The Chicago White Sox haven’t had a lot go their means this yr, and that features the pitching division. Solely Garrett Crochet (4.4) and the since-traded Erick Fedde (2.6) have produced as a lot as 1.3 WAR. These issues stated, a couple of younger pitchers have proven promise, one among them being 24-year-old rookie right-hander Jonathan Cannon. Over 119 2/3 innings, the 2022 third-round pick of the College of Georgia has logged a 4.37 ERA, a 4.57 FIP, and 1.2 WAR — not horny numbers, however because of a five-pitch combine and a cerebral method to his craft, his potential is actual. Previous to the season, Eric Longenhagen assigned Cannon a forty five FV, calling him “a high-floored no. 4/5 starter prospect because of his repertoire depth and command.”
Cannon mentioned his M.O. on the mound when the White Sox visited Fenway Park earlier this month.
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David Laurila: You’re primarily identified to your sinker, which you’ve thrown greater than any of your different pitches this season. It’s additionally the pitch you’ve had the least success with from a statistical standpoint. Why is that?
Jonathan Cannon: “For essentially the most half, it’s been the command of it being dangerous. For those who take a look at the perfect sinkerballers within the recreation proper now — I’m pondering guys like Logan Webb — what makes their sinkers so good is that they do a very good job of commanding it down-and-away to righties. It form of units up all the pieces else. Once they’re lacking, they’re lacking down, however extra center. Proper now, I really feel like I command the outer half effectively, however loads of them are elevated to round thigh excessive. When it leaks into the center and is thigh excessive, I don’t get loads of groundballs with it. That’s form of been the principle focus for me. Once I do miss, I need to miss the place I’m getting a groundball reasonably than a tough line drive into the hole.
“That’s one of many causes I’ve elevated the utilization of my changeup. I wasn’t throwing it a complete lot at starting of the yr, however then I began having good outcomes with it after making an attempt it in some extra counts. I’ve been tying to get the remainder of my pitches extra concerned. That’s why you’ve seen an uptick in the usage of the four-seamer as effectively. It’s not an excellent pitch by itself; it doesn’t have loads of vert, and I don’t have a fantastic method angle, however as a result of I throw lots that strikes on the backside, I get good outcomes on the four-seamer. I’m form of making an attempt to get away from utilizing the sinker an excessive amount of.”
Laurila: What are the metrics in your sinker?
Cannon: “It’s wherever from two to 4 vert, and 15 horizontal. The metrics on it are good. It’s extra that the utilization has possibly been just a little bit an excessive amount of, and once more, the placement hasn’t at all times been nice. One thing I needed to study once I acquired right here is that whereas within the minor leagues I may rip that factor proper down the center and get a groundball more often than not, however towards these guys, when it will get thigh excessive and above they’re fairly good at hitting it within the air.
“I used to be at all times taught to throw sinkers beneath the palms of righties, bury it down-and-in. Up right here, wanting on the analytics of the place guys hit sinkers effectively… typically talking, they hit down-and-in fairly effectively, it doesn’t matter what pitch it’s. So, we now have to command down-and-away, and up-and-in on lefties to front-hip them. That’s form of been the principle factor, determining learn how to command it.”
Laurila: You don’t throw many sinkers to lefties. Why?
Cannon: “I don’t know what the numbers are, however lefties need to be hitting north of .400 towards my sinker. It simply form of falls into the trail of their barrel. Even once I put one down-and-away they have a tendency to hit it effectively. That’s why I’ve tried to make use of extra four-seams and cutters, to get up-and-in on their palms. That additionally form of opens it up just a little bit down-and-away. The sinker up-and-in to lefties, in my view, is the hardest pitch to throw. However that’s actually the one place you’ll be able to throw it persistently and so they gained’t hit it laborious.
“I watch loads of Logan Webb. I really feel like we pitch very equally, and the sinker up-and-in is a key to his arsenal towards lefties, as a result of all the pieces he throws is form of shifting down within the zone. He’s acquired the actually good changeup, the nice sweeper, the nice sinker. By throwing the sinker up-and-in, he backs guys up. He stands them up. For those who’re simply throwing all the pieces down within the zone, guys get their eyes down there and also you get some good takes. You’ve acquired to make them reset that just a little bit.
“In opposition to Baltimore the opposite day, I used to be capable of throw the sinker up-and-in, which acquired them off of all the pieces else. Once I’m throwing each that and the cutter up-and-in, it turns into type of a guessing recreation for them as to which means it’s going to maneuver. I used to be additionally capable of throw extra four-seams towards Baltimore, which we figured we would have liked to get extra concerned.”
Laurila: Do you see your self transitioning towards extra fours and fewer twos?
Cannon: “Under no circumstances. I feel the sinker and sweeper are too good to go away from. In opposition to Baltimore, it was a kind of issues the place I used to be going to throw some fours till they adjusted to it, however they weren’t capable of regulate to it, so I stored throwing it.”
Laurila: Why do you’re feeling they weren’t capable of regulate?
Cannon: “I feel it simply needed to do with the scouting report. my scouting reviews towards left-handed hitters, what I might do is search for one thing form of thigh excessive, middle-away. I’d look changeup within the zone and sinker down-and-away, after which simply form of battle off the cutter. Something coming in on you might be going to be a ball. That’s why I acquired loads of takes on the sinker up-and-in. And since I don’t actually throw something up-and-away, four-seamers there form of shocked them.”
Laurila: How do you steadiness prioritizing your finest pitches with using your whole arsenal?
Cannon: “It’s a kind of issues the place you need to always be adjusting. I grew to become actually heavy with a sinker/sweeper combo to righties, and it form of grew to become ‘Let’s get rid of one among them and simply search for one pitch.’ I had an at-bat towards James McCann the place I threw him a few actually good sweepers and he was capable of take them as a result of he was wanting sweeper. However I used to be capable of jam a sinker up-and-in to get him out a few instances. Identical factor with [Coby] Mayo. Going up-and-in with the 4 and up-and-in with the sinker acquired them off all the pieces else. The sweeper is my finest pitch to righties, so I can’t permit them to get rid of it.”
Laurila: Any remaining ideas?
Cannon: “Analytically, all of my pitches are in a great spot. It’s nearly figuring one of the best ways to make use of them in an effort to get hitters out persistently. I’ve been studying lots this yr.”
