One in four pitchers to debut in 2022 has a Tommy John surgery on his resume

It only seems like half the pitchers coming through the ranks have torn their UCL. It's actually a quarter, for last year's crop of debutants, anyway. Thirty-six of the 144 pitchers to reach the bigs last year have had at least one Tommy John surgery at some point in their career. (Anderson Espinoza and Cole Ragans are in the dreaded 2xTJ club.) That works out to exactly 25%.

If you expand the list to include all players, 39 of the 303 players to debut in the majors in 2022 have had the procedure. That includes position players Peyton Burdick, Kole Clemens, and Joe Perez, though Perez was still a highly regarded prep pitcher at the time he injured his elbow. That means that 12.8% of players to debut last year have had the procedure (though Luke Barker, Max Meyer, and Ethan Roberts had already reached the majors before going under the knife in 2022).

Here's the full list:

Jason Alexander
Luke Barker
Peyton Burdick*
Kody Clemens*
Noah Davis
Yerry de los Santos
Alexis Diaz
Nick Duron
Anderson Espinoza (2x)
Jeremiah Estrada
Alex Faedo
Nate Fisher
Hunter Greene
Michael Grove
Kevin Herget
Garrett Hill
Colin Holderman
Tyler Holton
A.J. Ladwig
Ron Marinaccio
Adrian Martinez
Max Meyer
Bryce Montes de Oca
Cody Morris
James Naile
Nicholas Padilla
Joe Perez*
Cole Ragans (2x)
Ethan Roberts
Ethan Small
Jared Solomon
Peter Strzelecki
Robert Suarez
Beau Sulser
Jake Walsh
Nash Walters
Joey Wentz
Collin Wiles
Steven Wilson
*Denotes non-pitcher

Transactions: Hernandez, Hoeing, Leblanc invited to big-league camp

While editing the book in the weeks leading up to publication, I tried to update any relevant moves in the Outlook for each player. Let's keep that going here on the site. Here are the transactions involving 2022 debutants for the week of Jan. 22-28:

1/27/2023

Texas Rangers invited non-roster OF Elier Hernandez to spring training. Hernandez, 28, spent 2021-22 in the Rangers organization, and became a free agent in November. He re-signed with Texas on Jan. 6, and will go to big-league camp hoping for another look. He made his debut with the Rangers last July and hit .182 in 33 at-bats. He hit .298/.356/.524 with Triple-A Round Rock. He's most likely in line for more time at Round Rock, particularly with Ezequiel Duran, Josh Smith, and Bubba Thompson also vying for time in the outfield.

1/25/2023

Miami Marlins invited non-roster RHP Bryan Hoeing and SS Charles Leblanc to spring training. Hoeing, 26, finished the 2022 season with Miami, though he was knocked around a bit in six late-season appearances. He opened the year with four strong starts at Double-A Pensacola and moved on to Triple-A Jacksonville in early May. His form was up and down in the International League, with a handful of poor starts inflating his ERA. He surrendered seven earned runs in three innings in his debut against the Dodgers in August, and wound up with a 12.08 ERA in eight big-league games. The Marlins dropped him from the 40-man roster in November. He probably needs to show more steady success at Triple-A before he factors back into the picture in Miami.

Leblanc was a pleasant surprise for the Marlins after making his debut on July 30. He hit .263/.320/.404 in 169 plate appearances while seeing time at second, third, and first. The righty swinger was more effective against same-side hurlers, batting .273/.328/.418 in 119 plate appearances against righties and just .239/.300/.370 against lefties. He logged an .884 OPS in 87 games at Jacksonville, and looked like a utility candidate heading into the offseason. The Marlins designated him for assignment on Jan. 5 when they needed a roster spot for free-agent Jean Segura. He could win his spot back with a strong spring.

1/25/2023

Toronto Blue Jays assigned OF Wynton Bernard to Triple-A Buffalo. Bernard signed with the Jays on 1/20, after spending the previous two seasons in the Rockies organization. He finally reached the majors at 31 when he was called up to replace the injured Yonathan Daza last August. Bernard hit .286 with one extra-base hit in 42 at-bats, and was returned to Triple-A Albuquerque when Daza returned at the end of the month. He finished out the season with the Isotopes and became a free agent in November after he was removed from Colorado's 40-man roster. He hit .333/.387/.590 in 108 Triple-A games, showing power for the first time in his career, hitting 21 home runs, tripling his previous career best of seven, set the year before. Should he land on the Buffalo roster during the season, he'll be back in familiar territory, as he spent three years at Niagara University in nearby Lewiston, N.Y. Toronto's outfield won't be easy to crack, but should the Jays need a fill-in, the veteran Bernard will present a steady option.

1/24/2023

Philadelphia Phillies assigned RHP Mark Appel to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Appel became a free agent in November after being outrighted to Lehigh Valley. Two months later, he re-signed with the Phillies, who placed him back on the IronPigs roster. Appel went 6-0 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP at Lehigh Valley last year in his first season as a full-time reliever. He turned in even better numbers in Philadelphia, logging a 1.74 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 10.1 innings for the Phillies. Despite his success in the big leagues, his last appearance as a Phil came on Aug. 2. He finished the campaign on the IL due to elbow inflammation after allowing three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning for Lehigh Valley on Sept. 3.

MLB Pipeline's Top 100 includes 19 2022 debutants

The top three players on MLB Pipeline's 2023 Top 100 Prospects list all made their big-league debuts in 2022, as did 16 others, making a total of 19 players with top-level experience entering spring training. All 19 received in-depth writeups in Major League Debuts.

The top three were Orioles 3B/SS Gunnar Henderson, Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll, and Mets C Francisco Alvarez. Henderson graced the cover of Baseball America last August, when he made his debut on the final day of the month, homering off Guardians righthander Triston McKenzie in his second at-bat. He finished the night 2-for-4 and slashed .259/.348/.440 in 132 plate appearances with the Orioles. Carroll joined the Diamondbacks just two days earlier. He doubled in his first game, driving in a pair of runs in a 13-7 win over the Phillies. In 32 games for Arizona, he hit .260/.330/.500 with 15 extra-base hits in 115 plate appearances. Alvarez's intro was more of a cameo, as he first featured against the Braves on Sept. 30. He went 0-for-4 as the DH, getting the start against Atlanta's Max Fried. The Mets were hoping he could help boost their production from the DH spot against lefthanders. He went 2-for-12 in limited action, with both of his hits coming in the same game against the Nationals on the next-to-last day of the season.

The full list of players in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 to feature in the book, with their debut game highlights:

1. Gunnar Henderson, 3B/SS, Orioles. Aug. 31 vs CLE, 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI.
2. Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks. Aug. 29 vs PHI, 1-for-5, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, K.
3. Francisco Alvarez, C, Mets. Sept. 30 vs ATL, 0-for-4, K.
21. Brett Baty, 3B/OF, Mets. Aug. 17 vs ATL, 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI. Homered in first at-bat.
23. Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox. Sept. 4 vs TEX, 1-for-4.
25. Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies. Sept. 23 vs SD, 2-for-4, R. Singled on first two pitches he saw.
34. Josh Jung, 3B, Rangers. Sept. 9 vs TOR, 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI, SB. Homered in first at-bat.
37. Miguel Vargas, 3B/1B/OF, Dodgers. Aug. 3 vs SF, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, SB. Ground-rule double in first at-bat, then stole third.
43. Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros. Sept. 5 vs TEX, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, W. Six shutout innings in a 1-0 win, Game Score-70.
45. Royce Lewis, SS, Twins. May 6 vs OAK, 1-for-4.
52. Oswald Peraza, SS, Yankees. Sept. 2 vs TB, 0-for-1, K. Struck out on three pitches as PH in ninth inning.
53. Logan O'Hoppe, C, Angels. Sept. 28 vs OAK, 1-for-3, K. Singled in first at-bat.
58. Cade Cavalli, RHP, Nationals. Aug. 26 vs CIN, 4.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 3 HBP, L, Game Score-27.
64. Bo Naylor, C, Guardians. Oct. 1 vs KC, 0-for-2, K. Entered game in 6th. 1-for-2 in throwing out base stealers.
67. Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins. July 16 vs PHI, 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 2 HR, L, Game Score-38.
70. Ryan Pepiot, RHP, Dodgers. May 11 vs PIT, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 SO. In and out of trouble with poor command. Just 40 of his 77 pitches were strikes, Game Score-55.
76. Ken Waldichuk, LHP, Athletics. Sept. 1 vs WAS, 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO, Game Score-52.
91. Alec Burleson, OF, Cardinals. Sept. 8 vs WAS, 0-for-4, BB, R.
97. DL Hall, LHP, Orioles. Aug. 13 vs TB, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, L, Game Score-34.

Major League Debuts contains much more detail on each player's first game, as well as a full bio and a recap of his 2022 season.

Lewis certainly would have ranked higher on the list if not for his two ACL injuries. You have to feel bad for him for all the time he's missed. Max Meyer also had some rotten luck tearing his UCL in just his second game with the Marlins last July. I personally like Waldichuk better than Pepiot, and maybe Cavalli. I would push him up the list a bit. Burleson is there for his bat, and he looks like a guy that will hit, despite his .188 showing in limited time with the Cardinals late last year.

Ebook now available, print coming soon

Major League Debuts is now available for Kindle and Nook, for $7.99. Print versions will be released in the coming days, and will be priced at $17.95.

To order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSWB4X51 

To order on BN.com: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/major-league-debuts-james-bailey/1142978517

Here's a sneak peek at what you will see in the book (times 303, with an entry like this for every player to debut in the majors in 2022):

C.J. Abrams, SS, Padres

B-T: L-R HT: 6-2 WT: 185 Born: Oct. 3, 2000, Alpharetta, Ga.

Debut Age: 21

Debut: April 8. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s wrist injury opened the door for the lefty-swinging Abrams to win an Opening Day roster spot with a hot spring. He got his first start at shortstop in the Padres’ second game of the season, batting eighth versus the Diamondbacks. Abrams grounded to second base in his first at-bat, reaching first on a fielder’s choice, but was caught stealing trying to go to second to end the inning. He sent right fielder Pavin Smith all the way to the wall in his third at-bat, but ultimately went 0-for-4 on the day as the Padres won 3-0.

Background: Abrams started every game in center field as USA Baseball’s 18U team took gold in the COPABE Pan American Championships in 2018. He was named to the all-tournament team after hitting .297 with eight RBIs and 14 runs scored in nine games. The speedster stole 100 bases in his four years at Blessed Trinity Catholic HS in Roswell, Ga., and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Georgia in 2019. The sixth overall pick that spring, he signed with the Padres for $5.2 million and began his pro career with an exclamation point, going 4-for-4 in his debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League with a home run in his third at-bat. For good measure, he added three more hits the following day. Abrams collected at least one hit in his first 20 professional games and was hitting .401 and leading the league with 40 runs scored when the Padres bumped him up to Low-A Fort Wayne in early August. He lasted just two games there before a bruised shoulder landed him on the IL, ending his season nearly a month ahead of schedule. After the season, he was named Arizona League MVP, as well as the top prospect in the circuit by Baseball America. Thanks to the lost 2020 season, he jumped essentially from Rookie ball to Double-A San Antonio in 2021. He managed only a couple of months there before breaking his tibia and spraining an MCL in an on-field collision with second baseman Eguy Rosario in late June. A subsequent shoulder injury kept him out of the Arizona Fall League.

2022 Season: Abrams arrived in camp with eight pounds of added muscle. Even as he hit .324 with a pair of homers in 37 Cactus League at-bats, there were concerns he wasn’t ready to handle big-league breaking balls. That turned out to be the case. He went 0-for-14 in at-bats that ended with a breaking pitch and started the season 10-for-55 (.182). The Padres optioned him to Triple-A El Paso on May 10 to work on shortening his swing and giving himself a longer look at the ball. He belted three home runs in his first two games there and slashed .314/.364/.507 with 10 stolen bases in 140 at-bats to earn another shot in San Diego in late June when Manny Machado sprained his ankle. Sidelined briefly by bicep soreness in July, he remained on the big-league roster until moving to the Nationals at the trade deadline as part of the package to acquire Juan Soto. The Nats originally assigned him to Triple-A Rochester for two weeks before summoning him to Washington when Luis Garcia hit the injury list with a strained groin. Given semi-regular playing time, Abrams struggled initially before hitting .303 over the final month of the season, including a 4-hit game against the Cardinals on Sept. 5. The Nationals saw enough growth to feel comfortable moving him up to the No. 2 slot in the batting order.

Outlook: Abram’s strong finish provides hope that this time around he will be ready to stick for the entire season. While his K/BB ratios in the big leagues were abysmal, they’ve been solid in the minor leagues, and once he learns to put himself in more favorable counts he should drive the ball with more authority. He also needs to solve lefthanders, having logged a paltry .387 OPS against them at the major league level. He still projects as a potential star.

YR	LG	TEAM	AVG	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG
2019	ARI	PADRES (R)	.401	32	156	142	40	57	12	8	3	22	10	14	14	6	.442	.662
2019	MID	FORT WAYNE (A)	.250	2	9	8	1	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	.333	.375
2021	TEX	SAN ANTONIO (AA)	.296	42	183	162	26	48	14	0	2	23	15	36	13	2	.363	.420
2022	PCL	EL PASO (AAA)	.314	30	151	140	35	44	4	1	7	28	8	25	10	3	.364	.507
2022	INT	ROCHESTER (AAA)	.290	8	35	31	7	9	2	0	0	2	2	8	4	1	.343	.355
2022	NL	SD	.232	46	139	125	16	29	5	0	2	11	4	27	1	2	.285	.320
2022	NL	WAS	.258	44	163	159	17	41	7	2	0	10	1	23	6	2	.276	.327

GAMES BY POSITION		C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
2019	PADRES (R)					28
2019	FORT WAYNE (A)					1
2021	SAN ANTONIO (AA)			6		33
2022	EL PASO (AAA)			2		26	2
2022	ROCHESTER (AAA)					8
2022	SD			13		32	3
2022	WAS					43