Twins Daily Awards 2024: Pitcher of the Year

[Cody Christie]

The Twins saw an influx of young pitchers during the 2024 season, while veterans looked to establish their long-term value. So, who was voted as the team’s top pitcher?

 

 

Twins fans have been clamoring for a pitching pipeline since Derek Falvey took over the team’s top baseball operations role. The 2024 season saw that pitching pipeline put into action, with multiple rookies occupying starting spots by the season’s end. Other veteran pitchers made strides in the rotation and bullpen on their way to helping the Twins to one of baseball’s best records in the middle months of the season. There is hope for the future with a young pitching core and other prospects on their way to Target Field. 

Below are the results of the voting from 14 writers at Twins Daily. Each writer ranked their top five pitchers, and the results are below. Some writers likely debated who should be the team's top pitcher, and a slim margin separated the top three. 

Others Receiving Votes

• RHP Simeon Woods Richardson: 
• RHP Jhoan Duran

5. Cole Sands
Minnesota’s front office struggled to find reliable relievers on the open market last winter, but they continue to find ways to develop homegrown bullpen arms. Sands entered the season in a long-relief or multi-inning role but quickly showed he was one of the team’s best high-leverage options. He appeared in 62 games and posted a 3.28 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP, but that fails to tell the complete story of his season. 

After May 29th, he posted a 2.34 ERA with a 58-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio while holding batters to a .216/.250/.297 (.547) slashline. He had a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in high-leverage situations, with one home run in 62 plate appearances. He saw a massive jump in his cutter usage this season as it developed into his most used pitch (29.6%) compared to 7.3% last season. Sands also saw a velocity increase on four of his five pitches while continuing to control the strike zone with a 4.1 BB%, ranking in MLB’s top 3%. Minnesota needs more pitchers to follow in Sands’ footsteps next season. 

4. Joe Ryan (1 First Place Vote)
Ryan was on the fast track to win this award at one point this season before a shoulder strain sidelined him in early August. In his 23 starts, he posted a 3.60 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP, 147 strikeouts, and 23 walks across 135 innings. Ryan compiled his best numbers in May as the Twins began recovering from their horrendous start. In 32 1/3 innings, he allowed nine earned runs (2.51 ERA) with a 0.84 WHIP and a 32-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. 

He posted career-best marks in Barrel%, LA Sweet-Spot%, xwOBA (top 10%), BB% (top 4%), and xERA (top 10%). The 2024 season also marked the first time in his career that he used his four-seamer less than 55% of the time while increasing its velocity from 92.3 mph in 2023 to 94.0 mph. His average velocity increased on all his pitches, and he added a sinker that helped him keep the ball on the ground because it produced a launch angle under seven. Ryan provided the team with plenty of signs that he can continue to develop into a frontline starting pitcher. 

3. Pablo López (1 First Place Vote)
López entered the 2024 campaign as one of the favorites to win the AL Cy Young based on his strong finish the previous season. His season got off to a terrible start as he posted a 5.11 ERA in the first half due to opponents compiling a .723 OPS against him with 18 home runs. In the season’s second half, he more closely resembled the López from 2023 by performing as one of the league’s best pitchers. In 81 1/3 innings, he allowed 25 earned runs (2.77 ERA), with his OPS allowed dropping by 40 points compared to the first half. 

His poor start to the season was accompanied by peripheral numbers that pointed to an eventual improvement. He posted a career-best 5.3 BB%, ranking in MLB’s top 10%. His batting average allowed (.252 BA) was ten points higher than his xBA, and his average exit velocity was only 0.8 mph higher than last season. López followed a similar pattern in both seasons with the Twins, with some struggles in the first half before an improved performance in the second half. Next season, the Twins must find a way for López to be an ace for the whole season. 

2. Bailey Ober (2 First Place Votes)
Ober was the Twins’ most consistent starting pitcher throughout the 2024 campaign, and that’s one of the reasons he ranks highly. His first start in Kansas City was an unmitigated disaster as he allowed eight earned runs, including three home runs, in 1 1/3 innings. He settled in nicely from there with a stretch of 23 starts (138 2/3 innings) where he posted a 3.05 ERA with opponents being held to a .192/.246/.345 (.591) slashline. As the Twins faltered, Ober struggled by allowing 24 earned runs in his final 38 2/3 innings. If his final month had gone better, Ober might have been the team’s top pitcher, and the Twins might have made the playoffs. 

This year, Ober improved in many areas to solidify his place in the team’s long-term plans. He posted career-best totals with an 8.3 Barrel %, 87.5 Exit Velocity, .212 xBA, .380 xSLG, and 26.9 K%. He introduced a cutter that resulted in a 20.2 Put Away%, the second highest total of any pitches he threw more than 5% of the time. Ober’s changeup made the most significant strides as he increased his Whiff% from 29.8% in 2023 to 39.5% this season. Ober and Ryan made huge strides this season, and there’s room for them to find even more consistency in 2025.  

1. Griffin Jax (9 First Place Votes) 
It’s hard to imagine where the Twins would have been in 2024 without Jax. He established himself as the Twins’ best reliever and one of baseball’s best high-leverage arms. In 72 appearances (71 innings), he posted a 2.03 ERA with a 0.873 WHIP and a 34.4 K% (Top 3% of MLB). When other relievers faltered, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli could turn to Jax in any late-inning situation when the game was on the line. Right-handed hitters stood no chance against him by hitting .169/.214/.257 (.471) with 55 strikeouts in 136 at-bats. He finished the regular season ranked second in the AL in fWAR, trailing only Cleveland’s Cade Smith by 0.1 points. 

His Baseball Savant page has more red in it than a kid’s candy bucket on Valentine’s Day. He ranked among the league’s best in xBA (Top 3%), xSLG (Top 7%), wOBA (Top 2%), xwOBA (Top 1%), and xERA (Top 1%). His most significant change this season was dropping his sweeper usage from 52.8 % in 2023 to under 38% this past season. Jax’s sweeper also increased from 28.6 Whiff% to 45.3 Whiff% <insert fire emoji>. He’s an unbelievable weapon for a manager to use, and the Twins must help him replicate his tremendous 2024 campaign.  

Do you agree with the way the results of the writer's voting? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

Final Voting Points Tally

• Griffin Jax: 59 points
• Bailey Ober: 50 points
• Pablo Lopez: 48 points
• Joe Ryan: 33 points
• Cole Sands: 10 points

Recent TD Best Pitcher Winners
2023: Sonny Gray
2022: Jhoan Duran
2021: Jose Berrios
2020: Kenta Maeda
2019: Taylor Rogers

 

 

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[LambchoP]

Where is what's his name? Trade deadline pickup and his 438 wild pitches?

[DJL44]

I would have voted Ober, Lopez, Ryan, Jax, Woods-Richardson.

[jaydanger37]

Jax is a solid choice for this award. He became one of my favorite players to watch this season, and I always felt confident when Rocco called on him in a tight spot. I'm not sure if you were taking production value and aesthetics into account, but his "X Gon' Give It To Ya" entrance music/montage at Target Field is top notch.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Jax is the best choice here. Question: If Jax wants to start, should the Twins give him that opportunity?

[TwinsDr2021]

13 minutes ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Jax is the best choice here. Question: If Jax wants to start, should the Twins give him that opportunity?

I think the answer is no, do we want him pitching in the minors or the majors.

[jmlease1]

Seems fair on the rankings. I really hope this development for Sands is a real evolution and not just a small sample size/reliever variability thing. There are definitely reasons to believe that this is different: the change in pitch mix plus increased velocity hopefully makes him more projectable, but he also had a massive drop in the free passes, which is great...but sometimes not as repeatable. That said, even with regression there he can still be a quality reliever and bullpen mainstay.

SWR probably deserves more than an honorable mention, but that's the way it goes sometimes. He did a good job battling his way through, and definitely lands higher on the list if he has a better September. I suspect the twins would have liked to have found a way to get him a break, but really didn't have a lot of options with Paddack not able to get back, Ryan out for the season, and the team needing to go to Festa and Matthews down the stretch. but SWR threw more innings in 2024 than he ever has in a season in his professional career by a lot and 90% of them in MLB, which is impressive. It's not surprising that he wore down in Sept. but now he knows what it's like, and hopefully understands what he needs to do to sustain things next season. He's still younger than Festa or Matthews, so this year was unquestionably a success for him.

Hard not to pick Jax for the top: he was simply dominant. He's really turned into a weapon.

[David Maro]

He deserves to be 1,but now this could be a problem for the team.He said he wants to be a SP.He is great in the BP because he can let it fly.The last time he pitched in a second inning he was lite up.To be a SP you need to be more of a control pitcher not a let it fly guy.

[MGM4706]

Veteran Pitchers made great strides? Huh? Who might that be?

[Morland]

Good choice. Before they use Jax as a starter he'd have to show that he could handle two or three innings in relief.

[JD-TWINS]

10 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Jax is the best choice here. Question: If Jax wants to start, should the Twins give him that opportunity?

IMO, can’t do it. He’s always wanted to start - doubt until one has a few years of success, that a pitcher wants to be in the Pen. They were all starters once……he wants to maximize his ability to make $$ - can’t blame him.

His stuff plays up so well in 12-20 pitch outings. Have said it here a few times, Jax has wiffleball stuff. His tailing change-up with the sweeper and 97 MPH on a string at the letters or knees is just too good to fool with. 

His ability to get 18 outs regularly would be a lot different than getting 2-4 outs at a time. Can’t go max effort for 85-100 pitches and his stuff plays up to another level when he goes max effort. Not the same guys, but look at Varland & Paddack going for 10-22 pitches at a time v. being starters.

Last, Lewis - Morris - Matthews - Raya will all be in AAA with starter stuff and mindset just in case they are needed (when they are) due to one of top 5 guys scuffling.

PEN could be like Cleveland’s with JAX - DURAN - SANDS - VARLAND - PADDACK - TOPA - STEWART - ALCALA ……Henriquez - Funderburk - Blewett - Moran - Winder. 8 guys with really good bullpen stuff and some depth pieces to fill in as needed. Players available OPTIONS obviously come into play but for the most part this could be the Team’s strength, IMO.

[JD-TWINS]

3 hours ago, MGM4706 said:

Veteran Pitchers made great strides? Huh? Who might that be?

Assume he’s talking about Sands - Ober - Jax - Ryan.

[DocBauer]

Other than SWR saving the Twins butt's as a rookie, and maybe deserving a spot over Sands, I think this ranking is accurate.

I don't know how real reports are that Jax wants to be a starter. I'm sure everyone would like to be one. It's just not meant for everyone.

Perkins just wasn't meant to be a SP. But he made some $ and had a great career in the pen. Aguilera was an OK starter, became a stud reliever, tried SP again and it didn't turn out great, and moved back to the pen again.

It's easy to say Jax has improved velocity and his secondary pitches as a top notch pen arm. It's another thing to maintain velocity...which would certainly dip somewhat in the rotation...and continue to frustrate batters with his other offering when facing a lineup a second and potentially a third time. 

As a stretch and somewhat weird example, it's like saying former Twin and 2 times batting champ Arraez saying he really wants to be a power hitter. He's not made that way. Well, Jax has proven to be an outstanding RP. A pair of his teammates, Duran and Sands, have also thrived in their conversion to the pen. 

I have utmost respect for Jax's development and reaching the level of maybe being one of the best pen arms in MLB. But sometimes you reach greatness because you FOUND what you are supposed to be doing. And trying to go back to doing something different you didn't succeed at previously just isn't what you were meant to do. Just my opinion.

[Mike Sixel]

Mediocre starters make tens of millions more over their career than good RPs. I get why he wants to switch. At least two guys like him were successful this year....