Nicholas Neumann

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2014
A-:  3-2-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 34.0 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 7.4 K/9

Pitching out of the Jamestown bullpen, apart from one start, Neumann showed good control but had more hits allowed than innings pitched.  He had a huge platoon split, allowing only a .540 OPS to right-handed hitters but 1.006 to left-handed hitters.

2015
A:  3-1-17, 2.76 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 7.3 K/9

Neumann moved up to West Virginia and served as the closer.  That’s actually not a sign that a team considers a pitcher a prospect.  For one thing, it meant Neumann got fewer innings than the 60-80 that the Pirates typically try to get a reliever at that level.  Neumann put up solid numbers, including a low walk rate.  He was mainly a flyball pitcher.  He had a reverse platoon split, holding left-handed hitters to a .523 OPS, while right-handed hitters posted a .751 OPS against him.  Considering his split the previous year, that’s a good illustration of how small sample size platoon splits may not mean much.

2016
A+:  1-0-6, 2.98 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 42.1 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

The Pirates sent Neumann to Bradenton, where he had a season very similar to the previous one.  He got hit a little harder, with opponents batting .277 and slugging .380 against him, both above the league averages of .250 and .356.  This time, Neumann had trouble with left-handed batters, who hit 323/382/403 against him.  He went on the disabled list in early July and didn’t return until the end of August.

Neumann could see time at Bradenton again or Altoona, or both, in 2017.