BASEBALL: Hunter Harvey returns to mound, throws well in first outing

HobbsDailyReport.com

HUNTER HARVEY IN THE MINOR LEAGUES
Games: 31
Starts: 31
Wins-Losses: 7-7
Innings pitched: 126.2
Strikeouts-walks: 158-45
ERA: 2.77
Opponents’ batting average: .219

BALTIMORE – Hunter Harvey got back on the mound on Wednesday, The Baltimore Sun reported.

He had a good day, and the Baltimore Orioles added some clarity to their time table as he returns from Tommy John surgery – they don’t expect to have him at the big-league level when they break spring training camp in 2018.

On Wednesday, Harvey threw 27 pitches over a scoreless inning in a Gulf Coast League game against the GLC Red Sox in Florida, which the Orioles won 3-0, He allowed two hits, struck out one, faced five batters and got two ground ball outs.

The Orioles said they see Harvey reporting to the Class A Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds — who play in the South Atlantic Leagues (SAL) with the Hickory Crawdads – later in the year on a specific schedule of pitching once a week with a workday and other throwing in between. He will not play in the Arizona Fall League.

All of Delmarva’s remaining games with the Crawdads are at Delmarva (Aug. 22-24). The Shorebirds have a three-game series at Greensboro on Aug. 15-17.

Harvey, a former star at Bandys High and a first-round pick for the Orioles (No. 22 in the 2013 draft, underwent TJ surgery last summer. He has also battled other injuries since 2014 (hernia, fracture).

He was invited to Orioles spring training in February 2016 and is still considered one of the organization’s top prospects. He will be 23 in December.

Baltimore manager Buck Showalter told The Sun he wants Harvey to be ready for spring training next year.

“I’m hoping that everything goes as planned, he has a normal off season, he comes into camp … and he has a normal spring training for us and we get him ready to pitch, probably in Double-A, and see where it takes us.

“I’ll leave this up to (director of player development) Brian Graham and them. They’re the experts in player development. I’m hoping. That’s a long way off.

“He’s not going to be a candidate to make our club next year — but I know he has the potential to make a lot of people ask that question.

“Now that I’ve said it, I’m hoping at some point in spring, it’s (someone asking), ‘You said back in that press box in July. Now do you still feel the same?’

“I’m hoping that happens because that means he’s good and on his way.”

For the complete story via The Baltimore Sun: (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-hunter-harvey-has-big-day-in-his-baseball-climbing-ladder-in-first-game-since-tommy-john-20170719-story.html)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *