Taylor Jungmann was once a big league starter earlier this season and come Saturday, will finally get the chance to start making up for lost time.
After a highly-successful 2015 campaign in which Jungmann pitched himself to a 3.77 earned run average and 1.28 walks plus hits per inning rate with 107 strikeouts and 47 walks in 119 1/3 innings, he earned himself a spot as the Milwaukee Brewers‘ third starter.
But 2016 was much less kind, as he stumbled through his first five starts, amassing a 9.15 ERA with 13 strikeouts and 13 walks in 20 2/3 innings. A demotion to Triple-A didn’t seem to help either, as he put up even worse numbers. His ERA rose to 9.87 with only 24 strikeouts compared to a whopping 34 walks in 31 innings.
With few other options, the Brewers sent him out to their training facility in Arizona for just under 20 days to clear his head. Whatever was plaguing him seemed to fade, as he returned to Double-A Biloxi and returned to his former self, pitching to a 2.51 ERA with 81 strikeouts and 35 walks in 75 1/3 innings.
Since his call-up mid-September, Jungmann has worked exclusively out of the bullpen and has only had two appearances, but so far, the results have been promising. He’s given up no hits, runs, or walks, while striking out two in two innings.
Considering that the team has decided to permanently rest Junior Guerra for the remainder of the season, it seems like a perfect opportunity to give Jungmann a chance to get his things back in order on the big league stage.
He’s been more than serviceable, as showcased by a 2015 season that showed he could operate as an average pitcher with room for upside.
Jungmann is under team control through 2018 and given his age, looks to continue to be a rotation option if he is able to maintain control in these limited opportunities.
Fellow starter Chase Anderson is only on a one-year contract with the team and is arbitration eligible next year and Wily Peralta will be entering his second year of arbitration as well. Matt Garza has only one year left on his contract and could be unloaded during the winter meetings or possibly at the trade deadline with any improvement shown next season. Even if those scenarios don’t come to fruition, the availability of rotation spots is still somewhat open for next season.
With a limited number of top pitching prospects outside of Josh Hader and Jorge Lopez – if he can right the ship – there’s a good chance Jungmann will find himself in the starting rotation at some point next season, even if he doesn’t start there.
If his past is any indicator, he could provide the Brewers with future upside for years to come.
Jonathan Powell is the Managing Editor of Outside Pitch MLB and the Milwaukee Brewers writer. Follow him on Twitter @jonathannashhh.
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