New Orleans: Nick Wittgren, RHP

[tjfla]

Discuss

http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m...en_nick00.html


Was the closer at Purdue,so atleast we know who will be the closer at Jamestown this year

[Erick]

Seems like a guy who could move up quickly through the system as a reliever. (if he pans out, of course...)

[emkayseven]

2012 Season: Third Team All-Big Ten... NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List... Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (March 5)... established a new Purdue all-time record for saves... became the first pitcher in program history with two seasons of 10 or more saves... winning pitcher of the Big Ten Tournament championship game, working a 1-2-3 ninth inning after Purdue took the lead... led the Big Ten in saves for the second year in a row... first Boiler to win Big Ten Pitcher of the Week as a reliever since 2000... complete season recap to follow.

2011 Season
Second Team All-Big Ten... NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List... Wittgren pitched in a team-high 29 games, serving as the team's closer but also starting the middle game of the Tennessee Tech series... led the Big Ten in saves, finishing one shy of the Purdue single-season record... finished 24 games, the second most in the Big Ten... honored as the team's Newcomer of the Year... earned victories in relief in the middle game of the Tennessee-Martin series and opener of the Indiana series... registered at least one save weekend series action at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge and against Lipscomb, Tennessee-Martin, Michigan, Penn State, Northwestern, Illinois and Iowa... led the team in ERA (3.18) while ranking second in strikeouts (55)... issued only 10 walks in 51 innings pitched... posted a 2.36 ERA and .229 batting average as a reliever... was even better in Big Ten play, earning six saves while registering a 1.14 ERA and .217 batting average against... pitched on consecutive days five times... did not give up a home run after March 6 and gave up only two longballs total in 51 innings... allowed only eight of 29 inherited base runners to score... earned a save in six straight appearances from April 6-23... emerged as the closer with his performance against Pittsburgh at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge, striking out the first two men he faced to leave the bases loaded and closing out the game with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief... posted a win and two saves during the early-season eight-game win streak... posted a win and six saves in his nine appearances in April, compiling a 1.65 ERA and .186 batting average against in his 16 1/3 innings pitched... gave up only one hit over four innings of relief in his four appearances in midweek action... did not give up an earned run while striking out 11 in eight innings during the eight-game homestand in May... surrendered only one earned run at home in his 10 appearances, striking out 24 in 15 2/3 innings... gave up only seven singles and recorded 17 strikeouts versus one walk over 12 innings in Big Ten action at Lambert Field... did not give up an earned run in 12 2/3 innings over nine appearances in May... Big East/Big Ten Challenge (Feb. 18-20): closed out the Connecticut and Pittsburgh wins, saving the day against Pitt by retiring each of the six batters he faced... at Lipscomb (March 4-6): closed out the series finale with three innings of one-run relief... at Tennessee-Martin (March 11-13): earned the save in game one and the win in game two; left an inherited runner at second as the potential tying run in the opener and worked the final two innings of the game two comeback... at Tennessee Tech (March 18-20): struck out five and did not issue a walk over 5 1/3 innings as the starter; took the loss after giving up two runs in three straight innings in the middle of the game... Wabash (March 23): struck out the side in the sixth inning in his Lambert Field debut... at Minnesota (April 1-2): pitched the final four innings of the series finale at Target Field, giving up one earned run... at Butler (April 6): struck out the only batter he faced, who represented the potential tying run, to close out the midweek win and earn the first of six straight saves... Michigan (April 8-10): closed out the first two games of the series, striking out six over three innings while teaming up with Matt Morgan in the series-opening shutout victory (Purdue's firstshutout ofthe Wolverines since 1993); retired the only batter he faced, who represented the potential tying run, to finish off game two... at Ball State (April 12): induced a 4-6-3 ground ball double play in quick ninth inning to earn a save... at Penn State (April 15-17): teamed up with Blake Mascarello to save the day in the series-opening win, striking out four and giving up only an unearned run over 2 1/3 innings of relief... at Northwestern (April 23-24): pitched a scoreless ninth inning in the series-opening win for the last of six consecutive saves... Indiana (April 30-May 1): worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win in the series-opening walk-off victory; left the potential go-ahead run in scoring position in both the 10th and 12th innings... Illinois (May 13-15): struck out the only batter he faced with the potential tying run on first base to close out the series-opening win; pitched the final three innings but suffered the loss in the rubber game after a two-out error in the ninth opened the door for two unearned runs... Iowa (May 19-21): closed out the first two games of the series, pitching a scoreless ninth inning in game one to earn a save; struck out five of the seven batters he faced in game two... at Big Ten Tournament (May 25-27): closed out the Penn State win by retiring both batters he faced; worked an inning and two-thirds in the loss to Minnesota but was unable to escape an inherited first-and-third jam without the game's only run scoring... Big Ten Rankings: first in saves and second in appearances... Purdue Single-Season Rankings: second in saves, third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.50), fourth in appearances, fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.71) and 11th in fewest walks per nine innings... Purdue All-Time Rankings: fourth in saves.

Junior College
Played his first collegiate season at Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., posting a 10-0 record with one save and 54 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings pitched ... helped Parkland finish fifth at the 2010 NJCAA Division II World Series.

High School
Three year varsity letter-winner at McCutcheon High School in Lafayette, Ind. ... also played three years of varsity basketball and four years of varsity tennis ... two-time All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference as an upperclassman in both baseball and basketball ... batted .395 as a senior, .382 as a junior ... struck out 55 on the mound as a senior ... team MVP in baseball, basketball and tennis as a senior ... team rookie of the year winner as a sophomore ... helped lead McCutcheon to sectional and regional titles in 2008 and sectional crown in 2009 ... member of the 2008-09 IHSAA leadership group.

http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m...en_nick00.html

[Erick]

http://www.jconline.com/article/2012...ball-mlb-draft

Seems like he's going to sign.

[emkayseven]

A liftetime of anticipation culminated in an anxious Tuesday for Nick Wittgren.

By early evening, nervously waiting to hear his name called during the Major League First Year Player draft had even taken a physical toll on the McCutcheon graduate and Purdue relief pitcher.

“So nervous,” Wittgren said. “My leg is tired from tapping, tapping, tapping.”

The Miami Marlins ended Wittgren’s anxiety by announcing his name in the ninth round, 287th overall. Wittgren was the third Purdue junior selected by a National League East organization in the first two days of the draft, joining catcher Kevin Plawecki (Mets, Compensation Round A, 35th overall) and third baseman Cameron Perkins (Phillies, sixth round, 218th).

“Oh man. I jumped off the couch and was screaming,” said Wittgren, who said he first dreamed of the moment while growing up in California. “I’m not going to lie. There’s nothing better than hearing your name called in the MLB draft.

“... You always talk about it as a kid and stuff and joke. When it actually happens, you’re in shock.”

The only real drama was where Wittgren and his teammates would be chosen, and by which team. All three were integral parts of Purdue’s Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament championships.

This marked the fourth time under Purdue coach Doug Schreiber that three or more Boilermakers were taken in the same draft.

“It’s not like we sprinkle any magic powder on them to develop them,” Schreiber said. “What it says is if you’re a quality high school player, you can come to Purdue and use the resources here to develop your game. A lot of it is the natural physical maturation, but I think we teach mental maturation as well.

“The exposure they got this year playing the type of schedule they did and the success we had I think helped draw attention to them.”

Wittgren was a shortstop and pitcher at McCutcheon before playing one season at Parkland College in Champaign, Ill. He accepted a scholarship at Purdue before his sophomore season and soon flourished as the Boilermakers’ closer.

If he signs with the Marlins, Wittgren leaves as Purdue’s all-time leader in saves with 22. A third-team All-Big Ten Conference selection this past season, Wittgren finished 3-0 with 10 saves and a 1.73 ERA, striking out 39 against 12 walks in 41 innings.

Wittgren said he doesn’t know if the Marlins will stretch him out as a starter or keep him in the bullpen. He wants to build up his arm strength in case it’s the former. While he has the option of returning to Purdue, he said he’s leaning toward becoming a professional.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and you have to take advantage when it’s in front of you,” Wittgren said.

http://www.jconline.com/article/2012...sey=nav%7Chead

[LocoMarlinFan]

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Caleb Martin
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Purdue baseball’s Blake Mascarello signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies after last week’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft wrapped up. He joins his six college teammates in organizational mini-camps this week.

Mascarello was not among the program-record seven Boilers drafted last week, but he was contacted by the Phillies soon after and is participating in the team’s mini-camp in Clearwater, Fla. Cameron Perkins, who was selected by the Phillies in the sixth round of the Draft June 5, is also at the mini-camp.

Organizations have until July 13 to sign their draft picks. Baseball America has confirmed that Kevin Plawecki (Mets), Eric Charles (Padres), Barrett Serrato (Rangers) have signed with the organizations that drafted them. Plawecki was selected 35th overall as the first Big Ten player picked this year. All three players as well as Nick Wittgren (Marlins) and Lance Breedlove (Pirates) are also participating in team mini-camps this week.

The majority of recently-drafted college players begin their pro careers in short-season Minor Leagues like the New York-Penn, Northwest, Pioneer and Gulf Coast. Most of the teams in those leagues begin their seasons around June 15-18.

Mascarello was a Second Team All-Big Ten relief pitcher for Purdue this spring. He recorded eight wins and three saves while pitching strictly in relief. His 29 appearances ranked fourth on the program’s single-season list. He pitched in four of the Boilers’ six postseason games and Purdue won 23 of the 29 games in which he took the mound. His 1.86 ERA led the Big Ten and was second best in program history among pitchers that worked at least 60 innings.

http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/sports/masca...-with-phillies

Looks like he has signed

[emkayseven]

Named to the NYPL All Star team

Wittgren, a ninth round draft pick by the Miami Marlins in the 2012 MLB Draft has been lights out this season. Wittgren is second in the New York-Penn League in saves with 11. He possess the highest strikeout to walk ratio in the league with 12.17, that is 32 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings pitched. He is third in the league in games finished and currently is 11-for-11 in save opportunities. His ERA is 1.52 and four of his eleven saves have been two innings.

http://jamestown.jammers.milb.com/ne...=.jsp&sid=t489

[emkayseven]

For the first four-and-a-half months of the season, the Greensboro Grasshoppers didn’t have a traditional swing-and-miss closer at the back of the bullpen – the role filled so well by Michael Brady last summer.

That changed 11 days ago.

Nick Wittgren, a 21-year-old right-hander, joined the team after notching 11 saves in 17 games for Jamestown of the short-season New York-Penn League.

Wittgren’s 11 saves in Jamestown are more than any Hoppers reliever this summer. James Nygren (6-2, 5.18 ERA) has 10 saves, all of them before the all-star break when the Hoppers experimented with using a closer who pitches to contact, trying to coax groundball outs.

Without a power arm accustomed to working back-to-back games, Greensboro has used a closer-by-committee approach since moving Nygren back to a middle-relief role.

It’s been a big committee. With one save and four strikeouts in a pair of one-inning appearances, Wittgren is the ninth Hoppers pitcher to save a game this season.

The Marlins drafted Wittgren in the ninth round in June after he pitched two seasons for Purdue. He pitched in 55 games for the Boilermakers – 54 in relief – and had 22 saves.

He dominated at Jamestown, posting a 1.46 ERA with four walks and 34 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings.

http://www.news-record.com/blog/56101/entry/151211

[emkayseven]

287) Nick Wittgren, RHP, Miami Marlins: Slot bonus for college pitcher, average velocity but deceptive and throws strikes, 1.26 ERA with 43/5 K/BB in 29 innings, 24 hits between Jamestown in the NY-P and Low-A Greensboro. Impressive so far, could be nice middle man.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/...date#storyjump

[emkayseven]

Nick Wittgren has been dominant since joining the Hoppers on Aug. 15. The Marlins' ninth-round pick out of Purdue, Wittgren has a 0.00 ERA and three saves in eight ninth-inning appearances — two in the playoffs. Wittgren has walked one and struck out 14 in eight innings. Opposing hitters are 1-for-25 against him (.040 batting average).

http://www.news-record.com/content/2...ionship_series

looks like he's gon move fast

[emkayseven]

During a five-month life-changing whirlwind, Nick Wittgren experienced Purdue’s unforgettable baseball season, the anxious thrill of the Major League draft and two levels of minor league competition.

The Purdue and McCutcheon product said it wasn’t until a late-August plane ride to North Carolina that he realized where his life had taken him. Wittgren was being called up from the Miami Marlins’ short-season Class A team at Jamestown, Pa., to its low-A team in Greensboro, N.C.

“It kind of hit me — I’m only doing this. This is my job,” Wittgren said. “It’s nice, being able to focus on the game you love.”

Based on Wittgren’s professional debut, it could be his focus for a while. The right-handed reliever was a New York-Penn League All-Star and excelled for Greensboro in the playoffs after his promotion.

“Nick came in and opened some eyes right away,” said Wayne Rosenthal, the Marlins’ pitching coordinator.

In two seasons at Purdue, Wittgren established himself as one of the Big Ten Conference’s best closers and graduated as the Boilermakers’ all-time saves leader. Miami elected to keep him in that role for his first pro season, with similar results.

At Jamestown, Wittgren recorded 11 saves in 17 appearances with a 1.46 ERA. In 242/3 innings he struck out 34 and walked only four. Based on those numbers he was chosen for the NYPL All-Star game in Niles, Ohio, on Aug. 14.

Wittgren faced two batters, retiring one and allowing a hit. Before he faced a third, Jamestown manager Angel Espada came to the mound to take the ball from Wittgren. But he wasn’t just sending him to the showers.

“He said, ‘Well, man, you threw well, it’s been a honor, and you’re going up to Greensboro in the morning,’ ” Wittgren said. “I was like, ‘What?’

“... All that was going through my head was basically that I was getting moved up. It was my first chance to show them what I have and try to help out this team. Obviously getting called up means they trust me and have faith in me. I had to stay confident and keep doing what I was doing.”

Greensboro kept Wittgren in a late-inning role, and he allowed only one hit while striking out 13 and walking one in six scoreless innings. He picked up three more saves in the Grasshoppers’ drive to the South Atlantic League finals, allowing two hits in 51/3 scoreless innings.

He is currently one of 12 finalists for the 2012 Minor League Baseball Reliever of the Year, which is determined by a fan vote.

Rosenthal said Wittgren will probably stay in the bullpen for at least one more season. He said Wittgren could possibly begin next season with the Marlins’ high-A affiliate in Jupiter, Fla.

If the durable Wittgren develops a fourth pitch to go along with his fastball-curveball-changeup arsenal, the Marlins might try him as a starter. Rosenthal was impressed that, after an early season conversation about a fourth pitch, Wittgren worked on one on his own and showed him his progress at a post-season mini camp.

“He’s shown he’s a pure professional in the game,” Rosenthal said. “His demeanor and work ethic is outstanding. I wish other people would follow him and what he does as far as the way he goes about his business. It shows on the mound.

“He could move quick, he could change roles, who knows? I know he’ll come to spring training ready to win a job somewhere.”

Wittgren is spending the offseason at home and following a workout program given to him by the Marlins. He’ll be watching the big league playoffs just as he always has, but with a new perspective.

“In some ways I feel like I’m still just a fan,” Wittgren said. “At the same time, I know those guys have been where I’m at and stuff. That too is a little motivating, especially at playoff time, that hey, that can be me someday.”

http://www.jconline.com/article/2012...-Miami-Marlins

I think he'd do better left in the pen...but given our desperate need for starters it might not be a bad idea to give him a try

[Miamarlin21]

Finished 2013 with a combined .77 ERA in 58.1 IP with 42 hits, a 63/10 K/BB ratio and a .198 opponent batting average.

[emkayseven]

Longoria him

[Erick]

I like his #'s but he kinda scares me. He should do something about his teeth.

[HUGG]

MLBPipeline #18 Prospect

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 60 | Overall: 45

Wittgren saved 22 games in three years at Purdue, setting the school's career record. He's continued to pile up the saves since being drafted, and was one of four Minor League pitchers to save at least 20 games in both 2013 and '14, his first two professional seasons.

Wittgren doesn't have the pure stuff of a typical power-armed closer, but his makeup and deceptive delivery play well in high-leverage situations. He complements his low 90s fastball with a solid curveball. He's improved his changeup in the Minor Leagues, but it still lags behind his other two offerings. He aggressively attacks hitters, pounding the zone with his whole arsenal.

Whether or not Wittgren has the stuff to close in the big leagues, his whole package gives him a good chance to carve out a role in the Marlins bullpen.

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=mia

John Sickels #16 Prospect

16) Nick Wittgren, RHP, Grade C/Borderline C+: Age 23, posted 3.55 ERA with 56/14 K/BB in 66 innings in Double-A, 73 hits, 20 saves. Middle relief profile with low-90s fastball, slider, deceptive delivery.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/...pects-for-2015