The Chicago White Sox haven’t had a lot go their manner this yr, and that features the pitching division. Solely Garrett Crochet (4.4) and the since-traded Erick Fedde (2.6) have produced as a lot as 1.3 WAR. These issues stated, just a few younger pitchers have proven promise, considered one of them being 24-year-old rookie right-hander Jonathan Cannon. Over 119 2/3 innings, the 2022 third-round pick of the College of Georgia has logged a 4.37 ERA, a 4.57 FIP, and 1.2 WAR — not horny numbers, however because of a five-pitch combine and a cerebral method to his craft, his potential is actual. Previous to the season, Eric Longenhagen assigned Cannon a forty five FV, calling him “a high-floored no. 4/5 starter prospect because of his repertoire depth and command.”
Cannon mentioned his M.O. on the mound when the White Sox visited Fenway Park earlier this month.
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David Laurila: You’re primarily recognized on your sinker, which you’ve thrown greater than any of your different pitches this season. It’s additionally the pitch you’ve had the least success with from a statistical standpoint. Why is that?
Jonathan Cannon: “For probably the most half, it’s been the command of it being dangerous. For those who have a look at the perfect sinkerballers within the sport proper now — I’m considering guys like Logan Webb — what makes their sinkers so good is that they do a extremely good job of commanding it down-and-away to righties. It sort of units up every thing else. Once they’re lacking, they’re lacking down, however extra center. Proper now, I really feel like I command the outer half nicely, however loads of them are elevated to round thigh excessive. When it leaks into the center and is thigh excessive, I don’t get loads of groundballs with it. That’s sort of been the primary focus for me. Once I do miss, I wish to miss the place I’m getting a groundball somewhat than a tough line drive into the hole.
“That’s one of many causes I’ve elevated the utilization of my changeup. I wasn’t throwing it a complete lot at starting of the yr, however then I began having good outcomes with it after attempting it in some extra counts. I’ve been tying to get the remainder of my pitches extra concerned. That’s why you’ve seen an uptick in using the four-seamer as nicely. It’s not pitch by itself; it doesn’t have loads of vert, and I don’t have an amazing method angle, however as a result of I throw so much that strikes on the backside, I get good outcomes on the four-seamer. I’m sort of attempting to get away from utilizing the sinker an excessive amount of.”
Laurila: What are the metrics in your sinker?
Cannon: “It’s anyplace from two to 4 vert, and 15 horizontal. The metrics on it are good. It’s extra that the utilization has perhaps been a bit bit an excessive amount of, and once more, the situation hasn’t all the time been nice. One thing I needed to be taught once I acquired right here is that whereas within the minor leagues I might rip that factor proper down the center and get a groundball more often than not, however towards these guys, when it will get thigh excessive and above they’re fairly good at hitting it within the air.
“I used to be all the time taught to throw sinkers beneath the fingers of righties, bury it down-and-in. Up right here, wanting on the analytics of the place guys hit sinkers nicely… usually talking, they hit down-and-in fairly nicely, it doesn’t matter what pitch it’s. So, we now have to command down-and-away, and up-and-in on lefties to front-hip them. That’s sort of been the primary factor, determining the best way to command it.”
Laurila: You don’t throw many sinkers to lefties. Why?
Cannon: “I don’t know what the numbers are, however lefties must be hitting north of .400 towards my sinker. It simply sort of falls into the trail of their barrel. Even once I put one down-and-away they have a tendency to hit it nicely. That’s why I’ve tried to make use of extra four-seams and cutters, to get up-and-in on their fingers. That additionally sort of opens it up a bit bit down-and-away. The sinker up-and-in to lefties, for my part, is the hardest pitch to throw. However that’s actually the one place you may throw it constantly they usually received’t hit it onerous.
“I watch loads of Logan Webb. I really feel like we pitch very equally, and the sinker up-and-in is a key to his arsenal towards lefties, as a result of every thing he throws is sort of transferring down within the zone. He’s acquired the actually good changeup, the nice sweeper, the nice sinker. By throwing the sinker up-and-in, he backs guys up. He stands them up. For those who’re simply throwing every thing down within the zone, guys get their eyes down there and also you get some good takes. You’ve acquired to make them reset that a bit bit.
“In opposition to Baltimore the opposite day, I used to be in a position to throw the sinker up-and-in, which acquired them off of every thing else. Once I’m throwing each that and the cutter up-and-in, it turns into kind of a guessing sport for them as to which manner it’s going to maneuver. I used to be additionally in a position to throw extra four-seams towards Baltimore, which we figured we would have liked to get extra concerned.”
Laurila: Do you see your self transitioning towards extra fours and fewer twos?
Cannon: “Under no circumstances. I believe the sinker and sweeper are too good to go away from. In opposition to Baltimore, it was a kind of issues the place I used to be going to throw some fours till they adjusted to it, however they weren’t in a position to alter to it, so I stored throwing it.”
Laurila: Why do you’re feeling they weren’t in a position to alter?
Cannon: “I believe it simply needed to do with the scouting report. Taking a look at my scouting reviews towards left-handed hitters, what I might do is search for one thing sort of thigh excessive, middle-away. I’d look changeup within the zone and sinker down-and-away, after which simply sort of combat off the cutter. Something coming in on you might be going to be a ball. That’s why I acquired loads of takes on the sinker up-and-in. And since I don’t actually throw something up-and-away, four-seamers there sort of shocked them.”
Laurila: How do you stability prioritizing your finest pitches with using your total arsenal?
Cannon: “It’s a kind of issues the place you must continuously be adjusting. I turned actually heavy with a sinker/sweeper combo to righties, and it sort of turned ‘Let’s remove considered one of them and simply search for one pitch.’ I had an at-bat towards James McCann the place I threw him a few actually good sweepers and he was in a position to take them as a result of he was wanting sweeper. However I used to be in a position to jam a sinker up-and-in to get him out a few instances. Similar factor with [Coby] Mayo. Going up-and-in with the 4 and up-and-in with the sinker acquired them off every thing else. The sweeper is my finest pitch to righties, so I can’t permit them to remove it.”
Laurila: Any last ideas?
Cannon: “Analytically, all of my pitches are in a great spot. It’s nearly figuring one of the best ways to make use of them with a purpose to get hitters out constantly. I’ve been studying so much this yr.”