Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Michael Gettys
Michael Gettys is genuinely one of the best stories in baseball. He started his career in the San Diego Padres system. Gettys was an outfielder who put up decent numbers with good power. His big issue was an alarming strikeout rate.
After six years with the Padres, Gettys spent 2021 in the Boston Red Sox organization. That would be his last year as an outfielder. A .201 average with 60 strikeouts in 46 games in Triple-A spelled the end for Gettys.
He didn't just give up, though. Gettys reemerged later that year back in Rookie Ball. However, he was now a pitcher.
So Gettys started the 2023 season as a relief pitcher. Being a 26-year-old reliever in High-A doesn't sound like the beginning of a fairy tale. It sounds more like the beginning of the end of a career.
To make matters worse, Gettys struggled out of the gate. The right-handed reliever posted a 5.63 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, and .391 BAA in April and May combined (16 innings). His next 13 2/3 innings went much better, though. Getty's allowed just one earned run on 12 hits and four walks in that time.
This newfound success led to a promotion to Double-A. There, Gettys made legitimate waves.
Suddenly, he wasn't so far behind. A 26-year-old in Double-A is much more common. And dominating the way he did is rare.
Gettys appeared in 18 games for the Portland Sea Dogs. He posted a 0.48 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and .167 BAA in 18 2/3 innings. That's uhm ... That's wild.
Michael Gettys took some detours to get where he is. Due to that, some may not take him seriously as a prospect. The numbers speak for themselves, though. What will he do in 2023 now that he has a full year as a reliever under his belt? It will be fun to watch.