Seattle Mariners prospect and 2011 #2 overall draft pick Danny Hultzen isn’t just one of the best pitching phenoms in baseball, he’s also bound to add “Seattle Meme” to his list of accomplishments.
Yesterday, Hultzen went 5 innings against the Chattanooga Lookouts and allowed 4 hits, 0 R, 1 BB, and 4 Ks. It wasn’t hist most dominant outing of the season, but it did extend his scoreless innings streak to 27 2/3. Hultzen hasn’t allowed a run to score since May 23rd and he has only given up 2 runs total since May 5th, a run that covers 44 and 2/3 innings.
That’s an ERA of 0.40 over his last seven starts.
He hasn’t given up more hits than innings pitched since April 29th. He has only allowed 24 hits in his past 49 innings. He has given up just eight extra base hits (five doubles, one triple, two home runs) in 75.1 innings all season.
Prospects in baseball should be challenged and then advance. Be challenged, then advance. Challenge then advance. Danny Hultzen hasn’t really been challenged much at all in AA this season and it’s time for him to advance, perhaps skipping Tacoma and sliding himself into the Mariners rotation for the second half of the season, not that aggressive for a pitcher who has an ERA of 1.19 this season.
By the time that I post this, Hultzen may have been promoted already. But until that’s official, say it with me: #FreeDannyHultzen