Random Baseball Analysis #2: SP Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians called up starting pitching prospect Tanner Bibee in an attempt to stabilize a starting rotation that has a 5-8 win-loss record and 4.67 ERA so far this season.

Background

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Cal State Fullerton, Tanner Bibee was put on the shelf for the 2021 season and made his MiLB debut during the 2022 season. He absolutely dominated High-A and Double-A with a 2.65 ERA, an 11.3 K/9, and a minuscule 1.3 BB/9 in 132.2 innings, although his breakout season was a bit overshadowed by the presence of 2022 first-round pick Gavin Williams.

His arsenal has taken an exponential leap forward since joining the Guardians organization. Only throwing between 88-92 in college, his fastball now sits between 94-97 and tops out at 99 on the gun. The improvements came from tweaks to Bibee’s delivery, mostly related to his stride and how he finishes after winding up. It added velocity to his fastball and slider. He also worked on giving his slider a more distinct shape from his curveball.

His development path and player profile have some similarities to that of fellow Guardian Shane Bieber, another starter from SoCal with a microscopic walk rate and viable secondaries who had his fastball gain a couple of ticks during his brief time in the minors.