Red Sox Prospects: A look at right-handed pitcher Jamie Callahan
By Rick McNair
The Boston Red Sox farm system is rather sparse, but the potential is there. One possibility is pitcher Jamie Callahan, who was recently promoted to Pawtucket.
Jay Groome is ranked as the number one pitching prospect in the Red Sox system – so far Groome has tossed eight innings in two seasons and is on the disabled list. This season Groome pitched 1.1 innings allowing, nine runs before being shuffled to the DL, but this is about another prospect – Jamie Callahan.
Callahan is a 22-year-old right-hander who now is considered a bullpen operative after suffering rather tepid results as a starter in his first three seasons. At Greenville in 2014, Callahan finished 3-13 with a depressing 6.96 ERA in 25 games – all starts. A contributing factor that torments pitchers was a 5.5 BB/9 that season.
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Callahan’s control is an issue until one bright spot at Portland this season when Callahan issued zero passes in 13 innings with a 4-1 record. Callahan also set down 20 batters in strikeouts and his impressive early going earned a promotion to Pawtucket and Triple-A. So far, Callahan has not dazzled the International League hitters, but the sample is very small.
Callahan was drafted in the second round in 2012 and signed thanks to a $600,000 encouragement from the Red Sox. He is physically impressive at 6’4” and a listed 220 pounds. At this point, Callahan is ranked as the 30th Red Sox prospect on MLB Prospect Watch, but that can change rapidly if Callahan brings forward his success from Portland.
What does this guy throw?
Callahan uses a fastball that touches 96 MPH as his primary pitch. A curve and change work off that with an occasional cutter in the high 80’s tossed into the mix. The transition to the bullpen allows Callahan to sparingly use a mediocre change-up.
"After working with a low-90s fastball out of the rotation, Callahan now operates with a 94-96 mph fastball in shorter stints. He also has transformed a slider that often was slurvy into an upper-80s cutter that keeps hitters from sitting on his heater. He had an ineffective changeup as a starter but doesn’t need it in his relief role. – MLB Prospect Watch"
One statistical nugget of interest is home runs allowed. Last season at Salem Callahan gave up only one in 65.2 innings pitched with a 27.6 FB%. At Greenville in 2015, the total was four home runs in 89.1 innings pitched and 26.2 FB%.
Callahan’s future in the organization is the bullpen. Three years as a starter did nothing but flatline, but the change to the ‘pen apparently is showing enough positive results to encourage the team that he has legitimate potential in the near future.
This season, Pawtucket will be another adjustment period for Callahan who has youth on his side, but eventually, you may see Callahan contributing late this season or next.