Staumont possesses an elite 100-mph fastball and an absolutely wicked curveball, but has never been able to find the ability to control and command his elite stuff. Making his MLB debut in 209, Staumont began to show some signs of “pitching instead of throwing” during his appearances in August and September of the 2019 season.
Staumont started to throw his fastball at a lower velocity (95.9 mph) resulting in more pitches in the strike zone allowing him to set-up his devastating curveball.
The change in the plan of attack led Staumont to a 3.60 ERA with 3.00 BB/9 in 15.0 innings of work in August and September of the 2019 season. This more relaxed and focused approach could lead Staumont to a more successful campaign in 2020. When Staumont attempts to unleash the gas with his fastball, he looks unbalanced in his mechanics and he struggles to find the strike zone.
The Royals are likely to continue to use Staumont in low pressure relief situations for the first couple of months during the 2020 season. As he gains more confidence and experience, his stuff will lead him into a more prominent reliever role.
A cool, confident, and controlled Staumont who keeps his BB/9 around 4.5 is a potentially shutdown reliever as he has shown the ability to strikeout batters at +11.0 K/9. He does fall victim to leaving his fastball in the middle of the plate from time to time when he gets behind in the count and got punished.
Getting ahead of advanced hitters at the MLB level will be the key to Josh Staumont’s success in 2020.