Andy Oliver may not have been the most prominent signing the Milwaukee Brewers have made this off-season, but he isn’t one to overlook either. The Brewers signed the 29-year-old left-hander on Dec. 15 along with a bevy of other high-level minor leaguers but he could prove to be an intriguing add for a variety of reasons.
Prior to the 2011 season, Oliver was ranked as the No. 87 prospect in baseball by both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus but after breaking into the majors later that year, showed there was still a definite need for improvement. In short, he may have risen through the minor league ranks far too quickly.
After being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2009 Amateur Draft, he immediately hit the Arizona Fall League and pitched well, collecting a 2.81 earned run average and a 1.375 walks plus hits per inning with 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 16 innings of relief work. In 2010, he continued on the same path, this time out of the rotation with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, pitching to a 3.61 ERA and 1.280 WHIP.
The Tigers, suddenly in need of pitching, shot Oliver straight to the majors in mid-June. His first two starts showed promise, as he struck out 10 batters and walked three over two six-inning outings on his way to a 3.00 ERA. But then everything fell apart, as he was savaged in his next three starts, giving up 14 earned runs in 10 innings before being sent back down to Triple-A. He finished the season strong, posting a 3.23 ERA and 1.283 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 25 walks in 53 innings.
Despite having obvious issues with his control again in 2011 (20 BB, 51 2/3 IP) and collecting a far worse ERA (4.71) than his previous stint in Triple-A, the Tigers again rushed him back to the majors, allowing him to get tagged for another seven earned runs in two starts (9 2/3 IP). He again finished the season in Triple-A worse for wear, giving up 60 walks in 95 1/3 innings and ending with a 5.48 ERA.
His 2012 season showed little improvement (4.88 ERA, 6.7 BB/9) and a change in scenery – a trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates in December – seemed to offer no help (4.05 ERA, 8.1 BB/9). Since 2014, he’s been flashing a bit more upside after being converted to the bullpen, putting up sub-4.00 ERAs in each of his last three years and raising his strikeout rate above 10.0 in nearly every opportunity.
In 2016 with the Baltimore Orioles‘ Triple-A Norfolk, Oliver ended the season with a 3.43 ERA and 1. 396 WHIP and brought his career-long struggles with control into focus, registering a near-career low walk rate of 3.7 BB/9.
Although his former team did experiment with him in the rotation again in 2016, he found marginal success (5.04 ERA), especially compared to what he accomplished out of the bullpen (1.23 ERA), which is where he truly offers some upside for the Brewers.
As it stands, Brent Suter and possibly Tommy Milone are the only lefty relievers Milwaukee currently has on their roster, although a few more will be present in Spring Training. Although Oliver may still struggle with a bit of control, he does have the potential to make an impact on the big league club if he’s able to maintain the strikeout numbers he’s been posting over the last few years. He has at least a decent arsenal to offer, including a 94 mph fourseam fastball and a slider and change-up both in the mid-80s.
Given the limited number of other left-handed pitchers that are major league ready, including Andrew Barbosa, who was also signed in the same time period, Oliver may have a good chance to crack the Brewers lineup as one of few fireballing lefties in 2017.
Jonathan Powell is the Managing Editor of Outside Pitch MLB and the Milwaukee Brewers writer. Follow him on Twitter @jonathannashhh.
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