INDIANAPOLIS – Tyler Eppler was simply looking to find a secondary option, but instead he found a new primary off-speed pitch. And he’s used that new primary pitch to be the most consistent performer in Triple-A Indianapolis’ starting rotation this season.
Eppler, the organization’s 20th-ranked prospect, has always possessed good command. The walks have been minimal, but that command of his fastball created a problem: hitters were able to get too comfortable in the batter’s box, knowing he would be throwing strikes.
The solution? Eppler had to develop a secondary pitch to give hitters a different look and to keep them off-balance. Enter, the “slutter” — a slider-cutter pitch that within about a year has arguably developed into his best off-speed option.
“One thing we worked on last year was when you can throw strikes, you can also throw balls, and the benefits at times of going out of the zone to set up the rest of the at-bat,” said Justin Meccage, the organization’s pitching coordinator. “The slutter has helped guys kind of get off his fastball a little bit. It looks a lot like his fastball. We brought that on the table at the end of last year and it’s really shown up to be a really quality pitch for him and we’re excited about it.”
Eppler had his best performance of the season in his most recent start, allowing four hits in seven shutout innings against Charlotte on Wednesday. He has been the most consistent pitcher in Indianapolis this season, not giving up a run in half of his six starts and allowing one walk or less in all but one of those outings.
Eppler has a 2.36 ERA and minuscule 0.87 WHIP, which ranks third in the International League. He has 29 strikeouts and six walks in 34.1 innings. And he’s pitched at least five innings in every start, and would have gone longer in his first starts of the season if not for being on a pitch/inning limit.
All four of his pitches — a fastball typically in the mid-90s, changeup, curve and the slutter — have looked good for a good part of the season. But especially against Charlotte, which has several prospects including Yoan Moncada, the top-ranked one in baseball.
“He was throwing all of his pitches for strikes,” Barkett said after that outing. “(Charlotte) was off-balance and they didn’t show much adjustment to him and if they did, he was able to get one step ahead of them. Overall, it was just a dominating performance.”
Eppler has not only been consistently good, but he’s been consistently efficient. Especially in the later innings of his outing, which would be the second or third time through the order. He has thrown 10 pitches or less in an inning six times this season. All of those have been in the fourth inning or later. No other Indianapolis starting pitcher has finished more innings with 10 pitches or less than Eppler.
“Throwing strikes, attacking the zone, not falling behind in the counts,” Barkett said about Eppler’s efficient innings. “If you get in bad counts then bad things happen. When you’re attacking the zone, you can definitely do more and have more options.”
His efficiency late in the game is a result of reading what he sees the first time through the lineup, and also building on what his catcher — either Elias Diaz or Jacob Stallings — notices.
“Just kind of getting a feel for where they’re at in the game,” Eppler said. “Getting those hitters’ game plans the first time that they come through, and then just adjusting off of that the second time through the order. I think that’s a big deal and just reading those swings early, and attacking those weaknesses that I see the second time around.”
Players and coaches rave about Eppler’s demeanor on the mound, along with his intelligence. Barkett has said Eppler “has ice in his veins.” That shows through during the rough times, more than the good times. Such as when Eppler allowed four runs on six hits in five innings at Pawtucket.
“He was in cruise control (against Charlotte) so demeanor was pretty easy on days like (those),” Stallings said. “In Pawtucket, we would talk about mis-executed pitches after an inning and he was done. He wasn’t dwelling on it. He’s a pretty smart guy, doesn’t dwell on it. He moves on if he makes a mistake and learns from it, which is a big thing.”
Eppler is not somebody that gets too high, or too low. He seemingly has the same attitude after dominant outings or a start where he had shaky command.
“I guess it’s just who I am,” Eppler said. “It’s part of my nature. I’m laid back and quiet. I just try not to let anything bother me. It’s the way I try to live life. You have your ups and downs, and I just try to stay even-keeled. It’s a game when it comes down to it. Dealing with those bad moments — there’s nothing you can do to change those moments so you might as well past them.”
Stallings recalled catching Eppler a few years ago in Double-A Altoona during the playoffs, when Eppler was promoted from Bradenton. Eppler threw 48 of his 79 pitches for a strike, but allowed six runs on four hits and three walks.
Eppler had good control — despite those three walks in that particular outing — at that point in his career. But he didn’t have that one pitch to keep hitters uncomfortable in the batter’s box, and off his fastball. The slutter has been a strikeout pitch and a breaking pitch, Stallings said.
“The cutter has, to me, helped him take a huge step,” Stallings said.
And if Eppler can produce more starts like the one he had against Charlotte, his value as a prospect is only going to rise. Indianapolis pitching coach Stan Kyles, Stallings, and Eppler devised a plan for that outing, and Eppler made it work.
“I think the biggest thing was how convicted he was in his plan going in,” Stallings said.
Eppler used his fastball and changeup the first time through the lineup, mixing in his curveball the second time through. That curve worked looked even better the third time through the lineup. And at the same time, Eppler mixed in his slutter to create a dominant outing.
“He had a plan and he knew exactly what pitch he wanted to throw pretty much the whole game,” Stallings said. “He did a nice job of executing and anytime you can throw four pitches for a strike that’s really hard to hit.”
Eppler is putting together the best season so far of any Indianapolis starter. He’s been consistent and efficient. His still relatively new slider-cutter has added a new dimension to his game that projects him as a major league starting pitching prospect, or power reliever. If Eppler continues to put together outings like he did against Charlotte, he might just force himself into the role as a major league starter.
