Jason Creasy

JASON CREASY, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: May 13, 1992
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 180
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 8th Round, 242nd Overall, 2011
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Clayton HS, Clayton, NC
Agent:  N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Creasy was a classic Pirates draft pick, a tall prep RHP with a projectable frame.  He had an upper-80s fastball that touched the low-90s and the Pirates undoubtedly hoped he’d add velocity, but that hasn’t happened to any great degree.  He also throws a curve and change.  He was the #40 prospect out of North Carolina and had a commitment to NC State, but signed with the Pirates in mid-July.  Creasy has become a finesse pitcher who walks very few hitters, at least until he got to AA, but is very hittable.  He’s not a groundball pitcher, unlike many of the pitchers in the system.

2011
R:  0-0-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 5.1 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 5.1 K/9

Got into three GCL games late in the season.

2012
A-:  0-5-0, 5.63 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 54.1 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 4.8 K/9

Creasy spent 2012 in the State College rotation.  He threw in the low 90s and his slider showed some potential, but overall he didn’t pitch well.  Opponents hit .301 against him and he didn’t miss many bats.

2013
A:  6-4-3, 2.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 108.1 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 8.0 K/9

Creasy took a big step forward at West Virginia.  He opened the season in the bullpen, but moved to the rotation roughly at the mid-point.  He pitched well in relief, but even better as a starter, posting a 2.47 ERA and allowing only two HRs in 65.2 IP.  His walk and K rates improved significantly, as he improved his fastball command.  He was clocked at least some of the time at 91-93, reaching 94, in relief, but more like 89-91 as a starter.  He finished especially strongly, going 4-1, 1.59 in August, with four walks and 31 Ks in 34 innings.

2014
A+:  8-9-0, 3.93 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 148.2 IP, 1.3 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

Creasy spent the season in the Bradenton rotation.  He had a solid, rather than good, season, walking very few batters but also not striking out many and allowing opponents to bat .284 against him.  He also allowed an opponents’ slugging average of .429 in a league where the average was .371, although some of that resulted from McKechnie Field, which is the league’s best hitters park.  Creasy had an especially rough stretch from mid-July to mid-August, when he had a 6.55 ERA over seven starts.  He had trouble with right-handed batters, who posted an OPS of .800 against him.  He was not a groundball pitcher.

2015
AA:  12-8-0, 4.84 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 147.0 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 4.3 K/9

Creasy was eligible for the Rule 5 draft, but he wasn’t added to the 40-man roster and wasn’t selected.  He pitched in the Altoona rotation all year.  He got off to a good start, allowing only one run in his first three games and winning his first seven decisions.  As with the previous year, he got hit harder and harder as the season went along, with an especially rough stretch again in July and August, when his ERA was 7.55 for the two months.  On the season, hitters batted 288/357/431 against him in a league in which the averages were 256/319/372.  His K rate, which was already low the previous year, dropped sharply and his walk rate increased by two and a half times.  He had no platoon split.

2016
A-:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 10.1 K/9
AA:  4-1-0, 6.07 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 29.2 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 4.9 K/9
AAA:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 2.2 K/9

Creasy opened the season in the Altoona rotation and struggled.  At the end of April, he went on the disabled list with a forearm strain.  He didn’t return until early August, when he made a couple rehab appearances with Morgantown.  When he returned, his fastball was sitting at 93-94, as opposed to his usual upper-80s.  He also changed the type of curve he was throwing.  He eventually made three relief appearances for the Curve, giving up six runs in two-thirds of an inning in the first one but pitching better in the other two.  He then made two appearances with Indianapolis, which was short on pitching due to promotions.

Creasy seemed to have topped out at AA because his stuff was too hittable.  Whether the changes since his injury will make a difference remains to be seen.  He’ll be eligible for the Rule 5 draft again, but isn’t likely to be selected.  After the 2017 season, he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2017:  Minor league contract.
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus:  $250,000
MiLB Debut: 2011
MLB Debut:
MiLB FA Eligible: 2017
MLB FA Eligible:
Rule 5 Eligible:  Eligible
Added to 40-Man:
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 7, 2011: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 8th round, 242nd overall pick; signed on July 13.