Austin Ross may have spent the last seven years in the Milwaukee Brewers‘ minor league system fighting setbacks, but this season, he may have proved he’s finally ready for the call come 2017.
Ross was drafted by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2010 amateur draft — after pitching in the College World Series for LSU – and has since been working his way through the system.
The first few years were undoubtedly rough, as he rose to High-A ball in his second year (2011) but ended the season with a 7.49 earned run average and 1.76 walks plus hits per inning rate.
He rebounded nicely in 2012, putting together a 1.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with nine strikeouts and four walks in his first 11 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, in the second inning of his third start, he felt the twinge that every pitcher dreads.
After Tommy John surgery, Ross came back in 2013 but ended up with a nerve issue in spring training that set him back another two months. When he finally returned, he had to begin in rookie ball once again and had trouble readjusting to his surroundings. In only 11 1/3 innings, he amassed a 14.29 ERA – although he did at least retain his strikeout rate with 10.
Once he was finally shifted back into Single-A, he finally began to get back on the track he originally started on. He worked his way deeper into games over 10 games with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and finished the season strong, compiling a 2.38 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 12 walks in 45 1/3 innings.
He began the 2014 season back with High-A Brevard County and got back to work quickly enough to earn himself a promotion to Double-A Huntsville. Between the two, he put together a respectable 3.62 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 110 strikeouts and 32 walks in 117 innings. He fared even better in 2015 with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, earning himself a 2.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with a fantastic 47 strikeouts to only nine walks in 38 innings.
While the improvement may have seemed like a jump, it surely made sense, as the team had transitioned him into a relief role. Despite spending six years as a starter, he found himself in a highly-successful situation, pitching even better than before. What’s more, was that his strikeout rate improved, his walk rate fell to a career-best 2.1 walks per nine innings, and he was able to preserve an arm already ravaged by fatigue and injuries.
Thanks to the thin air of Colorado Springs, however, Ross’ success hit one more road block. He ended what was a highly-successful first half by spending the second half of 2015 trying to work around the issues his new home had thrown at him. His ERA (6.96), WHIP (1.92), strikeout rate (8.6 K/9), and walk rate (3.9 BB/9 – career worst) all suffered as he struggled to iron the wrinkles out.
But Ross had faced adversity before and didn’t seem to let that stop him. Now so close to the majors, he made no exception and returned in 2016 with a dramatically improved line, pitching to a 3.89 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and 23 walks in 71 2/3 innings of work.
While he may not have gotten the call this season, there’s little doubt that given the opportunity next year, Ross will be able to show his perseverance and talent on the big league stage. With any luck, it will be to the benefit of both Ross himself and the team.
Jonathan Powell is the Managing Editor of Outside Pitch MLB and the Milwaukee Brewers writer. Follow him on Twitter @jonathannashhh.
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