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Jordan Balazovic
- St. Paul Saints - AAA
- SP
Collapse Explore Scouting Report
- Bats: R / Throws: R
- Age: 23
- Rule 5 Eligible: On 40-Man Roster
- Acquisition Method: Draft
Scouting Report
What’s To Like
Velocity has long been the name of the game on the mound, and it’s something the Twins haven’t seen from a starter they developed in a long time, maybe ever. Balazovic was sitting at 95 mph last year on his fastball, even after missing time to start the season due to injury. He pushed it up to 97 mph at times, and the electricity behind the pitch is something to drool over. With a starter’s mix, Balazovic also has a strong slider and has turned the changeup into an out pitch as well.
Double-A was a new test for Balazovic last season, and he did take a slight step backward in terms of numbers, but the elite stuff is still all there. A rough three-start stretch at the end of July made things look more mediocre than they were. Over his final eight starts, Balazovic posted a 2.72 ERA allowing just a .672 OPS against.
What’s Left To Work On
It’s not to say that Balazovic is a finished product, but he’s very close. Even with the time missed due to the pandemic, the Canadian is knocking on the door to the big leagues. A return to Double-A could be in the cards at the beginning of 2022, but he should quickly move up to Triple-A St. Paul. Balazovic has done a good job repeating his delivery, and continuing down a path of sustained success is a must for him.
Minnesota would probably like to see a trend back towards the 2019 numbers, but that’s also not a showstopper. The strikeouts were down slightly, and the walks rose, but both happened in minor increments. Settling back in with a clean bill of health should lead to more dominating performances than not.
What’s Next
It would be far from shocking if Balazovic was pitching for the Twins by mid-summer. He’s near ready as a prospect, and while he’s probably not the type to be called upon before ready in a spot-start role, he’s got the talent to force his way into sustained action. Minnesota should have a middle-of-the-rotation arm at worst here, and seeing him add even more would be a welcomed sight.
The Twins have been longing for a guy that can mow down the opposition, and Balazovic has the makings of someone capable of doing just that. If he can be a staff ace, the organization will have its next piece to build around.
Monthly Splits
| Split | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP | SO9 | SO/W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3.62 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 97.0 | 98 | 48 | 39 | 9 | 38 | 0 | 102 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 429 | 1.402 | 9.5 | 2.68 |
| Home | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.97 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 45.1 | 40 | 21 | 20 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 53 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 189 | 1.191 | 10.5 | 3.79 |
| Away | 3 | 2 | .600 | 3.31 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 51.2 | 58 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 240 | 1.587 | 8.5 | 2.04 |
| June | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4.44 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 24.1 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 112 | 1.397 | 12.2 | 4.13 |
| July | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2.86 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 28.1 | 21 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 116 | 1.129 | 9.8 | 2.82 |
| August | 1 | 1 | .500 | 3.72 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 29.0 | 41 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 139 | 1.862 | 6.8 | 1.69 |
| September | 1 | 1 | .500 | 3.52 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15.1 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 1.044 | 9.4 | 2.67 |
| As Starter | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3.62 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 97.0 | 98 | 48 | 39 | 9 | 38 | 0 | 102 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 429 | 1.402 | 9.5 | 2.68 |
See all » Jordan Balazovic Articles
“It felt great.” Balazovic Reflects on First Start of 2022 and What’s Ahead.
Jordan Balazovic made his first start of the 2022 season with the St. Paul Saints this last Saturday coming off of a knee injury that set his season start back. Balazovic is currently on an 80 pitch count limit, so what are the expectations for him this month?
Past Front Offices Still Impacting the 2022 Twins
Derek Falvey and Thad Levine should rightfully get credit for the team's current success, but eleven players on the current 40-man roster were acquired under the previous regime. So, which players are tied to Bill Smith and Terry Ryan's front offices?
Minor League Report (5/7): Top Pitching Prospects Galore
One important pitching prospect made his first start in a while, another made his AAA debut, and yet another one looked to continue his dominant beginning of the season. Read all about that and more in this edition of the minor league report.
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