Cole Ragans - Lights it up Sunday Ragans allowed one run on two hits while striking out four over three innings in Sunday's spring start against the Angels. Impact Ragans allowed a leadoff triple then retired nine of the next 10 batters faced. The left-hander turned heads this spring with a significant increase in velocity. The pitcher who sat at 92.1 mph during a nine-start introduction to the majors last season is living around 94-96 -- and topped out at 99 a couple of times -- in Cactus League play, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Ragans has allowed one run and walked just one (3.6 BB/9 last season) over six spring innings. "He's pounding the strike zone. And then you look at the stuff, there's no getting around it," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's up from where it was last year, the velocity, but you look at the offspeed pitches, the changeup, the breaking ball -- he's been sharp from Day One, including bullpens and live BPs." Ragans is expected to serve as a depth starter in the organization, but with nagging spring injuries among the projected rotation, he could be up sooner rather than later.
MARCH 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
